As part of Sunday’s sermon I read a portion of a Homiletics Online interview with Jim Wallis.  In the interview Wallis tell the following story about South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  I hoped the story would help illustrate the passage from Acts 4 where the apostles are arrested and are brought before the religious authorities.  Though it appears the control rests with the authorities, Luke informs the readers that the apostles are “filled with the Holy Spirit”, thus changing the balance of power.

This is the reality for Christian people when called to confront the unjust and corrupt principalities and powers: though it may seem plain who is in control, there remains more to the story for those filled with the Holy Spirit of God.  This story of Archbishop Tutu’s courage and foresight seems to  beautifully demonstrate this reality.

Nelson Mandela didn’t know that he’d get out of prison, didn’t know he’d be the first president of the country, but he knew that eventually South Africa would be free. For Archbishop Desmond Tutu, that was a religious conviction. He isn’t an idealist or utopian person. I was there in Cape Town in his cathedral when the place was surrounded by soldiers and police who outnumbered the worshipers three to one. They came into the sanctuary. He was preaching. They stood along the walls while he was preaching with tape recorders and pads, writing down what he was saying. They had already put him in jail. They were saying to him in effect, “Go ahead, be bold, be prophetic, and we’ll put you right back in jail.” He looked at them and pointed his finger and said, “You are very powerful, but you are not gods. And I serve a God who cannot be mocked. You have already lost, so I invite you today to come and join the winning side!”

The place erupted. People were on their feet dancing. The police didn’t know what to do with dancing worshipers. I was at the inauguration of Nelson Mandela, and I said, “Bishop, do you remember what you said that morning?” He smiled. I said, “Today, they’ve joined the winning side.”