King Jesus and the Problem of Tyranny | Pr. Cedric Vine

Village Seventh-day Adventist Church

In a culture deeply skeptical of authority, Jesus offers a revolutionary model of leadership. By uniting the roles of judge, priest, king, and prophet, Jesus could have become the ultimate tyrant. Instead, at His baptism, God declared Him both King (Psalm 2:7) and Servant (Isaiah 42:1). Throughout His ministry, Jesus consistently rejected power without service, even when tempted by Satan in the wilderness and mocked at the cross. This servant-king model transforms our understanding of authority—showing that true leadership combines power with selfless service to others. The future of Christianity depends on followers embracing this countercultural approach of denying ourselves and living for others rather than seeking power for its own sake.