West Wing
There was a TV series called “The West Wing,” which aired from 1999 to 2006. It was a drama (evening soap opera) about a president and his staff in the White House during his election campaign and through his term in office.
I loved the fast-paced action and implied strategy they used in governing. I enjoyed it so much I first recorded it on VCR, and then on DVR to transfer to DVDs. If you remember how these machines worked, then you also know it was a painful, time-consuming process.
Of all the episodes, there were two that were my favorite. The first episode had Christian Slater playing a naval White House attachment to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was in a shabby underground office. One of the primary characters, an administrative assistant, stopped by to get some information for her boss and made a comment about the military paying $400 for screwdrivers. In response, Christian Slater took his desk lamp, slammed it down on an ashtray on his desk and it broke into three even pieces. He explained that “normal” expectations are different in the military. For example, if a submarine gets hit, the sailors have more to worry about than glass shards flying around, so the military had to pay (big bucks) to develop an ashtray that would cleanly break into a few pieces. That taught me (hopefully) to think through the details of a situation before applying my biases to what I think should happen (or maybe before opening my mouth).
The second episode was either the pilot or a flashback episode where the late John Spenser (playing Leo McGarry) went to visit Martin Sheen (playing presidential candidate Jeb Bartlett) early in the New Hampshire primary process. After listening to him, John Spenser called Bradley Whitford (playing Josh Lyman) to lure him away from his lucrative consulting gig to join the fledgling campaign. Whitford’s character was reluctant to drop everything and join him until he asked if Sheen’s character was the ‘real deal’. Spenser said, “Yes,” and Whitford’s character decided to join the campaign.
When I can, I like to read Pastor Patrick’s intended sermon passage before Sunday. This morning, I read John 1:19-42. (As a reminder, the reading plan is available on the home page.) Here is the portion that caught my eye:
“The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So, they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).” - John 1:35-42 ESV
What I love about this passage and “The West Wing” episodes are the people you think would be the most reluctant to drop everything to follow an untested ideal are, in fact, the ones who drop everything to follow him. In “The West Wing,” it was the trust one man had in another to identify a candidate who was running for office because he wanted to make a real difference. With our savior, Andrew and Peter saw a glimmer that Jesus Christ was more than the prophet John the Baptist they were following. They had faith.
“Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”” - John 20:26-29
Holy Spirit, please increase my belief and focus on you to serve and worship the Lord…
