Who Are You Going to Serve?

 

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody

Bob Dylan put’s it out there in his song Gotta Serve Somebody – you are going to have to serve somebody.  That was the question facing us when we encountered the Gospel reading on Sunday from Luke chapter 6.

Let’s take a look at what Jesus is telling us to do to make sure we have heard him correctly.  Yes, it actually says love your enemies.  Well, I find it hard sometimes to even love those who are my friends.  How about doing good to those that hate you?  Well, there is the idea of killing someone with kindness.  That would serve them right and you might get perverse pleasure of being kind to someone who is not kind to you and thinking how they would actually hate that as it would really annoy them.

If someone slaps you on the cheek, are you really going to turn the other one to be slapped?  My reaction would be to want to hit back or at least make sure I wouldn’t get hit again.  Certainly, it would not be to turn the other cheek – that sounds a bit masochistic.  After all, isn’t that just human nature to want to protect yourself from harm? 

So, it all looks pretty bleak for us Christians doesn’t it.  Do you actually know anyone who has done the things that Jesus is telling us – no - commanding us to do? Perhaps I can think of a few saintly people, but I have a suspicion that they probably didn’t live up to all the requirements laid on us by Jesus in this passage and other parts of scripture.

Given that, if we are to give up and pack our religious bags and leave, where are we to go to.  Every other part of the Christian church is under the same obligation to the commands of Jesus Christ.  We could become secular humanists but that leaves us to our own devices and put us in the self-centered clutches of our egos.  If we look around us, we can see the devastation resulting from people letting their ego’s take control and run amok.  We have some great examples – not good examples because there is nothing good in what they are doing.  They include he who should not be named just south of us here in Canada – not to mention the leader of Russia and don’t forget, Israel.  There is nothing there that will lead us to a place which is beyond ourselves and call us to self-sacrifice as we have in the model Jesus Christ. 

So, the question posed by Dylan remains, who are we going to serve?  For an answer – this morning anyway, I want to turn to Alcoholics Anonymous.  Step 6 in the 12 Steps of AA is Willingness.   Step 6 arises from the belief that one cannot get rid of bad aspects of ourselves that cause addiction without some assistance from a Higher Power. The individual must also be willing to let those defects go without looking back.  This does not mean you have to believe in the Christian God in any of its many variations, but you have to admit that you cannot do it yourself.  But how do you decide on what Higher Power you are going to serve – as Dylan says it could be the Devil, or it could be the Lord.   Is it going to be something which will make you a better person and the world a better place?

Of course, you may decide that you can serve something like rationalism or science.  However, with that as with many things you might identify as a Higher Power, you don’t actually give up control.  You pick and choose the aspect of the higher power which still allows you the illusion that you are in control.  IF the higher power is actually a higher power for good then I suspect that, if you are honest with yourself, there will be an aspect of that Higher Power that you will object to and resist.  That is probably the sure and certain sign that the Higher Power is actually that – a higher power which wants what is truly the best for you and for the world.

Here’s the link to the song which you can listen to on your journey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC10VWDTzmU

 

 

Mephistopheles Today

I recently saw the movie Elvis which is the wonderful depiction of the life of Elvis Presley as envisioned by Baz Luhrmann.  There are many things which are commendable about this movie including the performances by Tom Hanks as Col. Tom Parker and Austin Butler as Elvis (no second name required in the title or the cultural). A few days after seeing the movie it came to me that what is portrayed is the legend of Dr. Faustus.

The story of Dr. Faustus originated in 15^th century Germany, purportedly based on an historical person,  Johann Georg Faust .  The story has been the basis for many versions over the centuries, in art, literature and plays.  In modern times, versions of the story have been told such notables as Goethe, Thomas Mann, and Christopher Marlow.  Intentionally or not, the story influenced the movie, Elvis.

The story of Faust, in outline, tells of the misadventures of a successful German scholar who is dissatisfied with achievements even thought he is distinguished in many areas of academic life including medicine, law and religion.   He determines that he wants to succeed in the practice of the black arts i.e., magic.  Faustus calls upon the Lord of Darkness and in doing so summons up Mephistopheles, one of the Devil’s servants.  He bargains with Mephistopheles and strikes a bargain that if Mephistopheles will serve him, the Devil will claim his soul after a set number of years - twenty-four in some versions.  Faustus has all that he desires for the time allocated, even summoning up the figure of Helen of Troy and generally causing mischief and mayhem.  As the end of the allotted time draws near Faustus believes that he is irreparably lost and his soul is claimed by the Devil.  It is interesting that in Goethe’s version he is forgiven through the intercessions of one of his victims. 

Turning to the movie, Elvis, there are some details that do not fit the legend.  Elvis was not a successful person when the tempter arrives in his life.  However, the story is told through the eyes of Colonel Parker who is portrayed as an evil genius who guarantees Elvis the success and fame that he desires and which he delivers.  Elvis has opportunities to redeem his life (and soul) but Mephistopheles aka Col. Parker manages to ensure that Elvis is successful beyond his dreams at the ultimate cost of his soul.  Col. Parker ensures that the Devil claims his due gaining everything that he seeks i.e., the means to engage in the endless ‘games’ of chance that are the foundation of the Las Vegas enterprise.  Elvis spends his final days, captive in the hell on earth of the venue of the eternal Las Vegas Concerts, being denied his dream of seeing and engaging the larger musical world.   

The legend and the movie present the archetypal story of the person who sells his soul to the Devil for the material things of this world.  This was one of the temptations of Jesus in his time in the wilderness when Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would bow down and worship him.  What does it profit someone to gain the world but lose his soul?

The world seems to abound in many incarnations of Mephistopheles in many manifestations today.  Perhaps no more than in previous times, but that we are only more aware of it.  Is there a Mephistopheles in your life who is offering you the world only demanding your soul - something that many people do not believe they possess?  As Bob Dylan said, “you gotta serve somebody.  It may be the devil or it may be the Lord but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”

If you face your Mephistopheles on our journey, may you be blessed to choose life.