Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:1–12 (RSV)
When it comes time to elect a bishop, the' joke' goes around that anyone who desires and seeks to be a bishop should by no means be allowed to be a bishop.
Jesus' teaching about power is contrary to the world's lust for power. Those who seek power often seek it to control others. They may begin with the noblest of intentions; it does not take long for the corrosive nature of power to erode their hearts and souls.
When the devil tempted Jesus, the temptations were not money or sex but the exercise of power. The devil wanted Jesus to misuse the divine power to serve Jesus alone.
Jesus emptied Himself of the divine majesty, becoming humble and obedient unto death. It was not with the armies of the angelic hosts that death was conquered and destroyed. It was the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We who are called to follow Jesus will learn to set aside the longings of the world, the lust for power over others so that we might live our lives in Christ and for the neighbor. It is the humble love and mercy of Christ that has conquered sin, death, and the power of the devil. It is this humility we are called to live.