The Memory of Power.

[MoreCoffee]

In the world power is about leadership and dominance, or it has been so for many centuries even if that may be changing now.

But Jesus, calling them, said to them: “You know that those who seem to be leaders among the Gentiles dominate them, and their leaders exercise authority over them. (Mark 10:42)​

many centuries ago, the world was dominated by a few civilisations, China in the East, Rome in the west, Mexico and Peru in the Americas.

For the last four or so centuries the world was dominated by Europe.

Last century and this one so far has world dominance in the hands of North America, with the USSR (Now Russia) and China as weaker contenders against USA rule.

But Italy (Rome's homeland in ancient times) remembered its greatness of so long ago and from that memory Italy gave us Mussolini.

China today remembers its greatness in ancient times and its dominance of the East and the memory of it is giving us China Ascendant today.

Europe remembers all to poignantly it recently lost dominance.

But it is not to be this way among you. Instead, whoever would become greater shall be your minister; and whoever will be first among you shall be the servant of all. (Mark 10:43-44)​

In the world today - a world full of so much contention and so great uncertainty about the future where fears of loss abound and fear of what the future will bring for one's homeland and one's position in the pecking order of the world dominates the news media - what does Jesus' teaching say to you?

 

[Lamb]

What does Jesus' teaching say? That Christians are members of HIS kingdom which is not of this world. Countries come and go but God's Kingdom is something believers will always be a part of.

 

[Arsenios]

Instead, whoever would become greater shall be your minister;
and whoever will be first among you shall be the servant of all.

Which rules our supremacy of anyone over anyone else in Christ...

Our greatest Christian Ekklesiastical rulers serve the Flock...

They do not insist on their Supremacy OVER the Flock...

eg Christ is the Head of the Church on earth, and not any one particular of His Servants...

Arsenios

 

[TangledWeb]

In the world power is about leadership and dominance, or it has been so for many centuries even if that may be changing now.

But Jesus, calling them, said to them: “You know that those who seem to be leaders among the Gentiles dominate them, and their leaders exercise authority over them. (Mark 10:42)​

many centuries ago, the world was dominated by a few civilisations, China in the East, Rome in the west, Mexico and Peru in the Americas.

For the last four or so centuries the world was dominated by Europe.

Last century and this one so far has world dominance in the hands of North America, with the USSR (Now Russia) and China as weaker contenders against USA rule.

But Italy (Rome's homeland in ancient times) remembered its greatness of so long ago and from that memory Italy gave us Mussolini.

China today remembers its greatness in ancient times and its dominance of the East and the memory of it is giving us China Ascendant today.

Europe remembers all to poignantly it recently lost dominance.

But it is not to be this way among you. Instead, whoever would become greater shall be your minister; and whoever will be first among you shall be the servant of all. (Mark 10:43-44)​

In the world today - a world full of so much contention and so great uncertainty about the future where fears of loss abound and fear of what the future will bring for one's homeland and one's position in the pecking order of the world dominates the news media - what does Jesus' teaching say to you?

There are wars and rumor of wars and even cases where lands shift and change in our bibles so greatness of the wealth of land is not a constant and even our earthly kingdom as it stands now will not be a constant and will be replace by God's new design. The power of men cannot challenge the power of God.

 

[Josiah]

But Jesus, calling them, said to them: “You know that those who seem to be leaders among the Gentiles dominate them, and their leaders exercise authority over them. (Mark 10:42)​

But it is not to be this way among you. Instead, whoever would become greater shall be your minister; and whoever will be first among you shall be the servant of all. (Mark 10:43-44)​

.

SO true....


This obsession among some Christian people and denominations with POWER, CONTROL, LORDING, SUBMISSION stems from sin. And one of the very few things Jesus says to the church in the age of the church (between Pentecost and the Return) is that this must NOT be so among Christians and in the church. And yet..... Rome formed the first denomination for itself, and created it in its OWN image, with all the Roman/Gentile OBSESSION with power, control, lording it over others, obedience/submission, centrality. Jesus weeps over this....



- Josiah



.

 

[JSales]

Absolute power corrupts absolutely if my 9th grade reading serves me correctly. Josiah nailed that down by saying it is sin that desires power and I add to that it is our lust of being like god for wanting more power and once there is that taste it can be all consuming as in absolute power corrupts absolutely.