But I think that is what Christ intended. I think he meant that the Holy Spirit (his substitute) would be the leader of his mission and the Lord of his followers. I think he meant us to be led by the Spirit and to keep in step with the Spirit. I think he intended that we should obey what he had taught his disciples, especially in the area of building his church and bringing his name to the nations.
Perhaps it is a reaction against dependent behaviour. Perhaps we don’t want to become too reliant on anyone – especially governments that increasingly want to control our lives. Perhaps not. We all depend on others. It is just a matter of choosing where we look for help.
The serious challenge for Christians and churches is to look to our Lord and King for help. Employment, health, relationships, money, food ... all of these come to us via people, so it is easy to mistake the immediate suppliers for the ultimate supplier. One of the questions is, Was the Psalmist right when he said, “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing.” ? Ps145.15,16
Christ our King is a king who has authority to rule our lives, to show us how to live, to expect our obedience, to use us as he wishes for his purposes. Our primary identity now is “Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ”. But this King also watches over his people, hears their prayers, supplies their needs, walks with them through their difficulties, never forgets them, never abandons them. The servants have another identity too, “Loved and known by the King”.
You can rely on that King
Dale