The Neighborhood Podcast
This is a podcast of Guilford Park Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, North Carolina featuring guests from both inside the church and the surrounding community. Hosted by Rev. Dr. Stephen M. Fearing, Head of Staff.
The Neighborhood Podcast
"Power & Humility" (April 17, 2025 Sermon)
Preaching: Rev. Dr. Kathryn Campbell
Power struggles surround Jesus during his final hours while he models a completely different way of leadership. In our charged world where everyone seems to be grasping for control and influence, this Maundy Thursday reflection offers a timely alternative.
The disciples' behavior at the Last Supper reveals our human tendency to miss what matters most. While Jesus speaks of sacrifice and service, they argue about who's the greatest. Judas has already sold out his teacher for silver. The contrast couldn't be sharper between those clawing for power and Jesus who embodies humble service.
This tension between power and humility continues today. Some people wield influence like a weapon, puffing out their chests to demand attention. Others, like Pope Francis who recently appeared in a simple poncho with oxygen apparatus visible after serious illness, demonstrate that true authority doesn't require pomp or pretense. As one commentator noted, "It's not that Francis is ceasing to be pope by dressing like an ordinary man. It's precisely because of that that he is more so than ever."
The haunting question emerges: whom do you choose to serve? Do you serve power or do you serve through humility? Jesus didn't distinguish himself with special vestments or trappings of authority. He walked with ordinary people, in ordinary clothes, with dust on his feet—showing that "the power of the gospel doesn't dress up, it is enfleshed, it wrinkles, it tires." During this sacred in-between of Holy Week, may we find courage to follow his counter-cultural example of washing feet rather than demanding that others wash ours. What would change if we truly embraced service over status in our families, workplaces, and communities?
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The second scripture reading for this evening is from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 22, verses 1 through 27. Listen for God's word for us this evening through this telling of Jesus' last supper with his disciples. Now, the festival of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, was near. Festival of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, was near. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered into Judas, called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. And he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present. Then the day of unleavened bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John saying go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it. They asked him where do you want us to make preparations for it? Listen, jesus said to them when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters and say to the owner of the house the teacher asks you where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? He will show you a large room upstairs already furnished. Make preparations for us there. So they went and found everything as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.
Speaker 1:When the hour came, he took his place at the table and the apostles with him. He said to them I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. Then he took a cup and, after giving thanks, he said Take this and divide it among yourselves, for I tell you that from now on, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. Then he took a loaf of bread and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave to them, saying this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But see, the one who betrays me is with me and his hand is on the table For the Son of man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed.
Speaker 1:Then they began to ask one another which one of them it could be, or who would do this. A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But Jesus said to them the kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors, but not so with you. Rather, the greatest among you must become like the youngest and the leader, like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Speaker 1:I start off this evening by saying that, although this is not the first time I have been invited to preach in this pulpit, I'm grateful to Stephen and the worship committee and the session and staff of Guilford Park Presbyterian Church for trusting me in delivering a word for us gathered this evening. So thank you, stephen. If you're unaware as Stephen mentioned, so if you weren't listening a couple minutes ago. This is the second year now that Fellowship Presbyterian Church and Guilford Park Presbyterian Church celebrate Holy Week together. Last year, fellowship hosted Maundy Thursday, while Guilford Park Presbyterian Church celebrate Holy Week together. Last year, fellowship hosted Maundy Thursday while Guilford Park here hosted Good Friday. Being that I stood in this very place last year on Good Friday delivering a sermon, coupled with the fact that there is such a great difference between Maundy Thursday and it is safe to say that I am in fact not recycling my sermon from last year or, honestly, let me point out, any previous Maundy Thursday sermon Fellowship and Guilford Park both last year used the same Lenten practice and Lenten theme for worship.
Speaker 1:This year is not the case. As Stephen has told me and your bulletin indicates, your Lenten theme has been everything in between, with words defined at opposite poles Fellowships. Worship has been focusing on the hardest part, written by New York Times bestselling author and Duke University divinity professor, kate Bowler. Like Guilford Park's weekly theme, fellowships has had one well, with all the weeks focused on the means and ways of which of them are the hardest part of being human, a human living in today's world. The more I read about your choice of theme, the more.
Speaker 1:I understood that this evening's power and humility topic seemed to be just as pertinent to the hardest part sermon series as well, because, at the end of the day, I think being human and striking a balance between power and humility can indeed also be hard, and perhaps, while there are not many of us that could probably indicate wielding any sorts of the first in our respective community orbits, perhaps some of us could use a dose of the second from time to time, or at least know a couple of people who could. So, while it may be difficult to relate to striking a balance in our own lives between power and humility, it makes total sense to invite the two into our thinking when pondering the events of this Maundy Thursday, mandate Thursday. During Holy Week, as we heard tonight and on other Maundy Thursdays you've worshipped, we are interlopers into the events of Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper. The theme's commentators note that Holy Week itself is a sacred in-between. Note that Holy Week itself is a sacred in-between.
Speaker 1:During Jesus' final days, all of those around him seem to be clawing for power. Judas has sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Other disciples are asking who is the greatest among them. Perhaps Jesus found himself quietly sighing, as if to throw up his hands, watching those around him whom he trusted and shared be at odds with one another, missing the gravitas of the events of which Jesus is speaking. When Jesus is exposing his humanity is when he is met with the power his disciples are attempting to gain. Where else do we see this type of thing today?
Speaker 1:Sure, we can look at a number of examples in today's society of people that believe they have more power than well, everyone else. I'm thinking of one in particular perhaps you've imagined the same one as quickly as I did that seems to believe they have more power than anyone, with an ability to skirt around laws and courts and everything in between, when more than a small dose of humility would, in my opinion, do them quite a bit of good. And isn't that always the way? What is it about those with power versus those who are seeking or craving it, like Judas or the other disciples clamoring for ranking within themselves? They are seeking any power they can conjure, because, I think they are scared and feeling as though they lack control of their surroundings, which would be why they are seeking out that power. In turn, their humility, their modesty is lacking. They pride they have in themselves and their desire to flaunt whatever power they do and they actually have is of the utmost importance, almost as if to puff out their chest and call more attention to themselves. After all, attention, good or bad is well, attention right. Then there are those who have power and use their forces for good. Those are the people who tend to recognize their stature and their influence. Those are the ones who, in knowing their power, tend to actually have an equal dose of humility.
Speaker 1:One example took place just last week. For this example, I have some pictures to show you. Take a look at this man here he is at another angle. Does anyone know who he may be? Don't say now if you know. Here's another. Look now with a little more context. And that second picture, also with a little more context Does anyone know this man? Is this man? That's right, it is the Pope, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, pope Francis, a man for whom billions around the world have been concerned due to a lengthy hospitalization for pneumonia and other respiratory-related symptoms over the last month to six weeks.
Speaker 1:Author Julianne Stantz wrote something perfect for this in-between, for this evening. To reflect, she wrote there was great chatter on social media this week about the unexpected visit of Pope Francis to St Peter's Basilica. Words like undignified, unseemly and unbecoming were thrown around His clothing, particularly his poncho, were the source of much derision and mockery. What I saw, she writes, was different. Healing, especially after a serious illness, has a way of reshaping and refocusing our priorities. It teaches us to be grateful for life, for reduced pain, for each precious breath. When I'm sick or recovering after an illness, she says, the last thing I feel like doing is putting on uncomfortable formal attire and my high heels. Instead, I root out my grandmother's cardigan, the one that's misshapen and oversized but reminds me of who I am and where I came from. A simple Irish cardigan For Pope Francis. A simple South American poncho. If your image of the priesthood, she writes, is configured to power rather than service, then you may struggle with the image of Pope Francis frail in his wheelchair, oxygen apparatus clearly visible in a simple poncho. But to me it's an image of profound humility and humanity. A pope who leads by presence, not performance. A pope for the people, of the people. Here we witness the spiritual leader of 1.4 billion Catholics who has just survived a serious illness and whose first instinct was not to retreat, but to return to be with his people, in whatever state he was in. That to me, she writes, is the very embodiment of servant leadership.
Speaker 1:Another author, michael Ortiz, also posted about the event. He wrote it wasn't a staged photo op, but it ended up being more eloquent than any papal document. It's not that Francis is ceasing to be pope by dressing like an ordinary man. It's precisely because of that that he is more so than ever, because, in the end, jesus didn't use vestments to distinguish himself from the rest. He didn't wear embroidered tunics or parade around in priestly finery. He walked with his own people, with the dust on his feet and the clothes of an ordinary man. Francis's gesture, humble, human, real, reminds us of this that the power of the gospel doesn't dress up, it is enfleshed, it wrinkles, it tires, and we move on. Pope Francis, he writes, has shown us what humility is, that same humility and simplicity that Christ will show us at the beginning of Holy Week, in a few days. But some Pharisees won't like that gesture.
Speaker 1:Ortiz was right those who want or have power for the sake of power won't understand, just as the disciples didn't fully understand. So, when asked, whom do you choose to serve? What or how do you answer? Do you serve to power or Do you serve to power or do you serve to humility? This night is intended for us to think deeply about this question, through a gospel telling of the story of Jesus and his disciples in their final hours together, through sharing a meal together at this table here, through hand washing. That, admittedly, will make some of you feel uncomfortable, just as the other gospel accounts of this night tale of Simon Peter's discomfort with Jesus doing and washing his feet when caught in between. May we always choose the path of humility over the path of power, just as we have been taught.
Speaker 1:I close with a prayer written by Rev Savannah Dmynchik for this very night. She grew up just down the road, a child of Salem Presbytery entitled A Prayer for Handwashing. On this Maundy Thursday, let us pray Loving God, who continues, opens the door, who meets us at every table, who breaks bread and drinks wine alongside us, who came not to have his feet washed but to wash our feet. How often do we focus on the smallest parts of your teaching? We hear your directions to us, but we only follow you to the degree that suits us. You call us to wash one another's feet.
Speaker 1:But how far does your instruction go? Are we to humble ourselves before our families, our friends, our pew mates, our fellow congregation members? That seems reasonable. What about the man who lives on the street? What about the woman who cleans our house? What about the person whose political beliefs offend us? That causes us to hesitate.
Speaker 1:Are we, like Peter, begging to have not only our feet but our hands and head washed? When can we wash the feet of a stranger? Will we be willing to follow you then? Like Peter, will we deny you? Teach us to love others as Christ loves us. Embolden and empower us by your love to live out these mandates of our faith to wash the feet of others, to serve rather than be served, to give without needing to receive. Give us grace when we fall short. Make us ready in our hearts and our minds to follow your Son, jesus Christ, in word and action, in love and service. Help us to see and feel your presence alongside us as we imperfectly seek to follow Jesus in all we do. Give us courage to begin anew when we inevitably stray Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who first taught us to pray the way. Amen.