Power Corrupts? Absolutely!

Last night, on the eve of the twelfth anniversary of Nine-Eleven, President Barack Obama addressed the nation and tried to explain the Syrian crisis and how it involved, or did not involve, the United States.

In related news from the New York Democratic primary:

• Serial tweeter/exhibitionist and former Congressman Anthony Weiner garnered only 5% of the vote in his attempt to become the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City.
• Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, who resigned in 2008 because of his own immorality, failed to become the Democratic nominee for city comptroller.

It was the British historian Lord Acton who said, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

If you elect an inept or morally deficient leader to a minor position in city government, the damage he can do is minimal. But if that same incompetent or ethically challenged person becomes Governor or President or Prime Minister, millions of people may suffer.

For Christians, our confidence is that the only incorruptible leader is the one truly and ultimately in charge. 

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).

In these troubling times, when we are often dismayed or ashamed of those who end up being our leaders, it does our hearts good to remember, and to be able to say, "All Hail, King Jesus!"

The Real Deal

A couple years ago a North Carolina man was convicted of impersonating a decorated Marine officer. He got sixteen months in the slammer. Not to mention the disgust of all of us who revere those who truly wear the uniform.

We all know people who pretend to be something they’re not. They're contemptible.

That’s one of the reasons to admire our Savior--His kingly authority. He is authentic, true, genuine.

He acts and speaks without pretense, with the calm assurance of absolute sovereignty. For example, multiple times in the Sermon on the Mount, He says, You have heard it said...but I say to you. (Compare Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28, 33-34, 38-39, 43-44). Christ is saying that His own word supersedes Jewish tradition and established interpretation of Scripture.

Or like the start of His ministry in His hometown of Nazareth. He read an 800-year-old prophecy about the Messiah who would preach good news to the poor, liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed. (See Luke 4:16ff). Then He sat down and said, in effect, Today this prophecy is fulfilled--by Me (vv. 20-21).

Making claims like this is repugnant in weak, pretentious people. We pity, resent, and despise those who try to appear superior. We see that they are unqualified and unworthy.

But when Jesus speaks and acts as the King, we believe Him. When He tells us the secret of happiness, as He does in the Beatitudes, it rings true. When He says, "your tradition says one thing. But I'll tell you the truth," He is more than credible. He is compelling.

He's the real deal.

"Evolving" Attitudes, Gay Marriage, and Jesus

President Obama, who claims to be a Christian, has recently “evolved” to support gay marriage. When MSNBC’s Chris Matthews interviewed Bishop Harry Jackson, an African American pastor who has spoken out against the President’s endorsement of gay marriage, Matthews said he hoped Bishop Jackson would “evolve.” 

The mainstream media in our country portrays any objection to the homosexual lifestyle, or to redefining marriage to include same-sex couples, as bigotry, or radical, or on the wrong side of history. Not evolved.

This blog is my attempt to “admire Christ.” I have no desire to be political. I want to lift up the character of Jesus. But the President’s recent "evolution" made me ask, So what does Jesus say about these things? Has Christ evolved? Or will He?

The Blowhard Syndrome

A few years ago I was talking to another pastor, a man I knew only casually. I mentioned that I had just been overseas, on a short-term missions trip to India.

To which he replied, “Oh, yeah? I used to live in India, and I rode to work every day on an elephant! Not only that, but I’m flying back tomorrow to star in a Bollywood movie. And the movie is about me!”

Okay, I’m exaggerating. But it did seem like for anything I said, he had a topper. “My son just graduated from college.” “Oh, yeah? My son was the commencement speaker at his college graduation, and now they’ve named the school after him!”

Anyhow, we probably all know somebody whose job it is to trump whatever your life experience is with a bigger, better, deeper, and wider experience from their own life. Blowhards are irritating at best, and insufferable at worst.

That’s what makes it so amazing when you encounter Jesus’ authority in the Bible. He manages to act and speak without pretense, but with the calm assurance of absolute sovereignty.

As I was reading the Sermon on the Mount, I kept noticing these words of Christ:  “you have heard it said…but I say to you…” (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28, 33-34, 38-39, 43-44). Jesus calmly places His own word over Jewish tradition and established interpretation of Scripture.

When Jesus tells us , “Your tradition says one thing. But I’ll tell you the real truth,” He is more than credible. He is compelling. We believe Him.

Maybe we're all blowhards sometimes. But when Jesus starts talking, we need to start listening.

By the way, one of the funniest stand-up bits I ever heard on the "blowhard syndrome" is from Brian Regan.