rulers

Giving Homage

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by Linda Rex

May 21, 2023, Ascension Sunday—As I was listening to the Archbishop of Canterbury give his sermon during the recent coronation service for King Charles III and Queen Camilla, I was struck by his reminder that our leadership must always be grounded in a spirit of service, specifically, the Spirit of Christ. He pointed his listeners to the humble servant leadership of Jesus Christ, who willingly wore a royal robe of suffering rather than the rich robes of a kingly wardrobe. He noted our Lord’s attention to the widows, orphans, and captives of the world.

Whether or not the oaths the king and queen took during the coronation ceremony penetrated deeply and set the course of their service we cannot know. In any case, the reality is that they answer to the Supreme Sovereign, Jesus Christ, who reigns forever as Lord of all. How they respond to his lordship in the Spirit will determine the outcome of their leadership going forward. And indeed, they and every other leader in this world must answer to King Jesus Christ, who reigns over our cosmos as King of kings and Lord of lords.

As the king and queen walked out of the church to sit in their royal carriage, I noticed how few people gave them the customary nod or curtsy due to royalty. In the Conmmonwealth, the king and queen are more figurehead than actual rulers, so it is understandable that people no longer strictly attend to the customs of bowing to them. But this made me think of our own response to our divine King Jesus.

The Lord of all, Creator and Sustainer of all, took on our human flesh to live our life and die our death at the hands of sinful people. Jesus Christ rose from the grave and ascended to our heavenly Father’s right hand. There in the Spirit Jesus reigns supreme, bearing our glorified human flesh in the presence of the divine Majesty.

Even though the resurrected Christ has been crowned Lord of all, how many of us live indifferent to Jesus’ sovereignty? How many of us refuse to bow the knee or acknowledge that Jesus has the right to dictate our actions and behaviors, our decisions and choices? Are we willing to offer Jesus the customary nod or curtsy at church and then live our life as we please the rest of the week?

It is instructive that even our modern approach to the acknowledgment of royal position reflects our common human attitude towards the Divine One. Perhaps what we need most of all in our world today is the true humility of submitting ourselves completely to Jesus Christ, to the sovereign will of his Holy Spirit. Perhaps we need to commit ourselves to obeying his instructions as the living Word, following him by the Spirit through death of self into new life in service to others. It is possible that our struggles today on every level of society are simply because we have refused to submit to Jesus Christ as our Lord, the King of kings. May God by his Spirit restore to our hearts a humble submission to Jesus Christ.

In truth, just as there were those who pledged their allegiance to the king and queen and offered them homage, there are many today who faithfully seek to honor and obey our Lord Jesus. Leaders who approach their role in such a spirit of humility and service are an inspiration to all of us who seek to follow Christ. We follow such leaders as they follow Christ and serve others. May God provide us with many such leaders in every walk of life. And in this way, may God’s kingdom begin to transform our world in a real way even today.

Heavenly Father, forgive our irreverence and pride. Lord Jesus, forgive our rebellion and disrespect towards you. Heavenly Spirit, grant us the grace to bow our hearts and submit our lives every moment to our Living Lord Jesus Christ. May your kingdom, Father, Son, Spirit, be realized even now here on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

“For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”    Ephesians 1:15–23 NASB

[Printable copy: https://newhope4me.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/olitgiving-homage.pdf ]

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Don’t Vote in a Vacuum

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By Linda Rex

October 18, 2020, Proper 24—In truth, today’s political scene seems rampant with misinformation, suspicion, and a host of other ills. We are not given truth—we are given biased opinions. We’re not given clear goals and objectives—we’re given nebulous promises that vary depending upon which audience is spoken to. It seems that we are unable to simply elect honest, capable leaders who are seeking the best for their constituents no matter the cost to themselves.

This really isn’t a new situation, though. I recall many election seasons when I felt we spent the entire time ducking all the mud being slung at one another by the candidates. I’ve forgotten all the unkept promises that have been made during my lifetime by different people who had hoped they would say just the right thing that would convince people to elect them.

The real issue in all this is that too often we live as though this physical world is the only reality there is. We make our decisions and form our opinions based on tangible evidence—things we touch, hear, or see. The way in which we determine the future of our children and our country lacks a significant foundation—an understanding that we are not alone in this cosmos—that we do not make our decisions in a vacuum.

We may believe that it is all up to us to determine who ends up being president, senator, or mayor. Yes, we have a responsibility to educate ourselves about the candidates and the issues, and to make an intelligent, informed decision about whom to vote for. And yes, in this country, we have a responsibility to cast our vote when the election arrives. This is the part we have been given to play in the process of governing ourselves.

But we must never assume that it’s all up to us, because it is not. We want to be fully self-governing—but in reality, there is a form of government which undergirds and supersedes all human government. We can’t see it, but it is very real, and must be taken into account at all times, especially if we are in any position of power, authority, or popular influence.

The prophet Isaiah predicted a ruler named Cyrus would be given power and would be instrumental in rebuilding the Jewish temple in Jerusalem (Isa. 44:28; 45:1-7). This ruler, he said, would not know God or even acknowledge him, but would be anointed by God to accomplish an important task in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. His title, authority, and power were a gift of the divine One, given for the sole purpose of fulfilling the will and purposes of the only One who truly rules on earth, God himself.

In due time, there was a king named Cyrus who came into power in Persia. The priest Ezra records how he made a decree encouraging the exiled Jewish people to go back to Judah and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Later, his decree was honored by King Darius, who ensured that the project was completed in spite of the efforts of those who opposed the rebuilding. Human efforts sought to accomplish two opposing goals, but what God had in mind was what ultimately happened, even when it required working through two rulers who did not know or worship him.

When the nation of Israel was in its time of formation, Moses and his brother Aaron the priest were its leaders. They were the ones criticized when there were problems, accused of neglect or worse when people were hungry or thirsty, and blamed when things didn’t turn out as planned. What the people didn’t seem to grasp was that Moses and Aaron were simply stewards, servants of God who were answerable to him for every decision they made.

Moses seemed to have an understanding of this. He would meet with God, and then bring to the people the word he was given. When Israel created and worshiped a gold calf instead of worshiping the unseen God who had delivered them from Egypt, Moses interceded on their behalf. When the thought of leading Israel to the promised land seemed overwhelming to him, Moses told God that if he didn’t go with them, he wasn’t going at all. God promised to be present with Israel as they traveled. It would be God’s presence with them that distinguished them as God’s people. (Exodus 33:12–23)

We have fallen far as human beings when we cannot and do not recognize that what distinguishes us as God’s people is his living presence in us and among us. When we vote for our leaders, do we consider what party they are a member of or what kind of people they are? Do we consider their personality and popularity, or do we focus on what they value and on what they base their decisions? Today these things may be difficult to discern due to faulty media coverage of their campaigns, but we do have the presence and power of God to give us discernment, wisdom, and understanding when making these decisions.

Jesus was approached by two opposing groups who sought to catch him in a political snare. The Pharisees fiercely opposed the Roman government while the Herodians, who supported King Herod, were content with the status quo. But they both were opposed to want-to-be messiahs coming in to upset their house of power, authority and popularity. They didn’t want to acknowledge Jesus as Messiah because he didn’t agree with their agendas. These two groups came up with a well-considered question by which they thought they could force Jesus to take one side or the other, therefore enabling them to get rid of him once and for all.

They asked Jesus whether or not it was lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar. They failed to recognize their opponent in this discussion—they were talking to the One who was present in the flesh while at the same time sustaining all things by his word. Even though Jesus at that moment held all power and authority in heaven and on earth, he chose to humble himself, limiting himself to our human existence, and allowing himself to be questioned in this way.

His answer, though, speaks volumes for our political arena today. He asked for a denarius, something any pious Jew would not carry, due to its idolatrous portrait of the emperor—he was handed this coin used to pay Roman taxes. “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” he asked. They told him it was Caesar’s. He replied, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” At this, they left amazed.

Jesus touched them at the core of their belief system—their piety was a fraud, their hypocrisy was obvious, and their values were not where they belonged. Jesus acknowledged that human government is to be respected, taxes paid, laws observed. But there will always be a law superior, an authority greater, and a power more supreme. Jesus did not need power, authority, or popularity in order to rule—he needed only to be who he was, God in human flesh, the One who alone is king of kings and lord of lords.

We do have a responsibility, as I mentioned earlier, to our nation and to one another. We need to make informed, wise decisions and vote. But we want to remember to do so prayerfully, humbly, and obediently, understanding that the One who elevates and removes leaders is still in charge. We are encouraged to ask God for leaders who will enable us to continue to follow Christ peacefully, free to share the good news with others in our lives. As believers in Christ, the presence of God is still in us and with us, for we are God’s people. We do not trust in human government—we trust solely in the living Lord. We live as citizens of heaven, ambassadors of the kingdom of God, shining the light of his love and grace in the midst of a very human, dark and broken world.

Heavenly Father, in your majesty and glory, you rule with compassion, mercy, and justice. Thank you, holy Word of God, for taking on our human flesh, living our life, dying, and rising again, so that we might be now and forever in your presence. Holy Spirit, enlighten us with a glimpse of the glory and majesty of our risen Lord. Empower us with wisdom, insight, and discernment as we vote. Abba, you determine who should rule—you guide the election, accomplishing your divine purpose as ever, through Jesus and by your Spirit. Amen.

“Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed, | Whom I have taken by the right hand, | To subdue nations before him | And to loose the loins of kings; | To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: … | For the sake of Jacob My servant, | And Israel My chosen one, | I have also called you by your name; | I have given you a title of honor | Though you have not known Me. | I am the LORD, and there is no other; | Besides Me there is no God. | I will gird you, though you have not known Me; | That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun | That there is no one besides Me. | I am the LORD, and there is no other, …” Isaiah 45:1, 4-6 NASB

See also Matthew 22:15–22.

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Lost Children

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By Linda Rex

One of the Bible characters I admired most when I was younger was Daniel. I was impressed by the way even though he was overwhelmed with adverse circumstances throughout his life, he still came out on top. His devotion to God in the face of an anti-God culture has always been inspiring to me.

In his day, tyrants and despots ruled the known world. They believed they could move people about like pawns on a chess board (Sound like anyone we know today?). When Judah was conquered by Babylon, many of the people were carried away from their homes and taken to a new location. Daniel, a child of Israelite nobility, was along with others like himself, taken away from his country and family and placed in Nebuchadnezzar’s palace.

Now, true, Daniel was given the opportunity for three years to learn things many other people never had the privilege of learning. He was offered the finest of foods and wines and was being prepared to enter the king’s service. These were unimagined opportunities which no doubt other people longed for, but he had to pay a high price—giving up his nation, his people, and his God.

From the beginning, though, Daniel determined he would not sacrifice his personhood or his faith in God for the sake of this ruler and his political ambitions. He first risked the wrath of the king by asking to alter his diet to match the humble requirements of his faith—and was given permission to make the change. Throughout his life he came up against the simple question, do I do what is politically expedient and participate in evil plans, or do I stand for what is true and just, and do what I believe my God says I am to do?

The unique thing about Daniel is that he understood what his ruler did not fully understand—there is a God, and he is Lord of all. When he was a young child, he was forcibly removed from his family, taken to a new land, and put into a new environment. He had no control over what was done to him during this whole experience. But he did have faith in the God who did have control over it all, that he would work it out in the end for his best. And God did orchestrate Daniel’s life in amazing ways, allowing him and his Jewish companions to participate in bearing witness to the Babylonians about who God was.

We as human beings are often very arrogant. We presume to make decisions and to assume control of things in this world, acting as though we are in total control of the outcome. We have managed our world so well, with our technology and other advancements, that we feel we don’t need a God—God must just be a figment of our imagination. For centuries and even millennia the cry has been, “There is no God.” In this post-Christian culture, believing in God or in the incarnate Lord Jesus Christ is seen as a liability, a problem which creates trouble and bad feelings between people, not as a precious gift which creates healing and unity.

Sometimes leaders or business owners, especially here in the Bible belt, will use Christianity as the means by which they gain the trust of their constituents or customers. You may walk into a business which has a Bible verse prominently displayed on the wall above the counter, expecting to be treated honestly and justly. But beware—what is hung on the wall may have nothing to do with how they do business.

The problem is, when people rule themselves and others in such a way that God is set aside and replaced by dogmas or creeds of their own making, we end up with rulers like Nebuchadnezzar or Hitler. Hitler even went to the point he reconstructed the Bible to fit his agenda and reorganized the German church to fit in with his ambitions and prejudices. And, sadly, many people followed him and accepted his rule, not willing to stand against the evil he perpetrated.

The one who leads and does not acknowledge the living Lord will in the end answer to God for his or her decisions. Even Nebuchadnezzar had to deal with God, spending seven years in insanity before he humbled himself enough to acknowledge the authority of God in the world. Decisions leaders make are held to a high standard by God, because they affect the lives of many people—people who are unable to defend or protect themselves from a powerful government or leader. God will and does hold them accountable for the harm they perpetrate on innocent people and children.

The lives of those who are victims of the evil and/or injustice of such a leader will be redeemed and restored as they trust in the love and faithfulness of God. The story of Daniel reminds us there are ultimately no lost children. God has his hand on the lives and futures of each and every person who walks this earth. Whoever may be in power and whatever decisions they may make will ultimately be made subject to the will and purposes of our Almighty God who seeks our best, and who loves us so completely he was willing to sacrifice what he held most dear—his own unique Son.

In Christ, each and every person has hope. The Jesus who held children in his lap and blessed them is not indifferent to the suffering they have been subjected to in being torn from their families and homeland. They are intimately known and loved by our Abba, who knew them before the creation of the world and counted them as his very own in his Son, and he holds them in the midst of their trials and struggles.

As believers, we have a responsibility to speak up on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves, and to provide hospitality and welcome to those who are far from home. We are to show mercy, do justly, and walk humbly before the God who created us and redeemed us. These are simple, and yet very difficult things to do, especially in the midst of a culture which seems to have opposing values. And yet, we continue to participate in our Abba’s love and Christ’s redeeming grace by the Spirit as we reach out to provide healing, help, and support to those who have lost home or family.

And we assume responsibility for our leadership of this country as we vote, participate in community leadership, and reflect the light of Jesus in the areas in which we live. And we never cease to pray not only for those who have lost home and family, but also for our leaders. We pray for those who are in positions of responsibility, that we can live at peace and in unity with one another and continue to freely share the good news of Abba’s love and grace expressed to us in the gift of his Son Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Abba, for your faithful love and the grace you have shown us in Jesus. We know you love each and every child and adult, no matter who they are. You hold each of us in your loving hands, whether we are lost or we are found, whether we have been stolen away or we are safe at home with our families. God, please remember those who are mourning the lost of their home and family this day—comfort them and keep your promise to place the lonely in loving families and homes. Lord, your justice is perfect and restorative—judge our leaders and cause them to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before you, through Jesus our Lord and by your Spirit. Amen.

“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god. Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.” Daniel 1:1-6 NASB

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