All Turned Around: When Up Is Down and First Is Last

 All Turned Around: When Up Is Down and First Is Last

Proverbs 25:6-7; UMH 833, Psalm 112; Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16; Luke 14:1, 7-14

Proper 17c – August 31, 2025 – EUMC & BCUMC

 

This was one of those weeks when my sermon took on a different direction during the week. Sometimes the events of the week have that effect.

One thing that my son Paul and I enjoy together is watching videos on YouTube of police chases. I am amazed at the sheer number of these videos. I wonder how many of these chases take place across the country. Certainly much more than what is represented in the videos because most states don’t allow the release of police car dash cams and body cams. The one clear takeaway from these videos is this: people sure make stupid decisions.

We make decisions all the time – every day – even every hour – that make a difference not only in our own lives, but in the lives of others. These may involve a decision to act or a decision to not act.

As much as we would like to think that we are free to make our own decisions – and that we have the right to do so – we often fail to consider the impact of those decisions. Or worse, we might understand how a decision would hurt others, but we choose to do so anyway.

This week, yet one more person made the awful and evil decision to fire into a group of students and teachers – killing some and injuring many more. Again, many politicians will make a statement deploring the evil act and expressing that the victims are in their thoughts and prayers. But then, nothing more will happen. The decision not to act is often as powerful as decisions to act.

Our Ways Not God’s Ways

We are already familiar with Isaiah words where God reminds us that our ways are not God’s ways. In today’s texts from Proverbs and Luke’s Gospel we are reminded that sometimes the lowly will be exalted and the exalted brought low. Mary says as much in the Magnificat. A number of times Jesus reminds the disciples that the first shall be last and the last first. He says that to be the greatest is to be the servant of all.

The world as we know is topsy-turvy from the way God intends it to be. Ultimately, it will be made right by God.

Now, there are some people who will tell that that everything happens for a reason or that everything that happens is the will of God.

No!

We reject that. God is not the author of sin. People make bad choices – sinful choices. Don’t put that on God.

But there is good news.

Our God is a God of Redemption. Our God is not only capable of redeeming us of our sinful choices, but God is able to redeem the choices themselves. God is able to act in and through our bad choices to do good.

That doesn’t make the decision okay – it just shows us how great our God is.

Let’s consider some examples.

The Story of Joseph and his Brothers

The story of Joseph and his brothers is one of the most compelling stories in Genesis, spanning chapters 37-50. It’s a powerful tale of jealousy, betrayal, divine providence, and ultimate redemption.

Joseph was Jacob’s favored son, born to his beloved wife Rachel. Jacob’s favoritism was evident in the ornate coat he gave Joseph, which sparked jealousy among his ten older brothers. This resentment deepened when Joseph shared dreams suggesting he would one day rule over his family.

The brothers’ hatred reached a breaking point when they sold Joseph into slavery to Ishmaelite traders, telling their father he had been killed by a wild animal. Joseph ended up in Egypt, where despite facing false accusations and imprisonment, he eventually rose to become Pharaoh’s second-in-command through his God-given ability to interpret dreams.

During a severe famine, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt seeking grain. Through a series of dramatic encounters where Joseph tested his brothers while concealing his identity, he eventually revealed himself. The family was reunited, and Jacob’s entire household moved to Egypt, where they prospered.

God’s Redemption of Evil

The theological heart of the story comes in Joseph’s words to his brothers in Genesis 50:20: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

God redeemed the brothers’ evil intentions in several ways:

1.      Preservation: Joseph’s position in Egypt allowed him to save not only his family but countless others during the famine, including the Egyptians themselves.

2.     Character Development: The brothers’ guilt and eventual repentance, particularly Judah’s transformation into a man willing to sacrifice himself for Benjamin, showed genuine spiritual growth.

3.     Divine Purpose: What seemed like a family tragedy became part of God’s larger plan to establish the Israelites in Egypt, setting the stage for their later exodus and formation as a nation.

4.    Forgiveness and Restoration: Joseph’s forgiveness demonstrated how God can heal even the deepest family wounds and restore broken relationships.

The story illustrates a central biblical theme: God is able to work through human choices – even sinful ones – to accomplish his purposes. The brothers’ cruelty wasn’t excused, but God used their actions as part of a greater plan for preservation and blessing. This story reminds us of how divine providence can transform intended evil into ultimate good.

Israel’s Desire for a King

The next story I want to share is of Israel’s demand for a king. This happened during the time of the Samuel who served as a prophet, priest, and judge in Israel. It is a story about human rebellion, divine concession, and ultimate redemption. It’s a story that can be found in 1 Samuel 8-12.

The Context: Israel’s Spiritual Decline

After entering the Promised Land under Joshua, Israel was led by a series of judges – charismatic, military, and spiritual leaders raised up by God in times of crisis. The last of these judges was Samuel, a righteous prophet who served God faithfully.

However, the spiritual state of the nation was poor. Samuel’s own sons, whom he appointed as judges, were corrupt and accepted bribes, perverting justice (1 Samuel 8:1-3). More importantly, the people were not satisfied with God’s direct, theocratic rule through his prophets and judges. They looked at the surrounding nations and saw what they thought was a better system: a human monarchy.

The Demand: “Give us a king!”

The elders of Israel gathered and came to Samuel with their demand:

“You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” (1 Samuel 8:5)

On the surface, this was a practical political request. But beneath the surface, it was a profound rejection.

• They rejected God as their King: God tells Samuel, “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.” (1 Samuel 8:7). They wanted a visible, tangible king they could see and control, rather than an invisible God they had to trust and obey.
• They wanted to be “like the other nations”: This was the exact opposite of their calling. God had set Israel apart to be a holy nation, a unique people who would show the world what it was like to be governed by God. Their desire was to conform to the world, not to be transformed by God.

The Warning: The “Rights of a King”

God instructs Samuel to warn them solemnly about the consequences of their choice. Samuel delivers a famous list of what a king will do (1 Samuel 8:10-18), often called the “rights of a king”:

• He will conscript your sons into his army and force them to work his fields.
• He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
• He will take the best of your fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his officials.
• He will take a tenth of your grain and wine for his court.
• He will take your servants, your best cattle and donkeys, and put them to his own use.
• “You yourselves will become his slaves. And when that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”

This was a picture of tyranny, not blessing. Yet, the people refused to listen. Their response was stubborn and final: “No! We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations.” (1 Samuel 8:19-20).

The Concession: God Gives Them Their Desire

In a stunning act of both judgment and grace, God concedes to their demand. He allows them to have what they ask for, even though it is an evil desire born of a lack of faith.

“Listen to them and give them a king.” (1 Samuel 8:22)

God does not always protect us from our own foolish choices. Sometimes, in his permissive will, He allows us to experience the painful consequences of our rebellion to teach us a deeper lesson.

The Ultimate Redemption: God’s King and the Davidic Covenant

God leads Samuel to Saul, a man who physically embodied the people’s desire: “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites – a head taller than any of the others” (1 Samuel 9:2). He looked the part of a king.

Saul started with humility but quickly revealed his fatal flaws: impatience, disobedience, and a deep insecurity that led him to prioritize people’s approval over God’s commands (1 Samuel 13 and 15). He ultimately failed because he operated on human wisdom and power, not on faith and obedience. His reign ended in tragedy, demonstrating that a king chosen by human standards, without a heart for God, would lead to disaster – just as Samuel had warned.

This is where the story turns from human failure to divine redemption. Even though Israel’s motive for asking for a king was evil, God chose to bless Israel through the monarchy.

After Saul’s rejection, God instructs Samuel to anoint a new king – a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). This was David, the shepherd boy from Bethlehem.

• Redemption of the Institution: God took the very thing Israel had demanded for sinful reasons and redeemed it. He established his covenant with David (2 Samuel 7), promising that his line would rule forever. This was a radical act of grace.
• The Messianic Promise: The Davidic covenant became the vehicle for God’s ultimate plan of salvation. The hope for a future, perfect king – the Messiah – was now tied to the house of David. The prophets foretold a coming king who would rule with perfect justice and righteousness (Isaiah 9:6-7, Jeremiah 23:5).
• Fulfillment in Jesus: The New Testament reveals that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of this promise. He is the ultimate King from the line of David (Matthew 1:1). He is the perfect King that Israel should have asked for – a King who saves His people from their sins, rules with justice and mercy, and whose kingdom will have no end.

The story powerfully illustrates that even when our desires are faithless and sinful, God’s ultimate plan cannot be thwarted. He can and will redeem even our worst mistakes to accomplish his ultimate purpose of salvation.

A Contemporary Example

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) was founded out of profound personal tragedy by Candace Lightner in 1980, after her 13-year-old daughter, Cari, was killed by a drunk driver who was a repeat offender. From this devastating loss, Lightner transformed her grief into activism, catalyzing a movement that would dramatically reshape public attitudes and laws about drinking and driving in the United States. She decided to make a difference.

Just days after Cari’s death, Lightner quit her job and used her savings to start the organization initially called Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. She was soon joined by other mothers who had also lost children to drunk driving incidents, together forming a grassroots advocacy group.

MADD’s mission from the outset was to change the public’s perception of drunk driving – from being something joked about or mildly penalized, to being seen as a serious crime with real victims. The organization quickly gained national attention, and by working with lawmakers and raising awareness, MADD succeeded in passing stricter DUI laws across many states within just a few years. MADD was instrumental in pushing for the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, signed into law in 1984, which set the legal drinking age at 21 nationwide.

Enduring Legacy

MADD’s focus was not just on tougher laws, but also on providing support for victims and their families, ensuring that the stories behind the statistics remained visible. The organization’s grassroots model empowered ordinary citizens – especially victims’ families – to advocate for social and legal change. Over the decades, MADD’s campaigns have been credited with cutting annual alcohol-related traffic deaths in half and making drunk driving a recognized and condemned public danger.

Candace Lightner’s act of channeling personal pain into purpose laid the foundation for MADD to become one of the most influential victim-advocacy organizations in U.S. history.

She serves as a reminder that we can turn over our pain and disappointments to God. We can turn over our own faults and failures to a God who redeems.

God’s Call to Us

The question for us today is simple: Will we accept Jesus’ invitation into his upside-down kingdom? Are we willing to involve ourselves on God’s terms? Will we take the lower place, practice radical hospitality, let our faith work itself out in love, and open our tables to those who cannot repay?

If we do, we’ll discover what the psalmist knew: “It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice” (Psalm 112:5). We’ll find that in God’s upside-down kingdom, when we lose our lives, we find them; when we humble ourselves, we are exalted; and when we give freely, we receive abundantly.

May it be so among us. Amen.