Sermon No. 1

Yes, Brother Nietzche

Friedrich Nietzche, cynical German philosopher, criticized Christianity because it fosters a "slave mentality."

I sincerely hope he was correct. Paul defends his ministry to the Corinthians, not as a minister with superior gifts or spiritual endowments, but rather as a servant, a slave!

At the heart of Paul's Epistle today is the affirmation that Jesus is Lord. He counsels us to proclaim the truth of the Gospel even when it causes persecution.

It is one thing to say we are servants of Jesus, under the Lordship of Christ. It is quite another matter to say so starkly, as Paul does in verse 6, "we are your slaves for Jesus' sake."

The word "slave" is a rather ugly, distasteful word. What is so inhumane as slavery? Paul says he is a "slave for Jesus' sake." But still, he is a slave!

In our society, words like "servant" and "slave" are not especially popular. We talk up personal autonomy, individual freedom, liberation of the self. We want to live our lives attached to nothing except ourselves. Servitude is patently unfair.

You know that I am passionately devoted to racial and sexual equality. I bristle when anyone speaks against the ordination of women, for example, or when I read of violence based on male supremacy -- and there is a lot of that! I am the penultimate critic of capitalism and authoritarianism. It is unchristian for me to assume that because of my position in life I should in any way presume to take authority over you.

When I owned a business and had a number of people working for me, I did not hesitate to tell them what needed to be done, but I never told them what they had to do. For that I was criticized, but to me it is the only way to follow Jesus.

Servanthood was basic to the life and teachings of Jesus. James and John coerced their mother into asking for special seats of honor in the Kingdom for her sons. Jesus used this occasion to teach a vital Kingdom principle: Altho he was infinitely great in and of himself, worthy of all honor, Jesus "came not to be served, but to serve."

Most people see power thru force . . . and raise the sword as a symbol. Christians see power thru unconditional love . . . and raise the cross as a symbol.
The Jesus message is one of love -- power thru love. Love cannot be forced or coerced. But love is a force for good. It is disdained by power-seekers who perceive it to be a sign of weakness.

Think about the big names in business. They have all the money they can ever use, but they keep demanding more salary, and buying more businesses. Why? Power! There seems to be an exhilaration in acquiring power and authority over other people. Maybe that is the motivation in sports. Winning makes people feel superior.

In 1944, when I was minister of my first church, in St. Paul, Minnesota, the SDA churches of St. Paul and Minneapolis played volleyball once a month at the YMCA. In those days I played on a businessmen's team every week. Because I was tall, I was a spiker.

On these church-night games I would spike the ball over quite well. One night I overheard a lady say, "It would be nice if the rest of us could get into the game, wouldn't it?"

She wasn't talking to me, but I heard what she said. It hit me like a ton of bricks! What a selfish, greedy man I was! I can't say I have never since then wanted to be first, the winner. But I can tell you I have consistently become less anxious to be a "winner." I have become less and less competitive. Winning is no longer very important to me, unless it is winning principles, values; unless it is winning excellence.

Can you imagine Jesus at a football game, a baseball game, or any other game, shouting for one team to slaughter another team?

That is not to say we should or can be apathetic. If you believe in a cause, it should motivate you to assert yourself to your full capacity. Give all you've got!

There is no other cause quite as important as the cause of Christ. There is no other kingdom quite as important as the Kingdom of Christ. If you and I are dedicated 100% to the principles of Jesus, that passion will control our lives. We will take Jesus and his Kingdom principles very seriously. Our lives will then reflect those principles.

That is what Jesus tried to teach his followers. They were very slow to learn. I wonder if we are any better at learning. Do we in fact reflect the love and compassion of Jesus?

When the early followers of Jesus finally adopted his way of life, they became so passionate that most of them became martyrs.

Not many "Christians" are willing to pay the price of complete commitment. You remember that Robert Short (The Gospel According to Peanuts) became an agnostic. His mother was mortified. "I tho't we reared you right. Imagine -- my son an agnostic!"

Then he was converted, born again, and became an active advocate of the principles of the Kingdom. Then his mother said, "I tho't we reared you right. Imagine -- my son a fanatic!"

That kind of "fanaticism" is just what Jesus demands of his followers. But he warns that the "cost of discipleship" is high. He asked, "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" Then he told them, "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve."

Dear saints, if Jesus came to be a slave, how can we justify hierarchy and power and authoritarianism?

That is my rationale for insisting that you call me by my first name. Some of you were uncomfortable with that, but by now you are used to it.

Barbara Mandell once referred to her friends "Jimmy and Rosalyn." She was asked, "Don't you think it's rather presumptuous to call the president by his first name?"
He answer was, "Why? I call Jesus by his first name!"

Slavery is the Christian's goal -- when it is self-imposed slavery. And when it is slavery of self, not of others. Jesus in no way put himself down. "I am the bread of life." "I am the light of the world." "I am the good shepherd." "I am the true vine." "I am the resurrection and the life."

But in all things Jesus was "gentle and humble in heart." "I am among you as one who serves."

One who serves! One who is a slave. A contemporary slogan says "You are loved." That is refreshing, but much more to the point would be, "You are owned."

Slave masters were not noted for their compassion. After all, their slaves were their property. Yet, there were some who were indeed compassionate. That is exactly the kind of slave master Jesus is, "gentle and humble in heart."

Actually, most of us are slaves to someone or something, aren't we? Some are slaves to food, to tobacco, to alcohol, to work. It seems to me that we better be slaves to something worthwhile.

I covet the title Paul used, "your slave for Jesus' sake." I earnestly pray that when I give up my life here on earth, I will have reflected Jesus, will have been among you "as one who serves."

Not only is Christian slavery the way to follow Jesus, it is also the way to happiness and self-fulfillment.

Jesus said "It is more blessed to give than to receive." If that is true -- and it is -- then we do well to give . . . and give . . . and give. We will do well to be more concerned with what we can give to others and to the world than with what we get from them.

Henry Ward Beecher said, "Religion means work; it means hard work; it means work in a dirty world. The world has to be cleaned by somebody and you are not really called of God unless you are prepared to scour and scrub."

That is precisely the message of Jesus. We are all called. And our calling is ministry. Those who come early every week and prepare the coffee and the treats are ministering. Those who come week after week and cut the grass and build cabinets and remodel and paint the rest rooms and practice with the choir and prepare the newsletters and bulletins and the children's projects, and gather food and clothing for those in need, and go down the Cass Corridor -- every one of you is a minister, answering the call of God.

I am the lucky one who gets the title, and who gets to study and prepare the sermons. But the message of Jesus and Paul in today's scriptures is a message of slavery. Be a slave of Jesus, doing his work, living his life, reflecting his character.

I do not want to make it sound easy. It isn't. But how many worthwhile projects are easy? That's why Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me"

For some, the cross is very heavy. And very costly. Martin Luther King Jr was a powerful influence in the civil rights movement. Over and over he refused to exert personal power. He refused to approve violence or authority to gain his goals -- which were worthy goals. Like his heroes, Jesus, Thoreau, Tolstoy and Gandhi, he insisted on only nonviolent civil disobedience.

He once said "We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering . . . Be assured that we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer. One day we shall win freedom, but not only for ourselves. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory."

A slave may need to humbly fit into his master's plan, even when it is not his own will. Sarah Flower Adams studied to be an actress. She proved her ability as Lady Macbeth on the stage. Then her sister contracted TB. She served as a nurse for her ailing sister and she herself contracted tuberculosis. Her Unitarian minister, Mr. Fox, called on her one day and found her a bit discouraged. He read to her the story of Jacob at Bethel. She saw her own journey in the experience of Jacob.

In that moment of inspiration she wrote a beautiful poem, "Nearer, my God, to Thee." As President McKinley lay dying of an assassin's bullet, he whispered those words. Survivors of the Titanic say the band played it while passengers sang their way into the ocean. During the gold rush in Alaska, Evangeline Booth took a Salvation Army band to one of the most violent and lawless gold towns. They say 25,000 men responded to that hymn and her invitation!

If you ever think the life of a slave is mean and lowly, remember Sarah Flower Adams, and her influence. Remember Paul's "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed."

That's the kind of power and authority Paul exercised.

Mark Twain didn't want to carry his briefcase with him, so he asked the baggage handler if he tho't it could be checked in the baggage compartment. The baggage handler shrugged, hurled it to the pavement. "That, sir, is what she'll get in Philadelphia." The he picked it up and struck it several times against the side of the train. "That's what she'll get in Chicago." Finally, he threw it on the ground and stomped on it vigorously. "That's what she'll get in Sioux City. If you're going any further than Sioux City I suggest you carry it yourself."

Do you sometimes feel like Mark Twain's briefcase? Why me, Lord? I do. Then I remember someone's adage, "Why not me?"

Yes, brother Nietzche, you are right. Christianity fosters a "slave mentality."

Let us pray . . .



		Yes, Brother Nietzche
		Friedrich Nietzche, cynical German philosopher, criticized Christianity because it fosters a "slave mentality." I sincerely hope he was correct. Paul defends his ministry to the Corinthians, not as a minister with superior gifts or spiritual endowments, but rather as a servant, a slave! At the heart of Paul's Epistle today is the affirmation that Jesus is Lord. He counsels us to proclaim the truth of the Gospel even when it causes persecution. It is one thing to say we are servants of Jesus, under the Lordship of Christ. It is quite another matter to say so starkly, as Paul does in verse 6, "we are your slaves for Jesus' sake." The word "slave" is a rather ugly, distasteful word. What is so inhumane as slavery? Paul says he is a "slave for Jesus' sake." But still, he is a slave! In our society, words like "servant" and "slave" are not especially popular. We talk up personal autonomy, individual freedom, liberation of the self. We want to live our lives attached to nothing except ourselves. Servitude is patently unfair. You know that I am passionately devoted to racial and sexual equality. I bristle when anyone speaks against the ordination of women, for example, or when I read of violence based on male supremacy -- and there is a lot of that! I am the penultimate critic of capitalism and authoritarianism. It is unchristian for me to assume that because of my position in life I should in any way presume to take authority over you. When I owned a business and had a number of people working for me, I did not hesitate to tell them what needed to be done, but I never told them what they had to do. For that I was criticized, but to me it is the only way to follow Jesus. Servanthood was basic to the life and teachings of Jesus. James and John coerced their mother into asking for special seats of honor in the Kingdom for her sons. Jesus used this occasion to teach a vital Kingdom principle: Altho he was infinitely great in and of himself, worthy of all honor, Jesus "came not to be served, but to serve." Most people see power thru force . . . and raise the sword as a symbol. Christians see power thru unconditional love . . . and raise the cross as a symbol. The Jesus message is one of love -- power thru love. Love cannot be forced or coerced. But love is a force for good. It is disdained by power-seekers who perceive it to be a sign of weakness. Think about the big names in business. They have all the money they can ever use, but they keep demanding more salary, and buying more businesses. Why? Power! There seems to be an exhilaration in acquiring power and authority over other people. Maybe that is the motivation in sports. Winning makes people feel superior. In 1944, when I was minister of my first church, in St. Paul, Minnesota, the SDA churches of St. Paul and Minneapolis played volleyball once a month at the YMCA. In those days I played on a businessmen's team every week. Because I was tall, I was a spiker. On these church-night games I would spike the ball over quite well. One night I overheard a lady say, "It would be nice if the rest of us could get into the game, wouldn't it?" She wasn't talking to me, but I heard what she said. It hit me like a ton of bricks! What a selfish, greedy man I was! I can't say I have never since then wanted to be first, the winner. But I can tell you I have consistently become less anxious to be a "winner." I have become less and less competitive. Winning is no longer very important to me, unless it is winning principles, values; unless it is winning excellence. Can you imagine Jesus at a football game, a baseball game, or any other game, shouting for one team to slaughter another team? That is not to say we should or can be apathetic. If you believe in a cause, it should motivate you to assert yourself to your full capacity. Give all you've got! There is no other cause quite as important as the cause of Christ. There is no other kingdom quite as important as the Kingdom of Christ. If you and I are dedicated 100% to the principles of Jesus, that passion will control our lives. We will take Jesus and his Kingdom principles very seriously. Our lives will then reflect those principles. That is what Jesus tried to teach his followers. They were very slow to learn. I wonder if we are any better at learning. Do we in fact reflect the love and compassion of Jesus? When the early followers of Jesus finally adopted his way of life, they became so passionate that most of them became martyrs. Not many "Christians" are willing to pay the price of complete commitment. You remember that Robert Short (The Gospel According to Peanuts) became an agnostic. His mother was mortified. "I tho't we reared you right. Imagine -- my son an agnostic!" Then he was converted, born again, and became an active advocate of the principles of the Kingdom. Then his mother said, "I tho't we reared you right. Imagine -- my son a fanatic!" That kind of "fanaticism" is just what Jesus demands of his followers. But he warns that the "cost of discipleship" is high. He asked, "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" Then he told them, "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve." Dear saints, if Jesus came to be a slave, how can we justify hierarchy and power and authoritarianism? That is my rationale for insisting that you call me by my first name. Some of you were uncomfortable with that, but by now you are used to it. Barbara Mandell once referred to her friends "Jimmy and Rosalyn." She was asked, "Don't you think it's rather presumptuous to call the president by his first name?" He answer was, "Why? I call Jesus by his first name!" Slavery is the Christian's goal -- when it is self-imposed slavery. And when it is slavery of self, not of others. Jesus in no way put himself down. "I am the bread of life." "I am the light of the world." "I am the good shepherd." "I am the true vine." "I am the resurrection and the life." But in all things Jesus was "gentle and humble in heart." "I am among you as one who serves." One who serves! One who is a slave. A contemporary slogan says "You are loved." That is refreshing, but much more to the point would be, "You are owned." Slave masters were not noted for their compassion. After all, their slaves were their property. Yet, there were some who were indeed compassionate. That is exactly the kind of slave master Jesus is, "gentle and humble in heart." Actually, most of us are slaves to someone or something, aren't we? Some are slaves to food, to tobacco, to alcohol, to work. It seems to me that we better be slaves to something worthwhile. I covet the title Paul used, "your slave for Jesus' sake." I earnestly pray that when I give up my life here on earth, I will have reflected Jesus, will have been among you "as one who serves." Not only is Christian slavery the way to follow Jesus, it is also the way to happiness and self-fulfillment. Jesus said "It is more blessed to give than to receive." If that is true -- and it is -- then we do well to give . . . and give . . . and give. We will do well to be more concerned with what we can give to others and to the world than with what we get from them. Henry Ward Beecher said, "Religion means work; it means hard work; it means work in a dirty world. The world has to be cleaned by somebody and you are not really called of God unless you are prepared to scour and scrub." That is precisely the message of Jesus. We are all called. And our calling is ministry. Those who come early every week and prepare the coffee and the treats are ministering. Those who come week after week and cut the grass and build cabinets and remodel and paint the rest rooms and practice with the choir and prepare the newsletters and bulletins and the children's projects, and gather food and clothing for those in need, and go down the Cass Corridor -- every one of you is a minister, answering the call of God. I am the lucky one who gets the title, and who gets to study and prepare the sermons. But the message of Jesus and Paul in today's scriptures is a message of slavery. Be a slave of Jesus, doing his work, living his life, reflecting his character. I do not want to make it sound easy. It isn't. But how many worthwhile projects are easy? That's why Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" For some, the cross is very heavy. And very costly. Martin Luther King Jr was a powerful influence in the civil rights movement. Over and over he refused to exert personal power. He refused to approve violence or authority to gain his goals -- which were worthy goals. Like his heroes, Jesus, Thoreau, Tolstoy and Gandhi, he insisted on only nonviolent civil disobedience. He once said "We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering . . . Be assured that we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer. One day we shall win freedom, but not only for ourselves. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory." A slave may need to humbly fit into his master's plan, even when it is not his own will. Sarah Flower Adams studied to be an actress. She proved her ability as Lady Macbeth on the stage. Then her sister contracted TB. She served as a nurse for her ailing sister and she herself contracted tuberculosis. Her Unitarian minister, Mr. Fox, called on her one day and found her a bit discouraged. He read to her the story of Jacob at Bethel. She saw her own journey in the experience of Jacob. In that moment of inspiration she wrote a beautiful poem, "Nearer, my God, to Thee." As President McKinley lay dying of an assassin's bullet, he whispered those words. Survivors of the Titanic say the band played it while passengers sang their way into the ocean. During the gold rush in Alaska, Evangeline Booth took a Salvation Army band to one of the most violent and lawless gold towns. They say 25,000 men responded to that hymn and her invitation! If you ever think the life of a slave is mean and lowly, remember Sarah Flower Adams, and her influence. Remember Paul's "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed." That's the kind of power and authority Paul exercised. Mark Twain didn't want to carry his briefcase with him, so he asked the baggage handler if he tho't it could be checked in the baggage compartment. The baggage handler shrugged, hurled it to the pavement. "That, sir, is what she'll get in Philadelphia." The he picked it up and struck it several times against the side of the train. "That's what she'll get in Chicago." Finally, he threw it on the ground and stomped on it vigorously. "That's what she'll get in Sioux City. If you're going any further than Sioux City I suggest you carry it yourself." Do you sometimes feel like Mark Twain's briefcase? Why me, Lord? I do. Then I remember someone's adage, "Why not me?" Yes, brother Nietzche, you are right. Christianity fosters a "slave mentality." Let us pray . . .