Power, with Wealth and Status are what I call "the unholy trinity" of American Civil Religion. It is not Christian. In the time of Jesus, it was Roman. The Roman Empire was built on these values above all others. Jesus countered them with His teachings, as we have them in the Gospel witnesses. Jesus taught Humility, a value for enough for all and shared power. Jesus rejected empire values. Those who follow Jesus should perhaps consider rejecting them also, since they are clearly not Kingdom values, at least according to, you know, the Christ that Christians claim to follow.
America is not a Christian nation. The founders, mostly deists, intentionally structured things so that no one religion would dominate our society. We have been a welcoming beacon for people of all faiths until this moment. In addition, we can hardly claim to exhibit Christian principles to the world, at least if you define those principles by what was taught by The Christ. We are empire today.
Like Rome, the American Empire has colonized the world, now through McDonalds and Coca-Cola, our domination of the World Trade Organization, IMF, UN and other international organizations, and our military occupations and ever-shifting political alliances. Now many want us to go nationalistic, which happens when a single nation, full of hubris, decides that it is dominant enough to benefit only itself and isolate from its accountability to others, but still dominate. Jesus countered Rome and counters this empire in the commands, teachings and examples attributed to Jesus in the Gospels.
What is valued on an empirical scale is also valued within the society and by the individuals who give their devotion to empire values. The abuses of power in politics, economics,within communities and families bears that out.
Those who value power above community, have set up systems to get and keep power in order to dominate others around them. Their value is the power itself (along with the wealth and status that come with it). It is what they treasure, so it is the object of their love, rather than community. As Jesus taught, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Since it is about having power and using it in devotion to the god of empire - self - abuses of power are part of the expectation.
Those who value above all else this power (and the wealth and status that come with it), believe that
having power means that one is entitled and privileged above others who do not have it. They believe that having power over others means that one is entitled above others and above scrutiny and reproach because they have it. Therefore any challenges to the abuses of power are challenges to the value for power (and the wealth and status that come with it), and the beliefs of those who would challenge it, along with their character must be held suspect by those who value power and give their devotion to it above all else.
When abuses of power occur, those who do not value it above all else will rise to challenge those abusing it. They will stand in the face of those who have abused it. They will stand up to the powerful and how they have abused their power. The response is predictable. Those who have the power will claim to be the victims of those who "unjustly" question their integrity or character, as will those who value power above all else and aspire to have it someday. How dare they question the values established by so many in empire? How dare they "victimize" the abusers of power for just exercising the power that they most value? It rallies those with power and those who aspire to have it, against those who challenge its legitimacy and abuses. Others remain silent in the face of such abuses because they comply with the unjust systems that promote them, thus helping to promolgate them rather than confront them.
This happens throughout empire when people challenge the systems set up to promote some above others in an attempt to help them get and keep power over others. It happens in regions within empire as those who believe they are to be "entitled" to have power over others exercise their beliefs by whatever means necessary to gain and keep power over "those people." It happens within communities as keeping "those people" out, dominating them or getting rid of them is a common exercise of the abuses of power. It happens within society as some who believe they are inherently privileged to have power abuse what power they do have over others. It happens in churches. It happens in neighborhood organizations. It happens in families as one tries to dominate powerfully over the other or others within the home.
The love of power (and the wealth and status that come with it) is not of Christ. Those who would follow Jesus as Lord do not love power above the other (neighbor - including stranger and enemy, and the most vulnerable) or God, and do not participate in empire values, but in humility strive to lift up all people and community itself -as did Jesus, the one we claim to follow. We use our power in Agape love, toward the well-being of all around us and not ourselves above others. For followers of Jesus, that happens in families, communities, organizations, regions and nations. It happens in economics and politics. It happens wherever we reside.
Jesus stood up to power. Mark 6:30-44 offers an account of how Jesus, in the face of Rome's empire and abuses of power, gathered an army of 5,000 men (plus women and children) in a day (a Roman cohort was 5500 men) and armed them with food instead of swords. Jesus broke them into groups of 100 and 50, a common Roman tactic for battle. Jesus armed them with His Good News of Agape Love and with food - fed their souls and their bodies to prepare them for the battle of their lives in the living of that Agape Love.
Jesus stood up to power and mocked it. Luke 19:28-48 offers an account of how Jesus, mocking the power of Rome and confronting the abuses of power among Temple Cult Leaders caricatured Roman power by ridiculously mocking the military parades of Roman legions entering the city, complete with genuine cries of love and devotion from the crowds. Jesus confronted the abuses of power and the seeking of wealth and status by the corrupt Temple Cult leaders of the time, dramatically demonstrating God's disdain for their love of power, wealth and status.
Jesus taught His followers a different way in perceiving and living power in the world. Luke 22:24-27 offers an account of Jesus rebuking power and status over others, using empire as a negative example, and commanding His followers to be servants and turn their definitions of power and status upside down. Jesus calls us not to "lord" power over one another, but rather to use whatever power we have to serve one another - to serve the whole community toward Shalom- the well-being, completeness and wholeness of ALL.
Finally, Jesus demonstrated Power according to Kingdom values. Jesus called His followers friends and family, fed, healed, forgave, refused to judge and then died for all, even or especially the least worthy (betrayer, denier, those who crucified Him, Rome, Temple Cult leaders, etc., etc....) YOU and ME.
Jesus taught, commanded and modeled what God wants of us in how we live in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now.
These are Kingdom values.
So, confront those who abuse power, even if it is the systemic norm - ESPECIALLY when it is the systemic, empirical norm. When those in power claim entitlement to be above scrutiny or reproach because they are the elites in power, confront the system itself. Refuse to participate in empire values and live by a different set of rules - by Kingdom values as we have learned them from Jesus in the Gospels. Speak truth to power - the truth of the Gospel of Jesus. Refute those who aspire to have that power someday, who are in support of those who have and abuse it. Rally the army of followers and arm them with the Good News and sustenance. Mock the absurdity of empire values. Demand justice - equal justice for ALL - live Agape love - active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy and especially the most vulnerable - as Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for us in the Gospels. Do it in politics by how you speak, write, call and vote. Do it in your economics by what you buy and from whom, and how you stand with those most exploited and abused.
Follow Jesus regarding Power (wealth and status).
Pastor Jamie
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