January 2020
"A Different Kind of Leader"
January 19, 2020
Based on John 1:29-42 (reading at the end of the sermon)
Back in the 1960s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were two very different leaders of the civil rights movement.
King was an African American Baptist pastor. Who used nonviolent strategies to try to change religious, social and political systems from within.
Malcolm X was a Black Muslim revolutionary. Who believed in extreme tactics. Who rejected the mainstream movement championed by King.
When I was growing up, I remember seeing both of them frequently in the news. I always assumed they worked together closely.
But in reality, the two men met only one time. On March 26, 1964, both were on Capitol Hill, attending a Senate debate on the Civil Rights Act. A law that would prohibit employment discrimination based on race and put an end to racial segregation.
As King was leaving a news conference, he ran into Malcolm X, dressed in a black coat and horn-rimmed glasses. “Well, Malcolm, good to see you,” King said. “Good to see you,” replied Malcolm X.
Photographers snapped pictures as they walked down the hall together. “I’m throwing myself into the heart of the civil rights struggle,” Malcolm X stated. King, always the careful politician, didn’t respond. Later King would say: “He’s very articulate, but I totally disagree with many of his political and philosophical views.”
Their conversation lasted only a minute. The two very different leaders would never talk again before being assassinated—Malcolm X in 1965, and then King in 1968.
The stark differences in leadership style are not that unusual in social or religious movements. Any time you are trying to change something, there are advocates who want to quietly work with the current power structure.
But those frustrated with the status quo often want things to change quickly and dramatically. King and Malcolm X are extreme opposites in the way they acted as change agents of their time.
Today’s Gospel lesson is also a story about two very different leaders: Andrew and Peter. A story about how these two early apostles met Jesus.
In the Gospels, Peter is an impulsive extrovert. Who gets into trouble for saying what he thinks. Who’s known for his impulsive actions.
In contrast, Andrew was a soft-spoken introvert. Who doesn’t get noticed for what he does.
Maybe it’s because my middle name is Andrew, or maybe it’s because I’m an introvert myself, but I like Andrew. Compared to his brother Peter, Andrew isn’t a flashy character. But if it wasn’t for Andrew, Peter might never have met Jesus.
Andrew was introduced to Jesus by another extrovert, John the Baptist. John was a bold prophet with a loud voice.
One day, John was chatting with Andrew. Suddenly, John the Baptist points at Jesus and shouts, “Hey, look, there goes the Lamb of God!” But Andrew was feeling shy. So, he follows Jesus at a discreet distance.
Then Jesus turns around and says, “What are you looking for?” In response, Andrew is so flustered that he blurts out, “Where are you staying?”
I can imagine Jesus rolling his eyes and saying, “Alright. Come on—I’ll show you.” It’s one of those first-meeting stories, that friends joke about for years to come. For Andrew, the encounter was unforgettable.
Yet, if not for the Gospel of John, we wouldn’t know much about Andrew. In John, we meet Andrew in three different stories.
First, there’s today’s reading. Then, later in John, there’s the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus tells his disciples to feed the crowd. But they wonder how anyone could possibly feed so many hungry people.
Then the ever-resourceful Andrew steps in. He brings a little boy to Jesus, and says, “Here’s a lad with five barley loaves and two fish.” And Andrew’s new friend helps Jesus do a miracle. They feed a crowd— with 12 baskets of leftovers!
Later in the same Gospel, Andrew does it again. During the Jewish Passover, Andrew brings a group of Greeks to Jesus. Gentiles from outside his faith community. People of a different race. Foreigners. Yet because of Andrew, they become believers.
Each time Andrew is mentioned in this Gospel, he’s bringing someone to meet Jesus. He brought his loud brother Peter to Jesus. He brought a poor fishing boy to Jesus. He brought a group of immigrants to Jesus.
Andrew’s not a brash evangelist. He’s a quiet witness. A gentle revolutionary.
Perhaps it’s appropriate that, in Greek, Andrew’s name means “brave.” For Andrew is brave enough to try something different. He steps outside his comfort zone. He crosses cultural barriers. He changes minds.
Today, I believe God is calling us to do the same. Here in this synagogue. Here in this community. The story of Andrew shows us how God can use ordinary people like you and me to help others meet Jesus.
The story of Andrew tells us that you don’t have to be a preacher or activist or even an extrovert. Just be yourself. Just use the gifts God has given you. Just be kind and caring and friendly. Just tell others about the community you find here at St. Mark’s and invite them to come with you.
Tomorrow is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. A day to remember the birthday of our nation’s greatest figure of the civil rights movement. I believe Martin was a modern-day prophet.
But Martin was also just a human. Someone who breathed and worried. Who cried and laughed. Who believed and doubted. Someone who sometimes got impatient. Someone who sometimes made mistakes. Just like the rest of us.
As Martin once said, “Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t [need] a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
History is full of ordinary people like us, whom God used to do what others thought was impossible.
People of color who refused to sit in the back of a bus. Women joined marches and stood up for their rights. Queer people who fought back against police abuse.
People with HIV who staged die-ins on the floors of Senate offices. Transgender teens who insisted on using the bathroom of their choice. Migrants who walked thousands of miles to bring their children to a safe refuge.
Today, I pray that each of us is brave enough to become the leaders and change agents like Martin and like Andrew in our world today.
Today, I pray that we are willing to work from the inside out to dismantle racism in the systems closest to us—in our congregations and schools, in our cities and neighborhoods.
Today, I pray that we are outraged enough to say that we will offer sanctuary to the homeless migrant. Today, I pray that we care enough to speak up against hate.
Today, I pray we are humble enough to confess our failures to live up to our vision of becoming a more diverse Church.
Today, I pray, that like Andrew and Martin, we may seek to follow Jesus along whatever path our lives may lead. That our varied gifts and styles may be used by God to bring justice to our world. Amen.
+ + +
GOSPEL LESSON: John 1:29-42
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
King was an African American Baptist pastor. Who used nonviolent strategies to try to change religious, social and political systems from within.
Malcolm X was a Black Muslim revolutionary. Who believed in extreme tactics. Who rejected the mainstream movement championed by King.
When I was growing up, I remember seeing both of them frequently in the news. I always assumed they worked together closely.
But in reality, the two men met only one time. On March 26, 1964, both were on Capitol Hill, attending a Senate debate on the Civil Rights Act. A law that would prohibit employment discrimination based on race and put an end to racial segregation.
As King was leaving a news conference, he ran into Malcolm X, dressed in a black coat and horn-rimmed glasses. “Well, Malcolm, good to see you,” King said. “Good to see you,” replied Malcolm X.
Photographers snapped pictures as they walked down the hall together. “I’m throwing myself into the heart of the civil rights struggle,” Malcolm X stated. King, always the careful politician, didn’t respond. Later King would say: “He’s very articulate, but I totally disagree with many of his political and philosophical views.”
Their conversation lasted only a minute. The two very different leaders would never talk again before being assassinated—Malcolm X in 1965, and then King in 1968.
The stark differences in leadership style are not that unusual in social or religious movements. Any time you are trying to change something, there are advocates who want to quietly work with the current power structure.
But those frustrated with the status quo often want things to change quickly and dramatically. King and Malcolm X are extreme opposites in the way they acted as change agents of their time.
Today’s Gospel lesson is also a story about two very different leaders: Andrew and Peter. A story about how these two early apostles met Jesus.
In the Gospels, Peter is an impulsive extrovert. Who gets into trouble for saying what he thinks. Who’s known for his impulsive actions.
In contrast, Andrew was a soft-spoken introvert. Who doesn’t get noticed for what he does.
Maybe it’s because my middle name is Andrew, or maybe it’s because I’m an introvert myself, but I like Andrew. Compared to his brother Peter, Andrew isn’t a flashy character. But if it wasn’t for Andrew, Peter might never have met Jesus.
Andrew was introduced to Jesus by another extrovert, John the Baptist. John was a bold prophet with a loud voice.
One day, John was chatting with Andrew. Suddenly, John the Baptist points at Jesus and shouts, “Hey, look, there goes the Lamb of God!” But Andrew was feeling shy. So, he follows Jesus at a discreet distance.
Then Jesus turns around and says, “What are you looking for?” In response, Andrew is so flustered that he blurts out, “Where are you staying?”
I can imagine Jesus rolling his eyes and saying, “Alright. Come on—I’ll show you.” It’s one of those first-meeting stories, that friends joke about for years to come. For Andrew, the encounter was unforgettable.
Yet, if not for the Gospel of John, we wouldn’t know much about Andrew. In John, we meet Andrew in three different stories.
First, there’s today’s reading. Then, later in John, there’s the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus tells his disciples to feed the crowd. But they wonder how anyone could possibly feed so many hungry people.
Then the ever-resourceful Andrew steps in. He brings a little boy to Jesus, and says, “Here’s a lad with five barley loaves and two fish.” And Andrew’s new friend helps Jesus do a miracle. They feed a crowd— with 12 baskets of leftovers!
Later in the same Gospel, Andrew does it again. During the Jewish Passover, Andrew brings a group of Greeks to Jesus. Gentiles from outside his faith community. People of a different race. Foreigners. Yet because of Andrew, they become believers.
Each time Andrew is mentioned in this Gospel, he’s bringing someone to meet Jesus. He brought his loud brother Peter to Jesus. He brought a poor fishing boy to Jesus. He brought a group of immigrants to Jesus.
Andrew’s not a brash evangelist. He’s a quiet witness. A gentle revolutionary.
Perhaps it’s appropriate that, in Greek, Andrew’s name means “brave.” For Andrew is brave enough to try something different. He steps outside his comfort zone. He crosses cultural barriers. He changes minds.
Today, I believe God is calling us to do the same. Here in this synagogue. Here in this community. The story of Andrew shows us how God can use ordinary people like you and me to help others meet Jesus.
The story of Andrew tells us that you don’t have to be a preacher or activist or even an extrovert. Just be yourself. Just use the gifts God has given you. Just be kind and caring and friendly. Just tell others about the community you find here at St. Mark’s and invite them to come with you.
Tomorrow is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. A day to remember the birthday of our nation’s greatest figure of the civil rights movement. I believe Martin was a modern-day prophet.
But Martin was also just a human. Someone who breathed and worried. Who cried and laughed. Who believed and doubted. Someone who sometimes got impatient. Someone who sometimes made mistakes. Just like the rest of us.
As Martin once said, “Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t [need] a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
History is full of ordinary people like us, whom God used to do what others thought was impossible.
People of color who refused to sit in the back of a bus. Women joined marches and stood up for their rights. Queer people who fought back against police abuse.
People with HIV who staged die-ins on the floors of Senate offices. Transgender teens who insisted on using the bathroom of their choice. Migrants who walked thousands of miles to bring their children to a safe refuge.
Today, I pray that each of us is brave enough to become the leaders and change agents like Martin and like Andrew in our world today.
Today, I pray that we are willing to work from the inside out to dismantle racism in the systems closest to us—in our congregations and schools, in our cities and neighborhoods.
Today, I pray that we are outraged enough to say that we will offer sanctuary to the homeless migrant. Today, I pray that we care enough to speak up against hate.
Today, I pray we are humble enough to confess our failures to live up to our vision of becoming a more diverse Church.
Today, I pray, that like Andrew and Martin, we may seek to follow Jesus along whatever path our lives may lead. That our varied gifts and styles may be used by God to bring justice to our world. Amen.
+ + +
GOSPEL LESSON: John 1:29-42
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
