Transforming Power

Introduction

Good morning church,

This morning we are continuing our series on Mark: Living the Way of Jesus in the World and today we are looking a the theme of Transforming Power. And I must admit, when I looked at the passage for this topic I did think: how do we get to ‘Transforming Power’ from this? The passage doesn’t even use the word power.

And it led me to start thinking about what we understand power to be.

What is Power?

I wonder, what do you think of in answer to that question?

After pondering a little bit, I had a look in the dictionary, and aside from use in particular areas like physics or maths, these were the main four results …

Power is …

the ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way.

the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events.

physical strength and force exerted by something or someone.

energy that is produced by mechanical, electrical, or other means and used to operate a device.

I think there is a sense in all of these of the capacity to exert force or pressure to influence change. In all of these four, the power that is held or created tends to result in action or change.

And Number 2 is probably the one that applies most closely to what we are looking at in the gospel.

2. the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events - this tends to be the one that relates to political, social or organisational power

Which leads us probably straight away to think about situations on the world stage.

Some of the key stories hitting the headlines this week have caused people, nations even to get concerned. We think of the war in Ukraine and we think of some of the leaders in our headlines: Zelensky, Trump, Putin, Starmer and others … each handling power in different ways.

And we might ask the question: Who has the power in the situation?

We watch the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the return of hostages, and we watch the events playing out praying that the peace will hold, but we are aware that the situation is unstable. Again the use of power in those situations creates tension …

And we might as the questions: What is the goal of those different uses of power? Is that power being used wisely?

Power in the Gospel

But then if we turn to the passage that we heard read we also see power being used in very different ways. And we might ask the same question again: Who has the power in the situation?

We might think of the crowd armed with swords and clubs.

We might think the chief priests, teachers of the law and the elders.

We don’t think of the disciples - they are struggling to stay awake whilst Jesus is praying, and then when crowd come and seize Jesus and arrest him, the disciples flee.

We don’t necessarily think of Jesus either as lots seems to be being done to him - but let’s look a little closer.

There are three sections I want to draw out of this passage:

Firstly, when we see Jesus praying alone, we read:

35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Jesus speaks to the Father and declares that ‘everything is possible for you’. He asks that the cup of suffering, the judgement that he is taking on himself, that that cup might be taken from him - personally, he would rather not have to go through what he is about to, and so he asks that if by some way God could do it in a different way he would prefer it … BUT … and it’s a bit BUT … he surrenders to the Father’s will.

Then, after he has gone away to pray alone three times, we read:

41 Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Jesus seems to know what is happening. He knows that his betrayer is coming. He knows that he, the Son of Man, is being handed over to sinners. It’s a sort of prophetic knowledge - the Father has revealed what is going to happen to him so he is aware. And so he seems to stand there whilst it happens. He doesn’t panic, he doesn’t run away, he just stands.

Thirdly, when the crowd arrive to get him and there is this little fight or something, as the servant of the high priest loses an ear, Jesus says:

48 “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”

Jesus seems calm and he speaks with clarity. He challenges those who are coming at night to do this job in secret, hiding their deeds from sight. They didn’t choose to arrest him in broad daylight. But, he says … ‘the Scriptures must be fulfilled.’

Jesus has an understanding that what is happening is fulfilling the Scriptures.

So, in this whole situation, amidst the unpredictability of the crowds with clubs and swords, the unpredictability of the disciples not knowing what to do and reacting in haste, Jesus seems to stand with a sense of calm because he knows that God is the one who is really in charge at that moment.

Jesus has said that ‘everything is possible for the Father’. He knows what is about to happen because the Father has revealed it to him. And he has this odd sense of calm and peace in the chaos because he knows this and he knows that that what is taking place is being done in accordance with the Scriptures.

So, going back to our question, Who has the power in the situation? It seems that the Father is in charge, He has the power. And oddly, is also seems that Jesus has the power. He is choosing to let what is happening be done to him. He has the power to choose. He could have said at the very beginning - Father, if you don’t take this cup away from me, I’m running away. But he doesn’t. He submits to the Father’s will. In other accounts, in the midst of being arrested, it is Jesus who heals the ear of the servant. He has power to heal in the midst of being arrested.

God the Father and the Son are in charge - and everything is happening for the sake of the Kingdom and according to the will of the Father.

And so, if we go back to our definitions of power, we said that number 2 from the list applied most accurately to what we see in the gospel

2. the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events

And what we see in the passage is that Jesus uses his power to direct and/or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events - so that they align with the will of the Father

Whereas others use powers for made different reasons, the way that Jesus uses power is to increase the Kingdom of God.

It is always a just and a wise use of power.

But sometimes looks completely backward in comparison with the way that power is often used in the world. It doesn’t make sense in ‘worldly terms’ that God’s King should allow himself to be arrested, falsely accused, beated, mocked and then finally crucified. That is the complete opposite way to how power is used by people today and back in the 1st century too.

But interestingly, this is what Paul has to say about it:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

The message of the cross to us who are being saved is the power of God.

What does this mean for us?

If we’re being honest, as human beings, we don’t like to be powerless. We like to have power.

As a young person we like to have more power and authority often - we like to be independent. When we grow up a bit, we realise that we need other people’s help, but we probably like that to be on our own terms. Then when we are older and mabye feel like we are slowing down, we sometimes find it hard to be dependent on others and reliquish power, especially as we find that we don’t have as much power as we once did.

And then we face many different situations and circumstances where we have some measure of power but we might also feel like we’re not in charge of a situation when we want to be. Maybe you face a work situation where things are happening that aren’t great but you don’t have the power to change them. Maybe you have a situation in your family that no matter how hard you try the situation doesn’t seem to be changing. Maybe you find the idea of having power intimidating or tough because you’ve experienced people in your life misusing power.

And then maybe when you step back and look at institutions or businesses or nations, whenever you are taking a moment to look at the big picture, and you see some many uses and abuses of power in the world, and you can feel a bit hopeless or disilusioned or worried or even angry.

What do we do with all of this?

Well what we have been talking about this morning is not that power is bad at all - in many senses power is neutral - and so it can be used for selfish and evil, but it can also be used for good, in line with the will of the Father and for the sake of the Kingdom of God. And so that means that we can do at least two things in relation to the big things and the small things in the world and in our lives.

Firstly, like Jesus, we can pray. We can go to the one who is in charge of everything. The Father, who has complete power over his creation - over nations and leaders, over wars and ceasefires, over economies and finanaces - over everything. And as we pray, we can find comfort that our God is in charge and we can pray that his kingdom will come and his will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Pray that power will be used in a way that honours God and seeks the welfare of all people. We can also pray the same thing over the situations that we are part of and that we face, trusting that we have a heavenly Father who hears, listens and responds to our prayers.

And then secondly, we can ask God how he wants us to act in the situations that we are a part of, and then ask for grace to help us do what he asks us to do. Whatever that might be - whether it involves bringing encouragement, bringing a challenge - asking for help to know when to speak and when to remain silent - all so that his Kingdom might come in these situations.