It’s that time of year again… the air is cool and crisp, the days are getting shorter, the leaves are beginning to fall, and the television is full of pithy little advertising spots exhorting why I should choose one candidate over another. I think I’ve figured out how to identify a negative attack ad simply from the first two seconds of the soundtrack playing under the announcer’s voice. What was once an overwhelming number of For Sale signs throughout Cape Elizabeth are now outnumbered by little pasteboard signs simply proclaiming the name of a candidate—and occasionally a cute little slogan. My mailbox has already received multiple campaign fliers, and I think we’ve been called by pollsters at least 4 or 5 times during the last month.
Obviously, modern technology has completely changed the face of political campaigns. We are a media-saturated culture, and candidates work harder to condense their message into soundbites that can complement a compelling image on our television set. In a recent interview with Leadership magazine, Andy Stanley was quoted as saying, “You cannot communicate complicated information to large groups of people. As you increase the number of people, you have to decrease the complexity of the information
While Andy was talking about the discernment process in the life of the church, his comments accurately reflect the political campaign process in the United States. Indeed, as the population of the United States has grown, and the issues have become more complex, the campaigning seems to have become more simplistic and elementary. Advertisements are designed to appeal to our emotions, not our brains—and even debates are now highly orchestrated media events designed to attract viewers and sell commercial space. Adlai Stevenson, Democratic candidate for president in 1952 and 1956 said, “The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal is the ultimate indignity to the democratic process.”
Certainly, political campaigns didn’t used to be like this—I’m not even sure that the founding fathers could have imagined the amount of money which would be spent (dare I say, “wasted”) as candidates aspired to greatness. The strategies, maneuverings, political back-stabbing, and the back-room deals all seem contrary to our desire of discovering someone with high ideals and the ability to lead our nation. I’m even tempted to suggest that the biggest problem in American politics is directly related to our campaign practices.
I like to try to imagine what the first presidential elections were like—in the days when the country was unified around a person that had demonstrated they could do the job that needed to be done. I may be naïve, but I like to think that George Washington didn’t campaign for president or attempt political maneuvers to be elected. I like to think that consensus developed among those first delegates, and that they elected the only person that they felt could do the job. What we do know is that that first electoral college unanimously cast their ballots for George Washington to be the first president. According to the official White House website, Washington was disappointed at the end of his first term because “two parties were developing…in his farewell address (at the end of his second term), he urged his countrymen to forswear excessive party spirit and geographical distinctions.” I’m confident that Washington would be very disappointed if he could see the elaborate campaigns that are orchestrated today.
And yet, campaigns are not simply an element of United States politics. As long as there have been people and as long as their have been organizations made up of people, there have been politics and campaigns. Even Jesus’ Kingdom was not exempt from the sort of political maneuvering that is commonplace today. In our Gospel lesson today, you heard how James and John didn’t think twice before approaching Jesus with what they probably thought was a very normal and appropriate question—they wanted to be Jesus’ right-hand man (and His left-hand man). They wanted everyone to know that they were the ones Jesus relied on—his assistants and the two that would be in charge if anything ever happened to Jesus. They wanted to make sure that they didn’t go down in history simply as part of the Twelve, but wanted to be identified as special.
Don’t give James and John a hard time, now—for their behavior isn’t really all that bizarre. Have you ever thought about why people give their entire life (for two years) to help run a presidential campaign? While there are exceptions, it’s probably not because they want to be professional campaigners—it’s because they hope to stand out and be noticed by the candidate they are campaigning for. They’re hoping for a job in the administration of their candidate—assuming their candidate wins the campaign. James and John are probably just doing what comes natural—they want to know who’s going to be the “Chief of Staff” and who’s going to be the “Press Secretary.” These are important issues to figure out before Jesus comes to power.
At the same time, you have to wonder if James and John have been paying attention to anything that has happened in the last few days as recorded in Mark chapter 10. But don’t give them too much of a hard time--perhaps you’ve already forgotten the lessons you heard during the last two weeks as well?
Do you remember how mommies and daddies were bringing their children to Jesus to bless them and pray over them? Do you remember how the disciples (James and John included) rebuked the parents and the children? Do you remember what Jesus said? “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” This was probably only a day or two before James’ and John’s little campaign—but they’ve forgotten already—that the Kingdom of God doesn’t belong to the rich and powerful, but to the helpless and weak.
Perhaps you remember that rich young ruler? The one who approached Jesus as He had finished up his visit with those children and their parents? The one who said that he wanted to follow Jesus, and that he had kept all of the commandments? The very same ruler that Jesus asked to give up all he had in order to help the poor? I wonder if James and John were suddenly reminded of these words that Jesus had spoken, perhaps just the day before: “29I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
And now, Jesus says to James and John, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus reminds James and John of the lessons that they should have already learned during the last couple of days—Don’t look to be powerful, to have fame and glory. Don’t try to climb the ladder to the top. If you want to be great, you must serve others. If you want to inherit the Kingdom of God, you must become like a child. In short, you must follow the example that Jesus Himself was setting for all of us.
Our New Testament lesson comes from the book of Hebrews, chapter 5, verses 1-10:
Hebrews 5:1Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.
4No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. 5So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,
"You are my Son;
today I have become your Father." 6And he says in another place,
"You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek."
7During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
The author of Hebrews wants to assure his readers that Jesus didn’t reach out in an attempt to grasp his position as the Son of God or as the Great High Priest. He did not mount a first century political campaign to be the leader of the Israelites. In fact, He had no political aspirations at all. Like the High Priests of old, Jesus did not seek a position of honor, but was called by His Father. 4No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.
I can understand that we want to encourage people to reach for the stars, to be the best they can be, and to aspire to greatness. I think that we should all push ourselves to do the best we can do in life. And yet, there’s something about aspiring to glory and positions that runs contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Nothing bothers me more when I hear of someone who is campaigning for a position in the church—whether in a local church, or for a position of district, regional, or global leadership. We don’t expect our church leaders to campaign for positions, we hope instead to discover them through prayer and observing their faithfulness in the things in which they have already been entrusted.
For you see, the Christian model of leadership is not a climb to the top of the ladder of fame and glory, but a careful and intentional climb down the ladder of service and humility. Indeed, whoever wants to be great must first become the servant. For us to truly impact the world around us, we must first learn how to serve that world. For us to learn how to reach out to our neighborhoods, communities, and co-workers, we must first find out what they need—and then serve them. If our efforts at sharing the Gospel seem weak and ineffective, we might consider if we have first done all we can do to love and serve those we are trying to reach. As we consider our church and its programs and ministries, we need to consider how we can meet the needs of those around us. As Christians, our lives are to be lives of humility and service. Why? Because that is the example that Christ set for us. I invite you to hear these words from Philippians chapter 2:
Philippians 2:1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
May God add His blessing to the reading of His word.
Jesus shows us that the path to glory first passes through humility. The road to everlasting life must first pass through the valley of the shadow of death. The journey toward God takes us away from ourselves…for whoever would save his life must first lose it—the first shall be last, and anyone who wishes to enter the Kingdom of God must first become like a little child.
And so, I would suggest that one of our lessons today is about desiring something greater than that which we’ve been called to do. Even as the priests did not campaign for their positions, even as Jesus was given a position of honor by His Father, we too should be content in the place where God has placed is.
Now understand, contentedness is different from complacency. Being content in our calling does not allow us to become lazy or comfortable. But contentedness does allow us to understand the role that God has called us to fill in His Kingdom. Contentedness springs from an understanding that you have followed God’s call and are precisely where He wants you to be at a given time. When we move from one calling to the next, we should do so only because God has opened the doors and is calling us to a new task—not because of personal aspirations or ambitions. Far too often, people spend their lives dreaming about the “big thing” they want to do, while forgetting the “little things” that God has placed in front of them. We fail to complete the calling we’ve been given, because we are looking for the bigger calling around the corner.
The second lesson, however is this—we must also resist the temptation to do less than what God has called us to do—or simply to ignore His calling altogether. Should you aspire to something greater than what God has called you to do? No. But at the same time, you must not ignore the calling that He has given you. No calling is insignificant in the Kingdom of God, for the path to greatness includes great humility and acts of service. Scripture is full of examples of those who were called to a task and attempted to turn it down—either because of personal insecurity (like Moses), or because they simply didn’t want to do what was asked of them (like Jonah). In the life of the church, we’re often likely to wait for someone else to do that which God has given us a burden for—perhaps because we think that they are more qualified. But what we forget is that God may be calling them to something which stretches them—so that we can be stretched to do something new.
It would be easy to get ourselves caught up in the apparent paradox of “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.” If we want to be great, should we become a servant simply so we can become great? Should we stand at the end of the line so we can move to the front? Or isn’t that simply evidence of our desire to be first? After all, someone has to be at the front of the line and someone has to be at the end of the line. Wouldn’t we all be better off to simply stand in the middle?
I think that the lesson of the first and the last, the greatest and the servant is this: We should not consider our position, prestige, or power—but simply be faithful to do those things that we have been called to do. Wherever God leads us, we should go. Whatever He asks us to say, we should say. Whatever He wants us to be, we should be. And we should be content in fulfilling our calling to the very best of our ability. For when we are faithful in the small things, we will also be entrusted with greater things.
Our closing hymn today allows us to make precisely that commitment—as we sing, I invite you to carefully consider the words that you will sing—Will you go where He calls you to go? Will you say what He calls you to say? Will you be who He calls you to be?
Benediction: Jude 1:24-25To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
(Listen to this sermon online @ http://www.capenazarene.org/ftp/sermonaudio/cecn_101506_campaigns.mp3 Or, you can subscribe to the weekly podcast at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=129585252)
