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Coming into Eastertide, I suppose the pain and suffering of Jesus on our behalf is easy to gloss over with so much as a shiny, plastic egg. But, even just a quick glance over my shoulder and I see them there—John and Mary, Christ's mother, with Mary Magdelene holding the giver of life's lifeless form. It's the gruesome reality of the ravages of sin and the gut-wrenching realization that the one who bore it all was, himself, sinless. The depth of the love of Jesus, the supremacy of his power to overcome sin and death, and the offer of his sacrifice as grace to us all is the force of Eastertide. It's the reason we can move beyond the pinned-down hellishness of Good Friday to the uncontainable joy now set before us. It's a very costly freedom, and oh how quickly we forget.
In my observation of the American church of late, it appears we prefer to forget the passion that brought us to the party. We want it all—except for the in the trenches messy stuff. Please don't misunderstand, church is a place to feel good. I have had many moments of deepest comfort and joy in church. But, church is also a place to get your hands dirty. It is the place from which we are sent to both tend the fields and bear fruit in keeping with repentance. I don't know about you, but I have never seen a gardener with clean fingernails.
Not long ago, Tulsa's own Carlton Pearson rebranded his theology with a "Doctrine of Inclusion." Simply put, it cuts the gospel off at the knees to give everyone a free pass into heaven. No muss. No fuss. No repentance necessary. God has not only paid the bill, he's paid the cover charge. Just one question sir, "What, then, is the point?" Pack it up and stay home Mr. Pearson. Spare us the hefty carbon footprint of your facilities, and save the electricity used to broadcast your services on NPR.
But, don't order yet! There's more! In addition to being saved without even really thinking about it, you can have "Your Most Abundant Life Now!" Joel Osteen preaches in an easy, breezy, bff way with just enough "bless me Jesus" to make it sound like a real sermon. Sorry Joel, to single you out. In reality, the name it and claim it crowd has been around for a while. Google "prosperity gospel" and you'll see a roll call of the usual suspects, Creflo Dollar, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer and don't forget, Paul and Jan Crouch. The premise is that I can will God's abundance to myself, because if I say it and believe it, God is bound to me to do it. Pastor Gary E. Gilley writes of this movement, "In Word Faith religion, the believer is told to use God, whereas the truth of biblical Christianity is just the opposite, God uses the believer. Word Faith or prosperity theology sees the Holy Spirit as a power to put to use for whatever the believer wills. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a Person who enables the believer to do God's will."(1)
Don't call just yet! We'll also include a gospel so comfortable, you probably won't even know you're hearing the Word of God. The emergent church has a lot of interesting possibilities, but when I read Donald Miller quoted lauding Ann Lamott for being "...like the only Christian writer who can just drop an F-bomb every few pages, and no one notices"(2) I wonder what the congregation is emerging from (or to) exactly. If you're reading about spiritual regeneration and you don't notice the "f-bomb", perhaps it's because the percussion of the mortar obliterated your discernment. I suppose it's the logical extension of the seeker-friendly movement of the '90s. Now, here in the new century it's all about the seeking and not so much what can be found.
A lack of imagination? A lack of courage? To address our deepest needs we must get past our own wants and remember the Kingdom of God is not an earthly kingdom. I wish I could remember what I was reading to attribute the quote, but I once read, "Our experience on earth is the closest a Christian will ever get to hell. And it's the closest the non-believer will ever come to heaven." Confusion about destination. I think that's a part of the problem. That, and, forgetting that I am not the central figure of the gospel message—Jesus Christ is.
My pastor, Dr. Miller, recently preached from Mark 10. He spoke of James and John making their audacious request in verse 35, "Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. 'Teacher,' they said, 'we want you to do for us whatever we ask.'"
But Jesus, wants them to get specific about their need, "'What do you want me to do for you?' he asked" (Mark 10:36).
Dr. Miller went on to describe the scene, "The divine vending machine was full of tasty treats but they knew just what they wanted, 'They replied, 'Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory'" (Mark 10:37). This response indicates they caught at least a little bit of what Jesus had just said about the event of his suffering that was quickly approaching.
And here it comes (italics mine): "'You don't know what you are asking', Jesus said. 'Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?'" (Mark 10:38).
Turns out, they named it, claimed it—and eventually got it—the part about the cup and baptism that is, "'We can,' they answered. Jesus said to them, 'You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared'" (Mark 10:39-40).
The psalmist wove the opposing forces of pain and joy together in Psalm 51 when he wrote,
"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
"Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
"Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity." —Psalm 51:7-9
No one wants to be crushed. No one, who is mentally healthy, invites pain. Jesus himself was so burdened by his obedience to the cross that he sweat drops of blood as he pleaded with God for another way. But, our reality is this: we all must be broken by the cross. Mark 20:18 presents the two options available to us, "Everyone who falls on that stone [Jesus] will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."
There are easier religions. There are easier versions of Christianity. But there is no other way to eternal life in the presence of God than through Jesus.
So we can join the crowd around the cross on Good Friday and shout to Jesus, "Get down from there and we will believe" or "How can you save us if you can't save yourself?" "Save yourself then, and we will follow!" All the while missing the boat entirely. Missing the fact that for Jesus to do what we ask would negate the sacrifice and the power of it. It would be spectacular. And empty.
Emptiness belongs to death and the tomb. Death, that silent bell that no longer rings, its mouth cracked and its clapper gone missing.
No, Jesus stayed. He remained faithful to his Father and his mission and his love. He knew to save us, to generate belief, resurrection, not rebellion was needed and necessary. Surely getting off that cross on Friday would have made Jesus happy. But his eye was on the prize. His eye was on the joy of heaven.
Obedience to Christ might not always feel good (just ask a prophet) but God will always be good.
"For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you." —2 Corinthians 4:5-12
