Proper 5B | St. Thomas, Red Bank

1 Samuel 8:4-20; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35

The Children of Israel wanted a king.

As Oscar Wilde once observed, there are two tragedies in life: one is not getting what you want, and the other is getting it.

The Children of Israel wanted a king. And they got one.

This was not God’s plan for Israel. From the call of Abraham it was clear that God had plans and expectations for his people that would set them apart from the other nations of the earth.

Their diet would be different. You’ve no doubt heard of a “kosher diet”. They would also have very strict purity laws. Washing their hands. Taking ritual baths. Their worship would be distinct. Unlike other cultures and religions around them, they wouldn’t have idols or human sacrifice. They would believe in ONE God. Their whole society would be unique when compared with the other nations they encountered. Their relationship with their God would be different from all others.

God had made promises to them, and God set in motion the plan of salvation, the way back for humanity, to restore the fellowship with God that we had lost. The people of Israel would be God’s people through whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed.

But over time Israel became jealous of the other nations around them. Once they had established themselves in the Promised Land, the people of Israel looked around and saw the neighboring kingdoms with their wealth, their armies, and their powerful kings. They wanted a king for themselves.

Up until this point, God had been their king. It was part of this special relationship that God had with Israel. They didn’t need a human ruler over them. God was their head. They would look to him for direction and protection. God had placed judges in their midst, powerful individuals like Samson and Deborah. God called prophets as well to bring about his plans for the people and to maintain justice and righteousness in Israel. Samuel was one of the first. But the people wanted more. They craved a human leader – a head of state.

Was this a no confidence vote against God? Why did they need a human leader?

God spoke to Israel through Samuel. The passage this morning sounds like a no-confidence vote against Samuel, and not just God. They wanted stability which they didn’t think Samuel or his sons could bring. “Give us a king!”

But God sees through this. God says to Samuel, “They have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you.” God knows this people, Israel. God knows how fickle and disloyal they could be. They had shown that ever since they left Egypt under Moses’ leadership. They complained and rebelled against Moses almost from day one. They needed careful management.

So God tells Samuel to warn them. You don’t want to give authority to anyone over you except God. God knows your needs. God sees your hearts. God has your best in mind. A king might become a tyrant. We all know what is said about absolute power corrupting absolutely. God and Samuel both know this won’t end well.

“These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, … and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers. He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”

This is a stern warning. Do NOT forsake God’s leadership. Do NOT give this one human being so much power. It’s not going to end well. It’s not going to be pretty.

Thus begins our summer of stories from the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures. Israel gets a king in the person of Saul. And Saul does exactly what God warned them about. Over the coming weeks, we’ll also hear the story of the boy God raises up to replace Saul. God raises up a righteous king in the humble shepherd named David. David certainly wasn’t perfect, but he was, as we are told, a man after God’s own heart. When David sinned, he repented. Some of the most beautiful Psalms of repentance are said to come from David’s own hand.

Fast forward generations into the future. Jesus came to call Israel back to God in his own day. Israel was suffering under the tyranny of the Roman empire, but also of corrupt local magistrates and religious leaders who were not serving God. Jesus, just like the prophets before him, came to speak to Israel on God’s behalf. Remember the promises God made to you and your ancestors before you. Do not settle for corrupt leaders who are not devoted to God’s mission. These leaders were greedy and would not listen to God. Instead of helping the poor and the outcast, they made things worse. Jesus had seen enough.

In this curious gospel reading this morning, we hear of a confrontation. Jesus had challenged the authorities and now they were spreading rumors. “He’s crazy! He is working for our enemies! He’s demonic!” They have even sent his family to come get him and take him home. No doubt his family, Mary included, were worried about his safety. His fame was spreading, both good and bad. Authorities were taking notice. Would he be arrested? Would he be killed?

As much as they try to silence Jesus, he speaks even more loudly. They were trying to use power against him, and he called them on it. Jesus knew who was serving God and who was serving Satan. He had come to bind this strong man he mentions, Satan, who was on the side of the Romans, not on God’s side.

Jesus even has to question the loyalty of his family. “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, his followers, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

We’ve heard this before – Jesus’ call can be so radical that it affects the relationships within families and among friends. Those in the early church hearing these stories about Jesus definitely knew what it was like to lose family and friends just for following Jesus. The call to follow Jesus can be THAT radical! Jesus considered those who worked with him and followed his teachings to be his family. He would not let even his own family stop him from the work God had given him to do.

Jesus, like Samuel before him, knew God’s heart and God’s will for the people. The power and tyranny of human leaders was not God’s way then, and it still isn’t God’s way now. Instead God was calling them and calls us today to work for justice and peace, the justice and peace that only God can give.

Let us pray.

Soften our hearts, O God. Take from us the will to power. Give us instead hearts that resemble your own heart, hearts full of compassion and mercy. Hearts that long for justice and righteousness and peace. Help us to fulfill the great vision you have for humankind – that through your Son all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Make us a blessing to the world around us, O God. All this we ask in the name of your Christ, Jesus our only Lord. Amen.