Religion: A Pastor Ponders

Jesus and Just Plain Folks

by Pastor William Jenkins

August 18, 2005

My wife and I were in San Antonio celebrating our 32nd wedding anniversary. Her favorite writer is Max Lucado, who pastored a church in that city. We decided to attend the church and hear him preach. Alas, he was away that Sunday.

One of his young associates brought a very fine message. We were, however, a bit disappointed. After all, we had come to hear Max Lucado.

Shortly before the service began, two young children in front of us became very excited and began pulling on their mother’s arm. “Look, mommy, look! It’s him! It’s him!” They were pointing to a very tall man walking toward the front row with his family.

At first I did not recognize the man seated a few rows in front of us. Then it registered. The “Admiral”, David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs!

My first reaction was one of surprise and delight. I secretly began to plot how I might meet him without being intrusive. Other people seemed to have the same idea.

It was then that I wondered how things would be if Jesus had walked into the auditorium. What kind of awe would register on the faces? Would children be excited? Would adults be delighted? Would our collective breath be taken away, and would we as one body drop to our knees in wonder?

At that moment I was reminded that we did not come to church to hear Max Lucado or to see David Robinson. Someone Greater was present. We came to worship Jesus, and that we did.

As I followed the text of the choruses on the video screen Mr. Robinson was in my line of sight. Along with the rest of us he was singing the choruses of our common faith.

Like many parents, fifteen minutes into the service he had to get up and take one of his boys to the restroom.

As we pulled out of the parking lot, my wife wondered, “Why do you suppose David Robinson walked all the way to the front row to be seated?”
I answered, “That’s the only place with room for his legs!”

We concluded there was a more worthwhile reason. He wanted to bear witness to his faith and to testify that his life is not governed by the accomplishments of his career but by his walk with God.

I learned this lesson that day: In all of life Jesus alone is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Everyone else is just plain folks.

League City United Methodist Church is located at 1411 Main Street (FM 518), one block east of Interstate 45. For information, call the church offices at 281-332-1557 or visit the website at

HYPERLINK - http://www.lcumc.org