I was talking with a friend who was telling me about a recent message that was delivered at a college group about how the Gospel of Jesus is offensive and that if we, as Christians, aren't being persecuted then we weren't truly following Jesus. Now, while this may be true if we were to collectively actually take Jesus seriously, this particular leader explained persecution as being mocked, laughed at, made fun of, ignored, etc. This conversation came just a few hours after a different friend of mine was telling me about a local radio show hosted by a local Christian leader where in this particular episode he discussed how standing on a street corner and giving people the Gospel, picketing against particular political ideas that are considered immoral, and fighting publicly to bring America "back" to God in our country is a worthwhile endeavor.
As Amy Poehler would say...
"REALLY??"
So this got me thinking...honestly, where do these leaders get these ideas? It's certainly not in Scripture and it's certainly NOT modeled by Jesus...perhaps it's an idea learned and accepted through a history of distorted and misunderstood ideas taught by well-intentioned faith traditions...
Anyways, this whole idea of being mocked or made fun of for your beliefs occurs no where in Scripture. (Jesus getting mocked by the Roman guards is the only thing I could think of and this instance is hardly due to particular beliefs but more about his confronting of an entire system of belief and worldview, which i'll get to in a second).
The early Christians in the Bible were persecuted, literally, like with whips, stones, torture, imprisonment, and even death because their faith led them act counter to the ideas of the Roman Empire. They were pacifists, fed and spent time with social outcasts, shared things together, loved their enemies, forgave those who wronged them, didn't buy into the idea of power but served, and didn't follow or accept the Roman and Greek gods...what they did was ANTI-government and ANTI-religious and THIS is what led them to be persecuted by the government and by the religious leaders of the day.
Now if this particular message was about if we only acted THIS way then maybe we really would get persecuted and he'd be right on track, however I'm afraid he was going somewhere else with his idea of persecution, atleast so it seems...
Look at Jesus, he wasn't made fun of or mocked by "sinners"...he ate, drank, and LOVED the "sinners" sinners of his day. They WANTED to be around him! Religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, the government officials and rulers were the ones that hated and persecuted him! This too is why picketing and yelling and condemning is NOT a worthwhile endeavor. In fact, it's ANTI-Christ. It's not at all modeling the Way of Jesus. This way of doing things was not implemented by our Savior, in fact it was the exact opposite! He loved and invested time with the sinners of his day.
And that's our job too.
Thank goodness our country gives us the freedom to follow the religion we want. Unlike our unfortunate dear brothers and sisters in China, Korea, and other parts of the world where they are persecuted, again literally, by their governments. If we're persecuted here in America, it should be because were radically loving those whom our nation considers our enemies or outcasts or our own personal enemies, or refusing to "buy-in" to our capitalistic ideas of excessive materialism, greed, power, lust, and we should seek to serve, love, and build relationships with the least of these and those whom aren't like us, whether it be prostitutes, drunkards, the poor, Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, homosexuals, prisoners, etc. (The same types of people Jesus spent time with and LOVED and SERVED)
We are not called to condemn, it's up to God to judge and avenge. We are called to follow Christ's example and to love and serve.
I hope this offers some freeing insight to everyone, especially for those who have heard this message or similar ones...we are not called to yell, scream, condemn, get made of and mocked* (this is an ideal of Christian leaders who use guilt to get us to serve God and make converts much like leaders who use fear to drive us to serve God and avoid hell), but were called to love unconditionally!
This is truly what makes the Gospel of Jesus offensive! It's offensive to the religious and to those in power because it's not the status quo and becuase it's radical. Unconditional love is radical. These are the groups of people that it was offensive to in Jesus day and it hasn't changed. (again, it's not sinners who should find it offensive). We are called to be like Christ, so may we learn more about Him and his Love and Way of life and partner with Him to continue to work towards the redemption of all things.
Here is an example of why the Gospel of Jesus is offensive...
http://andymoore.wordpress.com/2007/11/12/too-radical/
(or see photo on post)
GRACE and PEACE
-Ty
10.11.2009
Infected by a Divine Pandemic
Recently, my dad has come down with an awful cold. It really makes no sense to me, middle of July and the guy gets a cold. And it's truly annoying to work with him because he has no regard for anyone around him (namely me, his own firstborn son) and coughs and coughs all over the truck, our tools, and my precious God-given air. Disgusting. And cold's are notorious for spreading, and spreading because of close contact. My nieces too are very sick now because he spent time with them just a few days ago. Interesting isn't it? The people you love the most you end up getting sick because of your close proximity to them. Yes, random people can get sick from you too, but it all has to do with closeness and breathing the same air.
Now none of this is new to anyone I'm sure, and it's not really new to me either but I just so happened to read this tonight in the book I'm reading called "Finding Our Way Again" by Brian McClaren:
"...and just as a person who gets too close to a person with a cold catches first the germs and then their symptoms from his companions, then if we are plunged into God's light and heat (speaking of God as a consuming fire) long enough, if we stay close enough to God for long enough, close enough to breathe God's breath, so to speak, then we will catch a case of God... The symptoms of what God has; love, joy, peace, patience, justice, purity, strength, vitality...will be transferred to us, and we will be infected."
We would thus be infected by the Holy One. But this is a good infection! Because in this way we too would become "carriers" of these divine symptoms of love, grace, peace, mercy, justice, etc and hopefully cause a full-blown pandemic!
So, may you spend time with God...however that looks for you... Whether it's with people discussing Christ's life, death, resurrection, and life inside us or reading Scripture, or praying, or spending time marveling at creation, whatever the case may be, and by doing so become infected by his love and become carriers of these divine symptoms. For we are to spread these and share them with the world around us. So go ahead, cough, cough everywhere, over everything, and may we live to cause a pandemic that will spread over all the earth!!
Grace and Peace,
-Ty
Now none of this is new to anyone I'm sure, and it's not really new to me either but I just so happened to read this tonight in the book I'm reading called "Finding Our Way Again" by Brian McClaren:
"...and just as a person who gets too close to a person with a cold catches first the germs and then their symptoms from his companions, then if we are plunged into God's light and heat (speaking of God as a consuming fire) long enough, if we stay close enough to God for long enough, close enough to breathe God's breath, so to speak, then we will catch a case of God... The symptoms of what God has; love, joy, peace, patience, justice, purity, strength, vitality...will be transferred to us, and we will be infected."
We would thus be infected by the Holy One. But this is a good infection! Because in this way we too would become "carriers" of these divine symptoms of love, grace, peace, mercy, justice, etc and hopefully cause a full-blown pandemic!
So, may you spend time with God...however that looks for you... Whether it's with people discussing Christ's life, death, resurrection, and life inside us or reading Scripture, or praying, or spending time marveling at creation, whatever the case may be, and by doing so become infected by his love and become carriers of these divine symptoms. For we are to spread these and share them with the world around us. So go ahead, cough, cough everywhere, over everything, and may we live to cause a pandemic that will spread over all the earth!!
Grace and Peace,
-Ty
Appendix to recent post
For those of you who think our government, namely our current President, already does enough for the less fortunate, i'd just like to say that the idea that the government spends a major part of its budget on public assistance is a myth ( most of it actually goes to national security and defense). I could throw some numbers at you but you can look up yourself if you really want to know. But a few points for you in terms of our wealthy country...
-The U.S. less generous than most countries in terms of aid for our welfare program
-Our welfare program covers fewer people than most other countries welfare programs
-Our government is less redistributive in terms of money and aid than most other countries
-America ranks almost dead last in % given to foreign aid in terms of GDP
It's safe to say that most of these figures have to do with our dominant ideology of individualism, capitalism, meritocracy, and equal opportunity.
Just a quick bit on each of these...
individualism runs completely contrary to what Scripture teaches about community
capitalism allows pretty much everyone except those at the top get exploited without asking questions. This is true for those in the lower class and the poor in other countries especially, thanks to the rise of globalization. This also runs contrary to scripture in terms of helping those in need and treating others as you'd want to be treated. ( as well as a plethora of other commands and teaching in Scripture)
Meritocracy is the idea that you get what you deserve. This completely ignores the fact that many people are in situations that they can't help. It's a cycle of poverty and institutional discrimination that keeps many of these people in the situations they are in. We can't ignore this reality!
And our idea of equal opportunity is hardly true. We may like to think this is the case, but again it ignores the fact that many people really don't have equal opportunity because the gateway to those opportunities are education and jobs, which are considerably lacking in areas of people in poverty.
America the beautiful. God's country. A city on a hill.
REALLY??
-The U.S. less generous than most countries in terms of aid for our welfare program
-Our welfare program covers fewer people than most other countries welfare programs
-Our government is less redistributive in terms of money and aid than most other countries
-America ranks almost dead last in % given to foreign aid in terms of GDP
It's safe to say that most of these figures have to do with our dominant ideology of individualism, capitalism, meritocracy, and equal opportunity.
Just a quick bit on each of these...
individualism runs completely contrary to what Scripture teaches about community
capitalism allows pretty much everyone except those at the top get exploited without asking questions. This is true for those in the lower class and the poor in other countries especially, thanks to the rise of globalization. This also runs contrary to scripture in terms of helping those in need and treating others as you'd want to be treated. ( as well as a plethora of other commands and teaching in Scripture)
Meritocracy is the idea that you get what you deserve. This completely ignores the fact that many people are in situations that they can't help. It's a cycle of poverty and institutional discrimination that keeps many of these people in the situations they are in. We can't ignore this reality!
And our idea of equal opportunity is hardly true. We may like to think this is the case, but again it ignores the fact that many people really don't have equal opportunity because the gateway to those opportunities are education and jobs, which are considerably lacking in areas of people in poverty.
America the beautiful. God's country. A city on a hill.
REALLY??
Guns, gangs, drugs, Master P, and the love of Jesus
I've had a few people ask me to write something since I haven't done so in awhile so this is for all of you who wanted a tid-bit of thought...
Two weeks ago at Imago, Eric Potter talked about a passage in Ephesians in regards to anger. Out of that he talked about a few instances where Jesus got angry, and how that anger always led to action in a positive way. Too many times in our anger we do something foolish or negative and that's not what God wants us to do with our anger. Jesus got angry with people making profits off of the Jews desire to honor God with their sacrifices and made use of that instance by showing that the place of gathering for believers is not meant to be used for material gain. He also got angry when people were unsure whether it was okay to heal on the Sabbath. This may seem ridiculous to us, but Jews followed these rules set in place by legalist Pharisees very closely so they'd be counted worthy, and Jesus responds to their ignorance with an angry look and took action by healing a man's hand.
So Eric posed the question of what made us angry and asked what we were doing about it (in a positive way). Usually we get angry about things that don't matter, like the Cubs losing or a bad driver, but this was more about anger towards an injustice. So I began to think about this and after mulling over some recent discussions I had with some people about my current job of tutoring at Manual High School, I knew right away what made me angry.
I get angry at people's stereotypes of those living in poverty and the nature of poverty itself.
I can't tell you how many times I've told people (including friends and family) what I'm doing now and they are quick to make a remark about whether or not I bring a gun with me or if I'm afraid for my life or why i'm not helping at a school where people "aren't just looking for handouts". This makes me angry...and I think rightfully so. It's an injustice that people (this includes Christians even) have these thoughts and feelings about people that they know nothing about and who God calls as blessed and calls us to love and help.
I feel like the best thing I can do, for now, is to shed some light on my experiences at Manual in hopes that some of you may reconsider your thoughts or feelings about folks in poverty or who are less fortunate that most of us.
I must say that if it wasn't for my old youth pastor James P. I wouldn't have the slightest clue about how to interact and relate to people of a different culture than me. But because of his love for kids in inner-city peoria, I feel that I understood at an early age God's love for everyone, especially those that are poor, oppressed, and exploited. (So James, if you read this, thank you soo soo much!) I can't talk about everything but it will touch on a few issues that I think are very important to understand about these students.
One is literacy. I know it's hard to believe but there are still many kids in Peoria that can't read ( and this is in high school). And if they can read, they can't comprehend what they are reading. THIS ISN'T BECAUSE THEY ARE DUMB. It's because of the lack of resources in education and a lack of people in their lives that serve as positive role models to care about them and believe in them. (hmmm, maybe there's a role the church can play) Many of these students are stuck in generational poverty and don't see a way out so unless they have a relationship with someone encouraging them and telling them otherwise, they don't have a reason to believe any different. This education is vital to them because it provides a way out of the mess they were born into, but this is only possible with the help of people to invest TIME and ENERGY in them. Also, it's been my experience so far that most of these kids that are causing trouble are the one's that can't read. It's hard for them to follow along in class so they end up causing trouble because they can't focus on their schooling. So not only would improving their literacy help their acadamics but would cut down in behavior issues (which eventually lead to crime....starting to see importance of education?)
In our African American Studies class, the students watched a video on Ghandi and we then had a discussion comparing his non-violent ideals to that of Martin Luther King Jr. These kids couldn't fathom a life without violence. Right or wrong, gangs and the guns and violence that come along with it provide an escape from the s**ty reality they find themselves in. It's a game to them. And yes, I think it's bad and wrong, but we at least have to begin to understand why they do the things they do and acknowledge the reasons they do so. Telling them that gangs are bad and wrong aren't going to do anything to change their behavior. Just like abstinence only programs are the dumbest thing for these kids because they aren't going to listen to us telling them sex is bad. Without proper sex education these kids are going to continue having babies younger and younger forcing them deeper and deeper into poverty. Same thing with drugs. Again drugs ARE bad, but just as telling them so isn't going to change them using drugs as an escape from their seemingly hopeless destiny of being stuck in poverty. The only thing that's going to change all of this is RELATIONSHIPS. At the center of the faith many of us claim we have is the importance of relationships. So I find it unnerving that our hearts aren't moved by the opportunity to provide the life and love of Christ in the lives of those that desperately need it. Relationship and love is what will bring justice to their situations and that's what following Jesus is all about...so why isn't it happening more?
I'm not saying that everyone needs to go be a tutor or teach inner-city kids, so please don't assume that. I'm just saying that if we (especially Christians) want to see poverty and the things that come along with it alleviated we have to invest in some relationships with people in those situations and forgo any preconceived ideas (which are probably wrong and generalized) about people in these situations. Also, this is different than charity...which involves just writing a check or giving some money to a worthy cause. That's only part of it. It's the relationship and the working of Jesus through you that's really going to bring change to people's lives and life situations.
My prayer and hope is that the Church will wake up to this reality and play a bigger role in something we should have been doing all along...following clear commands of God and Jesus throughout the entirety of Scripture (Old Testament and New Testament) and loving and helping those in need and whom God calls blessed. (Maybe your interaction with them may actually teach you a little something about God) If anything, I ask that people, again especially Christians, would at least stop making judgments about people and situations that they really know nothing about.
So there it is...that's what makes me angry. And I have a long way to go myself in regards to playing my part. This is all observation after only a few months. I have a lot to learn and do myself. I'm just thankful that God has opened my eyes to the reality of the situation. It's to easy for us to ignore it or act as if it's not really an issue here in America. But it is, and I hope that we will do whatever we can to bring hope to the poor here in America and ultimately to the world at large.
So what makes you angry?
Two weeks ago at Imago, Eric Potter talked about a passage in Ephesians in regards to anger. Out of that he talked about a few instances where Jesus got angry, and how that anger always led to action in a positive way. Too many times in our anger we do something foolish or negative and that's not what God wants us to do with our anger. Jesus got angry with people making profits off of the Jews desire to honor God with their sacrifices and made use of that instance by showing that the place of gathering for believers is not meant to be used for material gain. He also got angry when people were unsure whether it was okay to heal on the Sabbath. This may seem ridiculous to us, but Jews followed these rules set in place by legalist Pharisees very closely so they'd be counted worthy, and Jesus responds to their ignorance with an angry look and took action by healing a man's hand.
So Eric posed the question of what made us angry and asked what we were doing about it (in a positive way). Usually we get angry about things that don't matter, like the Cubs losing or a bad driver, but this was more about anger towards an injustice. So I began to think about this and after mulling over some recent discussions I had with some people about my current job of tutoring at Manual High School, I knew right away what made me angry.
I get angry at people's stereotypes of those living in poverty and the nature of poverty itself.
I can't tell you how many times I've told people (including friends and family) what I'm doing now and they are quick to make a remark about whether or not I bring a gun with me or if I'm afraid for my life or why i'm not helping at a school where people "aren't just looking for handouts". This makes me angry...and I think rightfully so. It's an injustice that people (this includes Christians even) have these thoughts and feelings about people that they know nothing about and who God calls as blessed and calls us to love and help.
I feel like the best thing I can do, for now, is to shed some light on my experiences at Manual in hopes that some of you may reconsider your thoughts or feelings about folks in poverty or who are less fortunate that most of us.
I must say that if it wasn't for my old youth pastor James P. I wouldn't have the slightest clue about how to interact and relate to people of a different culture than me. But because of his love for kids in inner-city peoria, I feel that I understood at an early age God's love for everyone, especially those that are poor, oppressed, and exploited. (So James, if you read this, thank you soo soo much!) I can't talk about everything but it will touch on a few issues that I think are very important to understand about these students.
One is literacy. I know it's hard to believe but there are still many kids in Peoria that can't read ( and this is in high school). And if they can read, they can't comprehend what they are reading. THIS ISN'T BECAUSE THEY ARE DUMB. It's because of the lack of resources in education and a lack of people in their lives that serve as positive role models to care about them and believe in them. (hmmm, maybe there's a role the church can play) Many of these students are stuck in generational poverty and don't see a way out so unless they have a relationship with someone encouraging them and telling them otherwise, they don't have a reason to believe any different. This education is vital to them because it provides a way out of the mess they were born into, but this is only possible with the help of people to invest TIME and ENERGY in them. Also, it's been my experience so far that most of these kids that are causing trouble are the one's that can't read. It's hard for them to follow along in class so they end up causing trouble because they can't focus on their schooling. So not only would improving their literacy help their acadamics but would cut down in behavior issues (which eventually lead to crime....starting to see importance of education?)
In our African American Studies class, the students watched a video on Ghandi and we then had a discussion comparing his non-violent ideals to that of Martin Luther King Jr. These kids couldn't fathom a life without violence. Right or wrong, gangs and the guns and violence that come along with it provide an escape from the s**ty reality they find themselves in. It's a game to them. And yes, I think it's bad and wrong, but we at least have to begin to understand why they do the things they do and acknowledge the reasons they do so. Telling them that gangs are bad and wrong aren't going to do anything to change their behavior. Just like abstinence only programs are the dumbest thing for these kids because they aren't going to listen to us telling them sex is bad. Without proper sex education these kids are going to continue having babies younger and younger forcing them deeper and deeper into poverty. Same thing with drugs. Again drugs ARE bad, but just as telling them so isn't going to change them using drugs as an escape from their seemingly hopeless destiny of being stuck in poverty. The only thing that's going to change all of this is RELATIONSHIPS. At the center of the faith many of us claim we have is the importance of relationships. So I find it unnerving that our hearts aren't moved by the opportunity to provide the life and love of Christ in the lives of those that desperately need it. Relationship and love is what will bring justice to their situations and that's what following Jesus is all about...so why isn't it happening more?
I'm not saying that everyone needs to go be a tutor or teach inner-city kids, so please don't assume that. I'm just saying that if we (especially Christians) want to see poverty and the things that come along with it alleviated we have to invest in some relationships with people in those situations and forgo any preconceived ideas (which are probably wrong and generalized) about people in these situations. Also, this is different than charity...which involves just writing a check or giving some money to a worthy cause. That's only part of it. It's the relationship and the working of Jesus through you that's really going to bring change to people's lives and life situations.
My prayer and hope is that the Church will wake up to this reality and play a bigger role in something we should have been doing all along...following clear commands of God and Jesus throughout the entirety of Scripture (Old Testament and New Testament) and loving and helping those in need and whom God calls blessed. (Maybe your interaction with them may actually teach you a little something about God) If anything, I ask that people, again especially Christians, would at least stop making judgments about people and situations that they really know nothing about.
So there it is...that's what makes me angry. And I have a long way to go myself in regards to playing my part. This is all observation after only a few months. I have a lot to learn and do myself. I'm just thankful that God has opened my eyes to the reality of the situation. It's to easy for us to ignore it or act as if it's not really an issue here in America. But it is, and I hope that we will do whatever we can to bring hope to the poor here in America and ultimately to the world at large.
So what makes you angry?
Warrior Jesus
I've been reading a book called Everything Must Change by Brian McClaren. In it, he talks about how we must begin to deconstruct our conventional ideas about Jesus and Christianity and begin to ask the question, "Can Jesus message change the world?" Is his message strictly a spiritual one that only deals with our spirituality and what happens after we die....salvation of our souls? Or does his message not only spiritual, but political, social environmental, economical....salvation of mankind and everything that goes along with it. After all for the Ancient Jews (including Jesus) there was no word for spiritual because it was understood that EVERYTHING was spiritual. So then, does Jesus message apply to all of life and apply to it now?
If we're honest with ourselves we have to admit life would be, and is, rather boring if we believe and act as though Jesus came only to save souls for the afterlife and until then while we're here on this wretched earth we're just supposed to be good little boys and girls and be nice to people hoping that they'll see our niceness and maybe want to follow Jesus too. Isn't there something more? Wouldn't it take more faith to believe in Jesus' teachings about the poor and oppressed, peace, love, justice, acceptance, diversity, forgiveness, grace, mercy, reconciliation, and hope were all tools in providing us with a way to live a better life here and now that's not of this world. The way of this world is all about greed, selfish ambition, exploitation, vengeance, hate, war, separation, bitterness, racism, and injustice.
Wouldn't that be something? I mean, if Jesus actually meant what he said? That "the Kingdom of God was at hand." I mean that's "Good News" for everyone. Jesus is coming and saying to us, "Hey guys! There's a better way to live! It's not like the way of this world that you're used to. And you can live that new way now! It's here and it's for the taking if you just believe in what I say and show you!" This is a way that if lived out by all his followers could actually bring heaven to earth…could actually change the world and make it the place He originally intended. Perhaps that's what Jesus meant when he told his disciples how to pray...."May Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
Now I understand that there are a large number of Christians who would say, "well that sounds great and all, Ty, but this world is going to keep getting worse and worse and eventually it's all going to be destroyed when Jesus comes back and slaughters every human being that doesn't believe in him and destroy everything else he created (trees, flowers, birds, mountains, bluejays, panda bears, monkey’s, squirrels, all things that God made and said we're good back in Genesis) in the name of justice, thus bringing his reign of love, peace, hope and justice to this world. Jesus slaughtering people? God destroying the very earth he called good? Why would Jesus come back and completely defy EVERYTHING he taught us and showed us and made new by his message, life, cross, and resurection? Maybe this conventional idea of warrior Jesus is not only wrong, but ignorant and worthy or heresy. This view is taken mainly from one book of the Bible that has multiple different interpretations. ( if someone wants to research something interesting, read about ancient Jewish apocalyptic writing and read Revelations again and maybe you'll read it in a totally different way, they way those first hearers might have understood his "revelation") So why pick this one interpretation and base everything you believe about Jesus and life around it? This fatalistic view point of Jesus and the end of the world completely eradicates us from having any responsibility whatsoever of having to take Jesus seriously and using the tools he provided us with (one of which included his own spirit in us!) to bring heaven to earth. It's so much easier to spiritualize everything and make Jesus fit into our box and just worry about being saved from hell than it is to apply the message of Christ to everything in our life and work inside God's box (if he even has one?).
There have been people that have laughed at me for believing that Jesus could actually save the planet? Why is that so funny? Shouldn't that be what we desperately want? Shouldn't that be what following Jesus is all about? Working together to redeem humanity. I mean that would be life to the full (or as John would call it "eternal life" that starts now!) Is this not what God sent Jesus for? To be an ultimate sacrifice so that we can actually go before God and have relationship with him and work with Him to bring the chaos of this world back to what he meant it to be like thousands of years ago in Eden? Isn’t that what Paul meant when he called Jesus the new Adam or the new humanity?
There are also Christians who believe that the world will just keep getting better and better and then finally Jesus will decide it's time to come back and do the same thing i described above. This deterministic view also eradicates us of having any responsibility to do anything at all to follow the message of Jesus and His kingdom. Are things just going to magically get better? Or will it take some responsibility on our part?
Now I hesitate to put this next part in here because i haven't studied it enough or talked to enough people about it but it's just a thought so bear with me....
But, what if Jesus in his coming and teaching, his life, death, and resurrection provided all the tools necessary for Him to return but it wasn't in the way we've always thought. What if the holy spirit working through us and working through the church is his second body? What if, in essence, Jesus was already "back" like we want to think he will do in the future (and maybe he himself will actually come someday too, but it won't happen until we begin to establish his kingdom here), and ready to bring heaven to earth. What I mean by "Jesus" being back is twofold: Both Jesus in us and working through us and Jesus body as the Church. So we have an individual responsibility to let Christ live through us (no we are not perfect and Christ will not always shine through us but we can work to let him shine through us more!) And we have a corporate responsibility to work together to be the "body" of Christ as the apostle Paul puts it.
He gave us the tools we need, he even showed us how to do it. All that's left is for us to have the faith of a mustard seed to begin partner with him to live it out.
I understand that all of this raises more and more questions. Questions that may not have answers, but they are questions that you should ask yourself and that I should ask myself. Why do i believe what i believe about Jesus? Does what i believe about him line up with his message? Why does church do things this way or that way? why doesn't the church talk much about Jesus and his teachings but yet focus on strictly "spiritual" things that pertain to doctrine or the afterlife? Maybe these questions that i attempted to work through in this blog are futile and pointless and none of what I'm saying is possible? I'm just asking the question and giving it thought. It makes sense to me and it fits the Gospel and the character of God.
If you're interested in any further reading about this idea and others like it check out these books:
Everything Must Change: Brian McClaren
Velvit Elvis: Rob Bell
Myth of A Christian Nation: Greg Boyd
Irresistible Revolution: Shane Claiborn
The Secret Message of Jesus: Brian McClaren
The Politics of Jesus: Obery Hendricks
God's Politics: Jim Wallis
Jesus For President: Shane Claiborn
If we're honest with ourselves we have to admit life would be, and is, rather boring if we believe and act as though Jesus came only to save souls for the afterlife and until then while we're here on this wretched earth we're just supposed to be good little boys and girls and be nice to people hoping that they'll see our niceness and maybe want to follow Jesus too. Isn't there something more? Wouldn't it take more faith to believe in Jesus' teachings about the poor and oppressed, peace, love, justice, acceptance, diversity, forgiveness, grace, mercy, reconciliation, and hope were all tools in providing us with a way to live a better life here and now that's not of this world. The way of this world is all about greed, selfish ambition, exploitation, vengeance, hate, war, separation, bitterness, racism, and injustice.
Wouldn't that be something? I mean, if Jesus actually meant what he said? That "the Kingdom of God was at hand." I mean that's "Good News" for everyone. Jesus is coming and saying to us, "Hey guys! There's a better way to live! It's not like the way of this world that you're used to. And you can live that new way now! It's here and it's for the taking if you just believe in what I say and show you!" This is a way that if lived out by all his followers could actually bring heaven to earth…could actually change the world and make it the place He originally intended. Perhaps that's what Jesus meant when he told his disciples how to pray...."May Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
Now I understand that there are a large number of Christians who would say, "well that sounds great and all, Ty, but this world is going to keep getting worse and worse and eventually it's all going to be destroyed when Jesus comes back and slaughters every human being that doesn't believe in him and destroy everything else he created (trees, flowers, birds, mountains, bluejays, panda bears, monkey’s, squirrels, all things that God made and said we're good back in Genesis) in the name of justice, thus bringing his reign of love, peace, hope and justice to this world. Jesus slaughtering people? God destroying the very earth he called good? Why would Jesus come back and completely defy EVERYTHING he taught us and showed us and made new by his message, life, cross, and resurection? Maybe this conventional idea of warrior Jesus is not only wrong, but ignorant and worthy or heresy. This view is taken mainly from one book of the Bible that has multiple different interpretations. ( if someone wants to research something interesting, read about ancient Jewish apocalyptic writing and read Revelations again and maybe you'll read it in a totally different way, they way those first hearers might have understood his "revelation") So why pick this one interpretation and base everything you believe about Jesus and life around it? This fatalistic view point of Jesus and the end of the world completely eradicates us from having any responsibility whatsoever of having to take Jesus seriously and using the tools he provided us with (one of which included his own spirit in us!) to bring heaven to earth. It's so much easier to spiritualize everything and make Jesus fit into our box and just worry about being saved from hell than it is to apply the message of Christ to everything in our life and work inside God's box (if he even has one?).
There have been people that have laughed at me for believing that Jesus could actually save the planet? Why is that so funny? Shouldn't that be what we desperately want? Shouldn't that be what following Jesus is all about? Working together to redeem humanity. I mean that would be life to the full (or as John would call it "eternal life" that starts now!) Is this not what God sent Jesus for? To be an ultimate sacrifice so that we can actually go before God and have relationship with him and work with Him to bring the chaos of this world back to what he meant it to be like thousands of years ago in Eden? Isn’t that what Paul meant when he called Jesus the new Adam or the new humanity?
There are also Christians who believe that the world will just keep getting better and better and then finally Jesus will decide it's time to come back and do the same thing i described above. This deterministic view also eradicates us of having any responsibility to do anything at all to follow the message of Jesus and His kingdom. Are things just going to magically get better? Or will it take some responsibility on our part?
Now I hesitate to put this next part in here because i haven't studied it enough or talked to enough people about it but it's just a thought so bear with me....
But, what if Jesus in his coming and teaching, his life, death, and resurrection provided all the tools necessary for Him to return but it wasn't in the way we've always thought. What if the holy spirit working through us and working through the church is his second body? What if, in essence, Jesus was already "back" like we want to think he will do in the future (and maybe he himself will actually come someday too, but it won't happen until we begin to establish his kingdom here), and ready to bring heaven to earth. What I mean by "Jesus" being back is twofold: Both Jesus in us and working through us and Jesus body as the Church. So we have an individual responsibility to let Christ live through us (no we are not perfect and Christ will not always shine through us but we can work to let him shine through us more!) And we have a corporate responsibility to work together to be the "body" of Christ as the apostle Paul puts it.
He gave us the tools we need, he even showed us how to do it. All that's left is for us to have the faith of a mustard seed to begin partner with him to live it out.
I understand that all of this raises more and more questions. Questions that may not have answers, but they are questions that you should ask yourself and that I should ask myself. Why do i believe what i believe about Jesus? Does what i believe about him line up with his message? Why does church do things this way or that way? why doesn't the church talk much about Jesus and his teachings but yet focus on strictly "spiritual" things that pertain to doctrine or the afterlife? Maybe these questions that i attempted to work through in this blog are futile and pointless and none of what I'm saying is possible? I'm just asking the question and giving it thought. It makes sense to me and it fits the Gospel and the character of God.
If you're interested in any further reading about this idea and others like it check out these books:
Everything Must Change: Brian McClaren
Velvit Elvis: Rob Bell
Myth of A Christian Nation: Greg Boyd
Irresistible Revolution: Shane Claiborn
The Secret Message of Jesus: Brian McClaren
The Politics of Jesus: Obery Hendricks
God's Politics: Jim Wallis
Jesus For President: Shane Claiborn
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