SERVICE OR CELEBRITY?

If you're really good at something, whatever it is: art, sports, ministry, organizing, . . . whatever; if you're really good at it, a moment comes when you have to choose between CELEBRITY & SERVICE.

If you’re an artist or entertainer, you’ll face a moment when you have a platform from which you can speak truth.  From there you can direct people to community-changing action.

Or, you can use the aftermath to promote your album. 

SERVICE or CELEBRITY?

If you’re a servant-leader who leads and serves well, you’ll get noticed and you’ll get access to resources, opportunities, and people you’d never imagined.  You can use your new access to resolve the most stubborn problems in the community you serve and empower masses of people to help their neighbors.   Or, you can become a brand and build your brand while ignoring the people and places you supposedly serve.

CELEBRITY or SERVICE?

Acts 8 tells the story of a celebrity magician named Simon.  Simon got saved and served faithfully as a member in good standing of the 1^st Church of Samaria.  But then, as recorded in Acts 8:14-19, Simon realized that if he could make folks catch the Holy Ghost, it would be worth a lot of money. 

And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” --- Acts 8:18 - 19

The moment came and Simon chose CELEBRITY over service.

That was the wrong choice.

Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!  You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. ---- Acts 8:20 - 21

Simon, the celebrity, issued a public apology.  He said he’d learned the error of his ways.

Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” --- Acts 8:24

I don’t know.  That’s the end of Simon’s story in the Bible.

Jesus served 5,000 hungry men with accompanying women and children by miraculously multiplying 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread.  It made him famous.

Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” --- John 6: 14

Jesus didn’t just have disciples.  Now He also had fans. 

His public demanded that he take a bigger contract, launch a national platform, become the face of the people. 

. . . Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king. . .  --- John 6:15a

But Jesus understood history and human nature.  Jesus understood that when the adoring public didn’t want a king like Jesus; they wanted Jesus to be a king like the kings they saw online and on tv (or the 1^st century equivalent of online an on tv).   Remember 1 Samuel 8: 4-20.

Jesus declined to be made their celebrity.

Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.  ---- John 6:15, emphasis added.

Jesus didn’t stop working miracles.  He walked on water that very night (John 6:15 – 21).

He didn’t stop helping people.  The next day, Jesus healed a bunch of people (Matthew 14:34 – 36).

Jesus chose SERVICE over celebrity.

Now think about this:  Jesus is the most famous person in history, BECAUSE he chose to be a servant instead of a celebrity.

Take a second and process that.   It’s a paradox.  Take a sec.

By doing what He had to do to serve the people, Jesus built a platform, amplified His voice, and expanded His audience.  But He still spent the bulk of his time on the ground, in the trenches, getting dirty, being genuinely vulnerable and present with the least of these, His brothers.  

In conclusion,

Simon saw the purpose of God for his life but left his purpose to follow the cameras.   Jesus followed his purpose and the cameras followed Him.

You and I get to decide:  service or celebrity.  You may get both, but you can’t pursue both.  Yeah, they say you can.    You can’t. 

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. ---- Jesus, Matthew 6:24

Oh, wait!  There’s one more thing.

The Bible doesn’t say what happened to Simon, but we know what happened to Jesus. 

When the Servant who was not seeking celebrity got famous and his fame started shining real bright, the reigning political celebrities killed Him.

But, as the song goes, that’s not where the story ends.  The Servant rose and reigns.   Choosing service over celebrity will bring pain.  There’ll be seasons where you’ll feel broken and utterly destroyed.  But, that’s not where your story will end. 

Don’t grow weary of doing well.  You will eventually reap your reward.

So?  

What’ll it be?

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Miles Chapel CME Church in Fairfield, Alabama;  executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO);  and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

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