Doulos

Who is this King of Glory?  With the image of Jesus on the cross, recall Isaiah 53:3:He was despised and rejected by men;    a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;and as one from whom men hide their faces    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.Fr. Timothy Lowe looks to the Gospel of Matthew as the climax to the biblical story in the people's search for a leader.  The Son of Man is presented as an anti-king, securing no power in an army, palace, or wealth.  As one who submits to the will of His Father, the Son of Man will come in glory to judge on that very basis, separating those who serve the will of the Father from those who do not.  This is our hope, even as we are made to tremble.

King Josiah led his people in a magnificent building campaign to beautify their temple. But it all came to a screeching halt when the Book of the Law, neglected for generations by the Kings of Israel, was discovered and its words read aloud. King Josiah realized the Lord's judgment was at hand, and so he led his people in repentance. "There was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might." Still, the Lord declares to remove Judah and Israel from His sight, and casts off His chosen city. Fr. Timothy Lowe, in reflecting on the "despair of the Lord," the very meaning of Josiah's name, reminds us there may be a time when repentance is no longer an option. 

We had hoped the young King Solomon, in his request to the Lord for wisdom, would avoid the typical temptations that come with power and prestige. But the frailty of the human ego shows itself again in the wayward path Solomon takes in seeking not the Lord, but wealth and  security in other gods and earthly alliances. In this line of biblical kings, is there any hope that one would lead according to the commandments of the Lord, and walk in His ways? 

If you had only one wish, what would it be?The young King Solomon asked not for long life, nor riches, nor victory over his enemies. We learn from the story in I Kings that the Lord was pleased that Solomon instead asked for a "listening heart," to govern and discern what is right. Fr. Timothy Lowe reminds us that the right beginning, the initial baptism and the right confession of faith doesn't necessarily secure God's favor. It's in the doing and walking in faithful obedience, ever mindful of the condition, "If you keep my commandments, then I will lengthen your days."  

If we claim to live as a servant of God, a doulos tou theou, we must reckon with the daily choice: Do I serve and protect my own interests and my own life? Or serve the will of God, even at the cost of my own comfort and life?Fr. Chris Salamy compares the story of the man, Adam, in the Garden of Eden with the story of the man, Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane. He reminds us that serving our own wills surely ends in death, while serving the will of our Heavenly Father opens unto life. Fr. Chris Salamy is the author of The Way of the Warrior Saint: How to Live a Crucifixional Life. Learn more at https://www.warriorsaints.org/book/

Who is the real David? On the one hand, a humble shepherd boy who courageously obeys the Lord and is anointed king of Israel. On the other hand, adulterer and murderer in his dealings with Bathsheba and Uriah. On the first hand, sorrowfully repentant, and Psalmist. On the other hand, abandons his duty in providing justice for his daughter, Tamar, who is raped by David's firstborn. On the first hand, commissions his successor, Solomon, to keep the commandments of the Lord and to walk in faithfulness. On the other hand, in his final dying words, entrusts his personal vendettas to Solomon to carry out vengeance against those who humiliated him. Fr. Timothy reminds us, "It's not how we begin life, but how we end it. No one is good, but God alone. Do not imagine otherwise. It is the only corrective to our egos."

Not long after the Lord establishes his shepherd, David, over his people Israel, does King David turn to devour his own flock. Bored and distracted at home while his armies fight the king's battles, David takes another man's wife. To cover up his adultery, he betrays and murders his loyal and faithful servant, Uriah the Hittite. We are reminded again through this story that, "No one is good but God alone," and "Whoever would be greatest must be servant of all." Fr. Timothy Lowe suggests, "If you say these things and repeat them, trust me, it will finally sink in and live there and be the corrective to all temptations."

Safe from his enemies and finally secure in his own palace, King David desires to build the Lord a house of cedar. The Lord reminds David through His prophet Nathan that the ark of the Lord moves and dwells in a tent. The Lord has no need for a house. Furthermore, it is the Lord who establishes David and his house, and not the other way around.  Taking him from the pasture, the Lord has established David as shepherd over His flock. The warning for His doulos is to attend to the business of caring for the people and not to be distracted with the business of buildings. The story allows us to pause and ask, Who builds? Whose house? Whose glory?

Constantly searching for impressive candidates - from elected officials, to job postings, to new recruits on parish councils - we hope to find leaders in whom we can trust. Yet every leader who comes from the seed of Adam falls short. Fr. Timothy Lowe looks to the story of God's regret that He had made Saul king over Israel, a similar regret we hear in Genesis after God had created man.  From this harsh reality emerges our only hope in submitting to the Lord as King and His mercy through His anointed One. 

Good leaders manage expectations. Good leaders provide clarity and a path forward to eliminate surprise and disappointment.  Since the beginning, the Lord makes it clear that all will be well for those who do His will.  As Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel, he reiterates His Father's expectation.  The crowds who follow Him are impressed with His prophesies, healings, and mighty works, yet they are nevertheless filled with false expectations about entering the Kingdom. Jesus addresses their self-deception, "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord,Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who dos the will of my Father who is in heaven." So why are the crowds astonished at his teaching? 

What's the connection between functioning as a servant of God and hoping in the inheritance as a son of God?  Fr. Paul Hodge remembers the aphorism of Fr. Thomas Hopko of blessed memory, "Beware of consolation before the crucifixion." Like a child who wants dessert before dinner, we may want all of the glory of God's promises now.  Looking to Romans 8, we are reminded of the order and the responsibility to receiving God's gift.  Sharing in the inheritance as sons comes after suffering with Christ, and not before. 

What do you wish for in this new year? Imagine if your every wish stirred an impulse to serve your neighbor with the very thing you first desire from them? Fr. Timothy Lowe turns to Matthew 7 which challenges our presumptions and turns the worldly order upside-down.  The easy path leads to destruction while the narrow gate leads to life. Those who look like sheep may be ravenous wolves, so you must know them by their fruits. And those who fall prey to false teaching may need to check their very wishes and desires against the fruit of Christ's teaching.  

In what ways do we

A new year offers a chance to reflect and reset priorities.  What kinds of new year resolutions are set by the servants of the Lord?  Fr. Timothy Lowe suggests we resolve to pray, out loud and often, the very words provided by Jesus in Matthew's Gospel.  Our daily bread is closely linked to the daily practice of forgiveness, suggesting that as often as we eat, we must seek the Lord's daily bread through His Word and extend His mercy to one another. Taking note of its priorities, its communal emphasis, and even its own powerful simplicity in what the prayer leaves out, the Lord's Prayer sets the ultimate goal and direction for those who pray, "Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done." 

In what ways is prayer used to gain the favor of men, to bargain for position, or even to gossip and control others?  Fr. Timothy Lowe submits to the critique of Matthew's Gospel which warns about heaping up empty words and praying in order to be seen by men.  A Father provides for His children, and Our Father in Heaven knows what you need before you even ask. We can't keep secrets from Him anyway.  As Matthew instructs, "When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Fr. Timothy reminds us, like Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, it is in the acceptance of the simple prayer, "Thy will be done."

Does your parish have a dedicated outreach or missions and evangelism team?  Fr. Evan Armatas boldly suggests that the Great Commission cannot be sequestered to committee; it must be at the heart of parish life.  Reflecting on Hebrews 13 where the Apostle Paul summarizes, "Do not neglect to good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God," Fr. Evan demonstrates how there's always room for one more at the table.  He affirms the degree of diversity within the parish directly correlates to the degree of parish health.  Fr. Evan shares how the Great Commission is inextricably linked to parish health in his new book, Reclaiming the Great Commission: A Roadmap to Parish Health.  The book is written as a practical guide for parish leaders to digest and implement in order to reclaim the Great Commission toward parish health.  

Reactions to Black Friday and Giving Tuesday range from enthusiasm to disgust. Many just feel conflicted with the commercialization of the holidays which is intended as a time for thanksgiving, spending time with loved ones, and extending acts of mercy and generosity as the Lord graciously offers His Son for the salvation of all. How do business and nonprofit leaders who strive to serve the Lord respond to the pressure of these events?  How do consumers and patrons respond in light of their baptism in Christ?  Fr. Timothy Lowe turns to Matthew's Gospel which critiques our motivations surrounding Black Friday and Giving Tuesday in light of Christ's Sermon on the Mount.

How can the Apostle Paul call himself a "blasphemer" and the "chief of sinners" and then go on to lay out expectations for the bishops and the deacons to live above reproach? In this episode, Andrea Bakas provides an in-depth word study which unveils powerful imagery stemming from episkopos and diakonos. We look to First Timothy to understand what is expected of bishops and deacons, functional leaders of the church who are reminded to manage their households well.

What motivates our questions? Do we seek security, favor, and position when we ask that which we already know? Or do we seek  clarity and common reference in the Scripture so that we can get on with the business of doing?  The story of the Good Samaritan and the inverted question Jesus asks, "Who was neighbor to that man?" clarifies the question asked by the lawyer to tempt Jesus. The one who showed mercy clarified the work for the innkeeper to further extend mercy, and mercy abounds! "Do this and you will live," is the clear answer. Any questions? 

What does judgment have to do with servant leadership?  On the one hand, absolutely nothing. If judgment is the Lord's, the doulos, the servant or slave in the Lord's household, cannot stand in the place of judge. The Lord alone is Judge. On the other hand, our daily activities and responsibilities require us to exercise fairness and a certain level of judgment, right?  "We are called to do the Lord's will; no less and no more," says Richard Benton, PhD, author of Hosea: A Commentary and of Loving Language: Learning to Hear Your Neighbor.  The temptation is to overstep with paybacks, applying strictness or neglect, as we see in the Book of Joel. The Lord used the other nations as an instrument of judgment against Israel, but they have overstepped. Incapable of payback, the Lord will requite their deeds upon their own heads. And that's how we know it's fair, when everyone in every nation stands under the same judgment and mercy of One Lord.