A Humble People

“Christ Washing the Disciples’ Feet” – Jacob Tintoretto

The Kingdom of the Thick & Ordinary

John Lennon, with characteristic bravado, once told the London Evening Standard, "Jesus was alright, but his disciples were thick and ordinary." While likely intended as an insult, Lennon unwittingly stumbled upon a profound truth. To be ordinary and thick—simple, unremarkable—was not a condemnation of Christ’s followers but rather a great compliment.

Celsus, a Roman philosopher writing not long after Jesus' time, went even further, poking fun at Christians: "Their injunctions are like this: [...] for anyone ignorant, anyone stupid, anyone uneducated, anyone who is a child, let him come boldly." What he meant as a jab, may actually have been what Jesus intended.

The Christendom of the Well-Off

And yet, in much of the Western world today, we do not find churches filled with the uneducated and the socially ordinary. In fact, the opposite trend often prevails. A study conducted by the Cooperative Election Study, analyzed by pastor and social scientist Ryan Burge, found that the most likely people to attend church weekly are those with graduate degrees.

Those with graduate degrees are most likely to fill the seats of religious services every week.

In some ways, this is an encouraging revelation. It dispels the long-held myth that faith and intellect are incompatible, that in order to be a Christian, you'd need to check your brain at the door. But in another sense, it points to a shortcoming in the Western church—a failure to fully embody one of Jesus’ most fundamental commands.

In Matthew 25:40, Jesus describes the defining trait of the faithful:

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

One might argue that affluent and educated churches do indeed, do things for the least of these, thus fulfilling this mandate. And this may be true in part and the intention here is not to be critical. Yet the call of Christ extends beyond philanthropy. Jesus did not merely do things for the least—he dwelt among them, welcomed them as equals, and even became the least himself. His life modeled not just acts of charity but a radical reordering of social values and inclusion (Matthew 20:16). I wonder as I look at the chart of those who attend weekly religious services, if we have not radically included the least of these, the uneducated, the thick and ordinary as much as we should.

Becoming the Last & the Least

So what does this mean for those of us who are well-educated, well-off, and well-fed? Should we unlearn the things we learned in college? Sell all off our blessings? Eat a little less?

In some ways, perhaps this is exactly what Jesus had in mind. And before the shock of that thought sends you running, consider these words from Philippians 2:5-8:

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Or consider Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 8:9:

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."

Jesus set aside his privileges to be with us and for us. This should shape our interactions with others: How can I set aside my privileges to better love and be with people?

Paul, a brilliant and well-educated rhetorician, practiced this himself:

"When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom... For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power." (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

The early church embodied this radical humility and shedding of privileges with the selling of their possessions:

"All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had." (Acts 4:32)

Good News for the Lowly

But what about those who are already poor, brokenhearted, oppressed, or struggling?The good news of Jesus is especially for them.

At the outset of his ministry, Jesus proclaimed:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." (Luke 4:18-19)

This reference to "the year of the Lord’s favor" alludes to the Year of Jubilee—a time practiced in Judaism when debts were forgiven, slaves were freed, and lost inheritances were restored. The kingdom Jesus proclaimed is one where injustices are righted and mercy prevails.

Mary, upon learning she would bear the Messiah, sang:

"He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate." (Luke 1:52)

In Christ’s community, the lowly are not merely included—they are honored. God is uniquely attentive to the humble. It was not to the powerful or elite that the angels announced Jesus' birth, but to lowly shepherds in the fields. The Beatitudes affirm this truth:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven... (Matthew 5:3-10)

A Humble Gathering

At Newhope Santa Cruz Church, we believe our gatherings should reflect the humble quality of God's kingdom. And, in many ways, we have stumbled upon this by accident. For here, we are not the most educated. We do not have vast resources. Our pastors are bi-vocational, earning their living outside the church. Our services are simple, our building worn, our carpets stained, our meals home-cooked, and our events modest.

Yet, we consider this a blessing. It allows the Gospel to shine without distraction. We believe in a community so radically shaped by Christ that it becomes the only "growth strategy" we need. We are an unpolished, imperfect, rag tag, band of misfits—and that makes us a welcoming home for others who feel unpolished, imperfect, or often cast aside.

The apostle Paul described believers as "jars of clay" (2 Corinthians 4) —fragile, common, easily broken vessels that nonetheless carry the treasure of the Gospel. We embrace our cracks and imperfections, knowing that, like Jesus, we bear the marks of suffering. For Jesus, did not trade in his scars for a perfect body, but bears these humble marks today. Jesus initiated a humble revolution, how can we be apart of it?

A Humble Revolution

Here are practical ways in which we can participate in God's vision for a humble people:

1. Radical Inclusion of the Least – We are not called merely to serve the marginalized but to embrace them as equals. The poor, the disabled, the elderly, the orphaned—these are not charity cases but vital members of Christ’s body.

"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."* (1 Corinthians 1:27)

Bonhoeffer, a pastor during World War II, who was known for the stand he took against the Nazi's, said this, "The elimination of the weak is the death of the fellowship."

2. Service – Jesus himself provides us with some of the most humbling imagery, as He the creator of the universe bent down to wash the feet of His dirty, smelly followers. We understand that following Jesus means a lot of foot washing, doing the humble and sometimes ugly work of service for the sake of others.

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition... Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." (Philippians 2:3)

Sometimes this means serving an enemy or serving people who seem a little strange at first. But in doing so, we proclaim the love of Christ.

3. Generosity – Finally, we are to be generous, giving to those within our community who need it. (Matthew 5:42, Acts 4:32-35)

The Kingdom of God is an upside-down kingdom, where the lowly are lifted, the high brought low.

Humble Manifesto

In response, we invite you to proclaim and pray this humble manifesto with us:

Rejoice today, if you’re not keeping up with the latest fashion trends.

Rejoice, if your clothes are worn and whisper with stories of resilience.

Rejoice, if you don’t always eat until you're stuffed.

Rejoice, if your cupboards aren’t overflowing.

Rejoice, if your skin is wrinkled and your hair is graying.

Rejoice, if your hands are open, not clinging to what you own, but sharing what you have.

Rejoice, for you have met Christ, who emptied Himself so that you might be filled.

Rejoice, if you aren’t the most charming or put-together person in the room.

Rejoice, if you have a soft voice, whose gentleness never overpowers.

Rejoice, if you are familiar with loss and have walked the road of surrender.

Rejoice, for in becoming last, you are first in the Kingdom of God. And behold, the Kingdom has already come to you. Lord, teach us Your humble way.

May we step downward instead of grasping upward.

May we loosen our grip on our own ambitions and lift the weary instead.

May we stoop to embrace the forgotten, the cast aside, the overlooked—

For in doing so, we embrace You, who descended into the depths for our redemption.

Christ, You have bent lower than us all.

You knelt in the dust and bore the weight of sorrow,

Descended into death, into hell itself, to lift us up.

May we follow You downward—To the ground, to the dirt, to the ash from which we were formed.

And there, in the humility of surrender, may we find You, waiting to raise us to life.

Amen.