Jurgen Moltmann on what is central to our faith

At the centre of Christian faith is the history of Christ. At the centre of the history of Christ is his passion and his death on the cross.

Jurgen Moltmann, The Way of Jesus Christ, 151, quoted by Scot McKnight, A Community Called Atonement, 61.

the cross

Here is a good example of Paul’s ministry to the intellectual elite of his day. And note these words of Paul:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

For it is written:

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

Where are the wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

It’s the cross, which of course is shorthand for Jesus’ death and resurrection- God's work in Christ, to which we Christians go and from which we live, and on which is our hope for the world. Nothing more and nothing less.

Good Friday reading from Scripture

The Crucifixion of Jesus
As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means "the place of the skull"). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"

In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' " In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?").

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."

Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus' resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"

Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Matthew 27:32-56

quote for the week: John R. W. Stott on the centrality of the cross

There is then, it is safe to say, no Christianity without the cross. If the cross is not central to our religion, ours is not the religion of Jesus.

John R. W. Stott, The Cross of Christ, 68 from Scot McKnight, A Community Called Atonement, 61

our great salvation

Yesterday in listening to Lamentations from The Bible Experience, I was hit at just how great the suffering in Jerusalem was due to God's judgment. Well acted in spoken word, and I was caught in the grip of it. Yes, I could identify to an extent. Both personally, as God has had to put his hand on my life in some loving, firm, hard discipline for my good. And knowing that Scripture teaches God's sure judgment to come, and already present in some ways against those who resist the truth and do evil. So as the actor played her role well, I was surely weeping as I reflected on my own life and some of the difficulties we bear.

God does need to give us a sense of who we are, and who God is. We then come to realize that we are worthy of God's judgment. But the fact is that Jesus took on himself God's judgment against humankind at the cross. In other words God took the judgment on himself/God's self. We need to rest assured on that, certainly knowing by faith what this great salvation can do and has done for us. And living in that reality in Jesus as forgiven and reconciled to God and potentially to all humankind through Jesus and the cross.

Lamentations and our lives can help us catch a glimpse of the great salvation that is offered to all in Jesus, as we see how great is our need. In Jesus' death for us, and in his resurrection to bring us into this new life in him. May we have broken hearts over our own sin, and over the sins of others. And may we have this as we contemplate, seek to live in view of, and proclaim this great and wondrous salvation we have in Jesus our Lord.

Any thoughts you'd like to share here?

the cross and Christmas

The cross has been more on my mind I think than at any Advent season before. It's not hard to guess that this is indicative of God's work in me to change me. The cross in Jesus puts to death all that is not of God's creation and will, and resurrects- life out from death- what is in God's new creation and will in Jesus. This begins at baptism for the Christian (however you may interpret Romans 6, and I would say strictly speaking, it begins at faith which I believe is understood to underlie baptism), and is ongoing throughout one's life in Jesus. We're to live out daily the truth of our baptism. In other words this is from God, but we are active in it in faith, as well.

God in Christ became human, a little baby, for our salvation, for the world, and for all of creation. The scope of what happened is truly beyond us, as well as us really grasping the meaning of it, as one commenter said on this blog, yesterday. And all that Jesus is and does is the mirror image of God. So that his life, words, and works all reflect God. And no less his death for us on the cross. This all reflects who God is, the very heart of God. The saying is true: He was born to die, that we (men) might live.

So as we celebrate the wondrous coming of God in the flesh, the birth of Jesus, let's remember as well the shadow of the cross which hung over his birth, and over Jesus' entire life. A necessary climax and part of his work and the fulfillment of all that God had given his people in covenant love. And part of the true meaning of Christmas which is all but lost in so much of our culture and activity surrounding it.

What might you like to add to this?

quote of the week

I suggest that we see the achievement of the cross in three expressions: Jesus dies "with us" - entering into our evil and our sin and our suffering to subvert it and create a new way; Jesus dies "instead of us" - he enters into our sin, our wrath, and our death; and Jesus dies "for us" - his death forgives our sin, "declares us right," absorbs God's wrath against us, and creates new life where there was once only death.

Not only is this death saving, this same death becomes the paradigm for an entirely new existence that is shaped, as Luther said of theology and life, by the cross. A life shaped by the cross is a life bent on dying daily to self in order to love God, self, others, and the world. And a life shaped by the cross sees in the cross God becoming the victim, indentifying with the victim, suffering injustice, and shaping a cruciform pattern of life for all who would follow Jesus. The cross reshapes all of life.

Scot McKnight, A Community Called Atonement, p. 69

truly a good Friday

The Friday which we Christians call Good Friday is truly a good Friday. It is the day we remember in awe with both tears and celebration what our Lord did for us in dying on the Cross. A most wonderful day in which God's "Amen" sounded clear and unmistakeably that first Easter Sunday in our Lord's resurrection from the dead.

On the Cross just prior to his death (I capitalize "cross" because of the One who was nailed on it and died, and because of the significance of his death for us, for humankind, and for all of creation- in God's redemptive plan) Jesus declared these words: "It is finished."

What was finished? All that Jesus came to accomplish. By his death he would destroy death forever and the one who held the power of death, the devil. By his death all sinners could be set free from God's judgment, since Jesus himself took all of sin's curse and just claim on himself. By his death God offers to us a new life in Jesus, a life that begins in living out Christ's life here and now. And by his death there is complete, full reconciliation. God has reconciled the world to himself in Christ, not holding people's sins against them, and has broken down the barriers that separate humanity into so many hostile groups, to make us all one in Christ, in the communion of the Trinity.

What a terrible day that Friday was! But God took what was terrible, and what was actually his plan for this: the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This was redemptive in the Father buying back in the Son all that had been lost to his good plan in creation, for the new creation. In this, Jesus made all things new.

But for any of us to know the goodness of this Good Friday for ourselves, we must look to the One on that cross, and repent and believe this good news. Yes, it's good news for us. And then we begin on a track that continues in this life: God turning what is bad into something good, through Jesus Christ and by his work for us that dreadful day, and yet by that act making it a most wonderful day, especially as we know the end of the Story.

What "Amen" or thoughts might you add here?

when we get off track

One of the most challenging problems I run up against for myself, is how easy it is for me to get off track in regard to my relationship with God in Christ. The great thing about this, though, is that God is ever present for us, in Jesus. And we can just as readily get back on track, as we got off. But we must want and choose this. This must be nothing less than a passion for us. Not only a belief. And we must also do so as soon as we realize this. To stay off track is to increasingly make it harder to get back on track.

I like how lost and miserable I feel when I'm off track. That indeed is an indication that I am. But getting off track can seem exhilerating or alright when we are doing that. Or it's like drifting. The point in this is that we're not following Jesus when we get off track. Our aim should be that we will follow him, no matter what, regardless of how we feel or what we're experiencing. And sometimes that will mean getting back on track in what could threaten to put us on a false track. This can happen often in many ways, seemingly small ways during one's day, and we have to learn to recognize this as it happens, so as to get back on, through realizing, acknowledging, repenting and by faith getting back on the Jesus way.

The way of Jesus. He kept on track himself, in following the road laid out for him, the road of the cross. A life of love and obedience to the Father. Only that kind of love can overcome all the false loves and idols we so easily become enamored by and even cling to. God help us to get back on track more and more readily. And to get off, less and less. That we might be among those who truly walk faithfully with God throughout our lives.

politics again- how should we respond?

(sorry about the length; too long!)

Here in Michigan we just had our presidential primary. It's hot now on both major party sides, and interesting, as to which candidates will come to the fore. Though I must say, while I'm paying some attention, I'm not caring alot about which two they are. Though I do want to study where each stands on all the issues, as much as possible.

I try to look at this American political scene, as well as the international scene through the lens of the kingdom of God come in Jesus as well as from what we can tell from Scripture. In doing so, I must say I have a hard time being so personally invested in either my country's government, or for that matter any country's government, as well as the United Nations as a whole. I find my own country, the United States, good for a good number of reasons, while having its fallacies, and even enormously so- as it carries on as the world power of this moment and time- and this, just in comparing it with the rest of the world. In comparing it with Scripture and what I understand about governments and their responsibility before God during this present time, I again find much that is commendable, and some things that seem to me questionable or worse. But in comparing our country with the kingdom of God come in Jesus, I find that it's just another kingdom of this world, destined for the dust bin like all other "kingdoms" and empires.

For me all this means that we must honor our country as God calls us to in Scripture. We ought to honor our president, whether we would vote for him or her, or not- and the same with other elected officials. Here in America, thankfully there are term limits on the presidency (2 terms, 8 years-max) and other elected officials face reelection. There is something to be said for the say we have here, which is seen in other countries as well, though in other countries- not.

But what are we to do as Christians? How should we live, in view of civic activities? What are our responsibilities?

To start, I see us as Christians as the one holy nation of God in Jesus, scattered throughout the earth. We are citizens in many nations, but our allegiance is to one nation under God in Jesus, the holy nation. But it's of a kingdom not of this world, refusing to fight as the world does, but rather taking up the cross in following our Lord Jesus. Consequently I believe we must be careful about what kind of allegiance we give to any governing state on earth. While at the same time, we should seek to exert influence, according to God's revealed will in Scripture and in Jesus, where we can.

Being a part of the one holy nation which is of the kingdom of God come in Jesus, and really, which is the church- we do want to know how we're to live out what we are, as salt and light in Jesus, in this world. Not easy. Some think we need to be completely devoted to the one nation in Jesus in the sense that we give no place to any of the governing authorities of this world. Others seem to advocate the kind of allegiance to their varying countries, so as to obey them rather implicitly, unless clearly called to break one of God's commands. To fight in the wars of each, etc.

I'm not sure from Scripture that either of those options are right for us in Jesus. Scripture indicates that we're to honor the emperor. If we're to encourage the overthrow of any ruling authority in the name of Jesus is Lord and Caesar is not, then this command seems contradictory to that. Scripture also indicates that nations and kingdoms are held accountable by God for the righteousness and justice they administer. To turn a blind eye to what a governing authority does, because it is a "minister of God" (Romans 13) is to miss the point that they are ministers or servants, to carry out God's will in restraining evil. Maybe there is a place to resist evil done by governing authorites. Think of John the Baptizer. But even in considering John, and this, it seems to me there may be another way of looking at, and approaching this.

Yes, we speak, and above all, seek to live out truth in grace in Jesus, in this world. But in a sense, we end up living above the world, yet very much in the world. In the world, but not of it. Contrary to the book, "Colossians Remixed", we don't see Paul advocating, in Colossians, a direct confrontation with "Caesar" (see Scot McKnight's series on "Colossians Remixed" on "Jesus Creed"). Rather, those in Jesus are to live in this world, in every realm, as those of another world and kingdom, destined to take over all. And seek to live out and see, the anti-world, flesh and the devil, and the pro-Christ and the will of God values, lived out individually and together.

Let's not retreat into the wilderness in caves, in evangelical "ghettos." Jesus didn't. But neither let us think that the kingdoms of this world are going to be swayed into becoming bastions for the kingdom of God come in Jesus. Jesus didn't go there, and the book of Colossians doesn't seem to go either route. There is one holy nation, and we in Jesus are all a part of that.

But let's not think that there can't be pockets of resistance against the powers of this age, pockets of doing good in the Jesus way and of thus promoting God's will and kingdom come, in Jesus. There is much good that can, and thus needs to be done, and this could happen, I surmise, even in the White House. As long as we recognize the limitations any earthly kingdom has in the here and now. Remember, we in Jesus, alone, are the one holy nation (1 Peter) and with that, part and parcel of the kingdom of God come in Jesus.

What would you add to this sketch, written rather hurriedly, for me, with plenty of questions remaining, in my own mind?

Advent and the cross

Christmas is about Christ and his coming. God becoming flesh to take on himself a death that we as sinners were, and in ourselves are doomed to die. Jesus took that on himself at the cross that we might in exchange receive a new start in the new humanity in Jesus.

The cross. It should never be forgotten that it is through the cross that God accomplishes everything that is to be done, in the coming of his Son. And in Jesus, by faith, especially together we're to become part of the solution, as we live a cross-formed life in Jesus, a humanity like what he lived. But not by mere imitation, but by very participation through the Spirit, as by Jesus' atoning work we're taken up into this new way of living.

Jesus, and everything about his coming is somehow related to his cross and his death for us. It speaks God's word to and about everything. All is judged but also redeemed and saved through that death. Through this death alone comes our real life. Not in the world's terms of life, but in God's terms.

This is part of God's word to us this Christmas season: it's the word of the cross. God's gift to the world in his love, his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Do we see this season in terms and through the cross? Do we see everything through the lens of the cross? And with that the resurrection. But resurrection means life out of death, accomplished for us and for the world by Jesus.

What might you like to add or say here?