I refer to Jesus as my Master for a variety of reasons. In MUFHH this morning, Chambers writes about why I have a Master but am not "mastered". One of the interesting things about the verse Chambers uses (John 13:13) is that the word translated by the King James Version as "Master", is a word used for a "teacher" more than a slave master or some other form of overlord. It is related to the Greek word from which we get didactic, which pertains to the art and science of teaching.
This is a great way to explain the mastery of my Master. One of the main reasons I use that term is because it has a lot more meaning in our culture than king or lord. Those are more medieval feudalistic terms that have little or no real connection to our culture. The term master on the other hand, will usually bring up something more intimate than "boss", more hands on than leader, and yet more powerful than "coach". It is somewhat related to "sensei" perhaps, but even that has a very limited expression, and Jesus suffers no such limitations.
One feature gained using the term Master for Jesus is that there is an element of creative skill and ability inherent in it. Another is the overarching position of authority that has the potential to reach past a context into personal life. Those two elements are necessary to describe my relationship with Jesus. Jesus is my Messiah, the One marked by anointing to deliver, reconcile, atone for, and lead me. Messiah is a Hebrew term, Christ is a Greek term, both mean to have oil poured over ones head as a sign of selection for a special purpose, and no one does that these days. But we still understand the concept of Master with a range of meaning.
Because of the social history of slavery, the term Master may have a negative sense to it, but even that I believe is helpful to me toward understanding my relationship. I believe everyone is a slave to something, but with the work of my Master complete, I also believe everyone has a choice of master. I can be a slave to my passions, desires, and lusts; most people only have this option, whatever the object of those lusts may be. But, in Jesus, I can choose Him as my Master. In choosing Him as Master and believing in His resurrection, I enter into a relationship with Jesus as my Master.
In this role, Jesus is my Teacher, my Friend, my Leader, but also my Brother in a strange element of adoption transcending the other elements of "Messiah". And these terms also explain the point Chambers makes that Jesus does not force me into submission, I am not "mastered" as he puts it, and he's right. Jesus does not break boundaries with me, but permits my willful submission or rebellion to Him. On the other hand He does not let me wander from Him, but uses consequences and my personal limitations to hedge me in close to Himself. He is Master regardless of what I call Him or whether or not I submit to His mastery.
It is truly a beautiful element of my existence to have Jesus as my Master. I seem to focus less on it, but it seems to affect me more. Not that I am very far from my passions, desires, and lusts; but even as close they are, my Master is closer. The wonder is that, with the mastery He has over just the small portion of the universe I observe, He still knows me and chooses to have a relationship with me. And that choice ranges far beyond me, into the lives of my fellow church members, my friends back in Texas, California, Idaho, and other parts of the world, and my family; and those are just the ones I know. How does He have the time?
There are no limits to His mastery, and only His self-restraint limits His actions and creativity. He is Master even over Himself. I love that, and I am alive because of that. I would have killed me in frustration long ago, and probably you too (clearly, I'm capricious and thankfully not divine). I obviously have trouble curbing my own selfish desires and lusts. He does not. It is difficult for me to imagine, but I have to use my imagination to go there. I leave other mundane frames of reference behind as I search for descriptors for my Master's mastery.
Nothing compares to my Master. I am astonished that I can choose anything over Him, and yet I struggle with that choice daily. What have my passions, desires, and lusts ever provided me that was not destructive, shameful, and embarrassing? Seriously, what is the lure? Why is it so difficult to just remain in submission to my Master, Jesus? I don't know the answer to that just yet, but I do know the solution. He Who has such mastery over Himself, lends that quality to me through the presence of His Spirit. The fruit of His Spirit include self-control. He saves me even from myself. How can I keep from worshipping Him?
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