How Do You Use Your Power?
Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
Much has been written about power and we can all observe those in positions of power. Power varies according to position and true wisdom lies in knowing when and how to assert your power. Some power comes because of position. The Bishop has certain power over me, a Priest, by virtue of her position. The President of the United States has power due to position. Governors, policemen, teachers, parents, coaches, all assert a certain level of power over others. World leaders and Generals command armies. Power comes by position, and power is also given and gained through respect and admiration over time.
Coach K from Duke coached his final home game last night, March 5th, 2022. He impacted so many lives during his career. And is respected and loved by so many - managers, players, families, other coaches in the basketball world. There was a tent city set up outside of the stadium before Saturdays game of people waiting to get in so that they could buy a ticket to Saturday’s game. In order to even have the right to set up your tent to stand in line to get a place to buy a ticket you had to pass a “test” of Duke basketball history to have the right to wait and set up your tent in tent city.
I am not a basketball historian and John Schick I feel certainly could add more to this conversation than I, but what I know about Coach K’s power and the respect he has earned through the years is that he was able to obtain some of it because of his position (He was the head coach of the Duke Blue Devil’s) and some of it he gained because of his personhood and with each win, with each player and family and manager he treated with respect, he gained and earned the right to use his power to say and do a little more, with each game, with each interaction.
Power is both given and inherent positionally. Power also increases incrementally over time as in the case of Coach K.
Power can be used for good and evil. We can see this as we watch Vladimir Putin attempt to sweep across Ukraine and maybe soon other parts of Eastern Europe.
He has used his position as President of Russian, to command his troops to take action that many in his own country do not support, but he is their commander and the troops obey their commanders. They are not in a position to disagree. Putin is able to command this by the power of his position.
Jesus speaks to and about power often in the Gospels. A little further in Luke gospel, chapter 12:48 he tells his disciples, “to much has been given much will be expected.” Jesus was going to give them authority and position but with that much would be expected. We are all familiar with the phrase “with much power comes much responsibility”.
The Gospel text this morning is familiar to most of us I assume. It is the story of how Jesus, after his baptism and full of the Holy Spirit, is led by the Spirit into the wilderness where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing for those days, and when those days were over, he was famished.
This text is important in the placement of the lectionary in that it comes at the beginning of Lent and a few things are worth pointing out.
Before Jesus began his walk and movement to Jerusalem, towards the crucifixion, he, led by the Spirit went into the wilderness for a time away. He was led by the Spirit to go away - to fortify himself for what was to come. I don’t want to gloss over this as I move us to consider other parts of the text. It was essential for Jesus to have this time away. He did not move into this trying part of his life just flippantly - even as the Son of God. He was led away to fortify, prepare, focus, strengthen, resolve himself for what was to come. We all need these times in our lives. To step away from the ordinariness of everyday to prepare and strengthen for things we know are to come - (and possibly for things that we do not know are coming). We tend to just keep pressing forward with our every day routines and obligations and fail to set aside this time. I encourage you to set time aside. To be silent. To pray. To be with God. It came after Jesus’ baptism the text says - a baptism that affirmed and recognized God’s anointing on Jesus’ life.
There are three temptations recorded in this text to Jesus by the devil. The first is what I call a “show me” temptation - show me who you are. “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus doesn’t take the bait. This is a strong temptation for anyone in power, especially when crossed. Even as a parent, we probably have all had a child or someone tell us, “you can’t make me.” What they are really saying, is “show me”. What do you think you can do? And the temptation is often, at least or me, to show them exactly what I can to do. To assert myself and show them the power I have. (Of course this power diminishes the older they get).
The second temptation is a temptation that I call a temptation of extent. The devil led him up and showed him all the powers of the world. The devil offers him all their glory and authority and states that he will give it all to Jesus if Jesus but will worship him. Much has been written about this text, whether the devil has this authority etc, but I believe one of the main points is “worship me now and receive all of this - now” The temptation being to take and assert your authority now. Jesus has dominion over the kingdoms of the world, but he didn’t take it then. The temptation was a temptation of immediacy - take your power now. Assert yourself now. Jesus has to choose what kind of Messiah will He be? Will he choose to assert himself though it was not his time, his time had not yet come - or would he grab it now? Would he choose the power that the world gives? Would he be seduced by the powers of the world to establish his kingdom that reflected worldly kingdoms?
A key part of leadership is “knowing when to hold them and knowing when to fold them,” (in the words of the great theologian Kenny Rogers). Would Jesus through strength, and power and might, choose to take that which was rightfully his, though it was not the right time as he knew? Would he be lured by taking control of the kingdoms of the world? Or would he choose to a different way?
The third temptation was again a “show me” temptation. “If you are the Son of God”, throw yourself down from here and not be harmed. Prove who you are.
People with true power rarely have to prove who they are. It is very tempting when we meet others to “pump ourselves up”, to let people know who we are, what we own, what we did and/or do in our lives. People do this generally to convince us of their importance or significance. It has been my experience that those who really have some sort of significant position or earthly power, rarely need to tell others about it. They have no need to prove anything. But isn’t it tempting to prove yourself when others challenge you and/or put you down?
Jesus was having to choose what kind of Messiah he would be.
In this third temptation he is taken to Jerusalem and we are told the devil placed him on the pinnacle of the temple. Jesus was not interested in being Son of God in a way that vindicates him here and now in the presence of the Temple and of Jerusalem itself.
This last temptation is less a temptation for Jesus than an attempt to tempt God. God is not to be managed or provoked, even for the sake of the Son of God.
And this is not just important here in Luke 4, but later, in Luke 23: 35-39 as Jesus is being crucified the leaders jeered at him and said “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One. ‘ Same temptation, if you are God, prove yourself.
We are told that Jesus was ‘like as we are but without sin’. He faced temptations as we do. He faced temptations to prove himself to others. The temptation for Jesus was to prove that he was God right then and there. Establish and take the kingdoms of the world.
What Jesus was teaching us, by his life and his teaching was that God’s kingdom, God’s rule - is contrary to that of the world.
Jesus was not a Messiah coming to set up an earthly kingdom - grabbing power and ruling it over others. Jesus came to serve and be a sacrifice for many. His kingdom is not of this world. His kingdom had different values, a different focus. He came to serve and not be served.
The religious leaders were expecting him to come and make Israel great again - but instead, he came and suffered and ultimately was crucified - and because his kingdom did not look like what the religious leaders thought it should look like - he was rejected.
The lure of power and “lording it over others” is a time tested temptation. A true test of a man’s character is to give him power and watch how he uses it. As we begin and enter into our Lenten journey, let us be reminded of the temptations of Christ and how he chose to not be lured away and take the easy road, and use his power to save himself. Let us be reminded that a true sign of power is restraint. Let us be reminded that we serve a God who came to set up a different kind of kingdom that does not reflect the kingdoms of this world. May we turn our hearts toward Jerusalem.
Amen.
Much has been written about power and we can all observe those in positions of power. Power varies according to position and true wisdom lies in knowing when and how to assert your power. Some power comes because of position. The Bishop has certain power over me, a Priest, by virtue of her position. The President of the United States has power due to position. Governors, policemen, teachers, parents, coaches, all assert a certain level of power over others. World leaders and Generals command armies. Power comes by position, and power is also given and gained through respect and admiration over time.
Coach K from Duke coached his final home game last night, March 5th, 2022. He impacted so many lives during his career. And is respected and loved by so many - managers, players, families, other coaches in the basketball world. There was a tent city set up outside of the stadium before Saturdays game of people waiting to get in so that they could buy a ticket to Saturday’s game. In order to even have the right to set up your tent to stand in line to get a place to buy a ticket you had to pass a “test” of Duke basketball history to have the right to wait and set up your tent in tent city.
I am not a basketball historian and John Schick I feel certainly could add more to this conversation than I, but what I know about Coach K’s power and the respect he has earned through the years is that he was able to obtain some of it because of his position (He was the head coach of the Duke Blue Devil’s) and some of it he gained because of his personhood and with each win, with each player and family and manager he treated with respect, he gained and earned the right to use his power to say and do a little more, with each game, with each interaction.
Power is both given and inherent positionally. Power also increases incrementally over time as in the case of Coach K.
Power can be used for good and evil. We can see this as we watch Vladimir Putin attempt to sweep across Ukraine and maybe soon other parts of Eastern Europe.
He has used his position as President of Russian, to command his troops to take action that many in his own country do not support, but he is their commander and the troops obey their commanders. They are not in a position to disagree. Putin is able to command this by the power of his position.
Jesus speaks to and about power often in the Gospels. A little further in Luke gospel, chapter 12:48 he tells his disciples, “to much has been given much will be expected.” Jesus was going to give them authority and position but with that much would be expected. We are all familiar with the phrase “with much power comes much responsibility”.
The Gospel text this morning is familiar to most of us I assume. It is the story of how Jesus, after his baptism and full of the Holy Spirit, is led by the Spirit into the wilderness where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing for those days, and when those days were over, he was famished.
This text is important in the placement of the lectionary in that it comes at the beginning of Lent and a few things are worth pointing out.
Before Jesus began his walk and movement to Jerusalem, towards the crucifixion, he, led by the Spirit went into the wilderness for a time away. He was led by the Spirit to go away - to fortify himself for what was to come. I don’t want to gloss over this as I move us to consider other parts of the text. It was essential for Jesus to have this time away. He did not move into this trying part of his life just flippantly - even as the Son of God. He was led away to fortify, prepare, focus, strengthen, resolve himself for what was to come. We all need these times in our lives. To step away from the ordinariness of everyday to prepare and strengthen for things we know are to come - (and possibly for things that we do not know are coming). We tend to just keep pressing forward with our every day routines and obligations and fail to set aside this time. I encourage you to set time aside. To be silent. To pray. To be with God. It came after Jesus’ baptism the text says - a baptism that affirmed and recognized God’s anointing on Jesus’ life.
There are three temptations recorded in this text to Jesus by the devil. The first is what I call a “show me” temptation - show me who you are. “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus doesn’t take the bait. This is a strong temptation for anyone in power, especially when crossed. Even as a parent, we probably have all had a child or someone tell us, “you can’t make me.” What they are really saying, is “show me”. What do you think you can do? And the temptation is often, at least or me, to show them exactly what I can to do. To assert myself and show them the power I have. (Of course this power diminishes the older they get).
The second temptation is a temptation that I call a temptation of extent. The devil led him up and showed him all the powers of the world. The devil offers him all their glory and authority and states that he will give it all to Jesus if Jesus but will worship him. Much has been written about this text, whether the devil has this authority etc, but I believe one of the main points is “worship me now and receive all of this - now” The temptation being to take and assert your authority now. Jesus has dominion over the kingdoms of the world, but he didn’t take it then. The temptation was a temptation of immediacy - take your power now. Assert yourself now. Jesus has to choose what kind of Messiah will He be? Will he choose to assert himself though it was not his time, his time had not yet come - or would he grab it now? Would he choose the power that the world gives? Would he be seduced by the powers of the world to establish his kingdom that reflected worldly kingdoms?
A key part of leadership is “knowing when to hold them and knowing when to fold them,” (in the words of the great theologian Kenny Rogers). Would Jesus through strength, and power and might, choose to take that which was rightfully his, though it was not the right time as he knew? Would he be lured by taking control of the kingdoms of the world? Or would he choose to a different way?
The third temptation was again a “show me” temptation. “If you are the Son of God”, throw yourself down from here and not be harmed. Prove who you are.
People with true power rarely have to prove who they are. It is very tempting when we meet others to “pump ourselves up”, to let people know who we are, what we own, what we did and/or do in our lives. People do this generally to convince us of their importance or significance. It has been my experience that those who really have some sort of significant position or earthly power, rarely need to tell others about it. They have no need to prove anything. But isn’t it tempting to prove yourself when others challenge you and/or put you down?
Jesus was having to choose what kind of Messiah he would be.
In this third temptation he is taken to Jerusalem and we are told the devil placed him on the pinnacle of the temple. Jesus was not interested in being Son of God in a way that vindicates him here and now in the presence of the Temple and of Jerusalem itself.
This last temptation is less a temptation for Jesus than an attempt to tempt God. God is not to be managed or provoked, even for the sake of the Son of God.
And this is not just important here in Luke 4, but later, in Luke 23: 35-39 as Jesus is being crucified the leaders jeered at him and said “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One. ‘ Same temptation, if you are God, prove yourself.
We are told that Jesus was ‘like as we are but without sin’. He faced temptations as we do. He faced temptations to prove himself to others. The temptation for Jesus was to prove that he was God right then and there. Establish and take the kingdoms of the world.
What Jesus was teaching us, by his life and his teaching was that God’s kingdom, God’s rule - is contrary to that of the world.
Jesus was not a Messiah coming to set up an earthly kingdom - grabbing power and ruling it over others. Jesus came to serve and be a sacrifice for many. His kingdom is not of this world. His kingdom had different values, a different focus. He came to serve and not be served.
The religious leaders were expecting him to come and make Israel great again - but instead, he came and suffered and ultimately was crucified - and because his kingdom did not look like what the religious leaders thought it should look like - he was rejected.
The lure of power and “lording it over others” is a time tested temptation. A true test of a man’s character is to give him power and watch how he uses it. As we begin and enter into our Lenten journey, let us be reminded of the temptations of Christ and how he chose to not be lured away and take the easy road, and use his power to save himself. Let us be reminded that a true sign of power is restraint. Let us be reminded that we serve a God who came to set up a different kind of kingdom that does not reflect the kingdoms of this world. May we turn our hearts toward Jerusalem.
Amen.