Kingdom of Self vs. Sacrifice

In the court of Herod Antipas, power was something to be grasped tightly in both hands. Antipas himself modeled this chasing of power throughout his reign. Although not the eldest of Herod the Great’s sons, he nonetheless came close to inheriting his father’s entire kingdom. In one of Herod the Great’s wills, he named Antipas as king and sole heir . . . but that will was later revoked. Antipas exerted great effort in pleading his case before the emperor, but ultimately the kingdom was divided between three sons. Antipas ended up with a portion of the territory and with the lesser title of tetrarch. It was a sting that he would carry forward throughout his rule. Indeed, he sought the title of king multiple times but never met with success.

Christ modeled a radically different use of power. His was a true kingship, but Paul tells us in Philippians that he did not count equality with God as something to be grasped. Rather than running after prestige, Jesus willingly emptied himself and took the form of a servant. Routinely, he instructed his disciples to do the same. They were not to lord themselves over others but were to be examples of humility. In Christ’s Kingdom, it’s not the powerful who are blessed but the ones who stand humbly before God.

How compelling this version of leadership must have appeared to Joanna, who would have been familiar with seeing others jockey for position. In Christ, she saw a demonstration of strength that was sacrificial and selfless, a Kingdom in which those above bent low, leveraging what they had for the benefit of others.

Ponder: How are you using your influence? To point others to yourself or to Christ? To serve yourself or others?

Pray: Abba, I am prone to be self-elevating. Please fashion a servant heart within me. Rather than chasing after position, help me live sacrificially, and in doing so, model Jesus Christ. Amen.