By Norris Burkes Nov 3 2024

Tell me, did you have a frightening Halloween? Were you visited by a slew of goblins and ghosts?

If you thought that day was frightening, brace yourselves. Election Day comes this Tuesday and a good many of us are absolutely terrified by how our new president may exert their new powers.

Fortunately, I found some clarity about power in an incident recorded in the eleventh chapter of Mark’s Gospel, v. 31 and following.

In the account, you’ll find Jesus leading his parade of followers toward Jerusalem as he shares with them a ghoulish prediction.

In a grizzly prophesy, Jesus claims he’s about to be mocked, flogged and killed. And three days later, he says, he will rise from the dead.

Following this chilling forecast, James and John interrupt Jesus’s talk, asking, “Can we get a seat in your kingdom cabinet, one on the left of you and the other on the right?”

The appeal is the perfect example of non sequitur speech – a conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement.

These guys are supposed to be the main dudes of the twelve, but they aren’t on the same page with Jesus. In fact, they aren’t in the same book. You know the type. Their autobiography is all about me, me and me.

“Can’t I be the one who assumes power with you?” they ask.

Jesus is like, sure, you’ll get a piece of this too. The ones who follow me will be “drinking out of the same cup.”

Jesus wasn’t talking about happy hour here. He was saying, following me has a cost you might not want to pay.

Jesus directs James and John to compare their request for power to the abusive power practiced by the influential rulers and religious leaders of the day.

“You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around,” he said, “and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads.”

He points out that Christ-followers have to be different. “It can’t be the same with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.

“That’s what I’ve done,” Jesus explains, “I came to serve, not to be served.”

This story tells me that if we’re casting our vote to bring Jesus into power, he doesn’t want that power. And if all we seek in this election is a shortcut to Christian power, we only damage ourselves and our neighbors

Power is not the model Christians should seek. Instead, Jesus shows that we can wield ultimate power only by setting ourselves aside.

We employ true power by serving—even to the point of giving our lives away.

So if you count yourself as a servant of Jesus, let your vote fall silently into the ballot box. Then accept the results and return to the service God has called you to.

As one who’s sometimes tempted to seek authority, I’m grateful that Jesus was patient with James and John in their misguided search for power. Jesus’s patience is good news for me as it means I might have a winning chance as well.

The real winners this election year will be the ones who serve. Not the ones who demand they be served.

Christ didn’t seek to ride with the powerful. And neither should his followers.

 

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Some inspiration for this column from Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, for United Methodist church.

My latest book is called, “Tell it to the Chaplain.”  All of my books are available on my website or by sending a check for $20 (per book) to 10566 Combie Rd. Suite 6643 Auburn, CA 95602. Email comments to [email protected] or by text or voicemail to (843) 608-9715. See past columns and other books at website www.thechaplain.net.