Only One in the universe is fit for the role of authority.
Only One has authority!
He earned it as the Son of God and Son of Man.
All authority in the universe
belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus approached and breaking the silence said to them,
All authority (all power of rule)
in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Matthew 28:18 Amplified Bible  

But where am I?
If it is only about Jesus, what is my place in authority?

"I" am a wonderful vessel, created to
a specific design of a perfect fit for the Son of God
to express Himself uniquely in my person. 

He is my creative completion, who finishes "me" with Himself
so that finally I can be "me."
As an empty vessel, I can be me.
But filled with my "selfish-self," I am a crippled distortion
of my Being . . . a caricature of my Self.
He is my identity and I am nothing, nobody apart from Him. 

All who are set in authority are merely VESSELS of authority
carrying as a sweet yoke and a light burden,
the mind and rule of the Father.

"I" have no authority in myself for the Church.
"You" have no personal right to rule.
We are merely conduits of His leadership.

"We have this treasure in earthen vessels."

The apostle bears the indwelling message of Christ.
The prophet wears the mantle of Jesus, the Eternal prophet.
The pastor! There is only One Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
And "pastor" is simply one who lets the Shepherd
be Himself.
The administrator moves by the Ordered Plan of the Son of God.
The giver gives out of Jesus' heart of generosity not human nobility.

Every office of the Church is a position for the Head to fill!
Every believer is to be a simple vessel of Jesus Himself!
Not a splendid display of a human god.

To see a true vessel, empty and surrendered is too, too rare.
Here and there,
Jesus is free to be His multi-faceted Self
through some earthen vessel who is
willing to vacate the cup and let Him "fill."

Copyright © 1999 Martha Blaney Kilpatrick