Author: Pastor Aleese Kenitzer

As I sit down to write this article, we are five days away from caucus day in Iowa. Within the past few weeks, many candidates have frequented Muscatine: from Biden showing up at the Riverfront, Yang making an appearance at MCC, Klobuchar milling around with patrons at Boonie’s, and Warren speaking at West Middle School.

But in listening to the various candidates, and in overhearing the almost constant political rhetoric that fills our airwaves and internet streams, I’ve begun to wonder: what it means to truly follow someone…and why do we choose to follow in the first place?

Thinking ahead to caucus night, there will be some who will adamantly align themselves with one candidate over another. In all, it could be for many reasons. Perhaps it’s because they’ve been captured by the vision of that leader. Perhaps it’s because they’ve been given something to believe in. Or perhaps because they’ve been given a hope of a different tomorrow. Whatever it is, for those who intentionally choose to follow a specific leader, it’s typically the result of some sort of promise, hope, or dream that has been offered.

So if that’s what drives us to get up and follow political candidates, what makes us get up and follow Jesus?

It might seem like an odd comparison. But in truth, as we enter into this portion of Epiphany, we’ll hear in worship Jesus give his “platform speech.” Beginning on Feb. 2, we’ll hear Jesus begin his Sermon on the Mount as he speaks what has commonly become known as “the Beatitudes.” Then, in the weeks to come, we’ll continue to hear Jesus spell out a vision—not a plan, but a vision—of what life in the kingdom of God looks like. And from that vision that Jesus teaches, we, too, might just find ourselves caught up in a hope of a different tomorrow.

So, returning to our original question: what makes us get up and follow Jesus? Well, perhaps, we are drawn to Jesus much like we are drawn to other leaders of our time.  Because like the many presidential candidates, Jesus is also offering us a renewed vision; Jesus is also giving us something to believe in; and Jesus is also offering us a hope of a better tomorrow.

But the difference? The difference is that God, alone, has the power to fulfill those promises that have been given to you, to the world, and to all creation. And time and time again, our God has proven to his people that God IS faithful and that God WILL keep his promises. So much so that our God will not stop chasing after you, and all his people, to join him as disciples in God’s ever-expanding kingdom. So what makes us get up and follow Jesus? Simply, it’s God’s promise that has been offered TO US…regardless of our response. With that promise extended to us, it is God’s desire for us to take his hand, accept his invitation, live in this kingdom, and become fellow servants of God’s good news.

Looking to the leaders of our time, it might be nice to think that any one candidate will be able to set the world “right” again. But if we’re honest, we know that no one person will be able to do that. And in truth, we don’t need that. Because as people of faith, we already have our Savior: Jesus Christ. And following his lead, we have already been given what we need to live in God’s kingdom, even as we await it’s fulfillment.

So as we live together in this kingdom of God right here and right now, I encourage us all to first and foremost look to Jesus as the one who has the power to fulfill his promises. And then, having looked to Christ as the only one worth following with our whole lives, we can consider who around us has the capability to help lead us closer to God’s vision of wholeness in the world today.  To be sure, we won’t all agree on “who” might be the best leader, and we won’t all agree on the “best” way to move society forward. But perhaps, as people of faith, that isn’t the main point. Instead, perhaps simply living together as people who follow Christ—first and foremost—will give us what we, and all the world, are really looking for.

By the time this article is published, it will be after Christmas Day. For many of us, we will have gathered together in worship on Christmas Eve to adore this child who has come. After finally getting all the Christmas decorations hung—perhaps just in the nick of time!—after singing a few Christmas carols, and perhaps after indulging ourselves in those seasonal delicacies, it may seem as though all the anticipation and preparation of this Advent season will have finally reached its climax. So now what?

Together, the church will continue to celebrate the joy of Christ’s birth for 12 days. Much of the rest of the world will transition from holiday music back to their normal radio stations, and stores filled with Christmas goodies will slowly transition to the next holiday. But in the life of the church, we pause, and take some time to come on bended-knee to worship our Lord in a manger stall.

But even 12 days will fly by pretty quickly. So then, what happens after this season of Christmas? And what does it mean for our lives as we go forth from the manger, having seen this Christ child and having taken a hold of the promises that God has given to us?

As I thought about this question, my mind jumped to the experience of what it might be like to be a parent for the first time. Though, I confess, this is something I haven’t experienced, from friends who have recently had children, I have heard my fair share of stories. Many of them have told me the joys—and the trials—of childbirth, and eventually, have gone on to explain to me that in those sacred moments—even with everything else going on—that time seems to stand still when they hold their child for the first time. But after being in the hospital for a day or so, they all eventually have told me the realization that they have once they get home and are alone with this child: now, it is completely their responsibility to take care of this child.

Of course, these parents—much like any other parent—wants what is best for their child. There’s no question of “if” that child will be nurtured to grow up into the person he or she is to become. But how? Many new parents have told me that, sometimes, figuring out how to care for a newborn isn’t as “second nature” as they were led on to believe.

Having received our Lord and our King on Christmas, one could say that now, we are like those new  parents. This child has come, and has been laid before us. Jesus isn’t going away anytime soon. But now, do we pick him up, as any parent would, and nurture him? And nurture our relationship with him?

Unlike the parents I’ve been talking to recently, we do have a choice of if we want to care for this child who’s come into our lives and into our world. We all could move on from Christmas and sum it up to       another “nice” season. Or…we could take this child in our arms, and as he grows, develop our own relationship with him—as we learn what it means to offer our love to this child, and as we learn what it means to follow this child as a disciple.

But how we nurture our relationship with this child? Much like parenting isn’t as easy as following a step-by-step manual, our lives of discipleship aren’t as easy as following a step-by-step program. What it means for any one of you to nurture your relationship with Christ as a disciple might mean something different than it means for another. For some of us, in the new year, it might mean a new prayer routine. For others, it might mean offering ourselves in service. For others, it might be more intentional time spent in regular worship. And still for others, it might be a rearranging of our priorities.

Whatever it may be for you, we have the privilege in the coming Epiphany season to take time to nurture our relationship with this child and to grow as his disciples. Much like one wouldn’t wish away those first moments with a child that has been born to us, perhaps we, too, would be wise not to wish these next seven weeks of Epiphany away. Instead, come along, to get to know this one who has come.