Ron Cole : off the map...navigating life.

AIDS...and confronting the terminal illness of judgement

 

Last night, working in the emergency department we had a woman maybe in her seventy's come in with her forty year old son. To look at him you would never guess he was forty. He looked older than his mother, he was thin, gaunt and literally wasting away. He didn't have to say a word, you could see pain, suffering, shame and guilt written all over him. He was in the end stages of AIDS. Ravaged by the disease, he was severly dehydrated and dying of malnutrition...and his mom wasn't coping with it all.

Around her neck, I could see she was wearing a cross, so I asked her if she was a part of a church and if she was getting help and being supported there. At this point it was as if I had touched an open wound. Tears started to stream down her face. Handing her some Kleenex she told me, no, that she couldn't tell anyone about her son.

Even if it is not blatantly obvious, it is overt...maybe in her church, tucked in the corner you can see it ...judgement. This lady knew it. Homosexuality she has been told is a sin, and it will be judged, and AIDS is the consequence, the earthly judgement. If that's not bad enough her son still has the eternal torment of hell to face yet. And, of course this judgement I'm sure in her mind is partly about her. I mean, homosexuality is a choice...perhaps if she was a better parent her sons outcome would have been much better.

Who is " this Jesus " that many churches worship...I do not see him anywhere in the gospels ?

And, all the time tumbling around in my mind is this image of Jesus...hanging out with the most marginalized in the world. Somehow, he always seemed to be in the midst of sick, the blind, and crippled beggars...those possessed by demons. He touched the lepers, he kissed and healed them. He touched prostitutes, he came to their rescue...they washed his feet with tears and perfume.

And here is this woman whose gay son is dying of AIDS and there is no one in her church that she can tell. I think, I know Jesus would embrace and love this man without any judgement...and then I see a church, the body of Christ unwilling to move it's legs, to wrap its arms around this young man...or to move its lips and kiss him.

I know some one is going to say the trite, " love the sinner, hate the sin." Sorry, I'm gonna have to cry bull shit on that one. You can't love and judge at the same time...that is a very tainted kind of love. Jesus says we are to simply love...the way he did. The gospels are permeated with this kind of radical scandalous redemptive love. Can we please just learn to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and LOVE till it kills us...a love that you sacrifice everything for.

the other side of the fence...

For the longest time, it was certainty of fact, staying within the chain-link fence of the doctrinal playground. But, it was weird, I started seeing Jesus on the otherside of the fence waving at me. It was like he was calling me away from my certainties to meet him in a new way. So I went. In the midst of the inner city it was like he was saying, " 'if you love me a lot...love these people the same'.... ' Do not love them even one ounce less than you love me." I can't express this " new way " of meeting him as a statement of certitude. But, in this collision of the least, the most marginalized, and Jesus...I have discovered a profound truth that has changed my life forever. I can't tell you exactly what it is...I can only say, " come see for yourself."

...So we cancelled it all!

This is a very telling video that I hope you'll take the time to watch, and really listen to. Shes is very distraught on the one hand about the things that aren't happening...but, in her conversation there are some beautiful vistas that we get a glimpse of...things that are really happening without her. And things, in which the people are learning far more.

 

 

 Well...any thoughts ???

lifting the roof on the proprietors of godly goods and services...

It was about a few days later, and Jesus returned to Capernaum. Word spread like wild fire that he was back home. At first it was a slow trickle, a few people started hanging around outside the house. Then it was as if someone slashed an artery, people were spilling out from everywhere. There was so many people around the house, it was like a plugged sink nothing was getting in or out. Inside the house, Jesus the Kingdom story teller was rebooting the imagination of humanity telling radical, scandalous redemptive parables of an alternative world that turned this one upside down. But there they were four men and a paraplegic weaving through the crowd like a drunken seamstress with a needle. They got as close as they could and couldn't poke their way any further. Sometimes when desperation strikes you have to break something open and create your own window of opportunity.

Walking around the perimeter of the crowd there wasn't even a crack to squeeze through, and that is when up became the only alternative. So scaling the side of the house with their limp, and lifeless friend into the reached the summit. Here, they knocked...punching their way through the roof of the house. They lowered there friend into the midst of Jesus and the front row spectators. Seeing the friends incredible act of faith Jesus said, " Son, your sins are forgiven."

The religious professionals, the proprietors of godly goods and services in their usual front row seats taking notes, squawked among each others like crows, " He can't talk that way! That's blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins...we manage that business."

Jesus knew right away what they were thinking , and said, "Why are you so skeptical?, you think it can't be done without a middle man. Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, 'I forgive your sins,' or say, 'Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking'? Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both . . ." he looked with compassion, a smile filled with grace at the paraplegic, "Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home." 

 And the man did it—got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes, incredulous—and then it was electrical, the buzz of people talking about God, saying, "We've never seen anything like this!"

At this point, religious professionals, the proprietors of godly goods and services were fuming mad, they glared at Jesus...knowing this was going to have a huge impact on the religious business. ( my paraphrase Mark 2:1-12 )

This is one of my favourite stories in the gospels. It confronts our theology from all sides. It's like when you were a kid, and your friends would grab you and spin you around and around and then let you go. You would take a step or two, dizzy and wobbly you would fall on your face...your world spinning around you. Jesus often has this effect on our theological mindset. We don't know much about these four guys and their paraplegic friend, mysteriously weaving their way into the story, literally falling into center of it through the roof.

Amazingly the forgiveness formula is challenged, the A + B = C, repent + belief = forgiveness. These guys haul their neighbor in and the first thing Jesus says, " Son, your sins are forgiven." The guy didn't even ask to be forgiven, didn't make a confession of faith. If we are only forgiven by belief that Jesus " died " for our sins, what's going here? Was he just being forgiven for the instrusion? Here again, grace, like divine lighting unexpectedly strikes...without the religious professionals, the proprietors of godly goods and services giving directions making sure the guy has obeyed all the road signs. We really don't give Jesus very much credit that he infact can do things without our help.

The most profound reality in this story is this nuclear explosion that releases a cosmic redemptive energy that changes everything. Jesus talks about it constantly in the gospels. When we hold to and live out Jesus great command constantly in our comings and goings, in our daily momentary living...loving God to the max, and loving our neighbor to the max. These four guys showed that, their risky love for their lame neighbor, and unwavering love for God brought them to their roof top experience. The redemptive imagination of Jesus comes to life...Jesus comes to life. It's here Jesus doesn't need the religious professionals, the proprietors of godly goods and services, we just need to live in the moment. So much of faith is about things we don't control, that this thing called " grace " like divine lightning can strike anywhere at anytime...forgiving, and healing.

Risk, just living out loving God with absolutely everything you have, and loving your neighbor with everything you have. You might be surprised. 

OK! No more Kingdom language...something more culturally relevant and conservative.

 

There has been some grumbling, and whining around the word " Kingdom " the language and it's use, like ( here ) and ( there). For some it's just not culturally relevant enough...and for the Evangelicals are fearful it's just too liberating. So some, figure people just aren't smart enough to get " it ", and the others its just too grace-filled, like a house with an open door that " anyone ' can walk into. So, here is my attempt to help these people fix the problem of the " Kingdom."

So really if we really want to solve the problem you can't just do a patch job like repairing a leaky roof...as Mike Holmes says, " gut it ", you have to go right back to the start. Now, I'm not going to re-write the whole Bible...I could, but I'm not. I'll just sort of pour a foundation we can build on. Well, hang on, here we go...the beginning.

In the beginning God was lonely, productivity between the other 2 partners was down. Not much was happening except grumbling. The Spirit guy was like he had ADD, just couldn't settle down. " Let's build something ", the Spirit said. The Word guy, " OK, I'll say it and you build it."

Finally there was some creativity among the three partners. 

God said, "Light!" And light appeared. God saw that light was good and separated light from dark. 
God named the light Day, he named the dark Night. It was evening, it was morning—Day One. " Now, we will have daily sales, weekly sales...seasonal sales " God looked at what he made and said, " This is good...very good."

 God thought. " Land to develop!" And the Word guy spoke, " Bulldoze." And the Spirit guy, frenzied went into action. There was dirt flying every where in all directions. " Not good enough!" shouted God. The Word guy stuttered momentarily, but out came the word, " Pavement." Again, the Spirit guy brooded over the ground waving is arms, and suddenly like rolling out carpet, there was a hard surface. God smiled, scratching his head and suddenly shouted, " Parking lot." Day Two. God looked at what he had made and said, " This is good...it is really getting good."

God thought, lost for words put his hand over his head, then moved his arms along his side. Frustrated like a game of charades, shouted out, " sounds like?" Mr. Word, excitedly jumped up and down, shouted, " Building!" Again, like a kid that had eaten far too much candy Mr. Spirit was spinning like a hurricane. Suddenly, there was an enormous building that seem to spread out for miles. God looked on amazed and said, " Yes!...W-mart." Day Three. God looked at what had been made so far and said, " This is better than good...this is freaking awesome."

God looked on stroking his long white beard, " It's a lot of empty space." Mr. Word closed his eyes as if imagining something . Suddenly, out it came, " lets fill it ", he proclaimed, " With stuff, crap and all kinds of junk." Suddenly, there was screaming and yelling, his body twisting and contorting like a crystal meth addict, Mr. Spirit was moving like the wind in and out of the W-mart. In a matter of hours it was filled with everything and anything imaginable. Again, God gave the partners the thumbs up and said, " Merchandise." Day Four. God looked at what had been made so far and glee-ly rubbed his hands and thought, " Marketing!"

Day Five was not a very creative day but it was productive. It was a round table discussion of what to do with this huge mega-building of stuff, the utopian garden, W-mart. The three partners wandered around the immense building, aisle after aisle counting and taking stock, and puting price stickers on all the merchandise. It takes a lot to impress this tri-union business team, but, they were astounded at what they had built. But they were still stumped as what do do with their creation. So God said, " let's call it a day." Day Five. God looked around at what he had made, his eyes flickering like candles ready to go out...suddenly he was snoring.

God dreamed all night, but in the morning he awoke bright-eyed and refreshed. He quickly nudged the other two partners waking them up. He then shared his dream, " let's make people that sort of look like us, but that aren't as smart...and really like the stuff in W-mart." Mr. Word looked at God, then at Mr. Spirit and said, " lets call them consumers." So God dug his hand in the filthy dirt and dug out a clump, coughed on it, threw it down. And there before there eyes stood the first consumer. Day Six. God looked around at everything he had made, and then looked at the first consumer and smiled from ear to ear saying, " I have a plan!"

This was the end of a busy busy week, so God said, " Let's rest...before we put our plan into motion." Day Seven.

God looked on at the male consumer wandering around W-mart confused and frustrated not knowing what to buy. This saddened God, but not only that, he was loosing on everything the partners had invested in. So he said, " It is not good for the male consumer to be alone, he needs a partner." So God created the female consumer...the ultimate shopper.

So God took the two of them aside and said, " all this is yours to manage...everything in the Mall." " But what ever you do, by no means open the safe in the middle of W-mart that contains the book of Knowledge, " The Perfect Business Plan ", God said looking at them sternly, " For if you do, you will surely die." " Now go forth and multiply, fill the earth with more and more consumers."

I think we know what happened...they did open the safe. It was her fault, always just had to have the best deal. God threw them out of the W-mart. And they did multiply...but it continued to be a series of failed small franchises, mom and pop operations. Finally sick of the failed operations, poor productivity and no profit, God decided to erase everyone of the face of the earth. But while fluttering around the earth Mr. Spirit happened to notice one consumer with potential so he went back and told God about Noah and his family.

God spoke to Noah and told him of his plan to erase this lot of consumers from the face of the earth. God told Noah to build a super tanker and fill it with two of everything from W-mart. When the task was completed it would rain for forty days and forty nights, the earth would be flooded erasing the old lot of consumers. At the end of the forty days, the earth would dry again. But God would make a promise, a rainbow would appear to indicate it would never happen again.

But as always, it's a continuation of the same old shit, failure after failure...failed businesses, poor productivity and no profit. All through history God sends prophets, or shrewd business managers to steer the consumers back in the right direction. It doesn't help...the unruly consumers beat, them up, kill them...and just run some out of town.

As the hands of time keep ticking along and history unravels, things just don't get any better. Thinking back to the beginning God wonders if he shouldn't have mixed a bit more " smart " into the consumers. But finally fed up with all the crap that has been going on...he sends Mr. Word to speak some common sense into the consumer. Mr. Word shares this parable with the consumers from Matthew...

Here's another story. Gather around and listen closely. There once was a an owner ( God, creator), a shrewd aggressive business man, abundantly wealthy, who built a mall, W-mart ( creation). He fenced it, with a cash register and safe, and turned it over to the managers and consumers ( humanity ) and then left for a far away trip.

When the time arrived for it to bear profit ( the fullness of the Kingdom ), he sent his regional managers ( the prophets ) to check on them. But the consumers ( humanity, the empire, religion ) beat some and killed others. The managers/consumers grabbed the first servant and beat him up. The next one they murdered. They threw stones at the third but he got away. The owner tried again, sending more regional managers. They got the same treatment.

Finally, the owner ( God ) sent his son (Mr.Word ), saying, “Surely they will reverence my son.” But this was not the case. They laid hold of him, cast him out, and killed him.

  "Now, when the owner of W-mart arrives home from his trip, what do you think he will do to the mangers/consumers?" ( my paraphrase Matthew 21:33-46 )

OK. No more " Kingdom Language " because people just don't get it, can't relate to it. From now on the new Kingdom...is W-mart. We all get that. Also, to avoid any connection with the old Kingdom language being too liberating...now it is serious business.

 ( Remember, this is satirical writing...put down your stones )

(continued ) a parable:the murder of the farm owner's son

Continuing on from my recent post " a parable: the murder of the farm owner's son " investigating the crime scene. So the owner, ( God ), sends his son, ( Jesus ) into the midst of the vineyard, ( creation ) to confront the tenants ( humanity ) about the fruit ( the fullness of the Kingdom ) the tenants have produced.

In the reality of what the Kingdom should be, where the fruit that is produced by the vineyard produces abundant life for " everyone ", Jesus heart is moved with compassion to those who are left with little or nothing. He lives and moves among those oppressed, the sick, the blind and lame...those left to fend for themselves because of the systemic sin and corruption that infests and infects the institutions ( political, economic and religious ) that manage the distribution of things that sustain life...including God.

Jesus is consumed about the redemption and restoration of the Kingdom...what life would be like if God was King.

Every revolutionary needs a manifesto and Jesus proclaims his from the get-go. From a hillside surrounded by his followers, by waves of on-lookers they will hear words of shock and awe. It was as if Jesus was pushing the " reset " button on the operating software to human living.

These words...sent life as the status quo to a screeching halt.

From here Jesus moves into the midst of life, absolutely every moment of Jesus life is about the Kingdom and its fruit. But this is not the violent revolution that his followers, and many of the on-lookers expect. Even early on Jesus' cousin John, arrested for his part in clearing the road, and leveling the ground for Jesus' Kingdom revolution...has huge concerns as to the effectiveness of this Kingdom revolution.

When he got wind of what Jesus was doing, he sent his own disciples to ask, "Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?" Jesus told them, "Go back and tell John what's going on: 

   The blind see,
   The lame walk,
   Lepers are cleansed,
   The deaf hear,
   The dead are raised,
   The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.
"Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!"

But, it continues, Jesus life is a parabolic reality of the Kingdom. Every where he goes it is the Kingdom rubbing up against the world...it is the startling subversive truth of an alternative world of profound justice and grace where there is abundant life for " all." At the same time it is the authority of the Kingdom clashing with rulers of the worldly empire, and the franchise owners of God. It is here in the underbelly, in the shadows and dark corners where Paul talks about the principalities and powers of darkness where the systemic sin festers like puss in a deep infected wound. It's here something devious, a murderous plot is starting to hatch.

The reality of the Kingdom is not a new trend, a buzz word to get people fired up for a few days only to fade away. The prophets of past days always arrived in the midst of humanity to re-boot the hard drive from which they operate life.

"The Lord is exalted", proclaims Isaiah. " He dwells on high; he filled Zion with justice and righteousness." ( 33:5 )

" I am the Lord " announces Jeremiah in the name of God. " I act with steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight." ( 9:24 ) 

Again Isaiah, " Is such the fast I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and lie is a sack cloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this fast that I choose; to break the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? ( 58:5-7 )

From Micah, " He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. ( 6:6-8 )

Lastly from Amos, " I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. ( 5:21-24 )

But the reality, the truth is, Jesus starts telling these wild scandalous redemptive parables, mysteries to capture the imagination of humanity...to God's justice. It was not just loving your friends, it was about loving people you can't stand, people you hate...your enemies. It was not just making sure your rights were protected...it was about becoming a voice for the widow, the orphan, the most marginalized people around you. It was about forgiveness, seventy times seventy...it was scandalous. It was about setting the captives free. It was universal health insurance where as humanity we tried to heal everyone...not the ones who could afford to pay. It was the miracle of feeding the masses...to the point of sharing your last scrap of food knowing you'd go hungry.  There was no in crowd; Jesus knocked down all fences, barriers and borders...as humanity we were one, and we were in this all together. And no one had ownership of God...it didn't matter where you worshipped...it was about doing it in a profound sense of truth. And well, right living, righteousness came down to...loving, God with all your heart, mind and soul...and loving your neighbor as yourself, almost echoing Micah's words.

This was all the " Stuff " this is what the fruit of the Kingdom looks like...this is the fruit that produces life for " All " humanity.

Could it be God, sends his son as humanity's last chance. At the game of life, God throws in all his chips to send his Son to finally reveal, and show humanity to live out the fullness of humanity in the Kingdom of God ? We see this all through the parables in the gospels. Jesus passion is his Fathers passion...the voice of the prophets passion...the Kingdom of God.

Could it be the same principalities and powers of darkness that have always roamed the earth, corrupted the empire of the day to inflict injustice, oppression...a life void of the abundant and just life that comes from being plugged into God ? Could it be the empire deceived by the principalities and powers of darkness accused Jesus...and murdered Jesus ?

 

Could it be not so much a sacrifice for sin...but a horrid murder by the principalities and powers of darkness ?

Could it be on the cross, the principalities and powers of darkness were high-fiving each other that they had finally defeated the Kingdom of God. That now they would control the mind and imagination of humanity...this would be the new world order ?

Could it be Miraculously, God smashed his fist on the " reset " button of evolving creation and said " Hell No!" and in the pursuing after shocks the stone rolled away...and God resurrected Jesus and the Kingdom. The principalities and powers of darkness were finally conquered ?

So, I think belief for me, moves me into the profound mystery of the cross, that Jesus did conquer death and evil ( the principalities and powers of darkness ) , and by faith, I move into the resurrection, I move into the radical scandalous life and teaching of Jesus found in the gospels. Through the spirit of God, that profound mystery is embedded in my DNA. It is no longer I that lives, but Jesus with in me.

Here plugged into this new life, the new creation, the kingdom of God...he calls me, and humanity to be collaborators with him building his Kingdom now...and at the same time pointing to when the fullness of his Kingdom will come into being.

It's almost as if it is that answering of those profound words in Jesus prayer, " Father, may your Kingdom come, on earth as in heaven." It is the profound redemptive mystery of God and humanity emerging into one.

I think , for me, christianity's greatest sin...is that we've made Jesus a scapegoat for " a murder " we committed. That we continue to comitt it by proclaiming his death was about nothing more than forgiveness for personal sin. And that we have very little passion for Jesus' Kingdom...the reality that consumed his life. The reality that he was willing to bet his life on...and the reality that most live like the Kingdom doesn't exist.

a parable: the murder of the farm owner's son

 

 

What is the Kingdom? we get our first glimpse in the garden…harmony, the reality of what communion really is, and should be…God, humanity and creation as one. We see the prophets continuously, like editors in the script of the human story popping up…to re-focus us to fix the injustice of broken communion. Not just make me better, me and God being soul mates...but this beautiful interconnectedness of the three, God, humanity and creation.

It get’s to the point much like the parable where after the vineyard owners have killed all the messengers…the master finally sends his own son.

Here's another story. Gather around and listen closely. There once was a an owner ( God, creator), a person with a green thumb, abundantly wealthy, generous and gracious who planted a vineyard ( creation). He fenced it, dug a wine-press, and put up a watchtower, then turned it over to his farmhands ( humanity ) and then left for a far away trip.

When the time arrived for it to bear fruit ( the fullness of the Kingdom ), he sent his servants ( the prophets ) to check on them. But the farmhands ( humanity, the empire, religion ) beat some and killed others. The farmhands grabbed the first servant and beat him up. The next one they murdered. They threw stones at the third but he got away. The owner tried again, sending more servants. They got the same treatment.

Finally, the owner ( God ) sent his son ( Jesus ), saying, “Surely they will reverence my son.” But this was not the case. They laid hold of him, cast him out, and killed him.

  "Now, when the owner of the vineyard arrives home from his trip, what do you think he will do to the farmhands?" ( my paraphrase Matthew 21:33-46 )

This parable is directed at all of us, the empire of the day, the religion of the day and humanity that turns a blind eye to the witness of a brutal premeditated murder. Jesus is saying to us, " God leased this land to you. He entered into a covenant with you ( read Genesis ) in good faith, expecting you to carry out your end of the bargain. He sent his servants to you. These were the prophets. And what did you do to them?

" Well, we took up a " love offering " gave them an honorarium thanked them for their godly words, and told them to come back."

No that's not what they did back then. Back in those days, prophets understood the economy of language...they made every word count. The preached in a way that was as clear a bell, and everyone could understand. And by the time, Mr. prophet made is point. rocks were coming at him from all directions.

After God hadn't recieved any messages from home, concerned he sent more servants. So he sent Isaiah, Amos, Micah, Obadiah and Malachi. But the tenants took them too and beat and killed them. " Oh", God thought, " WTF! what kind of people did I rent my vineyard to?" " What am I going to do now, shit, if they won't listen to my servants...who's left?"

" I'm going to send my boy. And he'll carry my authority, and surely when they see him, and hear him, they will have the respect for him that they have for me." " Yes, I'm going to send my son."

God loved his creation, the tenants of his vineyeard so much that he sent his only son. He came into their midst, among his own and they did not recognize, greet or recieve him.  They took him outside the vineyeard, to a hillside, beat and lynched him...hanging him on a tree.

It is obvious this story Jesus tells is about himself, so I'll ask you as a crime scene investigator...is this a suicide, a ritual sacrifice for sin? Is it the scene of an irresponsible father who knowingly sent his son to be brutally killed? Or, is it premeditated murder by unruly tenants?

Think about...I'll pick it up tomorrow or the next day? Feel free to add your comment.   

a parable:the builders...underneath it all

 

That's why the one who hears these words of mine and acts on them shall be like a wise man who builds his house ( church ) on the rock. Down came the rain, rose up the foods and lashed at by the winds. They all cut at the house, but it didn't fall.

And the one who hears these words of mine and fails to act on them shall be like a fool who built his house ( church ) on sand. The rain came down, the floods rose up and the winds lashed out. They all cut at that house, and it fell. It collapsed, and was washed away in all directions. ( Matt. 7:15-27 )

I wonder if the inhabitants of these churches weren't the same people in Jesus parable of the " Members and Non-members " the people that were mislead to buy into the building, it's rituals and programs. Jesus said, not everyone who slickly calls me " Lord, Lord " will enter the Kingdom. The time will come when many people will gather around and say, " L-o-rd, O L-o-rd " we sure did preach in your name, didn't we? And in your name we gave the devil a run for his money, didn't we? We did all kinds of stunts in your name, didn't we? Then I'll admit right in front of everybody, " I've never known you. Get away from me, you wicked religious racketeers."

It's interesting in the parable of the house builders...both owners are supposedly followers of Jesus. The ones who say " Lord, Lord " are deep believers, everything thing is etched in stone. They have mapped out the route to access God, there are no alternative routes, side roads or detours. And yes membership has its privelges. But here, mercy and grace have become a resource of the church, like a tap...in which they control who gets it, and how much. Justice is nothing more than policing, rendering fines and punishment. The staus quo in which the church lives has not been shattered. The peace has not been disturbed, it parades behind a " warrior Jesus " when the reality is Jesus told Peter to lay his sword down. There has been no prophetic voice over and against the power of worldly empires and oppressive religion. The Kingdom hasn't come.

But the " wise " ones have built their houses on the foundations of the Kingdom. They are the ones who have put the redemptive imaginative vision of Jesus into action, who have surrounded those ideas with a parabolic life ( living out the reality of the parables ). Through it's servanthood, resistance and sacrifice it points out the things that are not as they should be. And a foretaste of a new emerging world is revealed...on earth, as in heaven. God knows us when we enter into the Kingdom, not when we are just content with a superficial imitation of family ( church ) denominational traits, traditions, rituals...and a members code of conduct.

If we have mapped our lives out in the gospels and live the parabolic life of Jesus. If our eyes have seen, our ears have heard, and our hearts have understood...then we have been turned around, upside down. It's like the guy that was navigating the contours on the margins of life, the ditches and back alleys and saw something glimmer...a treasure that he sold his life for. The parables have led us into the Kingdom of God; our lives have become a fresh incarnation of God's loving, merciful and grace-filled character.

 Living the parabolic life of Jesus can't be sketched out on blue prints, etched in stone, painted in black and white, boxed in a DVD and book...you can only pitch your life into your neighborhood, the streets of the global village...and be the incarnational presence of Jesus.

A parable: prodigal faith...coming home

 

 

For years she had cultivated her faith in her father's house. And for years she looked out the windows across the fences, the barriers at the other side...wondering about those people the " other." One evening, just as the curtains were falling on another day all here questions and wondering errupted like a volcano. It all came spewing out and filled the space around her. There was no way she could shove and poke it all back in. It finally would have to dealt with. In the morning she would confront her father and tell him, she was leaving.

She arose early, her father was sitting on the veranda his face shining as he watched creation coming to life. The sun rising in the distance through the morning mist on the fields, the birds harmonizing filling the air with joyous song gently stirring the animals of the field back to life. She gently tapped her father on the shoulder, he turned and smiled, " yes, my dear daughter...you look troubled?"

" I need to leave home, to take the things I've inherited here and go to the other side " she said kneeling at her fathers side. " Are you not happy here?", her father questioned, looking thoughtfully at her daughter. " Yes ", she said, " But, I am filled with questions." " Go then ", her father said, " take what you have inherited and leave."

She went back to her room and packed, many bags...she was surprised at how much she had accumulated over the years. She had boxes and boxes of beliefs; of do's and don'ts; of thou shalt and thou shalt not; of rules, written and unwritten; drawers filled with dogma and doctrine. With everything cramed in her suitcases she was ready to leave. Standing at the edge of the drive way her father watched her wander off into the distance.

 The closer she got to city of the " others "she was overome by an emotional storm...it was a swirling mix of anxiety, fear and excitement as she entered the unknown. She was invited into the house of an obvious sinner, there were theives, prostitutes, addicts and loan sharks. She dug through bags of beliefs, and do's and don'ts, and thou shalt and thou shalt not's...nothing seemed to fit. She threw away what didn't fit. She ate their food, drank their wine and enjoyed their conversation. She loved them...she shone light on them.

The next day she happened to be on the street when some servant was handing out invitations to a feast. She decided to go. It was crazy, the banquet hall was filled with the unimaginable...there was the sick, the lame, the poor, drunks, and addicts, theives, convicts, single moms, orphans and gay couples. There was singing and dancing, hooting and hollering...she had never seen so much joy in all her life.  But, again she dug through her bags of beliefs, and do's and don'ts, and thou shalt and thou shalt not's...nothing seemed to fit...and again nothing seemed to fit. Again she threw the non-fitting bits away. Again, she decided to love, to be love...to fill the space with light.

Every day seemed to repeat itself...until she was left with nothing except one little piece of paper tucked in her pocket. Suddenly out of nowhere she was filled with guilt...had she squandered and thrown away all the faith she had inherited over the years. Her father would be furious she thought. The guilt just kept washing over her, she felt like she was drowning. She knew she just had to go back and tell her father and hope she would understand.

What she didn't know was there wasn't one day that her father didn't walk out to the end of the drive way and watch for her...not one day. Finally the morning came when he saw her off in the distance, staggering sadly and empty-handed. He danced with joy, and pulled up his robe and ran like a mad man out to her. Before she could say a thing, he hugged and kissed her...he couldn't stop kissing her.

Finally through teary eyes, she said to her father, " I lost all the faith I had inherited, all the bags I had...I threw away." " I only have this one little crumpled up piece left", crying as she pulled it out and handed it to her father. The father uncrumpled it and read...this. He laughed, and kissed her wiping away her tears, and said, " my sweet, sweet daughter you haven't lost anything...you've simply found the greatest reality of simple faith." 

Then he called out to servants, " we're throwing a party, fire up the BBQ, grab the steaks and best wine." " This daughter of mine has lost everything, only to find a great great treasure...the faith of abundant life."

The older sister still in the house fortifying and solidifying her beliefs was outraged at her father, stormed away mumbling and cursing under her breath, refusing to take part in the celebration of her younger sister's new found faith. She had spent years, and years constructing her faith...her's was truth, this was real faith.

 ( Written by Ron Cole 2012-02-10 )

re-thinking the sacrifice of Jesus...

 

So much of what the christian religion is about is distilled down to the last few days of Jesus life...and some how out of the end of it, one is " saved." I hate to say it, but, for years I just believed without question. It was like I just had to believe in the answer, that was what faith was kind of all about. 

But things just didn't make sense. I tried to ignore it, suppressing like they were bad thoughts. But like playing Whac-o-mole, the thoughts wouldn't go away...they just kept popping up. I mean the implications of a violent parent and the necessity of innocent suffering, torture and death are profoundly troubling.

So a couple of weeks ago I was in conversation with a biblical scholar Daniel P Bailey whose specialty is " Atonement " on Scot McKnights blog. I know there were four theories on atonement...Christus Victor, Penal Substitution, Healing View, and Kaleidoscope. I asked him in the context of progressive christian theology if there is any new thinking out there. He recommended...

Christian A. Eberhart, The Sacrifice of Jesus: Understanding Atonement Biblically. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2011.

 

 

Eberhart looks into the OT background to the NT images of Jesus as a sacrifice. He argues that OT sacrifice was not, contrary to common evangelical opinion, about death (the animal being punished instead of the human offering the sacrifice) and that NT images of Jesus as a sacrifice are also not about penal substitution. In fact, he argues, they are not even focused on Jesus' death.

Here are a few thoughts about OT sacrifice (according to Eberhart):

Sacrifice in the OT is about humans approaching a holy God in homage. 

Not all sacrifices involve killing (the cereal offering)

Not all killing of animals was sacrifice (e.g., killing the passover lamb [NOTE: passover was not a sacrifice])

The killing of the animals was not the heart of sacrifice (the ritual element of slaughtering the animal was not central; rather, it was a necessary event to enable to sacrifice to happen).

The idea that the animal was killed instead of the person offering it is not found in the OT sacrificial cult. (The ritual act of the offerer leaning the hand upon the animals head is unlikely to indicate a transfer of sin from the offerer to the animal—a sin-infused animal would not be able to be offered to God).

The blood represented the life of the animal (Lev 17:11) and the application of the blood effected purification. This rite was important but not central to sacrifice per se (only one type of sacrifice employed this rite). Also the bood was not sprinkled on the offerer of the sacrifice.

The central act present in all kinds of sacrifice (Lev 1–7) is the burning ritual in which the offering is transformed so it they can "ascend" to God.

Offering sacrifice is like preparing a meal to be offered to (and in some sacrifices, shared with) God. Some with God and priest; some the God, priest and offerer and some with God, priest, offerer and relatives. This is a means of honoring God and being in relationships with him.

Sacrifice is atoning—the blood can purify/cleanse (cultic objects) and thus expiate sin and the burning is a "pleasing odor" that can propitiate God.

It's interesting trying understand the cultic sacrifice that was going on the the Israelite/Judaic  community, and in surrounding cultures. But, then also trying understand the early christians trying

reading Jesus death into cultic sacrifice. It is here we find profound diffences, and incompatibilities...but, possibilities to read differently that don't diminish its story or truth.

In the NT Jesus is spoken of metaphorically in sacrificial terms but we miss much if we limit such references to his death. The idea of Jesus dying instead of us is indeed present in the NT but not in sacrificial images. (Eberhart points out that the NT does speak of Jesus' death in terms of Isaiah 53 and in terms of the passover lamb but that neither of these are about sacrifice so they fall outside of the discussion.)

Eph 5:1–2, which speaks of how Jesus "gave himself for us as an offering and sacrifice for God as a pleasing odor" is unlikely (for various reasons) to refer simply to Jesus' death. "It rather conveys that his entire mission and life were of a special quality and, as a genuine expression of worship, accepted by God" (p. 106).

The many NT refs to the "blood of Jesus" are sacrificial images and derive from the blood application rites (which are not identified with the act of slaughter itself but follow on from it). The point is the way in which Jesus is able to purify his people. The images points to the way in which Jesus can effect consecration (e.g., Exod 29; Lev 8) and the removal of guilt. But while some NT images speak of Christ's death as vicarious that idea is not at the heart of these specific metaphors.

The event in which believers are put in contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus is the Eucharist in which they drink the "blood of the covenant"—ingesting the life of Christ and being consecrated and forgiven (cf. Exod 24). Re-reading this Exodus passage, and in light of the last supper...it ignites the redemptive imagination to wonder if this shouldn't have been the focal point of atonement.

After reading Christian A. Eberhart's book it does question our atonement theories which is a good thing. Another good thing is, he does not undermine the importance of the cross. But he does ask us to be careful about simply assuming that the cultic sacrificial metaphors in the NT are focused primarily on Jesus death. It may well be that their focus is far wider...encompassing Jesus life and mission...and his death not being solely about sacrifice.

Anyway, if you've wondered about atonement, sacrifice, redemption, forgiveness, I recommend this book. It is extremely grounded. It will challenge you to rethink penal substitution, a violent and wrath-filled God...but not only that, but what sacrifice was all about. And the deal...$ 1.95 on amazon.ca.