Thomas' Role Model

Luke 7

18 John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" 20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?' " 21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me."

This passage is from Luke 7, after Jesus had been performing many miracles and even claiming the Sonship of God. In Luke 3:22, a voice from heaven (presumably God's) calls Jesus his Son outright. The first chapter of John's gospel shows John giving assent to Jesus' divinity. Yet, in chapter 7, we encounter John's crisis of faith, going so far as to question the messiahship of Jesus. John had seen or heard of the miracles, and most likely had even heard the voice of God during Jesus' baptism. So why did John doubt the messiahship of Jesus?

I think a major part of understanding John's question is to recognize the circumstances John was in. He sent his disciples to ask Jesus this question while he was in a prison cell. Also, John was asking this question, not in spite of Jesus' miracles, but because of them. If Jesus was powerful enough to perform all those healings, why was He not powerful enough to rescue John from prison?

Jesus did not seem too upset by the question. In fact, he blesses those who follow God in spite of His ministry: "Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me." In essence, Jesus is saying, "Yes, I show the way to God for some, but I may make it harder for others." This is the paradox of Christ's life. Depending on where we are in life, and what circumstances we are undergoing, Jesus either makes it easier or more difficult for us to connect to God. John didn't have a problem with Jesus’ messiahship while he was preaching in the desert; in fact, he welcomed it. But when he found himself in prison, the way wasn't so easy, and doubts naturally came to the surface.

There are so many things I love about this story (I know, it's a strange story to love), a few being:

John, whether asking from frustration or a real desire to discern truth, was bold enough to ask THE question. This was not the equivalent of an inerrancy debate - this was what Truth depended on. Is Jesus really God? If that discussion is a biblical precedent, then I think we can handle anything in the emerging church conversation.

Jesus didn't answer the question. He treasured John's ability to decide by the Spirit's leading. Jesus presented His track record, and gave John the freedom to decide for himself.

Jesus recognized the frustration and pain of John, and blessed (blesses) those who ask tough questions. Sometimes, I think Christians are afraid to diminish God's honor or offend His sensibilities by asking point blank questions. At least in this story, Jesus not only recognizes John's right to ask the question, but his courage to get to the point.

Peace & Blessings.

Christian Improvisation

I discovered jazz during my seminary years in New Orleans. Ah ... the Big Easy, the Crescent City. Of course, I had heard jazz before, either played well on compact disc, or played poorly by live bands in my hometown of Pensacola. But nothing prepared me for the spiritual encounter that was live jazz in the clubs of New Orleans. It was not just an auditory experience, but a whole body involvment. I found my legs and hands moving to the zig-zag rhythms without conscious thought, my astral body merging with those of the performers, feeling their heartbeats played out on the drums, guitars, piano, sax. My love affair with jazz wasn't a simple tango with the music, but a surrender to the culture surrounding the music: all types of people, from all walks of life, actively participating in a common mystical union around the players.

Recently, I've begun thinking about the relationship of jazz culture with the Christian life. Rather than Christianity being a set of creeds to which assent is expected, I think a more real Christianity will look like a hodge-podge of people gathered around a common Person experiencing life in so many different ways. So, how is Christianity like improvised jazz to me?

1. Real Christianity isn't boring! Who knew? It's an active, full-body experience to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and physicality.
2. Real Christianity is rhythmic, but in myriad ways. In other words, it ain't just done one way. The person is my brother who prefers easy listening jazz, though I prefer funky, innovative jazz. The rhythms all lead to the Performer. Please do not think I'm talking about worship styles here:)
3. Real Christianity is about community. The joy of joining others in mututal worship of the Performer, whether by foot-stomping, hand-clapping, or crying is so much more fun than just listening all by myself. Yes, I said FUN (see # 1).
4. Real Christianity is about people. Jesus ate with everybody - usually with the people Christians won't even talk to. He didn't prefer the Samaritans over the Jews; the prostitutes over the married women; the dishonest government workers over his disciples. He welcomed every single person to His table, or asked if He was welcome at theirs.
5. Real Christianity is about imagination, about telling a story. The story is the greatest one ever told, and it's told in so many different ways. The story characters have different faces, different voices, different lifetsyles. But the story is always told, and the Performer is always recognized.

Live an improvised, invigorating Christian life. Follow the rhythms into the gracious arms of Christ. Don't let your journey with God grow stale.

Peace & Blessings.

Sola Christos

The traditional mantra of evangelical Christianity since the Protestant Reformation has been sola scriptura, or scripture alone. Whether or not the original intention of this idea was to make an idol of the Bible, that has too often become the case in modern evangelicalism. Truth, as an objective reality, has been equated with the actual words of the Bible. Was this ever the intention of God, or has Christianity become a book-based spirituality rather than a person-based spirituality?

Whenever I think of Truth, I think of it in terms of relationship, not in terms of propositions and doctrines. To me, Truth is a Person, Jesus Christ. Otherwise, how can we possibly understand the many verses of scripture referring to Jesus (a person) as the truth? Take a look at the following verses while trying to reconcile the modern idea of truth as right propositions.

"For me, to live is Christ."

"I am the way, the truth, and the life."

"I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

"You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life."

To live is Christ. How can this make sense in any other context than truth as relationship? It makes much less sense to say, "To live is the virgin birth." People do not live by propositions, but by relationships. Everything that is anything is bound up in a series of relationships, without which there really is no meaning. I ... am the truth. This is the most plain biblical statement of the person of Jesus being equated with actual truth. Christ does not precede "the truth" with statements of dogma - He begins the sentence with a proper noun, Himself. There is no full truth outside the person of Jesus. A book cannot be perfect truth. Only a Person can accomplish that. The third verse gives Christians a clear view of what the Bible is: a witness to the Truth. Jesus encoutnered the same problem in his day, with religious people wanting to make the scriptures the end all of truth. Life is found not in religious texts, but in a personal relationship with Christ.

Robert Webber asks a relevant question: "Do we believe in a book or a person?" It is an either/or question. Either there is one, perfect true direction of worship, or there is not. Only God can be perfect, and perfection deserves our worship. Leonard Sweet has written a wonderful book dealing in part with this subject:

http://www.randomhouse.com/waterbrook/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781578566471

Peace & Blessings.