After attending church this morning, I decided to change the title of my article. My Pastor did an amazing job this morning dealing with the uniqueness of Jesus, and His ability to meet the needs of this age. Today, everyone is experiencing outrage. Yesterday I watched a panel discussion where eight African-American individuals discuss politics. Four progressive and four conservatives participated to discuss the presidential election. One gentleman stuck out to me because he stated how he voted for Trump in 2016 because he wanted a bull in a china shop. I thought that was very interesting. The election this year might result in the same effect where people vote against someone, rather than for someone. It says something about our politics today. We vote while we hold our nose.
Today, however, I want to discuss the Church. Pastor David made a comment about people asking whether anything can come out of organized religion? I say yes, but I will need to explain why. What is the role of the church in this chaotic outraged world? I think Jesus was very clear, that His kingdom was not equivalent to our political systems, as much as some well-meaning Christians today want to use politics to bring about the kingdom. However, as the book of Daniel tells us, and as I have written before, the kingdom of this world will be defeated by the lamb. So, the kingdom of God is contrary to the kingdom of man, and we as the Church need to provide what that alternative is.
I am working my way through a year of devotionals by CS Lewis. This and my reading in the book of John today are what have inspired this article. In Mere Christianity Lewis states, “The first thing to get clear about Christian morality between man and man is that in this department Christ did not come to preach any brand-new morality.” In fact, it becomes quite dangerous when we start proclaiming how we have some new truth, or morality. Jesus made clear that anyone who teaches something contrary to His teachings are bad, really, really bad.
CS Lewis’ second point was “Christianity has not and does not profess to have a detailed political program for applying, do as you would be done by to a particular society at a particular moment.” In fact, the message of Jesus is to all societies throughout the world and throughout all of history. To try and combine the truth of Christ with other religions becomes a declaration of a new gospel, of a different kind. As Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by Him. There is no path to God through Islam, Buddhism, or any other ism, other than through Christianity.
In my reading this morning in the gospel of John, chapter 8, I see a very clear message for today. First, there is the fall of humankind. Jesus had gone to the Mount of Olives to be alone and then returned to the temple. At that point in time religious leaders had brought a woman caught in the very act of adultery to Him to test Him. They wanted to know how He would handle the situation. In this event we see two examples of fallen people. First, the woman who committed adultery. Adultery is sin. It was an action emerging from the fact that she was a sinner. All of us would agree with this. However, the application of the law was incorrect because both the man and the woman were to be stoned. So, where was the man? Often in the application of our religious systems we sin. All through history we see the religious exploitation via gender and race that tells us our application of truth is sometimes lacking.
The religious leaders of the day wanted Jesus to say something wrong so they might accuse Him. Feel the tension. Oh no, they have Him. He will say something wrong and then they can destroy Jesus. We see this occurring all the time today. CNN reports that Sanders just destroyed Trump. Or Fox says that Trump just destroyed Pelosi. Even well-meaning Christians today fall into this mentality. How can you vote for Trump? He is the devil. Or how can you vote for a party that wants to kill babies? Everything becomes black or white, or destroyed.
But Jesus doesn’t deal with that, He states, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” The passage says, “He bent down and wrote on the ground.” Some teachers will say that Jesus then wrote someone’s name and their sin, which convicted them driving them away. When all of the woman’s accusers left, the woman was left alone. Jesus then tells her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one accused you? She said, No one Lord. And Jesus said, neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Jesus forgave her, and then set her on a path of righteousness.
This reminded me of another woman that Jesus interacted with in John 4. Jesus was walking from one part of Israel to another. He stopped at a well, when a woman came up to Him. He asked her to draw Him some water. She said, wait why are you a Jew speaking to me a woman? Jesus said, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, give me a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” This living water, and the fact that Jesus tells everyone in the temple during His interchange with the woman caught in adultery, that He “is the light of the world,” tells us what we need. “Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
As I read chapter 8 this morning, my eyes were open to what is happening to the Church in America. This critique is for both the liberal expression of the Church and the more conservative expression. We are mixing Christianity with our politics. Jesus warned of this but gave us the better way. When we connect our faith with the statue of Nebuchadnezzar we compromise the efficacy of the gospel. In fact, we have become Marthas overwhelmed by the things of this life, when we actually need to be Marys who have chosen the most important element, Jesus.
The Church is here to point to the light of the world. It is here to serve those who are in need. To do this we need to be image bearers of God. To become this, we need to do what Jesus told the Jews who believed in Him. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” Just like the Jews who claimed they had never been enslaved, Americans claim a similar birth right because we are Americans. But, the fact is, we are all sinners and need to find the truth that only Jesus can give us.
Bill Clem in his book Disciple: Getting Your Identity from Jesus, tells us three things we as disciples of Christ need to display before those around us. First, we need to reflect God’s image. The most glorious aspect of this image is the fact that God wants to save humanity. “Redemption is God’s act of releasing His people from an alien power, and of bringing them to freedom so they can live as His people according to the covenant promises.” Second, we need to appropriately worship God in front of those around us. This worship then fills me and motivates me to love those around me regardless of who they are, or what they look like. Third, the fact that God gave His only begotten Son to die for those who we sinners, tells me how I am to interact with those around me. Each individual has value, therefore I need to see them as God sees them.
The issues of today, whiter nationalism, racism, LGTBQ, gender identity, abortion, are all human made issues that emerge from our fallen nature. Instead, the Church truly has the answer, He is the light of the world. As Malcolm and Alwyn sang in the 70’s, “In the middle of this crazy world; Heavy with sorrow and grief, oh, what a mess; Like a ship that is sinking to its doom; carry its treasure; Oh, where can a young life turn.” The world needs Jesus.
Church it is time to turn from political arguments, and repent. It is time to turn back to Jesus so we can bring the world the answer it needs to see. Jesus!!!!
And that is my thought for the day!
DOCMARTIN1: It's Business and Personal 