Mount Sterling First United Methodist Church
No King but God: From Monarchy to Mutuality

  • Hearing God: Listening in a Noisy World

    Last week I asked if you ever had a problem praying to God, knowing what to say, what to think, what or who to pray for. Prayer is our ultimate deep relationship with God, so it is the best way that we can individually and collectively mature and deepen our connection with God. This week we will discuss how to hear God in a very noisy world.
    Hearing God means we are actively listening and in-tune with God’s voice, God’s prompting, God’s encouragement, God’s motivation, and God’s Spirit. Listening is an intentional act of inviting an outside force into your mind that will offer new information, new data, that could possibly change who you are, confirm who you are, and encourage your present day walk.
    Think through your life and how so much has changed, yet one force that has change, and yet remained, is the noise of life. When you are younger, you have the noise of your ever developing body, your parents/guardians, grandparents, siblings, extended family, friends from the neighborhood, friends from school, rules of school, rules of home, rules of the community you live, and the list goes on and on.
    When you get older your noise changes into adult responsibilities. You have the noise of paying bills, the noise of fixing things that are broken, the noise of family, employment, government, neighborhood, other people’s opinions, and the list goes on and on.
    In your retirement the noise changes again but is still present. You now have noises much like when you were younger and your body is doing things that you’ve never experienced before and you may not like it. You also have the noise of hoping you will have enough money to live on, wanting to be available to have fun, desiring to be with family, more medical appointments than you desire, traveling to new places, and the noise of silence as you see more friends start to leave you one by one.

    God speaks in many ways

    In all of noise of life, in every stage of your life, God still speaks. When you’re younger God speaks in a way that is relevant to a youthful age, in your busy adult years God is speaking above, in between, and beneath the cracks of life, in your maturing years of retirement God is speaking in the silence, the mundane, the unwanted, the joy, and the freedom that this life stage provides. God is always speaking but does so in many different ways so that every age and every culture will be able to hear, and hopefully listen.
    So, in the noise of your life, in whatever stage you are in, how does God speak to you? As a United Methodist Christian how does God speak to you? Looking upon our United Methodist heritage, God is said to speak to us through Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience.
    God’s voice is heard through scripture as it is a collection of 66+ books/letters/poems/songs that were constructed to evidence God engaging in relationship with humanity throughout many millennia. Scripture is one of our ultimate guides for reflection of religious interaction with a holy God and humanity on the onward and upward holiness progression of love. Mark Twain said,
    Most people are bothered by those passages in Scripture which they cannot understand; but as for me, I always noticed that the passages in Scripture which trouble me most are those which I do understand.
    Mark Twain
    For non-Christians scripture can still speak to their existence but other religious or humanistic writings may play a larger role, this is to be expected but for us United Methodist Christians, scripture is still essential in our overall understanding of how God can speak through the generations.
    Tradition is another way God can speak to us. Tradition in the USA in 2024 is going to be different than Tradition in Rome in 1200 or Babylon in 300BC. God will speak through the present day culture in a way that is significant, symbolic, while emphasizing God’s holiness and illuminating human understanding through the ever-present and moving Spirit. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said,
    We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden.
    Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
    Traditions can come and go depending on the nature of what is needed and necessary for the people, at the time. Some Traditions can also last too long where no one understands why we do this specific act anymore. Traditions can also be good and deepen a prayerful relationship with God. God definitely speaks through the ritualistic acts that we, as a people, choose to do.
    Reason proclaims the active and ongoing knowledge that humans gain over time. You may have heard the phrase before, “we don’t check our brains at the door of the church”, this should be true of every church that you enter. If something simply does not make sense and new knowledge or data on a certain topic proves otherwise, especially if it speaks against a traditional interpretation of scripture, then reason should be highly considered as more relevant. Francis Bacon said,
    A little philosophy inclines men’s minds to atheism, but depth in philosophy brings men’s minds about to religion.
    —Francis Bacon
    Francis Bacon (Philosopher)
    God speaks through education as we learn more about this world, we do learn more about God and can learn to hear God’s voice in new and exciting ways. Reason is good so don’t easily cast it away when you may not fully understand something new.
    Experience is not new but was an addition from Wesley to the people called Methodists. Wesley added experience to the 3-fold Scripture, Tradition, and Reason from the Church of England. Experience is the active voice of the Holy Spirit in the daily life events, activities, and ever evolving culture of humanity. Humanity must listen to God through experiencing life for the maintenance of old relationships and the establishment of new relationships all consists of new and maturing experiences of life. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said,
    We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.
    Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
    God definitely speaks through experiences that are new, frightening, uncomfortable, and confirming.
    Tradition, Reason, and Experience all speak to Scripture, as Scripture also speaks to Tradition, Reason, and Experience. God throughout time has spoken when there was no Scripture, no Tradition, and very limited Reason and Experience.

    The Role of Discernment

    This bring us to discernment. We all have the ability to perceive or recognize differences to judge what is right and wrong, good and evil, the voice of God and the will of humanity. Unfortunately, we’ve all come across people who who have very little discernment. There is a quote from an unknown author that says:
    ​
    Little [people] with little minds and little imaginations go through life in little ruts, smugly resisting all changes which would jar their little worlds.
    Unknown
    In other words, there are some people who simply do not have any common sense to see life with another person’s vision or walk through this world in another person’s shoes. In our 1Kings scripture reading , we have the story of Elijah running for his life after the prophets of Baal were killed. Elijah proclaimed God’s word, held to his cultural traditions, reasoned with his real life circumstances, and experienced God anew in a relational conversation. The bookend of this experience was God questioning Elijah, “Why are you here?” God spoke with Elijah to confirm who he was, confirm his prophetic action, confirm that throughout all the noise around him that God is not in the noise of the world. God is ultimately received and heard in the thin, quiet moments of reflection, discernment, and interpretation while journeying in all the noise of this crazy world. Catherine of Siena said,
    The core of pride is impatience and its offshoot is the lack of any discernment.
    Saint Catherine of Siena
    Discerning God’s voice, while in the noisy moments of life, help us to do what the Psalmist invites the readers on multiple occasions-SELAH, to pause, to sit, to reflect, and then act. When one has a prayer life whose foundation is built upon divine discernment then you will have a pray-er who intentionally seeks God’s will as God’s ambassador not the world’s warrior. When we take time to discern we then will be able to hear the voice of God. John 10.27 says
    John 10:27 CEB
    My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me.
    In the stillness of life we are able to be attentive to the voice of our Savior, to hear, to listen, and then to follow.

    God desires genuine relationships

    The busyness of life can be so noisy that we, at times, choose to deny God the relationship of his desire. That relationship is to give and receive love with you. The God/human relationship is one of intimacy in prayer, intimacy in action, intimacy in private, and intimacy in public. God never stops pursuing you for there is not an end point to a relationship. In prayer we continue to communicate with God and time with God is needed especially when the world’s noise can be too distracting. Thomas Schreiner says,
    Love for God cannot be sustained without a relationship with him, and such a relationship is nurtured by prayer.
    Thomas Schreiner
    A deeply held prayer life does not have to be one that is outlandish where you are always the person asked to pray in public settings; don’ worry that is always reserved for the pastor, even if the pastor don’t want to do it. A deeply held prayer life can also be very subtle. A deeply held prayer life can be very private. A deeply held prayer life is true prayer. R.T. France says,
    True prayer is not a technique nor a performance, but a relationship.
    R. T. France
    A true relationship with God must have true prayer from the believer or the seeker of the divine. Prayer enters one into the presence of God. Prayer strengthens the relationship with God. Prayer emboldens the faith of the believer in a noisy world. When you are soaked in prayer then you are transformed into your prayers. Warren Wiersbe says,
    Prayer is not something that I do; prayer is something that I am.
    Warren W. Wiersbe
    As we continue to develop our prayerful skills, we develop our listening skills, which develop our divine loving skills. A prayerful heart that listens to and connects with God is an act of love. Saint Augustine said,
    What you love you worship; true prayer, real prayer, is nothing but loving: what you love, that you pray to.
    Saint Augustine of Hippo
    As we pray to that which we love, our words and our actions will unite together as one. Our relationship with God will grow, the deafening noise of the world will extinguish, the words from our tongue will be praise, and people will see a prayerful life of love in action. So whether we are asleep or awake a life of prayer will guide us and help us to hear God more. John Wesley said,
    The moment I awaked, ‘Jesus, Master,’ was in my heart and in my mouth; and I found all my strength lay in keeping my eye fixed upon Him, and my soul waiting on Him continually.
    John Wesley (Founder of the Methodist Movement)

    Silent Reflection and Mindfulness

    As we enter into a new week, I encourage you to take time in silent reflection and mindfully focus upon God in prayer. Last week I invited you to pray the open-hearted disciples prayer. This week I invite you to say a prayer that has been said for many generations, The Jesus Prayer.
    Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner
    Amen.
  • Lead On O King Eternal
  • Take Up Thy Cross

      • 1 Samuel 8:4–22CEB

      • Luke 22:24–27CEB

  • The Hidden Appeal of a Crown
    Last week we wrestled with the myth of peace as quietness. We named how Jesus invites us into the risky work of peacemaking, not passive compliance, but active, embodied resistance to violence, pride, and domination. This week, we follow that thread deeper into the structures that uphold such violence. We turn now to the longing for power, the allure of kingship. It starts with people full of fear, usually fear that is created by those in power or seeking power.
    The elders of Israel came to the prophet Samuel and said, “Appoint a king to govern us like all the other nations.” At first glance, it sounds like a practical request. The surrounding nations had kings. Kings brought order. Kings led armies. Kings “protected” their people. In a world of threats, Israel wanted to feel secure. They wanted power to match the nations around them. They were tired of being the odd ones out. Tired of having to trust an invisible God mediated through unpredictable prophets.
    So, they ask for a human king. But this isn’t just about politics. This is about posture. It’s about where they place their trust and their allegiance.
    Israel’s Demand for a King: Fear Disguised as Faith
    God’s response is striking. “They haven’t rejected you, Samuel. They’ve rejected me as their king.” The demand for a king was not simply a governmental preference. It was a theological crisis. It was the people of God choosing sovereignty on their own terms. It was fear cloaked in the language of faith. They were tired of trusting an invisible relational God. They wanted a ruler who would dominate and decide on their behalf. Someone they could see. Someone with a sword. Someone that other nations could look upon with fear and respect.
    God warns them of the consequences of a human king. Kings will take your sons for war. Your daughters for servitude. Your vineyards for themselves. Your wealth to fund their glory. “You will cry out because of the king you chose,” God says, “but I will not answer.” Why would God not seemingly answer? Because the people now have a king to provide all their answers, whether they liked the kings policies or not. Given all that information, the people chose the king anyway.
    Friends, I do believe this is a mirror for us. How often does the church, especially in our current American context, ask for a king? Oh we do give lip service to Jesus being our King but, in reality, most churches are looking for that one person to bring in the people, attract younger families, entertain us, lead us, and inspire us but do all of it with the people’s vision and not challenge with God’s vision. How often do we long for strongmen and women to secure our values, protect our “way of life,” and impose our vision of righteousness? How often have we disguised fear as faith, nationalism as discipleship, and dominance or even wealth as divine favor?
    Well, we see it when pastors wave flags over pulpits and wrap the cross in red, white, and blue. We see it when churches lobby for political power to control culture, rather than to serve their neighbor. We see it when Christian leaders align themselves with authoritarian figures, not because of character, but because of perceived strength.
    We saw the greatest example of this only 4 decades ago with the creation of the moral majority by Jerry Falwell Sr and other fundamental pastors. The marketed emphasis of the moral majority was on their created view of morality within the public sphere. In reality, the main reason Falwell started this movement was because he wanted government funds for his Lynchburg College and desired to control who could be admitted into his educational system. In order to do this, Falwell needed politicians in his pocket and laws on his side. He strove for his will to be done at the expense of the gospel of Jesus Christ while marketing himself, other fundamental pastors, and his newly created lobbying lobby- the moral majority- as his bulldog to pull the wool over the eyes of highly gullible and naive Christians. Falwell used the issue of abortion, that was never used before, an emphasized another issue, homosexuality, that became the christian redline district within fundamental churches and fundamental politicians. This was their marketing rally cry while behind the scenes the foundational root of the moral majority was built on racism, sexism, genderism, and classism. This was the will of Falwell and his people as they anointed him as their own king and these discriminatory beliefs unfortunately continue to this day in many evangelical and fundamental churches, predominantly the USA, but effects felt throughout the world.
    Let’s be honest: many Christians did not vote for humility, compassion, or moral clarity during this time. They support someone who promised to “fight” for them after they were told what what they should be against. They demanded a king and in doing so, they rejected the way of Christ.
    Jesus Redefines Power in Leadership
    Contrast Israel’s demand with Jesus’ teaching in Luke 22. It’s the night of the Last Supper. The disciples, still trapped in empire logic, argue over who among them is the greatest. They want rank. They want authority. They want hierarchy. They want their egos to be stroked.
    Jesus interrupts them. “The kings of the Gentiles rule over their subject,” he says. “But that’s not the way it will be with you.” Not so with you. That is the line that defines Christian leadership. Jesus continues, “Instead, the greatest among you must become like a person of lower status and the leader like a servant.” Then, pointing to himself, he says, “ but I am among you as one who serves.”
    In that moment, Jesus dismantles the throne. He flips the crown upside down. He redefines power not as coercion, but as compassion. Not as sovereignty, but as servanthood.
    This is not weak leadership. It is revolutionary leadership. It is leadership that does not bend to the logic of Caesar or the methods of Pharaoh. It is leadership that reflects the relational governance of God, always invitational, never imposed.
    From Hierarchy to Mutuality in Christian Community
    Open and Relational Theology offers us a powerful lens here. God does not govern through force, but through persuasion. God does not micromanage creation from above. God works within creation, luring all life toward goodness through relational love. This means God’s authority is not top-down. It is co-creative. It is mutual. It is Emmanuel “God WITH us” not God far away dictating what should be done.
    Servant leadership, within the local church and denominational structures, is not about pretending we don’t have power. It is about using power differently. It’s not about erasing structure; it’s about reshaping it. It’s about creating communities where everyone is empowered, where authority is accountable, and where leadership is measured not by dominance but by depth of service.
    The church was never meant to mirror the court of Caesar. It was meant to mirror the table of Christ. A place where the last are first, and the first are learners. A place where leadership is washed in basin and towel, not draped in robes, sashes, and crowns.
    When we center mutuality over monarchy, we stop asking “Who’s in charge?” and start asking “Who can we empower?” We stop propping up pastors as celebrities and start forming congregations as collaborators. We stop defending hierarchical control and start building horizontal communities of grace.
    This is a structural theological shift. It challenges the way we govern churches, the way we nominate and elect leaders, the way we shape ministry. It calls bishops, elders, deacons, and laity alike to walk in the humility of Christ, not the ambition of Saul. It’s where the general conference, jurisdictional conferences, district conferences, and local churches completely work together and not beg for more resources but are supplied with what is needed, and that includes knowledge, guidance, and collective human thought to see solutions, not point fingers at problems, or the same ineffective mentality of do more with less.
    Mutuality within the Christian Community will work to effectively create disciples of Jesus Christ, not solely for numerical statistics, but for inner development of holiness that must be displayed outwardly as the love of Christ Jesus. Christian mutuality presses forward as a team of servant leaders, not as a know-it-all individual or a select elite cabinet or committee. 
    Modern Kings and the Church’s Addiction to Power
    Let’s bring this even closer to home. When churches rally around political figures who promise to “take back America,” they are not reclaiming the gospel. They are replaying 1 Samuel 8. They are crying out, “Give us a king!” even if that king exploits the poor, ridicules the marginalized, and mocks the teachings of Christ.
    When churches preach nationalism from the pulpit, baptize weapons at altars, or treat military might as divine providence, they are not following the way of Jesus. They are following the way of empire that always has control and domination as its foundation.
    Christian nationalism is a false gospel. As we heard two weeks ago it replaces the cross with a flag. It replaces the Beatitudes with borders. It replaces neighbor-love with nativism. It is not a return to faith. It is a retreat into a fear that demands a king to fight its battles, rather than trusting in a God who calls us to love our enemies and actually act as ministers of reconciliation.
    Let me say this plainly if my words have been misunderstood: Jesus does not need to be elected. Jesus does not run on a party platform. Jesus does not appoint Supreme Court justices or sign executive orders. Jesus does not order missiles to be fired into neighboring cities or use military to kill and detain its own residents. Jesus reigns not through domination, but through death and resurrection. Through humility. Through service. Through relentless, transforming, and uncontrolling love.
    Kings want to receive worship as God. Kings desire to have their feet washed. Kings demand to be served rather than to serve. Kings seek protection while the nation crumbles and the community is destroyed. Kings claim divine placement then fight with worldly means to hang on to every bit of power when their placement is challenged or taken away. Kings clamor for more while the community suffers and laments. Kings demand to be heard by the subjects while turns a deaf ear to the cries of injustice. 
    Final Invitation: Servants, Not Sovereigns
    So, church, what will we choose? What will First United Methodist Church of Mt Sterling choose? What will the Olentangy District of the United Methodist Church choose? What will the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church choose? What will The United Methodist Church denomination choose? What will every church and every individual that identifies as a disciple of Jesus Christ choose? 
    Will we demand a king who looks like us, thinks like us, and fights for us, while always coming out on top of the negotiation? Or will we follow a servant leader who calls us to wash feet, love enemies, and surrender our need to win.
    The invitation is clear. It’s clear within our scriptures, it’s clear within our traditions, it’s clear within our reasoning, and it’s clear within our experience: we must adopt the posture of a servant leader, not a sovereign. The church and everyone that makes up the body of Christ must choose mutuality over monarchy. Choose an open table over a golden throne. Choose towel over sword. 
    Ask yourself these questions:
    Where have I demanded control when God called me to collaboration?
    Where have I sought authority rather than accountability?
    Where have I supported leaders more interested in maintaining power than in serving the vulnerable?
    And then ask: what kind of community are we building here? Are we replicating the structures of empire? Or are we forming a people shaped by the upside-down kingdom of God?
    In the United Methodist tradition, we speak of sanctifying grace, a grace that makes us holy over time as we participate in God’s call to holiness of heart and life. Holiness is not about climbing a ladder of spiritual success. It’s about being conformed to the image of Christ. Christ knelt. Christ served. Christ bled. May we never forget that.
    May our churches not be kingdoms with thrones and crowns, but communion tables and foot-washing basins. May our leaders be shepherds, not kings. May our congregations be collaborators, not subjects. May we remember that the one true authority in the church is not sovereignty but servanthood. May it be so.
Mount Sterling First United Methodist Church
sterlingfirstumc@yahoo.com
(740) 869-3577
http://www.sterlingfumc.com
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