Jesus Leads
by Serving
Reformation Sunday
“Kingdom Divided”
If at first you don’t succeed…Try doing it the way your mom told you to in the first
place.
· As a parent, often trying to convince my kids that I
actually do have some life experience and knowledge beyond theirs
· That if they just listen to me, things will go more
smoothly for them
· Often have to try for themselves and learn the hard
way
Rehoboam and Jeroboam don’t listen to wise
counsel.
· The older men in the story for today would have
understood this frustration
o Advisors to Rehoboam’s dad, King Solomon, when he was
still alive; king known for his wisdom
· Rehoboam newly king; people from northern tribes of
Israel coming to pledge their allegiance, but want some concessions, a change
in the way things are done
o He calls together the wise elders for their advice –
and they suggest being a servant to the people, that leading with compassion
and justice will lead to loyalty, to them serving Rehoboam forever
· Rehoboam doesn’t like that advice; has to learn on his
own
o Calls in the young men he grew up with to hear what
they say – and they advise doubling down, ruling with an iron fist, making
things even harder
o Believes the underlying message that power comes from
domination, from shows of strength, from cruelty
o No surprise, northern tribes of Israel rebel, they
reject Rehoboam as king, choosing Jeroboam as king instead (who God had said
would lead the 10 tribes due to Solomon’s following after other gods)
· Jeroboam also in fear about how to maintain his position
as king, afraid people will return to loyalty to Judah, to Rehoboam if they
keep returning to temple (which Solomon built) in Jerusalem – which they are to
do
o So he also takes counsel and makes 2 calves of gold
and sets them up in Bethel and Dan and tells the people that these are their
gods who brought them up out of the land of Egypt… oy
It’s important that we listen to wise counsel
· But we often don’t
o “Mom” may know what we should do, the best course of
action, but that doesn’t mean that we are going to follow her advice
· Cartoon out there with lines for 2 different movies:
“An inconvenient truth” and “A Reassuring lie”
o Often prefer the reassuring lie
o The story that resonates with what we already believe
or want to be true
o Self-imposed echo chamber – where our beliefs are
reinforced by the fact that we read and listen to and prioritize information
that comes from people with like-views; self-reinforcing
o And becomes harder to listen to or believe alternate
views/perspectives/opinions
o Politically, ethically, relationally, spiritually
· As a culture, we have a tendency to buy into the
stories that tell us we can find security through proving our power and might,
through being faster or cleverer, or snarkier (twitter)
o Division/polarization of our country and communities
(not unlike the division of the monarchy that was united only for David and
Solomon’s reign)
· Suspect many of you are wiser than that – and yet we
live with the consequences when others are not
When human kings fail, God sends Jesus to lead
by serving
· Both Rehoboam and Jeroboam fail to live into God’s
idea and intention for what a king of God’s people is supposed to be, how a
leader is supposed to lead
o To be one who cares for the people as a shepherd cares
for the flock
o To rule with wisdom and mercy and compassion
o To be one who is a servant to the people – which is
not the same as being a doormat – but one who sees the role of king to be to
seek the good of the people, not personal power or glory or wealth or fame
· No human leader we choose will live into these
expectations either – even if they line up with what we think we want, even if
they tell us exactly what we want to hear
· But thank God that God sent Jesus
o Jesus who is the great Good Shepherd
o The one who declares to the disciples as they are
angry with James and John for trying to convince Jesus to put them at his right
and left hand in his glory – that they would be in the prime positions of power
– that a great leader is one who serves others
§ That one who is great in God’s kingdom is one who is a
slave of all
§ One who prioritizes relationship and the well-being of
others above personal power and position
§ Not a doormat – but one who isn’t primarily concerned
with self, but rather with the other
· And Jesus models this kind of servant leadership for
his disciples and for each of us
o Who came not to be served but to serve
o to seek not his own safety or glory or power
o but to give his life as a ransom for many
· So, if at first you don’t succeed (which we won’t),
try doing it the way Jesus told us to in the beginning
o To be one who serves the other
o Who listens and lives with compassion and mercy and
care
o And who is open to the wise counsel of one who died
that we may live eternally
· Thanks be to God. Amen
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