Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM APRIL 13 - 19, 2022 UCW 23 DAN DEBRULER, General Manager, WCLN. Comments? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-484-6200. Tis' the season! I was recently invited to support and sponsor a political event. Being totally trans- parent here, I agreed with a good bit of what the people stood for, but I felt a little like Jesus must have felt when the people around him wanted to push him into the politi- cal arena. Like they were searching for the wrong kingdom. Jesus was a hopeful sign to many. e world he worked and walked in was chaotic; the entire region was under the thumb of the Roman Empire, which cruelly and forcefully taxed them to fund their occupation. To make matters worse, the religious leaders of the day were somewhat complicit in controlling the people in exchange for a sense of power bestowed on them by the oppressing government. en along came this man who spoke up against the religious leaders, befud- dled the occupying Romans, and went from town-to-town healing people of blindness and physical infirmity while attracting crowds as he taught about peace with God and man. Because of the signs he performed, the crowds grew larger. And as the crowds grew, those who followed him decided that he should have a place in power — that he should be king! To them, it seemed natural and fitting that Jesus should be revered and honored among the masses. Why shouldn't he be worshiped on earth like he is in heaven? But Jesus wasn't interested in gaining glory and fame. He had no interest in the kingdoms of this world, just the people who lived within them. "Now, when the people saw the sign that he performed, they began to say, 'is one is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world!' en Jesus, because he knew that they were about to come and seize him in order to make him king, withdrew again up the mountain by himself alone" (John 6:14–15). is all reveals something about human nature. Although the crowds wanted to make Jesus king, they weren't necessarily looking to revere him. ey were looking out for themselves. ey wanted to in- stall a new kingdom—one brought on by force and political revolu- tion. ey wanted their immediate physical needs met, but they didn't necessarily consider the great spiri- tual revolution that needed to take place within. In short, they didn't consider the cost of change. Following Jesus isn't something we do because it's somehow convenient for us. Fol- lowing Jesus requires everything of us—and it will probably look more like a life of sacrifice than a life of power or ease. Jews who followed Jesus were challenged to accept him, not as a prophet or a Messiah, but as the son of God. e same crowd that followed Jesus obses- sively, looking for signs, was even- tually confronted by teaching that shook their understanding of this Messiah and what God expected from them. Here's a challenge as we head into a season where we're asked to (and should) offer a vote for people vying for political titles: Be careful where you place your trust. People come and go from public office, but human nature hasn't changed much all of history. Let your hope rest in things eternal. The wrong kingdom by DAN DEBRULER FAITH Join Hands... Become a Partner in Child Abuse Prevention! April is Child Abuse Prevention Month Please join hands with us and become a partner in child abuse prevention. To learn how, visit CACFayNC.org. JOIN US TODAY! Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. Helping you Live your Best Life Since 1952! Our Members, Our Community, Our Purpose