Power and Promises: The Real Revolution
by Lisa Allgood, Executive Presbyter
“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” -John 16:25-28
The Fourth of July is this week (I do love fireworks) – the 249th “birthday” of our nation. I graduated High School in 1976 (yes, the 200th), and grew up in Revolutionary War territory (New York City/New Jersey) and so I was literally surrounded by Revolutionary War history and sites. As part of the festivities, some of my HS friends and I became part of a series of photos for our yearbook at the DeWint House, a local George Washington headquarters – and I was Betsy Ross. Embarrassing yearbook photo below; please keep in mind that I was 18 and be kind…
I remember that 4th – the nation was encouraged at noon that day to go out and blow horns and make noise and throw parties. For where we are today, that now seems like such an innocent time. The President was Gerald Ford (after, of course, Nixon) and yet – it was (despite the noisemakers) a pretty quiet, innocent, and dignified celebration.
Without taking any political side, this year feels very different. Globally it feels like there are forces that worship power and recognition and rugged individualism that is at odds with what we have been asked to be in this world – in the name of our Lord Jesus the Christ, to bring all people together in love and in community.
Don’t get me wrong – this is neither about Christian Nationalism nor am I being naïve about “the good ol’ days”; power corrupted then as it does now as it did in the days of first century Jerusalem.
While the Scripture above might seem an unusual juxtaposition with the Fourth of July, it struck me throughout that narrative that the reason Jesus “told them plainly” was that He was delivering upsetting news, and the disciples were really mourning, and questioning, Jesus’ refusal to take what they saw as His prophetic right – to become their king and lead a revolution.
But that’s not why Jesus was there – He was there for a different Revolution. It’s not why we’re here today, either.
Jesus knew that political might, brute force, and earthly governments were not the tools to be used in His battle for hearts. The spiritual Revolution of Jesus was subversive, full of counterintuitive defiant acts of love even in the face of the law they understood – healing, eating with outcasts and sinner, foot washing, martyrdom, and forgiveness were not the tools of the king they were expecting.
Throughout history, we have learned – if we’ve learned anything at all – that laws do not change hearts, and violence induces hatred and fear and creates a cycle of more violence. Love changes hearts, and peace disrupts the cycle of hatred.
Jesus brought a Revolution envisioned to be a sincere community of faith in which love and hope are demonstrated even in the darkest hours, to all people everywhere. That, my friends, is the spiritual Revolution we are asked to lead. It’s time for us to claim our place as Revolutionaries – differently than our revolutionary forefathers. It’s time to go forward with open eyes and continue to love as Christian citizens, placing hope only in the redemptive work of Jesus.
Happy Fourth of July! More importantly – keep the Revolutionary Way of Jesus going!
