What do you associate with the word “master”?
Maybe you think of a level of education like a master’s degree or a Masterclass. Maybe you’re a golf fan and think of the Masters Tournament. If this summer has been spent watching Kung Fu Panda movies 1-4, you probably think of Master Po and his exceptional and improvised combat style. These are examples of people (or of a panda) who have superior skills and knowledge that give us a sense of awe and inspiration.
The word master can also be thought of in relational terms like the headmaster over a school or the master over a servant or slave. Master is sometimes associated with harsh actions and arrogant attitudes. The abuse of positional inequality provokes feelings of injustice. And there are tragic examples – both past and present – of positional inequality whose very existence is heinous.
Whether it is mastery by refined skill or mastery by relational position, a master is someone with superior power. And though we may want to avoid talking about power dynamics, power dynamics is a topic the gospel readily addresses.
Colossians 4:1 says, “Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.” The word translated “master” in this verse is used ten times in Colossians 3:17-4:1 and most frequently appears translated as “Lord”. In these verses, Paul connects our horizontal relationships with other people to our vertical relationship with God. Paul is not prescribing that the relationship of master and bondservant exist, but he is showing how the gospel can transform these types of relationships when they do exist.
I’ve been greatly helped in my thinking about power by writer Andy Crouch who points out that power is not a subject to be avoided, but a matter for discipleship. There are all sorts of power dynamics in society. The Bible doesn’t ignore this reality but meets us where we live. And if we observe closely, most people are both in authority and under authority. Power can be a gift when used to bless and benefit others. Just like the power of electricity can brighten a home, the power of a leader can illuminate the worth and significance of those under his or her charge. But in order for power to be used for the good of others, the person in power must have a greater concern for others than for themselves. Our heavenly Master used his power for our salvation. And the gospel has the power to change us from living me-first to living others-first.
-Bryan Miller, Pastor of Care
Watch the full sermon from week 6 of our Colossians series here:
