| Sermon, May 2, 2004 |
| "A place to call home." |
| "Right Handed & Left Handed Power" A Preface to the Parables of the Kingdom Luke 9:12-25 Rev. Matthew M. Fry |
As we continue to experience The Word of The Lord together, Let us Pray. Almighty God, you
are all powerful, omnipotent. Help us to see how you use power, so that we might grow in how
to use the power you grant unto us. In this way, may we learn more about you, and more about
us. Speak Lord, your servants are listening. If these words are not Your Word, may they be
forgotten and come to naught. But if they be Thy Word, may they adhere to our hearts, forever
transforming us from glory into glory, into the creatures you would have us be, Thou who art
our Rock and our Redeemer, Amen.
are all powerful, omnipotent. Help us to see how you use power, so that we might grow in how
to use the power you grant unto us. In this way, may we learn more about you, and more about
us. Speak Lord, your servants are listening. If these words are not Your Word, may they be
forgotten and come to naught. But if they be Thy Word, may they adhere to our hearts, forever
transforming us from glory into glory, into the creatures you would have us be, Thou who art
our Rock and our Redeemer, Amen.
This is a familiar story that we will read today. And you and I, probably all of us, come to it
with preconceived notions of what it is about. I’m asking you to put those aside today. Not
because I want to challenge them. Truth be told, I don’t. What I want to do is use the story of
the feeding of the 5,000 as an illustration, and as a preface to the parables of the Kingdom that
Jesus gives. So, we’ll brush over the familiar, and just use it as a jumping off point, if that is
okay. Hear now The Word of The Lord as it comes to us in Luke. Listen. Luke 9.12-25. The
Word of The Lord…Thanks be to God.
with preconceived notions of what it is about. I’m asking you to put those aside today. Not
because I want to challenge them. Truth be told, I don’t. What I want to do is use the story of
the feeding of the 5,000 as an illustration, and as a preface to the parables of the Kingdom that
Jesus gives. So, we’ll brush over the familiar, and just use it as a jumping off point, if that is
okay. Hear now The Word of The Lord as it comes to us in Luke. Listen. Luke 9.12-25. The
Word of The Lord…Thanks be to God.
As you probably gathered from the title of the sermon, I will be beginning a sermon series the
next time I preach, on the 16th, on the parables of the Kingdom.[1] It will include 7 more
sermons, and will run us through July 11. I know the math doesn’t work out, but I will be gone
on Continuing Education one of those days, and another will be the 4th of July, and that day we’
ll look at 4th of July type stuff. So.
next time I preach, on the 16th, on the parables of the Kingdom.[1] It will include 7 more
sermons, and will run us through July 11. I know the math doesn’t work out, but I will be gone
on Continuing Education one of those days, and another will be the 4th of July, and that day we’
ll look at 4th of July type stuff. So.
Parables of the Kingdom are what I would understand to be as the question of what the Bible is
about. If Scripture has a single subject at all, it is the mystery of the kingdom of God. Most
authors tip their hand as to what they are really up to in the last chapter or so. The Holy Spirit is
no exception. The last Book of the Bible is full of images for what God has had in mind all
along. So, here’s my version of what the Bible is about: it is the mystery by which the power of
God works to form this world into the Holy City, the New Jerusalem that comes out of heaven
from God.[2] God is building a kingdom, and if you want you may talk about its other-worldly-
ness. But if you do so, you must realize that the kingdom that God is building is not merely
somewhere else, nor is it built by a distant God. The kingdom God is building is about this place
here, and it is built by the intimate and immediate Holy who, at no distance from us at all, moves
mysteriously to make creation true to itself and to him.[3] “The Kingdom of God is at hand”[4]
and “The Kingdom of Heaven is near”[5] are common refrains from the mouth of Jesus.
about. If Scripture has a single subject at all, it is the mystery of the kingdom of God. Most
authors tip their hand as to what they are really up to in the last chapter or so. The Holy Spirit is
no exception. The last Book of the Bible is full of images for what God has had in mind all
along. So, here’s my version of what the Bible is about: it is the mystery by which the power of
God works to form this world into the Holy City, the New Jerusalem that comes out of heaven
from God.[2] God is building a kingdom, and if you want you may talk about its other-worldly-
ness. But if you do so, you must realize that the kingdom that God is building is not merely
somewhere else, nor is it built by a distant God. The kingdom God is building is about this place
here, and it is built by the intimate and immediate Holy who, at no distance from us at all, moves
mysteriously to make creation true to itself and to him.[3] “The Kingdom of God is at hand”[4]
and “The Kingdom of Heaven is near”[5] are common refrains from the mouth of Jesus.
So, History, and the stories of history as found in the Bible, are about God creating a Kingdom,
which is here. The problem with that is this: we live here. We know what here is like. It’s not
all loaded tables in the presence of our enemies or cups that overflow. So as we start to look at
the Kingdom, we should look at how God is creating this Kingdom. How is God making a
kingdom that is present here, but is not the same as everything we experience here? What kind
of power is God using? And right there is the perfect question. Look at the feeding of the 5,000
and what happens immediately afterward. Jesus performs this wonderful miracle. And
afterward he senses that there is a teachable moment with the disciples. “Who do people say
that I am,” he asks them. “Others think you are a prophet” they answer. “Who do you say that
I am.” “The Messiah” is the answer, and is the right answer. But because Jesus knows that
people think that the Messiah will come in with a show of visible power, he tells them not to tell
anybody. And then he tells them what true power is. Find verse 23. “If any want to become
my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who
want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What
does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?”
which is here. The problem with that is this: we live here. We know what here is like. It’s not
all loaded tables in the presence of our enemies or cups that overflow. So as we start to look at
the Kingdom, we should look at how God is creating this Kingdom. How is God making a
kingdom that is present here, but is not the same as everything we experience here? What kind
of power is God using? And right there is the perfect question. Look at the feeding of the 5,000
and what happens immediately afterward. Jesus performs this wonderful miracle. And
afterward he senses that there is a teachable moment with the disciples. “Who do people say
that I am,” he asks them. “Others think you are a prophet” they answer. “Who do you say that
I am.” “The Messiah” is the answer, and is the right answer. But because Jesus knows that
people think that the Messiah will come in with a show of visible power, he tells them not to tell
anybody. And then he tells them what true power is. Find verse 23. “If any want to become
my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who
want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What
does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?”
This is a show of how God uses power. For there are two ways to use power. There is the
obvious way, the right handed way of using power, the direct manner of using power, the do
what is necessary to get what you want way of using power. We use this theory when we ask
good questions like “If God wants a perfect world, why doesn’t God just knock some heads
around, tie all the bad folks to an anchor, and drop them in big blue, and get the job done?”
Course, that would really be all of us, right. So, maybe we ask more common questions like,
“Why does God allow bad things to happen, especially to good people?” Cause that question
presumes that God could use power and force to stop those things.
obvious way, the right handed way of using power, the direct manner of using power, the do
what is necessary to get what you want way of using power. We use this theory when we ask
good questions like “If God wants a perfect world, why doesn’t God just knock some heads
around, tie all the bad folks to an anchor, and drop them in big blue, and get the job done?”
Course, that would really be all of us, right. So, maybe we ask more common questions like,
“Why does God allow bad things to happen, especially to good people?” Cause that question
presumes that God could use power and force to stop those things.
The other way of using power is the not so obvious way, the non-direct manner of using power.
But why would God take something so important as creation, and use non-direct power? The
answer is two fold. The first answer is, well, I don’t know, and neither does anyone else. God’s
reasons are even more hidden than God’s methods. But I have seen enough of the results of direct
intervention to make me rather glad that God seems, for whatever reason, to have no interest in it.
But why would God take something so important as creation, and use non-direct power? The
answer is two fold. The first answer is, well, I don’t know, and neither does anyone else. God’s
reasons are even more hidden than God’s methods. But I have seen enough of the results of direct
intervention to make me rather glad that God seems, for whatever reason, to have no interest in it.
Direct, straight-line, intervening, right-handed power does, of course, have many uses. With it,
you can lift the spaghetti from the plate to your mouth, wipe the sauce off your slacks, carry them
to the dry cleaners, and perhaps even make enough money to ransom them back. Indeed,
use-the-force-you-need-to-get-the-result-you-want power is responsible for almost everything that
happens in the world. And the beauty is, it works. From removing the dust with a cloth to
removing your enemy with a .45, direct power achieves ends.[6]
you can lift the spaghetti from the plate to your mouth, wipe the sauce off your slacks, carry them
to the dry cleaners, and perhaps even make enough money to ransom them back. Indeed,
use-the-force-you-need-to-get-the-result-you-want power is responsible for almost everything that
happens in the world. And the beauty is, it works. From removing the dust with a cloth to
removing your enemy with a .45, direct power achieves ends.[6]
Unfortunately, it has a whopping limitation. If you take the view that one of the chief objects in life
is to remain in loving relationship with other people, straight-line power becomes useless.
Admittedly, you can snatch your baby boy away from the edge of the curb and not have a broken
relationship on your hands. But just try interfering with his plans for the season when he is 18, and
see what happens, especially if his chosen plans play havoc with your own. Suppose he makes
unauthorized use of your car, and you use a little straight-line verbal power to scare him out of
doing it again. Well and good. But suppose further that he does it again anyway – and again and
again and again. What do you do next if you are committed to straight-line power? You raise your
voice a little more nastily each time till you can’t shout any louder. And then you punish him, time
outs turn into groundings turn into something more serious, if you are stronger than he is. Then
you chain him to a radiator till….But you see the point. At some very early crux in that difficult,
personal relationship, the whole thing will be destroyed unless you – who, on any reasonable view,
should be allowed to use straight-line power – simply refuse to use it; unless, in other words, you
decide that instead of dishing out justifiable pain and punishment, you are willing, quite foolishly, to
take a beating yourself.[7]
is to remain in loving relationship with other people, straight-line power becomes useless.
Admittedly, you can snatch your baby boy away from the edge of the curb and not have a broken
relationship on your hands. But just try interfering with his plans for the season when he is 18, and
see what happens, especially if his chosen plans play havoc with your own. Suppose he makes
unauthorized use of your car, and you use a little straight-line verbal power to scare him out of
doing it again. Well and good. But suppose further that he does it again anyway – and again and
again and again. What do you do next if you are committed to straight-line power? You raise your
voice a little more nastily each time till you can’t shout any louder. And then you punish him, time
outs turn into groundings turn into something more serious, if you are stronger than he is. Then
you chain him to a radiator till….But you see the point. At some very early crux in that difficult,
personal relationship, the whole thing will be destroyed unless you – who, on any reasonable view,
should be allowed to use straight-line power – simply refuse to use it; unless, in other words, you
decide that instead of dishing out justifiable pain and punishment, you are willing, quite foolishly, to
take a beating yourself.[7]
Such a paradoxical exercise of power is 180o away from the straight-line variety. Luther is the one
who coined the phrase, left-handed power. Left-handed power is precisely paradoxical power:
power that looks for all the world like weakness. It is guaranteed to stop no determined evildoers
whatsoever. It might touch and soften hearts. Course, it might not. It didn’t for Jesus; and if you
decide to use it, you should be quite clear that it probably won’t for you either. The only thing it
does insure is that you will not – even after your chin has been bashed in – have made the mistake
of closing any interpersonal doors from your side.[8]
who coined the phrase, left-handed power. Left-handed power is precisely paradoxical power:
power that looks for all the world like weakness. It is guaranteed to stop no determined evildoers
whatsoever. It might touch and soften hearts. Course, it might not. It didn’t for Jesus; and if you
decide to use it, you should be quite clear that it probably won’t for you either. The only thing it
does insure is that you will not – even after your chin has been bashed in – have made the mistake
of closing any interpersonal doors from your side.[8]
Which may not, at first glance, seem like much of a thing to insure, let alone like an exercise
worthy of the name of power. But it is power – so much power, in fact, that it is the only thing in
this world that evil cannot touch.[9] While watching the Passion movie, one of the things I
recognized is how powerful it is. The crucifixion is one of the most powerful displays in all of
human history. The accomplishment of salvation for humanity, I will say unapologetically, is the
most powerful thing ever done. And look how God accomplishes salvation. God doesn’t come in
with a war. God doesn’t come in with an attack plan. God doesn’t come in with direct power.
God comes down in the person of the Son, and LETS the world kill him. And they say to him, “If
you really are the chosen one, show us your power, get yourself down from there.” They don’t
get it. God is showing his power, BY BEING UP THERE, ON THE CROSS IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
worthy of the name of power. But it is power – so much power, in fact, that it is the only thing in
this world that evil cannot touch.[9] While watching the Passion movie, one of the things I
recognized is how powerful it is. The crucifixion is one of the most powerful displays in all of
human history. The accomplishment of salvation for humanity, I will say unapologetically, is the
most powerful thing ever done. And look how God accomplishes salvation. God doesn’t come in
with a war. God doesn’t come in with an attack plan. God doesn’t come in with direct power.
God comes down in the person of the Son, and LETS the world kill him. And they say to him, “If
you really are the chosen one, show us your power, get yourself down from there.” They don’t
get it. God is showing his power, BY BEING UP THERE, ON THE CROSS IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
So, we start this series about God building the Kingdom and Jesus telling parables about it, and as
we do so, I want us to understand the type of power that God uses to (1) interact with humans and
creation, and (2) to accomplish the building of this Kingdom. There are times when we can lament
the fact that direct line power sure would seem easier. The problem is, easier though it may be, it
is not effective if the goal is to keep relationships open. As we do the practice of our relationship
with God, there are always times when we would rather choose the right-handed logicalities of
theology over the left handed mystery of faith.[10] Wouldn’t it be easier if we knew all the
answers? We don’t, and we aren’t going to, because we aren’t meant to. But our most powerful
God is in control. Instead of understanding it, we need to just believe in it, and have faith. Trust in
the power of the Lord, it is strong indeed, even, no especially if, it doesn’t look like it to the world.
Amen.
we do so, I want us to understand the type of power that God uses to (1) interact with humans and
creation, and (2) to accomplish the building of this Kingdom. There are times when we can lament
the fact that direct line power sure would seem easier. The problem is, easier though it may be, it
is not effective if the goal is to keep relationships open. As we do the practice of our relationship
with God, there are always times when we would rather choose the right-handed logicalities of
theology over the left handed mystery of faith.[10] Wouldn’t it be easier if we knew all the
answers? We don’t, and we aren’t going to, because we aren’t meant to. But our most powerful
God is in control. Instead of understanding it, we need to just believe in it, and have faith. Trust in
the power of the Lord, it is strong indeed, even, no especially if, it doesn’t look like it to the world.
Amen.
Let us pray. Gracious God, help us as we look at your kingdom, and as we look at how you
establish it with power. May we understand your power, so that we might grow more and more
into who you would have us be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
establish it with power. May we understand your power, so that we might grow more and more
into who you would have us be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
[1] This Sermon, and this series is based largely on the book by Robert Farrar Capon, The Parables of the Kingdom.
Awesome book, part of an awesome 3 part series, which includes The Parables of Grace and The Parables of
Judgment. Read them. The particulars of the book follow in this endnotes.
[2] Capon, Robert Farrar The Parables of the Kingdom, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids
Michigan, 1985, p. 15.
[3] Capon, p. 16.
[4] Mark 1.15, Matthew 12.28, Luke 10.9, Luke 10.10
[5] Matthew 3.2
Awesome book, part of an awesome 3 part series, which includes The Parables of Grace and The Parables of
Judgment. Read them. The particulars of the book follow in this endnotes.
[2] Capon, Robert Farrar The Parables of the Kingdom, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids
Michigan, 1985, p. 15.
[3] Capon, p. 16.
[4] Mark 1.15, Matthew 12.28, Luke 10.9, Luke 10.10
[5] Matthew 3.2
[6] Capon, p.18-19.
[7] Capon, p.19.
[8] Capon, p.19-20.
[9] ibid.
[10] Capon, p. 27.
[7] Capon, p.19.
[8] Capon, p.19-20.
[9] ibid.
[10] Capon, p. 27.
| IMPORTANT After reading the translation: Click on the [X] in the box in the upper right corner of the translation window. That will close it. You will then return to the English version. |
| Posted May 2, 2004 |
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