Because It Happened...

I am reading N.T. Wright's new book, Surprised by Hope, and ran across a great passage...

"Who, after all, was it who didn't want the dead to be raised? Not simply the intellectually timid or the rationalists. It was, and is, those in power, the social and intellectual tyrants and bullies; the Caesars who would be threatened by a Lord of the world who had defeated the tyrant's last weapon, death itself...

Hope is what you get when you suddenly realize that a different worldview is possible, a worldview in which the rich, the powerful, and the unscrupulous do not after all have the last word. The same worldview shift that is demanded by the resurrection of Jesus is the shift that will enable us to transform the world. (pg. 75)

A few thoughts...

We have those who don't want to believe in anything OR we have those who don't want us to believe in anything. The first group have a problem with the absurdity perhaps, but nonetheless are unwilling to make the step of faith. In some cases we have much in common as we get our eyes focused too much on the earthly things around us...those systems and evils that make us wonder what exactly there is to hope for in the first place. We become cynics instead of hopeful people, joining in the bitter language of our world instead of offering words of life.

Then you have those who don't want us to believe in anything...the resurrected Christ...because this is a direct threat to the powerful systems of the world. The thing about power is that the powerless don't see the opportunity to overcome the powerful to transform the world into something better...something Jesus calls the Kingdom of Heaven.

I think back to the disciples and their sense of failure, betrayal, and abandonment. Their apparent Savior does nothing to overcome Rome and the powers that be. The powers have won. Within three days (and some occurrences thereafter) their world was transformed so deeply and so powerfully that they took head on the powers of the Jewish authorities and Rome...the very ones who put their Savior to death. Something happened...resurrection happened. Jesus lives happened. And because Jesus lives the Kingdom begins.

As Wright says, one of the greatest things that can be held over our heads in attempt to change our world are those who are in power over us. This is not to say we become violent radicals, rather radical proclaimers of a new heavens and a new earth...of the Jesus way here and now...of the Kingdom of God coming and advancing on this earth in the present time. We become bold because the powers have lost their power. While it may look as if they continually win...and they continually try and crush what the Kingdom of God is all about...through the resurrection we know we can go forth boldly living for God's Kingdom knowing that no opposition will stand forever, for Jesus has overcome them all.

I must admit, I feel overcome more times than an overcomer. I think that the way things are is always the way things will be. I wonder how grand of an effect my small life can make on such a great world with systems that are embedded which destroy the value of human life and worth. In reality, I view what can be done on my own...in my own strength...with my own influence. All those things are very pithy. However, when I begin to see this now through the lens of the resurrection, something changes...or at least something should change in my heart. When I see the powers in such a ruling way I'm allowing them the Lordship that Christ deserves, in my life and in the lives of those around me.

Truly this Easter I have been challenged anew to understand and live the resurrection differently. Everything changes because Christ is alive. It gives us not only hope, but the boldness to pray for the Kingdom to come and the power to be an ambassador of that Kingdom.

He is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed!
Amen

At Arms Length

Each Easter we make it a point on Maundy Thursday to take communion as a congregation (this is of course done frequently, but made a special point of during Holy Week). As I was thinking about the communion teaching for tomorrow night's service I realized something: many of us live as if the first covenant was still in place. Let me explain.

Hebrews 9:9 says, "This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper." This took me back to the early story in Genesis of Cain and Abel and the issue of the acceptance of the sacrifice. Most know the story that Abel's was offered and was acceptable while Cain's was not. The issue I believe had to do with the heart of obedience, not the sacrifice.

It takes me as well to the story of Saul's premature sacrifices in 1 Samuel 15. Samuel responds to the sacrifices of Saul by saying: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?"

And herein lies our challenge as Hebrews presents it later in 9:13: "The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean."

Outwardly clean.

Inwardly impure.

Appearance is a funny thing in our culture, as is belief. You can appear a certain way and be completely opposite. You can say you believe a certain way and live completely opposite. Much of the 'sacrifices' we make are only good enough to make us seem outwardly clean while inwardly we remain unaffected and even worse off then before...thinking somehow those external sacrifices have done something to cleanse the internal domination of sin. We exchange sacrifice for obedience just as Saul or Cain.

Thus we live under the first covenant...at arms lenght...remaining satisfied to do the right things externally while inwardly living unsubmitted to the Lordship of Christ which brings us freedom and deliverance from sin.

As I approach the Eucharist table tomorrow night I want to do so in a way that takes in anew and again the cleansing of Christ of my sins. I also want to renew in my faith and walk with Christ the victory of sin Christ brings me.

"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

Hebrews 9:14

Are You Spent?

I'm coming off a long hiatus here, but I finally feel I've got something to share, however brief it may be.

As a child I really feel I was sheltered, or maybe just unaware, of the problems people were facing. Now at almost 30 years old I'm faced with them everyday. I'm faced with my own issues, and I'm made very aware of the falleness of the world around me as I take phone calls and listen to people and where they're at. I could say that 'it's ministry', but I think I'd rather say 'it's everywhere.' You can't escape the fallen nature of the world...the hurts, the evils, all of it. But there's got to be a better way, doesn't there?

Enter a brief hymn of Paul in the beginning of 2 Corinthians that brought much encouragement to me this morning. Here it is:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion
and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can
comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from the
God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through
Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and
salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient
endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because
we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Ever realize how life seems to have those two poles: suffering and comfort? The tension of joy and sorrow? The tension where everything is held together and everything is falling apart? The beauty of Paul's words is that we are held together in Christ...pulled toward suffering and despair by the events of everyday life, but yet pulled toward hope by the salvation of Jesus Christ.

So many times I just want to give in. It's so easy to give in and just go down the spiral of suffering into disillusionment and despair. However, in my experience thus far, God is here to strengthen us and give us hope in what seems like hopeless situations. This is the promise of God in this present life, is it not? That somehow though we'll have trouble in this world we've overcome it through Christ. It has not overcome us.