Living Incarnationally

As we take this season to reflect on this holy day of Christmas, the Incarnation, the inbreaking of deity into reality, I am continually astounded at this miracle. Just the fact that the Lord of the universe, holy and exalted as He is, would choose to limit Himself so much and come into this world, born into humble circumstances, living a life of homelessness, and finally subjected to a shameful, torturous death--it blows my mind. 


And how this miracle impacts our daily living is something that I'm still working on trying to grasp. Because an incarnational worldview is what sets Christianity apart from other religions. For while most religions seek to escape the reality of this world, Christianity is all about a God who dives headlong into the world in order to redeem it. And so do we. We who are redeemed do not seek to escape this world, but rather to invest in it, to live incarnationally, confident that Jesus is bringing about redemption for all of the fallenness of the world. We get to play a role in that. 


For Jesus tells us: "As the Father sent me, so now I send you" (John 20:21). As Jesus was sent into this world to redeem it, so are we. We are to live in such a way that reveals the incarnated Lord to this world. Not escaping reality, but embracing it as our mission field. 


The way you look at life changes dramatically when you start to see everything not as fallen beyond all hope, but fallen and in the process of being redeemed. And there is nothing that is beyond Christ's redemption. The pedophiles, the murderers, the rapists, the tax collectors, the Buckeye fans, no one is too far fallen that Christ cannot redeem him. "There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still" (Corrie Ten Boom). 


So let us live incarnationally, diving into the (often terrible and messy and fallen) realities of this world, knowing that there is a reality greater still that is working to redeem all of this around us. Let us love with hearts of faith that know the truth of God's love working through us. And let us celebrate this Christmas in knowing the power of redemption through Christ's coming into this world. 


A light has burst into the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. And we who are called the light of the world are called to seek out the darkness in order to bring God's illumination. 

Colbert on Christmas Charity

"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we've got to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that he commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition. And then admit that we just don't wanna do it." 

- Stephen Colbert

Watch the very interesting (and entertaining) video clip here.

Exulting in Monotony

In reading Ephesians chapter 1, I was struck this time by the style of Paul, the author, who writes with such passion and excitement that he often goes off on tangents while proving his points. In the midst of making a point to the people of Ephesus, he starts trailing off, exulting in what the Lord has done through Jesus Christ who has risen from the dead and is now exalted above all. A friend of mine once called this kind of rambling "praise vomit."

In reading this and trying to get a feel for Paul's heart (which is not too difficult, given his writings), I am struck by how excited he gets every single time he begins to talk about the Gospel and our salvation. It doesn't matter how many times he mentions the same thing over and over again. Usually, when we hear or talk about something again and again, it leads to the invention of phrases like ad nauseum. But the Gospel, it doesn't get old to Paul. It doesn't get boring. Because this salvation we have received is the greatest thing that has ever happened in the history of the universe! And blessed are we among all creation, for the Lord has seen us in our helpless state and called us to life, to redemption, to be His own forever and ever! And the love and the grace which He lavishes upon us is beyond our comprehension, but we who have experienced this salvation and have been sealed with the Holy Spirit can do nothing but praise and exult in it, because there is nothing greater that has ever happened to us, or to all the world.

When we are filled with this life and joy, we are free to exult in this beautiful monotony of the Gospel. In his book Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton (whom I've been quoting a lot recently, but never enough) says:

"A child kicks its legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough... It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again," to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again," to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike: it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we."

This may be what it means to have a child-like faith. To be filled with such life that the gift we have been given in Jesus Christ never gets old. We continually are amazed and excited about the power of the Gospel, so that once we are done hearing of it, we eagerly shout "Tell me again!"

Be awakened to and rejoice in the salvation you have received in Christ. Exult in the greatness of the story in which you are a main participant. Praise the God who has redeemed us and is making all things new. Refuse the temptation to get tired of hearing about the Gospel and its power in your life and in the life of those around you. Share it with others. Rejoice! I say it again, rejoice! For God has been merciful to you.

Transformed eyes

"...the whole philosophy of St. Francis revolved 'round the idea of a new supernatural light on natural things, which meant the ultimate recovery not the ultimate refusal of natural things."

- G.K. Chesterton, in St. Francis of Assisi

This is the grace of the Holy Spirit, that transforms the very way we perceive the world around us. To live with eyes that are transformed by grace--that will really be something incredible. To see all things as sacred, simply because they are God's creation, will transform the very meaning of pleasure and joy in how we experience them. It would let us see the good creation of God that is waiting to be redeemed.

Having now finished Chesterton's biography of St. Francis, I am inspired by the life of this great saint. Chesterton described him as a Jongleur de Dieu, a Tumbler of God, a court jester of the King who sees life upside down while he's standing on his head. Francis saw the world differently than most people, and that allowed him to have a love and joy for the natural things in life that most people don't. He truly lived his life in the light of Jesus, looking first to God, and then seeing all else around him from that perspective, and then acting out of that love and joy that naturally (supernaturally) came as a result.

If I, if we, lived our lives like this...how different things could be. How much more like Christ we could be. How much more of a powerful witness to the world of radical transformation by the  Holy Spirit we could be.

Lord, transform and sanctify my eyes, so that I might see all around me in light of Your love and grace, to be filled with joy and the pleasure that only comes from You, and in doing so, find greater joy and pleasure in Your creation, taking part in the redemption of the whole world that You are working. Amen.

The Courage and Love of St. Francis

From G.K. Chesterton's biography of St. Francis of Assisi, this excerpt records an event early on in Francis' life:

      An incident occurred which is perhaps the shortest and sharpest summary that could be given of a certain curious things which were a part of his character, long before it was transfigured by transcendental faith. While he was selling velvet and fine embroideries to some solid merchant of the town, a beggar came imploring alms; evidently in a somewhat tactless manner. It was a rude and simple society and there were no laws to punish a starving man for expressing his need for food, such as have been established in a more humanitarian age; and the lack of any organised police permitted such persons to pester the wealthy without any great danger. But there was, I believe, in many places a local custom of the guild forbidding outsiders to interrupt a fair bargain; and it is possible that some such thing put the mendicant more than normally in the wrong. Francis had all his life a great liking for people who had been put hopelessly in the wrong. On this occasion he seems to have dealt with the double interview with rather a divided mind; certainly with distraction, possibly with irritation. Perhaps he was all the more uneasy because of the almost fastidious standard of manners that came to him quite naturally....Anyhow Francis was evidently torn two ways with the botheration of two talkers, but finished his business with the merchant somehow; and when he had finished it, found the beggar was gone. Francis leapt from his booth, left all the bales of velvet and embroidery behind him apparently unprotected, and went racing across the market place like an arrow from the bow. Still running, he threaded the labyrinth of the narrow and crooked streets of the little town, looking for his beggar, whom he eventually discovered; and loaded that astonished mendicant with money. Then he straightened himself, so to speak, and swore before God that he would never all his life refuse to help a poor man. The sweeping simplicity of this undertaking is extremely characteristic. Never was any man so little afraid of his own promises. His life was one riot of rash vows; or rash vows that turned out right. 

Chesterton goes on to talk about the courage of St. Francis, not only in battle (he was a soldier for a while), but in love and service, not being afraid to give to the needy or hug the leper.

I want to be like that.

The Beauty of Unity

This morning I joined the Karagoulis family in Lansing for the service at a Greek Orthodox church. I was able to follow along pretty well for the most part, and I enjoyed testing out how much I remembered Greek. There was a lot of the service that I didn't understand or participate in, but the parts that I did, I really appreciated. Not just for the personal value I received from them or the worship I gave to the Lord, but for the fact that I can go to a church service that is completely foreign to me and acknowledge the same Lord and Father of us all. I was able to recite the Nicene Creed and the Lord's Prayer with my brothers and sisters, and drink in the richness of the Christian tradition that spans thousands of years, hundreds of nations, and a multitude of denominations.

This is something that I always enjoy learning again and again: that I love the Body of Christ. I love the Church which comprises every person who has ever called on the name of Jesus for salvation and sought to live a life of discipleship. I marvel in the Grace of the Lord which is as broad as it is deep. I rejoice in the Lord who accepts and cherishes people of all nations, races, and backgrounds.

And I celebrate the incredible opportunity I have this year of being part of a community that celebrates and practices and works really hard at Christian ecumenism, in order to unite the Body of Christ as one. There is no Protestant, Orthodox, or Catholic. There is no Jew or Greek, no slave or free, no male or female, but we are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). There is one body and one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all (Ephesians 4:4-6). And it is truly a beautiful thing. It's not perfect, and won't be until Jesus returns. But I feel so blessed to be a part of this, where we get to actually practice Christian unity on a regular basis.

With all that divides us, may the bond of unity that binds us be stronger still. May it be the blood of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins that reconciles us not only to the Lord, but to each other. And this Advent season, as we await the Lord's return, may we pray and look forward (while also working toward!) that day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, and we will be as one in our eternal worship of the King of kings.

Blessing the World - Bonhoeffer

The world lives by the blessing of God

and of the righteous and thus has a future.

Blessing means laying one's hand on something and

     saying: Despite everything, you belong to God.

This is what we do with the world

that inflicts such suffering on us.

We do not abandon it;

we do not repudiate, desire, or condemn it;

instead we call it back to God,

we give it hope,

we lay our hand on it and say:

may God's blessing come upon you,

may God renew you;

be blessed, world created by God,

you belong to your Creator and Redeemer.

- Deitrich Bonhoeffer, Meditation and Prayer, ed. by Peter Frick

Never give up on that which the Lord has redeemed. Instead, do everything you can to remind him/her/it of this glorious redemption.

Cynicism

I think cynicism is one of the most destructive attitudes that a person can have--not only to those around them, but to themselves. I've noticed this in myself a lot in the past year, and I believe that becoming aware of it in yourself is the first step to recovery from it. Because it does actually take a process of recovery to counteract all the damage that is done by cynicism. How much truth have you overlooked because, in your mind, being wrapped up in a cliché makes something invalid?  How much joy have you missed out on because of your intellectual arrogance? How much beauty have you missed out on because you approached a situation with a cynical attitude?

That's what cynicism is when it's really boiled down: intellectual arrogance, and a defense mechanism against the fear of naiveté. It's comes from a sense of superiority for whatever reason, causing the cynical to look down on those who are not as intelligent or aware or right as they are. It's a result of pride, but really it's only a way to deal with our own insecurities.

I found this blog by Donald Miller to be very interesting. I think he's right, that this attitude seems to exists mainly among American white males in their 20s. Cynicism seems to be part of the effort to find an identity. If you are a Christian who suffers from cynicism, know that your identity is found only in Jesus Christ. And learn to appreciate things. Be aware of all the different sources that you can learn from. Practice some humility. You might find yourself a little more joyful, a little more able to love, and growing a lot more in wisdom.

The Wonders of Human Achievement

Watch this:



And then watch this:




Even the little victories count for something, I suppose.

Quick Thought #5

If you claim the name "Christian" for yourself, remember that you are representing Jesus Christ at all times and in all places. Don't try to compartmentalize your spiritual life as something separate from everything else.

Haiku crazy

I just had to post this because I wasted way too much time on it yesterday, and it was one of the highlights of the day for me. Included in the thread are my former Bible professor (who owes me a seminary reference) and HU campus pastor. Sorry for the poor formatting, I don't really know how to put these together well. 

Kenosis Love

With committing Himself to successive covenants with Israel, we see an unlimited God limiting Himself. With Abraham, with Moses, with David, the Lord makes these covenants to which He is bound to this people. The idea that a God who cannot be bound by anything in the entire universe (since He created it) would purposefully and humbly choose to be bound in such a way is pretty incredible.

With this new covenant we find ourselves in, this same Lord chooses to limit Himself even more, completely emptying Himself of all power, subjecting Himself to weakness and shame, even unto dying on the cross. The Greek word that is used here for the concept of "emptying" is kenosis. The place in Scripture that is most famous for this term is Philippians chapter 2:6-11, which is often called the Kenosis Hymn:

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied (kenao) himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death--even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 The love of God compelled Him to empty Himself of all things. This is agape love--self-sacrificial, unconditional love that puts the needs of others before oneself. Jesus Christ became empty of all but love in order to save us. And it is through this emptying that He became exalted in glory.

Similarly, we are called to the same sacrificial, self-emptying love. Like Paul exhorts us: "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." We are called to pour ourselves out in love in the name and example of Jesus Christ. And in this we might find glory. This is the foolish logic of love, that by giving everything away we can then gain everything, that by dying we can find life, that by losing our life we can find it.

It does seem foolish, doesn't it? Because this kind of love is going to force us into weakness. It is going to cause people to take advantage of us. It is going to strike a blow at our pride. But it is only through this emptying, the pouring out of ourselves for the sake of God and others, that we can truly come to know the heart of God. No amount of studying theology or the Bible will get us to this intimate knowledge of the Lord. But only by becoming like Him in His love will we truly come to know Him.

We must become empty in order for the love of God to fill us. Let us follow in the example of the Lord Jesus, in Spirit and in Truth, to let the power of love show forth in our weakness. And in this we will find unity with God.

"By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, 'I abide in Him,' ought to walk just as he walked."
- 1 John 2:5-6

Quick Thought #4

Serving the poor is not about your politics (AT ALL!). It's about living like Jesus did.

Living in Mercy

It can be so humbling to stand before the Lord and realize that you are nothing without Him. That there is nothing that you can do to earn your own salvation. That you are only the person that you are because that's how He made you. That even every single breath you take is a gift from the Creator. That your efforts will usually end in failure without His help.

But at the same time, we have been given victory in Jesus Christ. (Given being the key term here, rather than being won ourselves). We have been given a spirit of power and love and self-discipline, not one of timidity. We have been called and charged as God's ambassadors in this world, to preach the Good News to all the world. We have been given the Holy Spirit to go with us and empower us. 

It is this balance that we find we have to walk in living the Christian life. One the one hand, knowing that we are worthless pieces of $*!#, and on the other, knowing that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. And this is what it means to live in the mercy of Jesus Christ. To live in humility, but to walk forward in confidence. To live in mercy means that you live knowing that your life is not about you, and knowing that the Source of your life is steadfast and mighty, giving you strength for each new day. 


Choose this day to live in the mercy of the Lord, choosing to be merely a clay jar through which the power of the Holy Spirit will be made known. 

Quick Thought #3

If you are convinced that you have a purpose for living, but aren't using every moment of every day to fulfill that purpose...what are you really doing with your life?