The Scandal of Christianity

I know what some of you may be thinking, and no, I’m not talking about that scandal. And I’m not talking about the other scandal that you may be thinking about. I’m talking about the scandal of the Holy Spirit—God in us.

In John 14:16-18;20, Jesus is quoted as saying the following:

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you…On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

Over the past week, thousands flocked to the streets to see Pope Francis, to hear him speak, to reach out and touch his hands, many hoped that he would bless them and their prayers. The pope even addressed a mass of 20,000 people at Madison Square Garden. The Papacy is respected enough command respect wherever the Pope goes so much so that the President and Prime Ministers of nations personally welcome him. In his first days in the United States, he even addressed all of Congress while captivating the attention of nations.

The existence of the Papacy, or office of the Pope as the leader of the church, is a powerful reminder and proof of the reality that Jesus actually existed. To be redundant, the only reason that there is a Papacy is because of Jesus. This same Jesus, whose life, teachings, and ministry the Bible testifies to actually walked this Earth and the church was birthed from His ministry on Earth. Many Catholics believe that Jesus ordained the Papacy when He told Peter that he would be the rock upon which Jesus builds His church. Some Protestants would disagree that this is what Jesus meant when He spoke these words. Regardless, the point is that the papacy is the longest standing office of leadership on Earth and a visible reminder of Jesus’ existence and ministry. And even if anyone wanted to deny Jesus’ existence, every day the calendar reminds us that He lived. In citing the year as 2015 Anno Domini we are reminded that before AD (meaning “In the Year of our Lord” as recognition of Christ’s Birth” there was B.C. or Before Christ. Imagine that, the calendar year testifies to Jesus’ existence in that He is the only figure who splits time in half—time is literally ordered around Him. But I digress.

While there are debates as to whether Jesus actually ordained the office of the pope as a sort of promise in speaking the aforementioned words, Jesus makes another promise about one who He will send to remind His followers about His teaching and testify about Him:

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you…On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you..” John 14:16-18;20

This is one of the original scandals of Jesus and His ministry: God in us. Jesus tells His disciples that it is for their good that He is going away because unless He goes away, the Advocate, His Holy Spirit, will not come to them; but if He goes, He will send His Holy Spirit (John 16:8). This promise was such a big deal that after Jesus’ Resurrection, while His disciples who have now become apostles in witnessing the resurrection are preoccupied with knowing when Jesus will restore the Kingdom of Israel, Jesus’ response is essentially, don’t worry about that right now, what I want you to focus on is the power that you’re going to receive when my Holy Spirit comes upon you and that you’ll be my witnesses (Acts 1:6-8). So not only does Jesus remind His followers about the promise post-resurrection, He tells them to not even go forward as His witnesses

If we take Jesus’ words about Peter being the Rock upon which He’ll build His church seriously, how much more seriously should we take the promise that Jesus adamantly reiterates time and time again that His Holy Spirit will come to be not just with us and inside of us—making our hearts His home?

Earlier, I said that God in us through the Holy Spirit was one of the original scandals of Christianity, but before that, the scandal of Christianity that actually led to Jesus’ crucifixion was that God took on flesh and dwelled amongst us as a human being through Jesus. To many religious leaders of His day, Jesus was not just a rebel, but He was also utterly blasphemous. John 5:18 says “they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” In fact, the notion that the Creator God could become a human being is still scandalous, and even absurd, to many people.

In Islam, the one unforgiveable sin is shirk or associating partners with the Divine. This is what Christians do when they worship Jesus Christ as the Son of God. The Qu’ran opposes all teachings that claim Jesus’ Sonship to God—He is to be honored as a prophet and nothing more. And yet the New Testament and Jesus in His teachings and actions insist “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14).”

And while the Bible and Jesus in His teachings ask His followers to take a leap of faith in believing that He truly is the Messiah—the fulfillment of Jewish hopes and expectations—and also God in the flesh the notion of God coming to dwell amongst His people was nothing new. The God of Israel was known around the ancient world to be the God who delivered His people from the bondage of Pharaoh with a mighty and outstretched arm through miraculous signs and wonders. Then after delivering His people, God traveled with His people and led them in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. And what was special about the Tabernacle that God commands Moses to build when after the exodus from Egypt is that God’s presence would come to abide amongst the Israelites.

In Exodus 29:44-46, God is said to promise the following to Moses:

 “So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will swell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.”

And before the Exodus, the Creation story of the Biblical narrative was unique in telling the story of a God who created human beings from an overflow of His love. God not only provides for them, but He walks and talks with them.

Furthermore, the vision of heaven that the apostle John is given while on the Island of Patmos as described in Revelation is a vision of God coming to dwell with His people.

And I heard a loud voice on the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be his people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:3-4

This is what will make heaven so special, the eternal presence of God made fully manifest all around us.

So you see, from the very beginning, God has been pursuing humanity longing to lavish His love on us. The Scandal of Christianity is that a God who is perfect in all of His ways would continually pursue a sinful and broken humanity and still continues to welcome us into His presence. Before Jesus, God’s presence dwelled in the Tabernacle in the most Holy of Holy places. With Jesus, God makes our hearts His Tabernacle and our bodies His temple in coming to dwell inside us through His Holy Spirit presence. I do not have sufficient words to underscore how amazing and absurd God’s love for us is, that in spite of ourselves, in spite of our sin, He still longs for us to know Him intimately. And it’s not because God needs us or is dependent upon us in anyway. He chooses to love us.

I wonder what would happen if we got as excited about God’s Holy Spirit continually abiding in us as we did about the Pope coming to the United States. How different would life be if we walked in the authority of knowing that the same incomparably great power that God exerted when He resurrected Christ from the grave and seated Him in heavenly places is what He promises His people (Ephesians 1:19-21). How would that news that God lives inside us change the way that we see ourselves, the way we treat our bodies, the way we treat other people as image-bearers and spirit or potential Holy Spirit carriers? What would recognition of this news do for our prayer lives? How much more would we be able to hold our heads high and walk in confidence even in the midst of turbulent times proclaiming that we are not defeated no matter what our circumstances look like, but rather we are indeed more than conquerors because the Eternal God who created this Earth is not only going before you but is living inside of you?

Look y’all, there is a Resurrection Power that God has placed inside of you that is yearning to come alive to enable you to walk in the victory and the authority of being a child of the Most High. This resurrection power if your birthright, so I pray for you all in the same way that Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus:

¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰ he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹ far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²² And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Ephesians 1:17-23

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

9.30.15

Jesus Is Not a Religious Person. Reflections on John 8:1-11

 

 ¹But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ²At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. ³The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" ⁶They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

   But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." ⁸Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

 ⁹At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

 ¹¹"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." John 8:1-11

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This passage reveals the difference between religious people and Jesus. Jesus is not a religious person; He is the Son of God. And as the Son of God, He calls anyone caught in bondage to freedom in Him.

In this passage, Jesus is teaching in the temple courts early in the morning. Jesus’ message that the Kingdom of God was coming to Earth through His ministry was radical. Jesus also taught with authority and power. The anointing and power of his teaching coupled with His power to perform miracles made Jesus famous. Since He was so well known, Jesus naturally attracted a crowd everywhere that He went. The crowd that Jesus attracted consisted of various types of people from supporters, to followers, the curious and the adventurous, and of course the haters, naysayers, and others in opposition. Jesus generated excitement everywhere that He went. All eyes were on Him wondering: what would He do next?

On this particular morning, as Jesus is teaching, some religious people, specifically Pharisees and Teachers of the law, interrupt His teaching by bringing in a woman caught in adultery. They force this woman to stand in front of the entire assembly as her accusers publicly question Jesus as to whether she should be stoned for her sin, as written in the Law of Moses. But notice that the 6th verse says that the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law were using this question as a trap to have a basis for accusing Jesus. So you see, the Pharisees and Teachers of the law were not really concerned at all about the woman, she was merely a pawn in their attempts to build a case against Christ and delegitimize His teaching. They do not see the woman. We never even see them address her directly or acknowledge her in this interaction. They do not care for her. She is merely a means to an end to make them feel better about their religious position. 

What must it have felt like to be this woman at that moment? To have been publicly exposed, mocked, and shamed? What may it have been like to have all eyes on you and yet still be so invisible; to feel that no one is interested in even hearing your story and that everyone is against you?

Have you ever had an experience where you felt as if the entire world was against you and you were all alone wondering if anyone cared about you or if anyone would even stand with you? I know that I have. If you’ve felt this way, then you can probably empathize with this woman, only except her very life was on the line. What could it have been like to know that at any moment, her life could end with the excruciating experience of death by stoning? There must have been a million thoughts streaming through her mind. It may be fair to assume that she must have been beyond anxious—completely overcome by fear and dread. Maybe she felt guilty and humiliated. Maybe she was upset that she was the only one who had to face the crowd while the man she was with did not. Perhaps she was overcome by anger and despised the people who put her in that situation. And just maybe in this moment, she felt fear, fury, and hate towards Jesus, the one who would decide her fate.

And yet, characteristic of Jesus in many of the stories of the gospel, Christ does the unexpected. Although the Pharisees and Teachers of the law were trying to trap Him, this time, Jesus doesn’t respond with a parable nor does He launch into a long teaching. Instead, He keeps His cool. He doesn’t respond in haste. He takes His time. His response is simple: “let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

And then, He simply waits.

It is as if He pulls out a large mirror forcing this woman’s accusers and everyone else to examine themselves, to consider their own actions, motivations, and content of their hearts. This is part of the power of Jesus’ response; He takes the focus off of the woman and creates a space of self-reflection for everyone present.

Jesus’ statement begs the questions: who has the right cast stones? Who has the right to condemn her? Is it only the person who is without sin? Who then is without sin? From His response in calling the one without sin to cast the first stone, He also seems to be bothered by self-righteousness. He creates a space for introspection so self-reflection and examination appear to be important to Him.

One by one, her accusers, maybe having recognized their own sins, begin to walk away. The older accusers begin to leave first followed by the younger ones. Why do the older people go away first? Is it that they are frustrated because they know that there won’t be a stoning? Or is it that in the wisdom of their old age they are more prone to recognizing their own imperfections? Are they trying to save face? Who can say for sure? What we do know is that the only person left standing with the woman is Jesus. Why? Why is Jesus the only one who can stand with this woman at the center of this trial?

It seems that in standing His ground, Jesus is making a profound statement about Himself. Jesus is the only one left remaining because He is the only one who is without sin. He is the only one who is completely blameless, and thus the only one who has the right to condemn.

And now how does this woman feel? Is her heart racing? Who in the world is this man left standing alone with her? Will He treat her worse than the religious people who dragged her out for public exposure and caused her humiliation? Does she fear that Jesus will stone her all by Himself? Will she be absolved? What will He do?

Jesus’ response: “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?

“No one, sir.” She replies.

And then Jesus simply states: “then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

In His response, we see that Jesus is not at all like the religious people to whom we are presented in this interaction. In Israel’s history as written about in the Old Testament, God gives the Israelites His law so that they would have a deeper understanding of what it means to live lives that are Holy and set apart for the glory of God—so that God’s people may embody His character and look more like Him. Whereas the Teachers of the law and the Pharisees saw religious teaching as a way of wielding power over others and as a means to self-righteousness, Jesus is not at all like this.

Jesus’ response is powerful for many reasons. In calling her “woman,” meant as a term of endearment, Jesus addresses her with compassion. He is genuinely concerned with the woman and her wellbeing. He seems to be the only one who sees her. He is the only one in the narrative who actually addresses her, and He does so with care. Here, we see that Jesus is not a religious person, but rather He is God. It is extremely important for our understanding and the course of our faith walk to not make the mistake of allowing the mistakes of religious people to overshadow our understanding of God’s character. Religious people are imperfect human beings.

Although the Pharisees and teachers of the law sought to trap Jesus by using her as a pawn, Jesus allows neither Himself nor the woman to be trapped. Jesus advocates for her. He stands with her. Then, although He is the only one with the right to do so, Jesus chooses not to condemn her. Instead, he looks upon her with love and calls her to leave her life of sin—to be free.

Often times, when this passage is read or shared, people have tended to stop short at Jesus’ statement that He who is without sin should be the first to cast a stone. And as a result, the passage has been used to justify an unwillingness to seek freedom in Christ. However, to ignore the end of this story doesn’t do justice to the fullness of Jesus’ message. This woman encounters the presence of the living God, and He calls her to freedom.

Although the Pharisees and teachers of the law sought to gain authority and hoped to have the final say, it is actually Jesus who has ultimate authority and control over the situation. Sin doesn’t get the final say; the Pharisees and teachers of the law don’t get the final say; not even the woman gets the final say; it is Christ alone who gets the final say—God gets the final say. God always gets the final say.

And if God is: if God is real; if God is sovereign; and if God is just, then this is exactly what we should expect—for Him to have the final say.

And what does Christ say? Christ says to be free. We don’t set ourselves free. Freedom isn’t earned; it is a gift that comes from knowing Christ as Lord over your life.

This is grace. That God, instead of condemning us, chooses instead, to call us to freedom in Him.

I think that this passage is especially relevant today in the way that Christians relate to the LGBTQ community. I wonder if self-professing Christians look more like the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law in relating to the LGBTQ community rather than looking like Jesus. It often seems as though the LGBTQ community, like the woman, has become a scapegoat that keeps many Christians from examining the sin in our own hearts. The Bible is very clear that sexual sin begins with lust in the heart (Matthew 5:27-28) and that sexual immorality includes pornography, fornication, and adultery (Exodus 22:16-17, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11;18-20)—issues that are prevalent in the church. When we look at the full spectrum of sexual sin, a lot of the church has been affected or is struggling with sexual sin. And beyond sexual sin, the sins of pride, greed, lying, gossip and other issues raised by the Bible, to name just a few, are also very real issues in the church. So why is it so easy for some in the church to condemn this community in particular without acknowledging our own sin? Furthermore, the refusal of some segments of the black church to recognize the tremendous hurt, pain, and hate experienced in the gay community from those who are supposed to know and follow Christ is extremely troublesome and problematic because it does not reflect the love of Christ. At the same time, the prevalence of sexual sin both inside and outside of the church is not an excuse to indulge in sin. Although Christ in this passage does not condemn the woman for her sin, He still calls her to freedom. Christ calls us to live in this tension of not casting stones or condemning anyone for sin and yet calls us to be set apart in also not approving of sin (Romans 1:28-32). We are called to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2).

The narrative begs that we examine ourselves. If we can picture ourselves in this story we see that we are presented with a couple of options: Will we be like the Pharisees and teachers of the law at the beginning of the story, hypocritical religious people who see everyone’s sin but our own and seek to condemn others to make ourselves feel righteous? Will we, like the Pharisees, refuse to see and acknowledge the humanity of people around us seeking instead to use religious as a means to an end to bolster their own political agenda? Or will we be like Jesus, full of grace and compassion, seeing the humanity of one another in spite of our sins and calling one another to true freedom in Christ? Will we be humbled by Christ’s call to let (s)he who is without sin cast the first stone? Will we recognize that none of us can claim to be blameless for we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)? Or maybe we’ve felt like the woman who was condemned for our sin and need to accept Jesus’ warmth and call to freedom from sin.

The cross illuminates the meaning of this story in many profound ways. The grace that Jesus shows this woman seems to be a foreshadow of the grace that Christ shows all of humanity on the cross where Jesus doesn’t just stand with us in our sins and call us to freedom, but rather He pays the ultimate price with His life in taking on the sins of all humanity, even though He was completely innocent and blameless, that we may know freedom from sin and reconciliation to the Father. Jesus wills for none of us to be in bondage, but rather makes a way for us to know freedom in Him.

The choice to accept His call to freedom belongs to us.