Five Distinctives, pt 3

The third distinctive we are discussing is about recognizing a new kind of power, brought to us by Jesus through his life, his teachings, and his resurrection and ascension to the throne. The third statement goes like this: “Evil is overcome through the power of suffering love.”

A Different Kind of Power: What Jesus Reveals About True Strength

When we think about power, the world has taught us to measure it in specific ways: wealth, dominance, political influence, or the ability to coerce through fear or violence. These forms of power operate top-down, pressing others into submission without ever transforming their hearts. They’re the same methods that have shaped history and governed human systems for centuries. But Jesus flips this understanding of power on its head.

In his ministry, Jesus reveals a different kind of power—not one rooted in force or coercion, but in self-giving love and humility. This is the power of God, and it stands in stark contrast to the “power-over” structures of the world.

The World’s Power: Top-Down Coercion

Worldly power is about domination, and it always has been:
Wealth persuades people because they hope for provision or prosperity.
Violence forces compliance through fear.
Social pressure and exclusion manipulate us into conformity.

However, the weakness of these powers is displayed in the fact that these methods can control behavior, but they cannot transform the heart.

This is why the power of Pharaoh in Exodus or the Babylonian and Roman empires described in Revelation are depicted as oppressive, unholy forces. They rely on domination, not love. Even ancient Israel initially assumed that God worked this way—conquering enemies and building nations through violence and might.

But the prophets began to whisper something different.

Micah declared, “Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Isaiah envisioned a future where swords would be turned into plowshares and nations would no longer train for war (Isaiah 2:4). These glimpses of a new kind of power pointed to a kingdom where peace and justice, not coercion, would reign.

Jesus: The Full Expression of God’s Power

Christian theology teaches that Jesus is the full expression of God (Hebrews 1:1-3). So if we want to learn about the “power of God,” then we need to look directly at Jesus. Of course, Jesus doesn’t give us much to work with —as far as masculine and strong power goes, so we would much rather look at Joshua — with conquering armies, or David — with political power, or Solomon — with wealth. When we look at them, we see a type of power we can get behind. They seem to share the American view of power, a lens where might makes right and victory looks like… well, victory, not defeat on a cross.

But we are not Joshuans or Davidians, nor are we Solomonians. We are Christians because we believe Jesus is the exact expression of [God’s] being.

• Economic Power? Jesus lived in poverty, relying on the hospitality of others. He told a would-be follower, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20).

• Political Power? Jesus belonged to an oppressed, marginalized group and refused to seek worldly influence. He said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).

• Military Power? While Roman leaders paraded through Jerusalem on warhorses, Jesus entered humbly on a donkey, mocking the world’s obsession with displays of strength (John 12:12-15).

Instead, Jesus taught that greatness in God’s kingdom is found in servanthood. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,” he told his disciples, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:26-28).

The Power of the Cross

Jesus’ ultimate demonstration of power came through the cross. There, he faced the world’s worst forms of coercion—violence, rejection, and death—and responded with love and forgiveness. This wasn’t weakness; it was God’s power to transform. Where worldly power seeks to crush its enemies, God’s power transforms enemies into friends.

This power changed the course of history through figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who said, “We will meet your physical force with soul force… We will still love you” (Dr. King, A Christmas Sermon on Peace). It is Christ’s power, the same power wielded by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Dorothy Day, and others used to confront oppression without resorting to violence or hatred.

A New Relationship with Power

For followers of Jesus, this isn’t just a lesson about God—it’s a calling. We are invited to reject the world's coercive power and embrace the power of suffering love. This kind of power doesn’t seek to control but to heal, restore, and reconcile.

If Jesus had come to use wealth, armies, or political domination to change the world, then he wouldn’t have brought us anything new. But through the cross, Jesus introduces a radical, transformative power that has the ability to change not just actions but hearts.

This power—the power of self-giving love—invites us to participate in God’s kingdom here and now. And it’s the only power strong enough to truly overcome the brokenness of the world.

Discussion Questions

The questions that we want to ask as we contemplate these two distinctives individually are:
1.       How does Watermark or your house church practice this theological distinctive well?

2.       What aspects of this distinctive could we work toward aligning more with a Jesus centered personal and communal life?

3.       What questions do you have for the pastors or the Jesus Collective about this distinctive?