Powering UP America!

Power Of A Drum Major

Key Scripture:  “Give us permission to sit one on each side of you in the glory of your kingdom. …Whoever wants to be a leader among you must first be your servant.”  Mark 10:37, 45

Power Point:

     Recently I heard Dr. Martin Luther King’s niece, Alveda, on the radio. She was reading from one of his last sermons, “The Drum Major”.  It’s based on the Mark 10 passage above. James and John want to be right next to Jesus when they get to heaven. He tells them how. Serve one another. It’s not the path we usually hear about is it?

Today I want to offer you the conclusion to Dr. King’s speech. It was given exactly two months before his assassination in 1968.  Be blessed.

If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. And every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize—that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards—that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school. 
I'd like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. 
I'd like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody.
I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question. 
I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry.
And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked. 
I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison. 
I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.

Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice.  Say that I was a drum major for peace.  I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.  I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind.  And that's all I want to say.
If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody he's traveling wrong,
Then my living will not be in vain.
If I can do my duty as a Christian ought,
If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought,
If I can spread the message as the master taught,
Then my living will not be in vain.
Yes, Jesus, I want to be on your right or your left side, not for any selfish reason. I want to be on your right or your left side, not in terms of some political kingdom or ambition. But I just want to be there in love and in justice and in truth and in commitment to others, so that we can make of this old world a new world.

     That’s the goal isn’t it?  It’s our job to bring heaven to earth and make a whole new world. Whether you live in China, or Russia, or Israel or America; if you know Jesus, you get to go serve others, love others and honor others in the power of His Spirit.

When I leave this earth I want people to say, “ She didn’t live in vain.”  Jesus was one Man, and His life counted. Reverend King was one man. His life counted.  Corrie Ten Boom was one woman and her life counted. Ronald Reagan was one man. His life counted. Wanda was one woman and her life counted. (She was our cleaning lady years ago. She always went the extra mile and she loved Jesus.) They served, they loved, they honored and they counted. We can do that too.

Powering Up Prayer:

Father, I’ve been so pre-occupied with living the way the world wants me to live that I’ve forgotten the way You’ve told me to live. Forgive me. Just as Jesus was anointed by You in the power of Your Holy Spirit and went about doing good and healing all who had lost their battle with the devil, I want to do that too.  I want to speak heavenly words.  I want to do heavenly things. I want to make of this world a whole new world. Just like Jesus. Show me the way. Show me how to make a difference where You’ve placed me.  Show me how to change what needs to be changed and right the wrongs that need to be righted. I just want to serve.  I want to be a Drum Major for Jesus in this country that I love.

Let your Truth keep marching on!

In Jesus Name.  Amen!