Tag: power

Breaking Ties
Psalm 86; 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1

“But thank God, who is always leading us around through Christ as if we were in a parade. He releases the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere through us.” —2 Corinthians 2:14 (CEB)

I have to admit, I tried to be optimistic that I would be able to stop alluding and directly addressing US politics after the election. Bluntly, it gets rather tiring. However, as I see my brothers and sisters in Christ responding to the world, it may well be that politics is the greatest worldly vice that the church needs to confront. As a pastor, I cannot help but believe that addressing church politics may be a call for a while.

Much of the reason is that the church is hurting. As much as certain people would like to blame the current president for the situation, that is really denying reality. The blessing (yes, blessing) of the current (yes, soon to be former) president’s time in office is that the church, in particular the white evangelical brand, has had to confront how much it has been in the pocket of politics.

What has followed quickly behind, is the awareness that the so-called liberal (not sure the label applies) “side” of the church (universal) is equally in the pocket of politics, just a different side’s. We, as the church, need to confess that we are in bondage to sin…political power.

The Corinthians have been turning away (or withdrawing their affection) from Paul, as local influencers are successfully convincing them that Paul is a sham. Who these influencers are exactly is open to interpretation, but much of the challenge is due to the apparent difference in Paul’s tone and “presence” when he is away versus when he is physically present. Paul calls out the Corinthian church for being “yoked” to these unbelievers, rather than Jesus Christ.

The church has been unequally yoked with US politics and has seemed to cast off the yoke of Jesus Christ.

To be clear, I follow many Christians on both “sides” (which in and of itself is a sad witness of the church) of politics. The general lack of grace given to Christians and leaders of opposing political views breaks the heart of God. Whether we’re talking about splinters and logs (Matthew 7:2–4), abortion, the death penalty, homelessness, unemployment, COVID, we are called to love one another…ESPECIALLY our brothers and sisters in Christ.

In a republic, but even in a dictatorship, the church should use what influence it has to make the world look just a little bit more like the Kingdom of God. That can be a tall order. The world, however, has been successful in turning the Church into a loyal voting block rather than a prophetic witness against the ills of the world.

Being “unequally” yoked is an odd turn of phrase in this context. Yet, it is due to one thing…the world’s power is not the Church’s. The Church’s powers are not the world’s. The world seems to know that its power is not the same, so tries to convince the Church that the world’s power is the best way to “reach” the world. The truth? The Church cannot successfully wield the world’s power and remain the Church.

Paul’s admonition to the Church of Corinth is regarding the church allowing unbelievers to tell the church how to treat and behave toward fellow believers. That admonition stands today.

※Reflection※
- What do politics and politicians tempt you (personally) with? How might that interfere with Jesus’ call on your life?
- As harsh as it sounds, why might political power be a sin? How might it not be?
- As Christians, we are called to God’s Kingdom. As earthly citizens, we are called to exercise our right/responsibility to vote. How do we balance the 2 powers, and be faithful to being salt and light?
※Prayer※

Lord, forgive us. Help us have the patience, endurance, love, and grace to be healers of our homes. Amen.
2021-01-17
Power Granted
Isaiah 41:14–20; John 1:29–34

♫ Nobody likes me; everybody hates; just because I eat wo-oorms ♫

I don’t know if you remember that song from your childhood. I recall it as some weird camp song. Really, who would eat worms?

At the same time, I did learn that other cultures ate maggots, caterpillars, and even worms. They would fry them up or even eat them raw.

Still, though, as being raised in the US, we’re not really into worms as part of our diet. One of our biggest things about worms is, “the early bird gets the worm,” and the first robins of spring eating worms.

With that in mind, let’s be happy we’re worms!

Isaiah’s words are odd to us. Which is understandable. Why would someone want to be a worm? I remember kids saying they’d like to be an eagle, or a horse, or a wolf. I don’t recall someone saying they wanted to be a worm.

For us, it is strange to be called a worm or an insect. Yet, in comparison to the Glory and power of God…we are. That is point of Isaiah’s words. Today we might say something like, “we know everything is crazy. We know the world is not making any sense right now. We know that you are hurting or have been hurting. We want you to know that God is bigger than all of that.”

Worms and insects may not be attractive to you. However, it sums up a far larger number of words. All of it to say, God’s got this.

That was God’s message to Israel. God is their hope. God is their redeemer. If they are looking elsewhere…failure!

The language God uses is fascinating. The Israelites would flatten and shape mountains! For us that is solved by explosives and earth movers. In fact, it’s not all that impressive to us. To the Israelites, this was a huge indicator of power! God wouldn’t just redeem them (though that was good), God would give them the power to shape the world!T

he promise wasn’t just redemption. This is key, especially as we look at Jesus’ coming, along with the story of Jesus’ baptism. Being baptised into the death and resurrection of Jesus is not only about redemption. That’s still great! That’s just not all.

In fact, one of the greatest weakness of the modern church is redemption and forgiveness has been the evangelistic focus. The power was kind of missed. Some of the charismatic churches displayed “power” through being “slain in the spirit” or “speaking in tongues”.

It might sound dismissive, but…that’s it?

In Isaiah, God ties redemption to power, and not just any power, the power to change the world. Of course, just because one has the power, doesn’t mean you should use indiscriminately. We are called to love first, and the power should be motivated by the sacrificial love for others.

※Reflection※
- What’s your power? (Note that the question wasn’t, do you have power?)
- Why do you think the church (as a whole) surrendered the power, and was satisfied only with redemption?
- Why is it so important to know, believe, and act with the understanding that redemption is only the beginning?
※Prayer※

God, you gave us the power to move physical mountains, emotional mountains, and spiritual mountains. Help us remember that you also gave us the responsibility to use it wisely and with love, and leave it withering away. Amen.
2021-01-12
Desolate

Micah 2:1–13; Matthew 24:15–31

Many people attribute motives to leaders, especially political ones, that fit a narrative, rather than the facts. Sometimes they fit both the facts and the narrative. The last few presidents have had a lot of that. Even our current governor has had a lot of that. We may not like their decisions, that doesn’t mean, however, that they are being malicious. Sometimes they are just doing their best to muddle through…just like the rest of us.

Micah’s words are for any person who seeks the ill of others. Whether it is political, financial, power, or something else, those who plan to take from others may well fall under condemnation. There is the motivation that is part of Micah’s words. “Limiting” our ability to worship as we are accustomed can often fall under the trying to do the best for all, rather than just some.

Micah’s focus is more along the lines of those whose inheritances were taken, and whose people (particularly the women) were “taken” as profit, rather than looking at the best for the whole. This was about the elites who truly controlled everything, and took even more, effectively robbing the Promised Land of the promises of God.

The strong implication in Micah’s words is that the people cannot break themselves out of the mess they are in. It really is out of their control. Thus, they need God to break their chains and lead them beyond the walls into freedom. They need God to both direct them and protect them, just as a shepherd is supposed to do for the sheep.

It is times of disarray and chaos, just like these, that Jesus warns us about (in Matthew). We know we need the shepherd, even when “we” don’t believe that Jesus is the shepherd we need/want. This is the time when false messiahs and, thus, false hope arises.

People in their need will begin to follow others who appear to “know” the way. Those being followed may be religious leaders. They can be political leaders. They can be military leaders. They can even be business leaders.

Jesus’ words imply that those that truly know Jesus will know when he comes back. There won’t be any questions as far as the believers are concerned (the world is different).

※Reflection※

Why is it important to understand that Christians will know when Jesus returns? How do you see people following “leaders” (especially those who think as you do)? Why might it be important that all of Jesus’ followers will be gathered from the “four winds” (or four corners) of the world?

※Prayer※

Jesus, we wait. Lord, we wait for you. Grant us patience to wait for your coming. Grant us endurance as we wait. Amen.v

2020-11-27
Power to…

Jeremiah 31:10–14; John 5:19–40

If you had the power to change anything and everything, would you? If you could eliminate war, disease, hatred, bigotry, misogyny…would you?

If you could judge people perfectly…would you?

The structure of the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is a conundrum. The Father is God; the Son (Jesus) is God; the Holy Spirit is God. The Father is neither the Son nor the Holy Spirit. The Son is neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not the Father nor the Son. Yet, one God, three-in-one.

It might seem peculiar to bring up the Trinity, as the passage from John is about the Son (Jesus) and the Father. We see that Jesus says that he is not able to do anything apart from the Father, and that the Father gave all judgement to Jesus.

What Kingdom is that? If a human had all the power to judge (perfectly), why would they give that up? At best, a human has the power to judge okay, but with far too many errors. The Father gave it to Jesus.

The Judge (Jesus) will raise each person, whether good or bad, to answer for their life. How this works, who knows? Will a person watch a movie of their life and condemn or justify it? Is our soul weighed on some sort of scale? Many such questions have been asked; many answers have been given.

The underlying truth is that each and every person, even those who think of Jesus as nothing more than a nice guy in history, only want to imagine being accepted by Jesus.

According to Jeremiah, the Kingdom will redeem, refresh, and water (with the Living Water) people. As a result, they will be strong, joy-filled, and satisfied.

These verses declare God’s kingdom. However, one verse later foreshadows the evil that happens after the Messiah, the harbinger of the Kingdom, is born. No great (or even mediocre) kingdom avoids the evil in the hearts of men, unless it is the Kingdom of Heaven.

※Prayer※

God, may our hearts love and accept you, that we are your children, and that we have a place with you. Amen.

2020-11-24
Whose King

Psalm 95:1–7a; Ezekiel 34:11–24; Matthew 25:31–46; Ephesians 1:15–23

Christ is King. We often say that to ourselves and to others. The real question that we need to ask is, do we believe it?

As the 2020 US political season wraps up, the victors and the losers each have their speeches to give, and much to reflect upon. We, too, have much to reflect upon. This isn’t just a need for the US. The entire world was watching this election.

The harsh truth is political parties are not Christian. This is by definition. Political parties’ very nature is that of the kingdom of earth. Too many people have tried to put the Heavenly mission into the earthly basket and are disappointed when it fails.

When Ezekiel talks about God rescuing the flock from the darkness, it certainly seems politics is part of the darkness. Despite often wedding ourselves to a political party, God still talks about bringing us back, healing us, and strengthening us.

“Isn’t it enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? Or isn’t it enough that you drink the clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?” (Ezekiel 34:18, CSB)

How much of that sounds like Christians have been treating each other? Far too much.

Probably the biggest reason why politics don’t mesh with the Kingdom of Heaven is what motivates each of them. Politics are about power (yes, it should be more). The Kingdom of Heaven is about love.

One cannot bring about the Kingdom of Heaven through politics. One either loves and has power of influence, or one has power and loves little. It would be nice if the two could work together, but humanity seems incapable. Humanity certainly is incapable of any cohesion of the two without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The Kingdom of Heaven and Jesus, the King of Heaven, should overwhelm our human earthly politics with love.

※Reflection※

What does it say about the depth of our faith when politics often overrides our faith? How does your faith inform your politics? Have you ever had the experience of choosing a candidate from “the wrong party” because they appeared more closely aligned with your faith than the candidate from “the right party”? If not, can you imagine what it would be like, and what might drive that?

※Prayer※

Lord, we declare you our king. Help us live it out. Amen.

2020-11-21
Moving Stone

Mark 16:1-7; Ephesians 2:11–22

The Resurrection was an event. Obviously. Yet, in many respects, we miss the extending power of the Resurrection. Yes, the Resurrection shows that there is something after. It also shows us that there is something more.

The event itself begins with what cannot be done alone. The stone being rolled away. This is not a one-, two-, or even three-person job. The stone that would go in front were HEAVY.

The first “witness” to the Resurrection event was actually the stone being moved. An obstacle beyond a single human’s ability to bear was removed. Perhaps it is a stretch. Yet, the biggest obstacle for the Marys and Salome to be faithful was removed by God.

This truly might be reading too much into it. At the risk of that, though, think of Paul’s words to the Ephesians, “For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14).

The dividing wall is not a small obstacle between two very different people groups who view the other as scum or dirty. The grace, mercy, love, and redemption of the Gospel are able to not just remove what separates them; it is able to join them together.

The significance is that while their obedience and work is part of the process, it is Jesus who has done the greater work. The primary effort is not that of humanity; it is of God.

When we are divided by seemingly impossible walls, we either try to stay on “our side”, try to scale the wall, or even try to destroy the wall. We often do this in our own power.

The secular world continues to try to do this by attempting to “adjust” thinking through programs, training, and peer pressure. However, this too is only a work of humanity. It is, as the secular world continues to learn and forget, doomed to fail.

For those of us who claim Jesus as our Lord and Savior, however, we are called to something greater. Regardless of your political leaning, the church is to be an example of how to love. Currently, one of the biggest barriers in the US is political.

※Reflection※

What is one specific thing YOU can do to help heal the divide? Why is it critical to know that the Gospel is the way to remove the divide? How does secular society try to emulate the Gospel?

※Prayer※

Jesus, thank you for removing the wall that separates us from you, and us from each other. Help us to remember the grace, mercy, and love you have shown us, as we engage the world. Amen.

2020-11-14
You|Me and Us

Matthew 18:15–20; Luke 5:23–32

There is nobody beyond God’s redemptive reach. No one. No matter what a person has done or how “unclean” they may be, God is still there waiting.

Tax collectors were not well appreciated. We generally are scornful of the IRS. The tax collectors of the age of Jesus were despised in general. Any Gentile was supposed to be sidelined from a Jewish perspective. The gentile tax collector even more so.

From a cultural, political, power, and wealth standpoint, the Gentile tax collector represented everything the Jewish people feared and hated. The Jewish tax collector, such as Levi (in the reading from Luke), wasn’t much better. Their only redemptive feature was that they were Jewish.

God’s grace extends far beyond our ability to comprehend. This is a good thing, as we are often too petty and malicious to redeem others.

However, Jesus’ words also bring something else to the fore, discipline. The US modern church, as a whole, avoids the concept of church discipline. There are a number of reasons, some of them cultural, some of them missiological, some of them evangelical, some of them just a general lack of training and understanding.

Church discipline requires a balance of individual and community. In white US populations, that is rather difficult. Whites, by and large, idealize individuality. In other US populations, community has a much greater strength and pull.

In most white populations, church discipline as a community is difficult, as the individual will often “go their own way”, severing their ties with the community. On the other hand, in non-white and isolated white communities, the community can be destructive to the individual.

For the church to be the church, we will have to work together to find the balance between individual and community. As the church finds its way in a world that wants to push it aside even more, the church needs to learn and embrace the community and the individual, including the roles and responsibilities of each.

※Questions※

1) What value do you find in being part of a community? What value do you find in being an individual?

2) What are ways you can think of that would allow and encourage people to be part of community and still respect individuality?

3) What do you think God’s perspective on community and individuality is?

※Prayer※

God, you have made us similar to each other…yet different. Help us to embrace what makes us different and embrace what makes us the same. Amen.

2020-10-24
Force or Choice

Matthew 20:20–28; Matthew 22:15–22

The author Robert Heinlein once wrote, “When you vote, you are exercising political authority, you’re using force. And force, my friends, is violence. The supreme authority from which all other authorities are derived.”

There has been a transformation in our society where this seems to be truer now than when Heinlein wrote it. What may be depressing is that it means that democracy is in many ways no better than any political system. Humanity, through politics, shows its selfishness.

During the last presidential election (and probably during this one, as well), there will be people proclaiming that one person or political party is better than the other (especially in regards to the multi-sided political scene that has been forcibly trimmed into 2-sided). They will judge and condemn those that appear to support the other, even if that decision is the perceived lesser of two evils.

There will be those that will choose a different political party (there are more than 2). There will be those that will not vote. It is the latter that provides the greatest insight into ourselves.

They are those that believe that a vote is just as much Caesar’s as was the denarius. This is the darkness of politics and even a republic such as the US. Heinlein’s comments may sound harsh. If one compares it to people’s reaction when the “wrong” party gets power, we can see that we subconsciously understand the reality of power.

Jesus’ concerns regarding power are not small. There is a very valid reason why many over the years have claimed that the church was corrupted when Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity and then made it the official religion of the realm.

On the other hand, if you have a glass of water and do not hand it to a person dying of thirst, what kind of Christian are you? This is the debate that is truly at the heart of being a Christian in a democracy or republic.

Voting is power. Sometimes it feels as if it not. However, if all are of one mind it is indeed quite powerful. Power to coerce is the power of violence. This is not what we are called to do.

On the other hand, the power to vote is also a responsibility to care for our fellow citizens, and to put a voice to guide the path the country walks. This is the voice and path that can find justice, compassion, and mercy for the least, the last, and the lost.

※Prayer※

Jesus, as we look to you for guidance in these trying times, may your servant’s heart guide our decisions. Amen.

2020-10-17
Get To Your Seats

Luke 14:7–14

When I was young, my father insisted on making sure I was appropriately experienced in “high” culture. We went to ballet and opera. My dad said that we were sitting in the Grand Tier (still sounds a bit grandiose). This was the tier above the Opera (i.e.,floor) Seats, and below the Upper Tier, and certainly not the box seats. This would be so we had the best seats to see everything.

He was right. We were just high enough that barring a really tall conductor (I remember one), our view of the stage allowed to see everything from the top of the sets to the artists’ feed (really important for ballet, not so much for opera). Oddly, the Opera seats were more expensive, and the crane-your-neck-uncomfortably-for-hours box seats were even more so.

Which seats were the right seats? That depends on why you were there. For those in the box seats, sure there were those for the arts. There were those that were there to be seen. There were those who were there because it was expected of them.

Depending on the individual and event, what seat a person might choose to sit in changes. For some people, going to a party is a high-stress environment, and they’ll gravitate toward a “safe” person (if there is one) or a dark corner or wall to “hide”.

There’s also that person who will jump to the center of the room because they are the life of the party, or they will be.

When Jesus talks about the seating at the banquet, it about a lot of things. What we often don’t talk about in this parable is the parallel to Gentile life. This may have been less about the “honor” seating, but more about how the “pure” “religious” “sanctified” Jews were emulating the behavior of those they despised and feared.

This a jump for sure from the text to the context. However, when we see the behavior of the powerful or popular there is a strong tendency to emulate it. Romans were in charge. This is how the Romans behaved; therefore, it seems reasonable that the oppressed would copy it, not because they wanted to, but because it’s a natural response to avoid gaining the wrong attention of those in power.

If this is indeed the case (again, which is reasonable), then we have a possible case of syncretism, a combining of two different (often competing) worldviews and/or religions.

When a person was given the seat of honor due to their religious position in a non-religious setting or honor due to their secular position in a religious setting there is a mixing of two different worldviews that should be in tension with one another, and not in harmony.

※Questions※

1) Where do you see your political worldview and your religious worldview in harmony? Where do you see them in conflict?

2) Are you comfortable where your politics influence your religion? Does your religion affect your politics?

3) Do you evaluate people’s religious affections based upon their politics? Do you assume a person’s politics based upon their religion?

※Prayer※

Jesus, help us surrender our will to you, that you are the Lord of our religion and our politics. Amen.

2020-10-13
Message Over Mammon

Luke 10:1–9; 2 Corinthians 12:1–14

There are many people who attract attention naturally. Some do it with mere charisma. Some do it with money. Others do it with the words (positive and negative).

There are others that do it out of gain. Whether it is to gain the attention of people or to feel power, or success (all still people-based, really), gaining attraction to puff oneself up isn’t Christ-like.

When Jesus sent out the 72 disciples he gave an interesting direction: don’t change houses. In other words, if you were invited into a house in a town, stay at that house until you leave the town. As they were representatives of the famous prophet, they would likely be treated well. It might even mean that people would compete for their presence.

The concern with this is that the message would lose weight as the disciples would go from house to house. What gravitas would the “Kingdom of Heaven” have if its disciples (emissaries, ambassadors) traipsed from one place to another following the food and the sandal-licking (they didn’t have boots, then). If people competed over the fame and flattery of having one of the disciples, would they really care about the message?

The next concern would be the effect upon the disciples. Being “wined and dined” could have a potentially huge negative effect on their spiritual growth and their witness. It could even lead to some of the same bullying behavior of the Jewish religious leaders. That would have been very bad.

We see how it did evolve through Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. The “super” apostles were, it seems, spiritual abusers. They guilt-tripped people to give more money. Based on Paul’s language, the super-apostles used language that implied that the Corinthians were being spiritually blessed by giving them (the super-apostles) so much money.

When Paul apologizes that he didn’t ask for money or to be taken care of, there is a realization that the Corinthians had been hoodwinked. They had bought wholeheartedly into the swindle of the super-apostles. In so doing, they lost the vision of the Gospel.

By succumbing to the words of these super-apostles, they reattached the chains of bondage. Paul was heartbroken. The heart of the message of freedom in Christ had been lost.

2020-09-30