This morning we take up an aspect of leadership that I think makes us queasy – power. We often feel powerless, don’t we in so many situations. We too often think about power as might makes right, someone is power hungry, or the quote by John Dalberg-Acton: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Maybe we think we are powerless against the temptations of being powerful.
But what if we began to think about power and 
how to use it as leaders – individually and as this community of faith by starting with a Biblical definition of power: the divine ability, strength, and authority to act, create, and produce an effect. A use of power that flows from the heart of God. Or simply power redeemed.
When we look at our Matthew reading, we see Jesus asking about his identity – the people think he is a prophet – a truth-teller – a powerful way of speaking against empire that often results in the death of the prophet. But Peter nails it in this instance: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God”. You are the anointed one – the one who has come to heal and save us. The one who has been given a powerful voice leading to powerful actions on behalf of those who sit on society’s margins. Who have no voice and no real way to act. You are the Messiah.
This is how Peter identifies Jesus – how do we define Jesus’ identity? Who is Jesus to us – some nice teacher, some positive person offering a stairway to heaven with no real cost to us? Or do we define Jesus as someone gifted with that divine ability, strength and authority to act with purpose in his short life here on earth. Someone who has such a close relationship with God that they are parent and child. Do we see Jesus’ identity as one who has come to teach us about Love with a capital L. The Love God holds not just for us, but for all people. Love that is inclusive and powerful. Love that connects us to the divine in deep and powerful ways.
And just look at the gift given to Peter He is literally renamed – transformed to have a purpose in this new community of faith Jesus is building. This community will be built on Peter – he will have the power shaped by humility, grace, mercy, compassion and most of all Love. Will he get it right all the time? Absolutely not! But he will get it right a lot of the time – and over and over again, Peter will stand up against the authorities, against the Roman empire on behalf of the voiceless.
And, so the question becomes: How do we identify Jesus? Is our identity wrapped up in his? Do we really embrace the commands to love God with every part of us and love our neighbor as we love ourselves? If so, are we transformed like Peter – to speak for the voiceless, to act on behalf of marginalized populations in our day and time? Are we willing to use the leadership power we have been given bravely, responsibly? Power redeemed!
Though our midwives this morning didn’t know Jesus, they certainly knew God. They knew what this powerful empire led by Pharoah was attempting to do. Like many “kings” who grow fearful of that which they cannot control – a set of people, the stranger, the foreigner – they begin to find ways to rid themselves and their country of this “invasion.”
So, when cruel and abusive leadership doesn’t do the trick, Pharoah goes to two midwives instructing them to kill the Hebrew baby boys before they are out of the birth canal so it can’t be construed as murder. Kill all the Hebrew baby boys – not the girls (girls don’t seem to matter). The midwives have the fear of God in them, meaning their trust in God and God’s promises, power and presence was greater than their fear of Pharoah and of his abusive power. They don’t kill the baby boys finding a clever way to outwit Pharoah and save themselves. Power redeemed.
Then the Pharoah tries a third way, enlisting the mob – urging them to drown every Hebrew boy in the Nile. Imagine – enlisting all the people you lead to commit murder out of your fear of an entire group of people. A people that once saved your ancestors. The fear of the stranger, the foreigner is powerful in its own right and absolutely corrupted the actions of this Pharoah.
But then along comes Moses. His sister and mother again use their power of love to save him – putting him in a basket of reeds, and floating him down the river where they know Pharoah’s daughter will see him. The same power of love overcomes her because she knows this must be a Hebrew baby boy – but she takes him in as her own. Power redeemed.
Do we see the parallels in our time of power being used in an absolute and corrupt way from our own government? The parallels to the ICE actions that aren’t grabbing up the worst of the worst, but the best of the best? Do we see the parallels in how Christian Nationalism and white supremacy use absolute and corrupt power to demean women and people of color? I encourage you to watch on Netflix “The Death of the Pastor’s Wife” because the kind of sermons this man preaches are a feature not a bug of many of these kinds of churches. They groom women from an early age to be submissive in all ways to the man in their life – it is wrong theologically and morally. They use power without love.
How much do we embrace Martin Luther King Jr’s vision of power redeemed – so hear this quote that is also in this week’s newsletter pastor message: “Power, properly understood, is the ability to achieve purpose. It is the strength required to bring about social, political, or economic changes. In this sense power is not only desirable but necessary in order to implement the demands of love and justice.
One of the greatest problems of history is that the concepts of love and power are usually contrasted as polar opposites. Love is identified with a resignation of power and power with a denial of love. What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive and that love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.”
Power redeemed! Are we as leaders in this community of faith and in our wider Bethlehem community able to see ourselves as achieving a purpose through the power gifted us through our identity as beloved children of God and siblings of Jesus? Are we able to see the connection between power and the love that flows from our relationship with the Trinity – God/Jesus/Holy Spirit? Are we able to visualize the power of the Table we will gather at today – a table that is so big it includes everyone? Are we able to hold power through the lens of love so that it does not corrupt us? Power redeemed means the answer can be yes!
On this rock – you Peter I will build my church and nothing can destroy it! The promise of Jesus is that some form of divine love expressed in a community of faith will always survive to eternity. The power that comes from knowing that should make us bold as we seek to be voices for the powerless. The power that flows from divine love to us should make us bold to take action where it is needed – to confront white supremacy wherever we see it.
The power that flows from divine love makes us stronger than we realize. The power that flows from divine love gives us knowledge and courage to act in ways that build up, not tear down. The power that flows from divine love, redeems the power that is abusive and harmful. Power redeemed indeed! May we embrace that power! May it be so! Amen!