Messiah*

Messiah*

Over the last couple of weeks we have looked at some normal, everyday people who deepened their relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  Both Lydia and Cornelius were seekers of God.  They had already exhausted what their regional theological traditions were offering - they both needed more.  Both found resonance with the Jewish faith and both practiced their faith even though they never fully, officially  converted to Judaism.  Both would have been familiar with the apocalyptic hope which was fervent in the first century.  They would be wondering what the anticipated Messiah would be like, and what his coming would mean for the world and all of its intertwined systems.  What would it mean for Lydia's successful business if the Messiah overthrew the royalty?  Who would buy her goods?  What would it mean for Cornelius if the Roman Empire was toppled?  As a high ranking officer, what challenges would he face?

Which leads us to 756.  Or, more accurately, 756*.

On August 7, at 8:15 pm, a small white ball traveled 435 feet off the wooden stick held by Barry Bonds.  It was quite a ride for that ball, and was just the beginning of its fame.  That night, Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's all-time career home run record.  The ball was auctioned off - it went for over $750,000, from Marc Ecko's wallet.  And then he created a website to allow 10M of his closest friends decide the fate of the ball.  The votes rolled in, and it was determined to brand the famous ball with an asterisk.

Even non-baseball fans (e.g., Dodger fans) heard about the asterisk.  Why would so many people wanted the ball branded before it found it was entombed in the Baseball Hall of Fame?  Bonds found himself at the center of the debate revolving around steroid use.  In the court of human opinion, many believed that the only reason Bonds was able to break the record was because he used performance enhancing drugs.  The asterisk is a reminder - forever - that this was in question.

For most Jewish people living in the first century, when the story of Jesus was told of him being the long-awaited Messiah, there was an asterisk next to his name.  The story starts off strong - lots of stats that are very impressive.  He was in the Davidic line, he healed people, he taught well, he lived right, no skeletons in his closet, etc.  But then came that horrible Passover week.  Like other revolutionary figures, the Roman government moved Jesus quickly through their judicial process, found him guilty, and immediately carried out "justice".  He was crucified - a horrible death meant to instill fear in the hearts of all who looked upon it.  So far, this wasn't asterisk worthy.  It's what happened next that created the unavoidable brand: he died.

The long-awaited Messiah doesn't get killed - he champions those who try to kill him!  He can't be the Messiah because he was defeated.

There is much controversy over the details immediately following his death: who was Joseph of Arimethea, why did he want to handle Jesus' corpse, and where did he put it.  If you really want a careful examination of the events immediately following the death of Jesus and his burial, read James McGrath's The Burial of Jesus: What Does History Have to do With Faith?  Some in Christendom are very uncomfortable with apparent discrepancies, and simply write them off as inconsequential differences in details from varying perspectives.  Historians object, however, and question the historical merit of later Gospel writers.  but one thing is clear from all voices at the table: Jesus died, and the disciples were none too shy to say so.

This point is somewhat lost on us because of our familiarity with the story and because traditionally our focus is on Easter, not on Good Friday, when Jesus' death is commemorated.  But I think  Easter is significantly strengthened when we appreciate Jesus' death more deeply.  As has already been mentioned, most people, upon hearing this news, would write off Jesus-as-Messiah altogether.  End of conversation.  The Jewish Messiah doesn't lose, and death is the ultimate defeat.  What probably kept people in the conversation, however, was their realization that Jesus' death in no way deterred his apostles from declaring the Gospel message.  Death was not the end, nor was it simply a necessary stopping point en route to Easter dawn.  

I've been pondering Jesus' death a lot this week, and I think there are three aspects that are worth some serious reflection.  The first and least has to do with forgiveness of sin.  Least only because of its level of saturation in our culture.  When John's Gospel introduces us to Jesus as he was beginning his ministry with baptism, John the Baptist declares, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world."  It think God is an endlessly, recklessly, lavishly, prodigiously forgiving God.  Seeing Jesus' death as a final sacrifice certainly accentuates this truth.  But I think that our culture for the most part already assumes God's grace.  Go to any funeral and you will find people absolutely certain that "Uncle Harold" is sipping through his case of Bud fishing for trout in that holy river in the sky, even though he never gave a rip about God or anybody but himself his entire life.  Why do we say such things with such confidence?  I believe it's because the message of God's amazing grace has been clearly communicated for a long time.  This is somewhat ironic, since Fundamentalism has been strongest over the last 200 years in our country, and generally leans toward an ungraceful depiction of God - God only forgives, ultimately, a minority of people.  That same vantage point has in my opinion over-emphasized the priestly understanding of Jesus' death, which is all about eradicating sin.  Unfortunately, that message is so loud it drowns out two other equally impressive truths about Jesus' death.

Given that Jesus was recognized as a healer and brilliant teacher, his death would have been striking.  Couldn't he have worked some magic or said a prayer to get down from that cross?  Called in some angels for air support, perhaps?  He didn't, because that would have been inconsistent with his teaching and his life's message.  Jesus was radically non-violent, even when taunted and beaten.  That's commitment to your cause.  That gets my attention more than if he pulled a Rambo maneuver and turned the tables on Rome.  He died for the message he came to bring consistent with how he lived: with grace.  That commands great respect in my book.  That requires tremendous courage and strength.  That keeps me listening.

Jesus was not afraid to  call people to serious commitment.  Some of his greatest crowds heard him speak, and then walked away from him when he actually called them to sacrifice for him and the Kingdom of God he came to bring.  The death of Jesus, then, becomes the ultimate model for what it means to be his disciple: really willing to sell out for the Kingdom.  People who are really looking for that bigger vision than their personal kingdom resonate with this.  People like Lydia and Cornelius who had all the luxury they needed yet sought for something greater.  They found it in the message of Jesus, and in the inherent call to give their lives to the cause if they really wanted to see the Kingdom come.  And they did.

I think Jesus would have similar results today as he did in the first century.  I think most people today would walk away from his message when the call for commitment was issued.  I think we would really struggle with the tension of living sacrificially, allowing God to influence the stewardship of everything we are and own, and humanity's natural desires that are so often rooted in greed for more stuff, more power, more security, more...  Insatiable appetites for more.  Maybe I'm the only one who struggles with this tension?

I think the death of Jesus with its deep implications would move me to commit.  What happened at Easter and Pentecost would be incredible bonuses, of course, but the whole life of Jesus finds the perfect climax in his death.

What for some is an asterisk that forever casts doubt is for me cause to follow with greater abandon.  May it have similar affect on you.  May we see the Kingdom increasingly come as we follow the call to live so boldly.

*Killed by Rome and Buried

Real Deal Jesus People: Cornelius

Last week we took at look at Lydia, a highly accomplished businesswoman who discovered that life was bigger than the accumulation of wealth and goods.  Her persistent seeking of God led her to hear from the Apostle Paul, who introduced her to the story of Jesus.  Her life was forever and immediately changed.  She kept her business going strong, presumably, because she was instrumental in underwriting Paul's continued mission to start new "Jesus communities".  Smart business folks, if they catch the much bigger vision of Jesus, continue to enjoy their lives, but make it possible for innumerable others to enjoy theirs a bit more, too.

Today we're taking a look at another Real Deal Jesus People type: Cornelius.  Cornelius lived in Caesarea (cf. Acts 10).  Had you lived in the first century, you would already have some things in mind about Cornelius.  He's not Jewish, first of all, and he's living in what used to be a sleepy little Jewish village called Strato's Tower.  Once Rome took over, however, the town was remade into the provincial capital, and was home to the governor of that region.  Rome funded massive improvements which included a man-made harbor, theater, amphitheater, hippodrome, and a temple to Caesar.  Obviously, the majority of inhabitants were not Jewish, although they represented a significant minority - enough to cause notable friction over the years.

Cornelius was a centurion - a highly esteemed role in the Roman military.  He commanded 80 men (not 100, as his title would suggest), and a relatively high salary as well.  He lived in the Upper Class, stationed in a beautiful city on the Mediterranean.

Like Lydia, he sought to know God.  Interestingly, while he certainly must have gone through the paces of declaring allegiance to Caesar, there must have been room for him to pray outside the lines.  He was drawn to the teachings of Judaism, was known for his significant acts of charity toward the Jews, and is noted in this account as practicing two of the three disciplines exercised by pious Jews (prayer and alms giving).  It was during one such time of prayer that he experienced something extraordinary: an angel of God approached him in a vision.

God must have been confused.  Cornelius was a Gentile, after all.  Perhaps the angel made a mistake.  Maybe the angel needed to begin wearing glasses?

No mistake, the angel instructed Cornelius to send for the Apostle Peter, who was staying at a tanner's house in Joppa - about 30 miles to the south.  Cornelius the centurion God-seeker paid listened and acted.  No sooner did his prayer end than he sent two servants and one of his soldiers to fetch Peter.

The next day Peter was also in prayer, when he experienced an incredible vision.  Pause a moment.  Two leaders with lots to do took time to be still before God.  their choice to be available to God made it possible for them to experience God speaking into their lives.  As one of the original disciples, we expect Peter to be on God's speed dial, of course, and receive messages from God.  God's vision for Peter was that God wanted to invite all people to experience the power of Jesus and his Way, not just Jews.  To push to point, God informed Peter that men were coming to take him to Caesarea to meet with a significant Gentile.

Then there was a knock at the door.

Peter ended up going to tell the story of Jesus to Cornelius and his household.  In the middle of his teaching, God's Spirit came on the listeners in much the same way that happened at Pentecost.  If there ever was a sign that God included them, this was it.  Peter invited them to be baptized, and Cornelius and his household became the first Gentile converts to the Way.  This would prove strategic, for with a couple of decades, only a small fraction of Christians were Jewish.  Certainly, because of Cornelius, the door to broaden the scope of Christianity was opened.  Undoubtedly, he continued his disciplines of prayer and financial support, which provided the means for unknown numbers of people to experience the transforming power of God as they embraced Jesus and his Way.  We can assume Cornelius continued to enjoy his life in leadership - there is no evidence otherwise.  Yet his vision was bigger than himself, and he responded to what he heard and helped change the world.

What if Cornelius and Peter never took time for silence before God?  How small would their vision have remained?  Certainly, they both would have been comfortable in their ignorance, but we can see how much more their lives made a difference because they were building time into their lives to listen for God.  

It is entirely probable that God has instruction for you that will blow your mind, enlarge your vision, and significantly increase the impact your life can have in this world for God's redemptive purposes.  But we'll never know if we don't show up and listen...

Real Deal Jesus People: Lydia

If you are reading this, and you have European ancestry in your DNA, you have Lydia to thank.

Lydia was a successful businesswoman living in the first century C.E.  She apparently own a business which specialized in producing purple clothing and fabric.  If she purple was a car, it would be a Bugatto Veyron Super Sports car, which won the most expensive street legal car awhile back, costing a mere $2.4M.  If you happen to be royalty, this may seem trivial.  Purple was the color afforded only by royalty and the very elite.  No doubt, Lydia found a niche, and did very well.

But we know from reading her story in Acts 16 that money, business success and being on the A-List did not buy her happiness.  She sought solace in the religion offered by her region, and by her government, and kept seeking.  Somewhere along her journey she caught wind of Judaism's monotheistic way of relating to God.  We aren't sure what compelled her to follow exactly.  Maybe it was that the God taught by Judaism made sense - God cares about the world God created and the people in it, is all about justice, ending strife, and making the world and her inhabitants more like the Eden dream.

One Sabbath while she was attending a prayer meeting, a well-educated Jewish teacher was present, and shared news that brought Judaism's God even closer to home.  Paul spoke of Jesus, his teaching, his ministry, his death, resurrection, and the Kingdom of God growing through all who believe.  She was enamored by what she heard, embraced it fully, was baptized and became the first European convert to the Way of Christ.

She was a changed person, evidenced by her immediate generosity toward Paul and his cohorts.  But it didn't end there.  She opened up her home to the Kingdom of God.  A church began in her living room.  But she realized the Kingdom wasn't just for her home and community.  This news needed to spread.  So, in recognition of all that God had entrusted to her, she invested significant resource toward Paul's ongoing missionary efforts.  Years later, Paul would brag about the generosity of the Philippian church.  Lydia was cutting big checks to make sure the news of Jesus spread.

Lydia's very life challenges us to examine ourselves.  Are we at a place where we really believe that our relationship with God is more central to meaningful life   than money, status, and creature comforts?  Are we open to the new things God is wanting to reveal to us, as Lydia was open to being stretched?  HAve we been so caught by what God is doing in the world that we cannot help but be changed?  Are we at a place where we genuinely say to God, "My life, my stuff, my money, my status, my identify, my future is yours"?

If Lydia had not led the generosity charge, it is difficult to determine what would have happened to the Christian movement.  What we do know is that her faith was evident in the way she lived her life, and that her choices spread the word of Jesus effectively so that one day I would be compelled to embrace the same Good News as a Dutch-German guy, and you would be reading this to be challenged to do the same.

Thank God for Lydia!  Thank God that we have the opportunity to make a similar impact with our lives should we follow in her footsteps.

120304 #1

What can you tell me about Jesus' social status?  Was he rich or poor?  Was he at the top of the social ladder or closer to the bottom?  Was he used to calling the shots or being told what to do?

Jesus was dirt poor - likely happy to eat something just once a day.  He was lower than a peasant, which meant that he didn't have authority over anyone, really. He was very aware of his position - he was no doubt reminded of it daily.

So when he grew into his ministry, he knew a thing or two about the mindset of the 99.7% who shared the planet with him.  Except for the .3% who ruled or were government or military officials or were business owners or were priests, the rest struggled every day.  But they were very accustomed to a world where they had people above them telling them what to do.  That was life.  There was no getting around it.

The American Dream hadn't been dreamt yet, where a person could - at least in theory - rise above their position and be whoever they wanted to be.  That was centuries away.

This is important, because when Jesus called people to make God their Lord, people understood it better than we do.  Lordship meant someone else was calling the shots - not themselves.  For Jesus' contemporaries, calling God "Lord" was a trade up from only following the lordship of the man who owned the land they worked.  God was a higher authority, and a better leader.

In Luke 6, Jesus ends his incredibly rich and deep teaching with a story: “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

Both people built a house.  Both people chose a foundation (rock v. sand).  Both people experienced the storm.  One person came out the other side with their house still standing - the other was let with a terrible mess.  What was the difference?

Jesus was noting the difference between people who simply listen and those who listen and actually do what they were told to do.  The listen-only person enjoyed some interesting reflection on Jesus' teaching while his house was swept away.  The other guy experienced the true power of what Jesus taught - because he did it!

In the United States, we don't have identifiable "lords" anymore.  Nobody "owns" anybody anymore (at least not legally).  So when we are asked to consider embracing the lordship of God, we're not sure what to make of it, because we think we don't have a clue what that means.

The reality, however, is that we are very familiar with lordship.  In the US, everybody is their own lord.  We call the shots for our life.  This is so deeply ingrained in us that the idea of someone else telling us what to do seems automatically wrong and unnatural.  We struggle with lordship, because we want to remain the lord of our own lives.

We are not alone.  Even in Jesus' day, lordship was tough.  Check out these references about common areas people struggle with lordship:

·        Future: “Get behind me, Satan!” (Mk. 8:33)

·        Personal finance: “He went away sad, for he had many possessions.” (Mt. 19:22)

·        Judging: “Take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” (Luke 6:42)

·        Enemies: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” (Luke 6:27)

·        Sexuality: “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

·        Time: “He went up into the hills by himself to pray.” (Matthew 14:23)

Jesus didn't really speak to draw a crowd.  Now and then his message was so challenging that most people walked away.  One pastor in the US said it plainly: "I don't say anything people don't want to hear."  His is the largest congregation in the States.  

The problem is this: not taking the lordship of Christ seriously is a devastating choice, guaranteeing lots of clean up when the storms hit.  We think we can fudge on this, but it really doesn't work that way.  While we are all works in progress, there is a big difference between a person who has decided to follow Christ fully compared to the one who has not.  Their lives are often very different.  One looks a lot more like Jesus, and creates a similar impact.  The other is probably a nice person, and likely blends in really well culturally.  Some incremental good may come from the lord-less, but not compared to the exponential impact that can happen through someone fully committed to Christ.

The Way of Christ is not normal.  It is counter-cultural.  It seeks redemption and grace while the culture supports judgment and retaliation.  One changes the world for the better on purpose, at the cost of themselves.  The other makes the world better primarily for themselves, yet is just as expensive – it’s just simply wasted on small vision.

Before people were identified as Christians, they were simply called the people of the Way.  They were different.  They really did follow the beat of a different Drummer.  Everybody around them could see the difference.

Who do you follow, really?  How does it show?