"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry
and you gave Me something to eat;
I was thirsty
and you gave Me something to drink;
I was a stranger and you took Me in;
I was naked and you clothed Me;
I was sick and you took care of Me;
I was in prison and you visited Me.'
Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You?' And the King will answer them, 'I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.'
I don't think the message of Christ is primarily contained within the preacher's sermon on Sunday or the annual church picnic, or the thousand-attendee conference at the civic center. The building, chapel, sanctuary, or cathedral cannot contain God (Acts 17:24). And we all know Jesus' reputation for spending time with "sinners," the reviled, the despicable. I've never hung out with a prostitute. I imagine it would be a little unnerving, to say the least.
I'll get to the point I'm trying to make. Frustrated with my seemingly fragmented view of God, I spent the last year reading through the Bible, searching out God's character. I would read my little section each day and focus almost all my attention on what I could glean about God (or Jesus) from that passage, until I finished the Bible in December. As I progressed through the year, I learned I couldn't escape from this idea that kept being preached and taught through prophets, apostles, and Christ. I call it the paradox of prosperity.
The paradox of prosperity is all about the reversal of thinking from what the world values to what God values. Nowhere is this seen better or more directly than Jesus' beautitudes:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
Here, Jesus presents his followers with what is really important-what his Father in heaven values. Though the rich and powerful seem to hold full reign over the earth, they are far from the kingdom of heaven, which will be rewarded to those at the bottom of the food chain. Those who lead sorrowful and trying lives will be comforted (as opposed to the comfortable, who, frighteningly enough, don't need any comfort from God). In a world of brutal war and military might, where the sword and chariot ruled all, Jesus declared that the gentle would be the final conquerors.
There are many other examples of the paradox of prosperity in the Bible. The prophets preached it indignantly to Israel, the wisdom philosophers spoke of it by warning against the chasing after riches and pleasure, and God's son lived it. From his birth in an odorous stable to his death on an ordinary tree, Jesus lived and died humbly, weakly, sorrowfully.
As Shannen has said, this nation is by name a Christian nation, full of Christians. And yet I believe our ideals are far from our practices. Specifically, American Christians are affluent, to say the very least. I was speaking with a Muslim friend the other day and he told me about a "mega-church" he had attended in the area. He said that while the preacher spoke of charity, giving, and service, he could see that the church was all about making money. Why? He said all he had to do was walk through the parking lot filled with shiny expensive cars.
As we redefine Christianity for our generation, it is imperative that we align ourselves with Jesus (1 Jn 2:6). What does that look like? We must sink to his level. As I read the gospels, so much of Jesus' ministry was with those living in poverty, the unattractive underside of the Roman empire. This requires great effort on our parts in this day, age, and nation. When I lived in Ukraine, it was much easier to see poverty than it is here. Now, I drive from my suburban home to my suburban job, then to my suburban church on Sunday. I am realizing that I must be proactive. I must seek out those who need help. Limiting our contact with the poor to our financial giving would be a grave mistake. There is a difference between dropping money in a tray and looking a poor person in the eye. Christ calls us to give a far more valuable gift in compassion.
As we live lives around the poor we mustn't make the mistake of compartmentalizing our Christian acts. I like what Sarah said about the necessity of being Christians all the time. In the same light, Jesus' ministry was all about letting people see the kingdom of God. Too often we say "I'm going to share my faith" and then "I'm going to serve the poor" in different circumstances. Jesus never separated these two endeavors. Through his servanthood, he shined his Father. Through his testimony, he bore witness to his Father. Everything he did was connected to letting God shine forth. Jesus testified to the poor while helping them. A study of the gospels shows he called for repentance, forgave sins, healed maladies, and taught about the kingdom all together. We need to imitate this. What we have to give is one big package, not a separated set of defined acts of service.
Let us live and give by our love. Christ's love did not care about what people looked like on the outside. In fact, a macro look at his life might even lead us to believe he targeted the downtrodden, the dirty, the poor of the world for his ministry. The kingdom of heaven is easily accepted by these types (Mk 10:25). It has hit me a lot lately that if I want to walk like Jesus did, my path will probably be a lot less comfortable than my earthly nature would like, and it will include the underbelly of society, the untouchables, the addicted, the poor, the widows, the orphans, the sinners.
I believe our redefinition must include and zero in on the poor-serving them, alleviating their suffering, spending quality time with them, showing them God's word as it works in our lives, and ultimately loving them, thereby showing them the kingdom of heaven and revealing and bringing glory to Him whom we are really serving (Jn 13:34).
It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous , but sinners.
All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
The Spirit of the Soverign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners...
1.27.2009
1.26.2009
Response to It's All Relative - Thoughts From Sarah
I agree with everything you just said.
As someone that has grown up in a religious family, gone to the same church since birth, and has been an active member since she was 13, I find myself asking "What does it all mean now 14 years later?
We live in relatively religious community. We are governed with Christian principles. Most of us label ourselves as Christians, yet God is so distant to many.
During my years as a campus student, there were many ups and downs with my walk with God. I learned to love Him, His Word, and the Message it taught. I made forever friends who have loved me through the darkest of times. I was excited to be a part of a mega campus ministry! I was so happy and in love with the church family I was a part of. I cared deeply for others and served whenever I could. I shared my faith with everyone I could. I met strangers on the road specifically to tell them about Jesus. However, I felt a lot of guilt for many things. I worried what my fellow church members thought of me. I worried if I didn't "look the part" of a Christian. I worried that my clothes weren't cool enough, or my hair wasn't styled just right. I felt guilty when I did not share with the stranger on the elevator. I worried that I wasn't as spiritual as others. I desperately wanted the approval of everyone.
I do not say these things to blame my church or my campus experiences. I made many wonderful decisions, as well as some not wonderful decisions. I grew in my faith, my love for God, and my love for others.
Years later as I grow older in my Christian walk, much has changed. I do not constantly invite strangers to church on the bus. I do not feel guilty if I do not "talk about Jesus" to the cashier in the grocery store. I do not feel guilty for not sharing the Good News with all that I pass by. Sometimes I wear sweat pants and no makeup to church. I work hard to no longer worry what others think of me. I am in love with my Lord, and love sharing with others about Him. However, what drives me now is what my husband constantly reminds me of: People know who Jesus is. People know He died for them. People know the Message. My job, as a Christian is to constantly redefine who He is to me, as well as whom He is to others. I work now to show others a Jesus they didn't learn about in Sunday school on a felt board; but rather a Jesus who is full of grace, compassion, and mercy. The Jesus I know loves me in spite of who I am. He forgives me when I mess up, when I do not take time to read his Word, when I do not take time to talk to Him. No, my Lord is not passive or lukewarm. But, he forgives. He understands. He is free from guilt. This Jesus is the Jesus that I know and love. He is the One who gave me my life, my relationship with Him, an amazing Godly man, and the hope of one day raising children to love and serve Him! I am excited about this Jesus. While I no longer have the dream of being in the full time ministry, I see my ministry as the community I am apart of. My ministry is the people who live in my building, the people I work with daily, the people on my street. My ministry is in my favorite coffee shop, and bookstore. My ministry is to show my community who Jesus is through the love, gratitude, and servitude in my life. My ministry is to show others what life is like when you love God with no inhibitions. This is my definition of Christianity.
"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast?
And have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you. See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands. You walls are ever before Me." Isaiah 49:15-16
As someone that has grown up in a religious family, gone to the same church since birth, and has been an active member since she was 13, I find myself asking "What does it all mean now 14 years later?
We live in relatively religious community. We are governed with Christian principles. Most of us label ourselves as Christians, yet God is so distant to many.
During my years as a campus student, there were many ups and downs with my walk with God. I learned to love Him, His Word, and the Message it taught. I made forever friends who have loved me through the darkest of times. I was excited to be a part of a mega campus ministry! I was so happy and in love with the church family I was a part of. I cared deeply for others and served whenever I could. I shared my faith with everyone I could. I met strangers on the road specifically to tell them about Jesus. However, I felt a lot of guilt for many things. I worried what my fellow church members thought of me. I worried if I didn't "look the part" of a Christian. I worried that my clothes weren't cool enough, or my hair wasn't styled just right. I felt guilty when I did not share with the stranger on the elevator. I worried that I wasn't as spiritual as others. I desperately wanted the approval of everyone.
I do not say these things to blame my church or my campus experiences. I made many wonderful decisions, as well as some not wonderful decisions. I grew in my faith, my love for God, and my love for others.
Years later as I grow older in my Christian walk, much has changed. I do not constantly invite strangers to church on the bus. I do not feel guilty if I do not "talk about Jesus" to the cashier in the grocery store. I do not feel guilty for not sharing the Good News with all that I pass by. Sometimes I wear sweat pants and no makeup to church. I work hard to no longer worry what others think of me. I am in love with my Lord, and love sharing with others about Him. However, what drives me now is what my husband constantly reminds me of: People know who Jesus is. People know He died for them. People know the Message. My job, as a Christian is to constantly redefine who He is to me, as well as whom He is to others. I work now to show others a Jesus they didn't learn about in Sunday school on a felt board; but rather a Jesus who is full of grace, compassion, and mercy. The Jesus I know loves me in spite of who I am. He forgives me when I mess up, when I do not take time to read his Word, when I do not take time to talk to Him. No, my Lord is not passive or lukewarm. But, he forgives. He understands. He is free from guilt. This Jesus is the Jesus that I know and love. He is the One who gave me my life, my relationship with Him, an amazing Godly man, and the hope of one day raising children to love and serve Him! I am excited about this Jesus. While I no longer have the dream of being in the full time ministry, I see my ministry as the community I am apart of. My ministry is the people who live in my building, the people I work with daily, the people on my street. My ministry is in my favorite coffee shop, and bookstore. My ministry is to show my community who Jesus is through the love, gratitude, and servitude in my life. My ministry is to show others what life is like when you love God with no inhibitions. This is my definition of Christianity.
"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast?
And have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you. See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands. You walls are ever before Me." Isaiah 49:15-16
It's All Relative
During the past few months I have found myself coming back to a particular conversation topic – how relevant is God and Christianity in 2009? As a Christian I would say that God is extremely relevant. But how relevant is God in America? By many accounts it would appear that God and Christianity are doing great in the U.S. We had a president serve for two terms who reportedly represented Christians across the nation. Christian radio stations and book stores are very popular. The former Heisman Trophy winner is an active Christian. I am sure the list of America’s Christian accolades could go on. By some standards it would appear that politics, media, and sports all have the seal of approval from God, and that our nation is accurately living as Christians.
I am not one concerned much with appearances, though. My concerns are not so much about the state of the world, but more so about the state of how Christians are influencing the world. Are we really sharing the truth about God and His plan by the way we live? Would Jesus really limit himself to a political party, or specific media outlets? Should God only be relevant in the lives of those who profess to believe?
As a Christian, I am charged by Jesus to share the truth about God with those around me. This seemingly simple call to action has proven to be very difficult. One of the reasons I have found this to be difficult is because we are living in a time where everyone in the U.S. has heard of Jesus, and everyone has formed an opinion. In many ways we are not only called to share the truth about God and His plan, but we are also obligated to correct misguided opinions of Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, and what it means to be a Christian.
I do not believe that this generation is any further from God than previous generations. I do, however, believe that the world today has different obstacles to accurately see God than previous generations. Through means of travel and the internet our world has become much smaller. We have more access to information and ideas than ever before. The procession of technology is exciting and can be a great tool, but as Christians we need to find a way to keep the truth about God relevant amidst all the information the world has to offer.
Each conversation I have had about American culture and Christianity has left me with more questions than when I first began. Even the act of typing this blog was difficult because with each thought many more questions came to mind. The main reason I am focused on American culture is because I am American, and because I believe our country has a certain level of religiosity that it needs to reconcile with the God it claims to follow. I am on a quest to understand the obstacles that stand between American culture and God. I am not sure that I will ever have exact answers to many of the questions I have – I cannot begin to assume that I know God’s thoughts – but I do believe that looking into some issues deeper will be of some benefit, even if the benefit is as simple as stirring up conversation.
I am not one concerned much with appearances, though. My concerns are not so much about the state of the world, but more so about the state of how Christians are influencing the world. Are we really sharing the truth about God and His plan by the way we live? Would Jesus really limit himself to a political party, or specific media outlets? Should God only be relevant in the lives of those who profess to believe?
As a Christian, I am charged by Jesus to share the truth about God with those around me. This seemingly simple call to action has proven to be very difficult. One of the reasons I have found this to be difficult is because we are living in a time where everyone in the U.S. has heard of Jesus, and everyone has formed an opinion. In many ways we are not only called to share the truth about God and His plan, but we are also obligated to correct misguided opinions of Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, and what it means to be a Christian.
I do not believe that this generation is any further from God than previous generations. I do, however, believe that the world today has different obstacles to accurately see God than previous generations. Through means of travel and the internet our world has become much smaller. We have more access to information and ideas than ever before. The procession of technology is exciting and can be a great tool, but as Christians we need to find a way to keep the truth about God relevant amidst all the information the world has to offer.
Each conversation I have had about American culture and Christianity has left me with more questions than when I first began. Even the act of typing this blog was difficult because with each thought many more questions came to mind. The main reason I am focused on American culture is because I am American, and because I believe our country has a certain level of religiosity that it needs to reconcile with the God it claims to follow. I am on a quest to understand the obstacles that stand between American culture and God. I am not sure that I will ever have exact answers to many of the questions I have – I cannot begin to assume that I know God’s thoughts – but I do believe that looking into some issues deeper will be of some benefit, even if the benefit is as simple as stirring up conversation.
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