Leadership in God’s Kingdom

Sermon given by the Rev. Christine Gowdy-Jaehnig on 4 July 2021

Texts for Year B : Proper 9

2 Samuel 5: 1-5. 9-10 * Psalm 123, 48 * 2 Corinthians: 2-10 * Mark 6: 1-13

In our Samuel reading today, the northern tribes come to David when he has been King of Judah for seven years. They had already been struggling to defend themselves against their neighbors when the last male descendant of Saul who could be an acceptable king is assassinated. They come late to the party. According to the elders’ words, a main reason they choose to ally themselves with David is because of his military successes. Later, this connection will fracture, but for two generations, the personal qualities of the kings and the regional power circumstances keep all 12 tribes united.

1000 years later, John and Jesus bring word of a different kingdom, which requires a different kind of leader. As Mark tells the story, Jesus heads to his hometown for the first time since he left to meet up with John the Baptist. He has spent some time teaching and healing in other towns in the region, becoming well known and sought after. Coming, as many another itinerant rabbi has, with his entourage of disciples in tow, he is asked by the synagogue leader to read a selection from the Torah and speak on the Sabbath. Mark does not tell us what Jesus taught, only that his listeners are surprised and offended, incensed even.

One of the things I have learned recently is that Jesus lived in a shame and honor based culture. In such a society, prophets would have received honor, and we would expect Jesus to be honored by his hometown. But a couple of other factors interfere. First, a person’s status is determined by their birth. Where someone’s life story is known, there are clear expectations about that person and what they could and couldn’t do. Jesus’ neighbors say, “What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands!” This mention of his hands reminds them that Jesus was only a τεκτον, a craftsman, whose hands had been trained to build things, so how could they do more than that!? Second, Jesus was called as the “son of Mary.” He is not called the son of Joseph anywhere in this gospel, suggesting the locals see a scandal in Jesus’ family. Third, as a commentator wrote: “Honor was a limited good. If someone gained, someone else lost. [If Jesus was recognized as a prophet] honor due to other persons and other families was diminished…. Claims to more than one’s appointed share of honor (determined by one’s birth) thus threatened others and would eventually trigger attempts to cut the claimant down to size.” Jesus and his message do not stand much of a chance in Nazareth, even if they like his teachings. And Luke’s account of Jesus’ return to Nazareth suggests that they did not hear what they expected to hear, and so, that too, was a cause for offense.

Jesus is amazed at their rejection of him. Teaching, healing and liberating for months, he has been immersed in God’s kingdom; he has been embodying it. His whole reality has been (and continues to be) dominated by God. He has not encountered a group of people quite so resistant to his message. They refuse to entrust themselves to the good news he brings, since it is delivered by an unexpected and unlikely agent. As a result, Jesus is unable to do deeds of power, beyond a few healings. Those who expect nothing or little from Jesus are not disappointed. This shows us that God’s power is not something that bulldozes over anyone as it spreads. Those who reject or are indifferent are armored against God, because God’s power does not give anyone, even God, power over and against them. Unlike David, Jesus never arranges the destruction or downfall of someone who rebuffs or challenges him (although he might leave them discomfited or angry).

Some weeks ago, we read a passage in which Jesus redefines “family” to mean those who follow and obey him. By changing the definition of family, Jesus challenges/breaks up the shame-and-honor-based systems that many humans have created. God’s kingdom does not have a scarcity mind-set in which only some people can flourish and be honored, while those who transgress the boundaries must be tarred with shame. I am not proposing God’s kingdom has limitless freedom, but when we restrict some people’s freedom by placing limits on them, we also are restricting God’s freedom to act. An example: people who tell women they can not preach, are also telling God He can not speak through women.

Jesus leaves Nazareth and continues his ministry in more receptive towns. Not long thereafter, he sends out 12 disciples (the ones we know as the apostles) to extend the reach of his message. Jesus gives them authority over unclean spirits and the power to heal. He also gives them a few other instructions: they may take a staff and wear sandals (in this Mark differs from Matthew and Luke), but are not to bring a bag, food, a change of clothes or money. I think the emphasis here is not on asceticism per se, but on simplicity; they are to work in an unencumbered and focused way. Having no bag tells them that they are not being sent out to benefit personally in any way. Having no food or money tells them that although they go out bearing a message and power that everyone needs to hear, they go out in need and weakness. They do not approach others in possession of any power and security beyond that of the good news. They must be receivers as well as givers. Sri Lankan theologian D. T. Niles said, “Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to get bread.” Equality and mutual exchange are two hallmarks of God’s kingdom. It grows most surely when unaccompanied by paternalism.

In a kingdom like David’s, the king’s power and authority are anxiously protected, and courtiers jealously complete for precedence and the king’s favor, which are limited. Excited and enthralled by the message and power of Jesus, his disciples also dream of glory and argue about who will sit at his right and left hands. But Jesus says his kingdom isn’t like that. The first are last and the last are first, and its leaders are those who serve. Jesus also freely shares his power with his followers, 12 here, but Luke’s Jesus also sends out 70. Jesus calls his followers his friends and says they will do things even greater than these. God’s kingdom is one of abundance, where competition is unnecessary and even harmful.

The disciples have recently witnessed Jesus’ rejection by people in his hometown. He now tells his disciples what to do when they encounter people who will not listen: they are to shake the dust off as they leave the village. This might be a ritual action that witnesses to the recalcitrance or wickedness of a group of people; a combination of curse and insult. Looked at this way, it is a message for those being left. But it can also be a ritual to reinforce a message for those who are leaving: “I have failed. I am leaving to God the work that needs to be done here.” It is a message about humility. It is an acceptance of failure and a rejection of the fantasy that we can fix everything, if we’re good and faithful enough and try hard and long enough. We just have to trust that out of the dust of failure God can bring new life.

Jesus doesn’t use God’s power to steamroll over hostility and rejection, to control or change others. Instead, Jesus leads his disciples right into the heart of resistance, all the way to the cross. It is there that God’s power stops looking like weakness and reveals its fullness, bringing joy out of sorrow, and life out of death. In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul wrote that we should rejoice in our weakness. It brings us to God in the first place; and our humble awareness of our inadequacy makes a space for Christ’s spirit to dwell. This makes possible things infinitely better than anything we can accomplish on our own.

Daniel Harrel, a Presbyterian pastor, attended a meeting of clergy from small churches in hurting communities. He said, “[I heard pastors talking about] how they were going to halt violence, redress economic injustices and preach peace and forgiveness to every neighborhood. I can … be cynical about planned revival, but this sounded like Christ-directed ministry to me. When God does show up in the ways these small churches expect, we’ll know it is definitely God, for they cannot accomplish these things by their own power.”

Shame of weakness separates and isolates us; acceptance (or as Paul said tongue-in-cheek-- “boasting”) of weakness brings us together, for then we know we need each other. Troubles and challenges lead us out of our egocentricity to engage with each other, creating a rich community.

How different God’s kingdom is from human kingdoms! Spread through mutuality, built with cooperation, it offers tremendous freedom and abundance to radically imperfect people. God’s kingdom will never be synonymous with any human kingdom nor institution, and those who try to force such an identification do great harm to God’s name in the world. And it has never been more important to pray, “Your kingdom come,” asking God to help us embody his Kingdom in the world.

I would like to close with part of a Eucharistic Prayer for this Sunday by Sam Wells and Abigail Kocker:

Patient God, in Christ you endured weaknesses, insults,

hardships, persecutions and calamities for our sake;

you became weak, so we might find that our true strength lies in you.

As you equipped your servant Paul through every challenge to share your gospel,

send your Holy Spirit on all who are weak, that they may be upheld in your power;

on any who are insulted, that they may hear you calling their name;

on those who are persecuted, that they may know your justice, vindication and peace.

Hasten the day when your tired, poor, homeless and tempest-tossed may breathe free,

lift their lamp beside your golden door and celebrate the banquet of your kingdom,

liberating God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.