Power
and Authority
Sunday,
October 5, 2008 — World Communion Sunday
Rev. Janice Palm
Texts:
Exodus 20:1-4,
7-9, 12-20; Matthew
21:33-46
There
is a connection between our Hebrew and Gospel texts this morning
in that they both center in on and are grounded in authority and
the question of power.
We’ve
been following the trail of the Hebrew people led by Moses as
they travel to a new land, leaving Egypt and slavery behind them.
As they travel, they need to be constantly reminded: they’re on
an unfolding journey; all the answers aren’t at their immediate
disposal; they will be given what they need as the real need arises;
following God’s lead, they are headed in the right direction.
And so this morning we hear another step in the formation of the
developing Hebrew nation: the commandments handed down to Moses
for this people. It is clear in this passage where authority lies.
The people listen, as they usually did, to Moses as he spoke these
commanding words. So pivotal to the lives of peoples and entrenched
even in our learning, many of us can recite most of the commandments.
Just an aside, An interesting exercise is to see what ones you
remember and what ones you don’t!
It’s
worth reminding ourselves that in this passage Moses is relaying
God’s words not his own. In this passage, the authority, though
Moses is a powerful leader and has authority over the people,
the ultimate authority lies not in the words of Moses but with
God. Clearly the people understood that. At the moment, at least,
they were in awe. Clearly, they knew being in direct contact with
God was a powerful event they could not recover from. Clearly,
with the accompanying thunder, lightening, trumpets, and smoke
described here, the Hebrew people understood these commands were
God-formed, God-given. Clearly we know who the real leader here
is.
For
us, if the occasion for consideration arises, we put much power
in the letter of the God given laws. So intent on paying attention
to the Law and fulfilling what is written in this Decalogue, we
fine tune the interpretation of the Laws so that rational exceptions
of the Law become acceptable for us. In that way, we might skirt
around a Law even with a clear conscience. To that end, Christian
denominations define how a war can be defined as just so we can
kill. We justify the killing of other organisms saying killing
in the commandments is referring to human kind. In our country,
we play with the nebulous meaning of what it means to truly honor
our parents and grandparents so they might live long lives by
offering Medicare, Medicaid, and nursing homes or assistive living
units, and social security. Carrying out these commandments is
a challenge.
More
often than not we get hung up with the commandments themselves
so they become the authority rather than the Originator: our Scriptures
this morning offer the perspective we often overlook, that God
offers these commandments. They are a gift of God so that we might
live more fully and abundantly and freely. The Law is about gift-giving,
about living more freely and abundantly in relation to one
another. That’s the emphasis this morning. Rather than weight-bearing,
confining edicts, these are gift bearing guidelines so that
life may be lived more fully by all.
The
reading from Matthew – another story/parable Jesus offers to the
leaders, the scribes and Pharisees of the temple about a vineyard,
kingdom living. Though I haven’t emphasized them we’ve heard several
of these stories in the last couple of weeks. They are all in
response to questions being asked of Jesus who is in the temple
again after having turned over the trading tables thereby riling
the authorities of the temple. Jesus is back teaching now. So
the authorities who know scripture and know the Law and know ritual
and protocol, ask Jesus: ‘Show us your credentials. What’s your
authority?’
Jesus
shares this parable of the wealthy farmer who kills servants who
take care of the vineyard and finally kills the son of the owner
of the vineyard. We can read into the parable the rejection of
prophets, and the rejection and prediction of the killing of Jesus.
Matthew has been leading up to this as he describes over and over
Jesus going up to Jerusalem. Jesus is in Jerusalem now.
But
does Jesus really answer the question, ‘What is your authority?’
Jesus tells this parable; Jesus tells the story from God’s perspective.
God takes from those who cannot hear and offers the vineyard/kingdom
to others. Rather than an outright answer, Jesus’ story of God’s
actions points to Jesus’ authority: the same authority as Moses.
That is, God. In turn, authority is given to them also by the
people who would listen and hear.
Moses
carries much authority over the Hebrews. Jesus is a leader with
authority over the lives of his disciples. People came flocking
looking for answers that would address how they might have better
lives.
In
today’s world, we, too, have leaders. We look for figures that
will have the answers to good governance, international affairs,
institutional well being. In the non profit sector we’re looking
for a leader who can provide the vision, in schools the president
often needs to know how to tap financial resources. Forever, it
seems, we have depended on looking to the leader to take the authority
and come up with and provide the answer and direction of the body.
In recent years, however, we have been disappointed more than
once when we find a leader does not live up to our expectations.
I
suggest that we need to consider other ways of leading, of evaluating
a good, effective leader while not diminishing God’s authority
in our lives. Today we live in an interconnected society. If you
doubt that, just consider the ramifications of the Wall Street
situation we are living into. Today we live in a diverse society:
there are many perspectives or ways of looking at one situation.
Depending on the lens one uses, different aspects are highlighted.
Today communications have us receiving information immediately
from most anywhere around the globe. Today’s world is a much more
complex world than we lived in 150 100, or even 25 years ago.
All of this impacts our lives and impacts even the church’s life.
Our denomination is growing with leaps and bounds in Africa while
here in the United States or in Europe we are barely able to even
in our numbers. For the worldwide denomination, the voices within
the US are becoming less dominate. Within the US, the church is
becoming more diverse.
How
does one maintain/gain authority or act as leader in a more and
more complex situation? Framing it as I have, it would seem pretty
impossible to find a leader who could have all the answers.
At
least, I would have my doubts about the person who claimed to
have all the answers! More recently, we have come to respect the
need for leaders who are learning leaders.
Jesus
certainly offers us one answer in his teachings; as leaders, we
are called to serve the body. As leaders, we are not called to
dominate over a gathering or to provide the agenda and all the
answers. We are called to elicit conversation, debate, and ideas
and answers from the body.
Given
the new milieu; business, governmental, and non-profit leaders
are flocking to take courses with Harvard’s Ronald Heifetz; his
book is Leadership Without Easy Answers. Heifitz demonstrates
how leaders can lead without authority. I believe that
we first need to know the root, the fundamentals of what are important
and significant to us (and that may vary within a group of individuals),
and keep that before the whole body. We need to hear all the many
voices expressing those fundamentals and assumptions. The richness
comes in the diversity shared. Recognizing all the assumptions
we all carry and then moving toward goals become equally rich.
The various voices heard cause a leader to necessarily adapt rather
than impose.
Perhaps
an example for us here at home is RPMs. Delmar could have had
three separate small youth groups but some leaders got together,
heard each other – and it has developed into something greater
than the individual churches could possibly have borne. Do you
realize there are over 50 youth participating in this vibrant
ministry?
On
this World Communion Sunday we as leaders and as members of the
body of Christ are reminded that we are a diverse community not
able to assume that we all approach matters in the same way; we
are reminded that we each have valuable, important perspectives.
Now, may we have tongues to ask, the ears to listen, and the hearts
open for the one we do not yet know.
