The Path of Least Resistance

If you weren't able to join us this weekend, here is Pastor Greg's message from this past weekend.

“The Path of Least Resistance”
Christ the King Sunday
Jeremiah 23:1-6
November 21, 2010

It has been said that a politician who someone who will stand for anything that will leave him sitting pretty. A politician is someone who works his gums before the election and gums up the works afterwards.

Today is Christ the King Sunday. In our society we are governed not by a king but by democratic rule, representative government. Yet we are here to celebrate Christ as King, a title that is a bit foreign to us, and one that is not part of our collective experience. So I would like to come at this from a different perspective.

We are all too painfully aware of the leadership of our government. We know there are those in public office who act with integrity and honesty. We also know that there are those who lack any kind of moral compass. After all our political leaders are human and being human they are prone to the same shortfalls you and I are prone too. Therefore there will be leaders who act according to the office they hold and there are leaders who take advantage of the office they hold. Whether a person’s title is congressman, senator, president, or king, there are certain expectations that must be met if that person will exercise the duties of the office well. Those who meet those expectations we recognize as good leaders. They are concerned for the welfare of the people. The lessons of today speak to this responsibility.

In Jeremiah’s day he had to deal with a king who was more concerned about his job security than he was about being faithful to the office he held. Instead of trusting God and seeking to do God’s will, he chose a path that led to severe resistance: resistance from Babylon, resistance from his people, and especially resistance from God. Had he sought out God’s will, which was the easier way, life would have been so different for him and Israel.

A friend of mine used to tell his kids there is the right way and the hard way to get things done. He was trying to teach them that sometimes when we seek to promote our welfare, when we cut corners, when we try to make people do what we want things become hard. If we were to do it the right way to begin with, if we would act responsibly, even if it seemed like a lot more work, in the long run it was easier. He wanted his sons to take the path of least resistance when it came to exercising their will. The same principle holds true for us.

When we are pushed against our will do we not resist? When we are asked to put our desires last, and when it feels as if the forces of life (political process, institutional will) bear down upon us do we not resist? Of course we do. And isn’t it equally true that when we act with responsibility, placing our desires second, when we talked to others with respect, acknowledge their ideas, doesn’t life seem to go easier?

When a person with power exercises power for selfish ambition resistance will occur. When leaders turn from concern of others and focus concern upon themselves, their people will become hard, resisting change. When we are self-protecting, self promoting, showing little concern for the welfare of others, seldom do things go smoothly.

What you may not realize is the title “king” in Hebrew literally means shepherd. That is to say, to be king is someone who cares for the sheep and not himself. To be king (shepherd) is to be someone who seeks the welfare and protection of the sheep (not the shepherd). The king seeks to protect his people and doesn’t seek t promote himself. He serves rather than being served. By doing so we are more likely to respond without resistance. You might say, to truly be king is to take the path of least resistance.

Assuming the role of king (i.e. shepherd) Jesus offers acceptance instead of conditions, in place of holding past failures against us he offers us forgiveness, and in place of promoting himself he gave himself up to be killed on a cross. All of these were done in order that we would be protected, loved, and cared for.

What we celebrate today is a trust that God recognizes that we are important and that God stops at nothing to protect us, not even giving up his son to die. He is the one true king. When it comes to loving us and working in out lives Jesus has taken the path of least resistance.

There is nothing magic about the mud of our lives. We resist force and respond to love. Thank God that Jesus, for our sake, took the path of least resistance,

AMEN