the skeptism around Jesus...

       " Truth divorced from experience will always dwell in the realms of doubt. " — Henry Drause

The above quote has been tumbling around in my mind since Easter, sort of like something stuck in the washer on the spin cycle. And in the midst of tumbling, the washing, this thought just keeps coming more clear...Truth must be in a intimate relationship with experience, it must be fused to it constantly, or it falls apart...into doubt.

I love the above image; the cross, the murder weapon; and the tomb...evidence there was a murder committed. There are witnesses to the crime, but no body. The truth around this profoundly mysterious case...Jesus has risen from the dead.

Yes, people did see Jesus after wards, we have written eye witness testimony to these facts. But, there were also skeptics. Even among Jesus closest friends, there was doubt around the truth. Thomas, wanted to physically view the body like some crime scene investigator to ensure everything lined up, evidence, and the story.

For Thomas for the truth to be " real "...he had to experience the " risen " Jesus.  And we recall Jesus' response, " So you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe with out seeing ". Now Thomas was an intimate friend of Jesus, he followed, he slept, he ate, he heard the outrageous parables and had even seen Jesus live them out, he'd seen miracles...he walked the dusty roads of Galilee for 3 years with Jesus...and even he was skeptic.

Maybe the problem to day is we've read the text too literally...that people would just believe without seeing, and be blessed. I really believe he expected the world to " see " him in a different way. We all have an images of Jesus.

                                                     

The problem, all our images are distorted and not true because they are divorced of experience. We can paint pictures, write an image with words and there will always be skepticism because they are divorced of the experience of the " risen " Jesus. They are just lifeless inanimate objects. For the truth to be real and tangible that avoids skepticism, we need to go back to the gospels and breathe and live them. We need to incarnational people, the " risen " Jesus needs to rise out of our lives. People need to see and experience Jesus in us. When this happens, people will " see ", and experience " truth."

And when we live out of the gospels, we realize it is impossible to produce " an image " of Jesus, either through a painting, through the latest Hillsong worship music,or through a word bytes of scripture...it does the real truth of Jesus no justice.

St Francis said, " preach the gospel at all times, and use words if necessary." No I'm not advocating silence when it comes to talking about Jesus, he definitely needs to be talked about. But, " seeing is believing " in the culture that surrounds us. Truth is believed when it is experienced, the gospel is believed when it is seen. For the church to be a witness to the surrounding culture, Jesus is believed when his " risen " body is seen.

The challenge, read the gospels, and then read the gospels again, and again. Meditate, reflect and pray the gospels...let the spirit of God fill you with Jesus. Then breathe, speak and live the gospels...every waking moment. Even as you sleep, pray the spirit of God renew your heart and mind...to strengthen you.

The greater challenge for the church is to be the " risen " body of Jesus. If it is nothing more than the Sunday morning/evening service, programs to get people into the building...what we might be saying is, the stone has been rolled back over the tomb and Jesus is dead. The gospels should challenge the church constantly. I suspect it will not be church as usual.

Comments

[Matthew]

Maybe the problem is not that we attempt to use words or images but that we have an exaggerated confidence about what these 'signs' can do for us by themselves. Signs are important mediators and we should use them boldly but carefully. We don't really have any other hope. The Holy Spirit communicates to us in the assembly and in quiet solitude through the senses; He doesn't go around them.

I can only compare it to the experience of art. There is an interplay of signs. Something is communicated. What that something is can be difficult to put into words. That does not make it less powerful. But the power of the experience isn't outside of the signs that comprise the work. The power of the experience resides in the relationships between the signs and the viewer.

The presence of the Holy Spirit permeates our inadequate, hollow and sometimes even downright silly praises. The grace is all His. But it is not outside of our praises. He dwells within them, within that interplay of Word and Table, memes and songs and people and common faith and and and...

I hope some of that makes sense.

Christ is risen! Blessed Easter to you Ron...

[ron cole]

Hey Matthew, when I said this, " And when we live out of the gospels, we realize it is impossible to produce " an image " of Jesus, either through a painting, through the latest Hillsong worship music,or through a word bytes of scripture...it does the real truth of Jesus no justice. "

I guess what I'm trying to convey is, we can through art, music, word give a glimpse of truth...of grace, mercy, love, suffering, forgiveness, servanthood. But in the context of the body of Christ conveying the truth of the risen Jesus it can only be done by living out the whole of the gospels. I think for the church to do less, the world will always be skeptic of Jesus.

I find having gone back to my roots, the Anglican church...I'm seeing the beauty, and power of liturgy for forming and shaping community.But again, I think anything we do...the worship lyrics we sing, the liturgy, the eucharist...all become real truth when we, and the church live it all out.

I was hoping to go to your church last Saturday evening with Angela Spencer, she invited me...but the plans fell apart. Hopefully another time.

Christ has risen indeed. Blessed Easter to you to Matthew.