Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Whom Shall we Serve

I have been reading the book "The Myth of a Christian Nation" by Gregory Boyd. I have been just fascinated by what the author has to say in regards to the need for the church to be more like Christ and less like the rest of the world. He uses a great contrast of the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world. Boyd points out that the church, especially the "conservative evangelical" church has used the techniques of this world not of the kingdom of God. My take on what he has to say is that we need to not sit around and criticize the moral state of our nation, or call the action back to its Christian roots. What those who are Christ Followers need to be doing is coming along side of those who we would call sinners instead of judging them. I realize that classifying groups of people as sinners I am doing some judgement, and revealing some of my theological leanings. The point, however is that Jesus identified people as having sin in their life, but did not judge them, even though He is the only one who has the right to judge. Instead Jesus spent his time with those who were notorious sinners, and those that were the outcasts of society. The church of today has become sterile, dual meaning intended. We all too often like things nice neat and clean, and we expect the same of the people we interact with. The church has become sterile in that it often fails to reproduce, not itself but the Calvary love of God. So, we are left to ponder what do we do now? We could lament about what needs to be done, or we could answer the call. Not the call to programs and artificial care. But answer the call to be ever increasing in our Christlikeness. Every Christ Follower, not just a select few, should be spending their life serving those who Christ served. We should do with with all that we are and everything we have. Question to chew on: would Jesus be a republican, democrat or independent?

4 comments:

Unknown said...

As a nation, we have become so polarized as to derail "Christians" from Jesus' call to serve the widows, orphans, hungry, naked, and imprisoned. I'm guilty of this to a large degree.

I'm ofended when a municipality removes the Ten Commandments from the village square or outlaws a Christmas Nativity scene or when my 5 year-old's preschool uses, "holiday tree," refusing to say, "Christmas tree." But how offended am I at the conditions the homeless amongst us exist with, at the way in which poverty-level single moms are opressed, and at the pathetic recidivism rates of state prisons?

Here in Bingamton, we're hosting Rev. Franklin Graham in June. Opposition has tried to stop the Franklin Graham Festival organization from using a NY State facility at Binhamton University citing his various public comments in the media about homosexuals & AIDS, hurricane Katrina, and Islam as hate speech. Like it or not, Rev. Graham has as much a right to speak at a State facility in NY as anyone.

Is there a balance between involvement in national issues that concern mainstream Christians and serving the "least of these" as a Christ Follower? Perhaps. While you ponder that, turn off the TV and go help someone in need...preferably an atheist homosexual homeless ex-con. Don't turn the TV back on until you do it.

Bill said...

Hey Aaron,
Jesus would be an Activist, make that Jesus IS an Activist.
Why are we, why am I, so passive?

Message to self:
There is no fruit at the trunk of the tree - get out on the edge on the end of the limb where the fruit is.
Bill

Jeff said...

I think that a ral question is being asked here. Would Jesus register as a republican or democrat? Or a third party? Or not register at all? Would he position himself inside or outside the system? Would he attempt to influence the system behind the scenes? Would he avoid politics altogether? What would he do? What should we do?

Anonymous said...

I think some of this goes along with your first message. We as a society are always trying to lump Jesus into some solid cliche. That Todd Agnew song you sent over to me is really rolling around in my head. Jesus to me is the guy is the sweatfilled T-shirt, with dirt under his nails from working the 12hr shift in the fields. . ya know, the guy that is always assumed to be to dirty. As Todd Agnew says " My Jesus wouldn't be accepted in my church. The blood and the dirt on his feet might stain the carpet" I think this is a distinct block that is a struggle in the modern church. We tend to get so hung up on image and less on what is really important. We are all guilty of judgement.