I'm With Them
Not long ago I was sitting in a crowd listening to a pastor speak. Each word that came out of his mouth held the attention of everyone. He then made a joke that sent the room into an uproar, but I didn’t laugh.
It’s not that I don’t have a sense of humor. I do, which is why I laugh at myself all the time. It’s that his joke was horribly unkind and was open mockery of a person who is a friend of mine. I do not remember what he said the rest of the time as I sat contemplating whether I would say something to him.
When he was done I decided to do approach him. We met, exchanged hellos, and then I said, “So-and-so is a friend of mine and is one of the people who influenced my being in ministry.”
This eloquent speaker stammered and stuttered as he tried to explain himself. It was painfully obvious that he wanted to be anywhere but right there.
What is interesting is that I did not accuse him of being unkind, nor did I tell him that his comment was a horrendous lack of judgment. All I did was identify myself with the person he mocked. There is tremendous power when we identify with another person.
One does not have to say anything more than “that’s my friend” or “that’s my sister.” Suddenly, if a person has been speaking ill of the other feels threatened or attacked. It works the other way too. A total stranger could say, “Your brother and I are great friends!” There is a sudden connection.
Throughout the Gospels there is constant identification happening in the person of Jesus. He does not identify with the powerful, but goes out of his way to be “one of them.” He eats with sinners, whores, drunkards, and tax collectors – people who were the undesirables. These meals were deeply connecting. By eating with them, Jesus told everyone, “I am with them and one of them.”
In Matthew 25 Jesus tells a story of those who cared for the hungry, the thirsty, the immigrants, the sick, those who can’t afford clothing, and those who’ve been locked up in prison. He says, “… whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
These people, at the bottom of the societal heap, are not only the brothers and sisters of Jesus. He is one of them. I wonder if his identification with them would still make some uncomfortable today?
When was the last time you heard an unkind comment made about an immigrant or a presumptive comment about the poor? For me, it was just a few weeks ago. The reality is these are Jesus’ siblings and, if you call yourself a follower of Jesus, they are yours too.
I often wonder how our world would begin to change if we saw “one of them” as “one of us.” It would surely change our conversations, but more importantly it would change our actions. We would have a greater sense of urgency in acting on behalf of the marginalized and vulnerable in our world. After all, they’re family, right?
Jesus is a Loser
If Jesus played kickball as a kid on the playground I bet he would have been picked last. Not because he was not athletic, but because even though he was fully human he was also fully God. Which makes it safe to say that he was a loser.
In our “dog-eat-dog” American culture characterized by an all-consuming drive to win; we would not want Jesus on our ball team, as a part of political party, or as a warrior in our military. He didn’t win. He was hung up by nails in his hands and feet and killed by the winners in his world.
He lost everything, even his life, in the name of comforting the afflicted and liberating those enslaved in darkness. This is why the Apostle Paul said that when people heard the story about Jesus they would think it was absolute stupidity.
Today, most people still believe it is complete rubbish. Few would admit they believe this, but all one has to do to see what a person really believes is observe his life.
Jesus’ life was characterized by love, compassion, mercy, and grace. He identified with the whores, the irreligious, and those on the margins. One would think Christianity would resemble his life, but sadly it often differs. This is why the name of God and Jesus is often invoked in connection with power and might rather than humility and sacrifice.
There is no shortage of language, from self-professed followers of Jesus, marked by domination, power, and violence. Many seem to think that Jesus “gave it all” so we could “get it all.” And if that doesn’t work then we will “take it all.”
Military leaders speak of “God and country” and in the next breath threaten shock and awe. Christians who wish to see social change think in terms of political power. They smear the name of anyone who differs from their way of thinking, and speak of getting “God’s man in the White House.”
And what about God and sports? I played sports at a Christian college and the belief that “God was on our side” fueled the passion for winning. Some believe that God is on Tim Tebow and the Bronco’s side. Groups who use sports as a way to share their faith in Jesus put Philippians 3.14 on their clothing.
The famous verse says, “I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me. The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3.13,14 CEB). Obviously, Paul cared about winning! Well, yes and no.
The verses before these are about suffering and death. Paul is willing to experience this so that he might win the prize, which is resurrection. Paul’s win comes by way of a loss.
This is exactly how the life of a Christian should be measured. We must pursue sacrifice, generosity, love, compassion, and wining by losing. You could say that following Jesus means being a loser. There is no other way around it in the culture that we live in.
If that seems like utter nonsense, well it should. That’s what Paul said people would think when they heard the Jesus story. I mean, who would ever pick a kid like Jesus to play kick ball?
Being Christ in Christmas
The usual clamor of the holiday season is occurring, and just beneath it is the faint din of anger.
Once again many have raised their voice regarding the “secularization” of Christmas. Armed with slogans like, “Keep Christ in Christmas” they ensure we will always remember this is a holiday about Jesus of Nazareth.
Common greetings such as, “Happy Holidays” are met with a defensive, counter-greeting of “… and Merry Christ-mas to you too.” Just try using the common abbreviation “Xmas.” Some believe this is literally “X-ing” Jesus out of the holiday!
What is glaringly absent from these vocal Christmas Crusaders is any protest against the consumerism, greed and selfishness that accompanies our normal celebration of the holiday season.
Retailers push gift buying for two months every year to cushion their bottom line. Herds of people stampede one another in the name of saving a buck on Black Friday. Churches sell tickets to their Christmas Pageants to subsidize their massive production budget. People shop, party, and travel to the extent that they barely notice the holiday they want to keep Christ in has come and gone.
This has become the common American way of celebrating the holidays, yet some are upset about those who choose to say “Happy Holidays?”
For many who do not celebrate the holiday this attitude is perceived as insensitive, not to mention a complete overreaction. However, these defenders of the “reason for the season” may be on to something.
This is a season that has been remembered and celebrated by Christians for centuries. The Church has historically called this time of year “Advent.” It is a time when the people of God anticipate and celebrate the coming of Jesus, “... though he was in the form of God he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit. But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave," (Phil 2.6,7 CEB).
He came to join humanity in our suffering and in his death and resurrection brought peace, hope, and love to a hurting and broken world. Christmas is God’s way of constantly reminding humanity, “In all of your joy and in all of your struggle … I am here with you.”
The Church is not only to celebrate and remember the gift of Jesus; we are to imitate him and have the same attitude of mind he possesses.
I must admit, I am fan of keeping Christ in Christmas too. Except I really don't care if you call it a season or a holiday or something else entirely. What I care about is whether or not people see Christ in Christmas when they see his Church celebrating it.
Keeping Christ in Christmas has nothing to do with greetings. Rather, it is about the people of God being Christ in Christmas.
In imitation of the God we celebrate on this holiday we must empty ourselves and take on the form of a slave. In giving our time, presence, and resources to the hurting and broken we will remind all people that Christ is still here with us.
Perhaps this kind of celebration would lead us all toward a very Merry Christmas.
Throwing Rocks and Footballs
You Don't Have to Preach Alone
My being a pastor is direct evidence of God having a sense of humor. The truth is, he simply redeemed my incessant need to be the center of attention. I keep this in mind nearly everyday, especially when I preach.
There is something deeply serious and absolutely elating about standing in front of anyone to teach. From the first time I ever preached until now, my passion, joy, and dedication for it has only grown.
What continues to change the most in me is not my presentation or even my elocution. Rather, it’s about what is rolling around in my head and heart. At times, my dark side wants the sermon to be about my agenda or be filled with my thoughts.
Knowing the reality of my flawed self has caused me to invite many people to look ahead at the teachings to come. I want to consider the text from as many angles as possible.
Every month I spend time with our elder team sharing what is on my heart, listening to their thoughts, and discussing the text. Each week I discuss the upcoming sermon with my fellow pastors, asking them if I am on track.
During these times some ideas are pushed off the table, and new insights are gained. The more faithful I am to this, the more my ego is held in check, which is good for everyone. More than this, the more voices that speak into the teaching the more voices come through in the sermon.
Every time I teach there are many people from all walks of life who listen. The reality is I do not know (or consider) the viewpoint of each person. This is not because I do not want to, but because I am one person with a limited view on life.
Spending time with men and women who engage the teaching alongside me has broadened my viewpoint. Studying together brings light into places that I otherwise would not have seen, and lends confidence and credibility to what will be preached.
It is a dangerous thing to study in isolation for hours, prepare a sermon, and then go and preach it. If you’re anything like me there is tremendous potential to err when left to your own devices. After all, the Bible is a communal book, so why would anyone approach, study, or teach it alone?
Where is the Sermon Going?
When I was young my parents forced me to sit in church with them and listen to the preacher. It was agonizing, until he began providing his sermon notes for the whole congregation. With these in hand I always knew how close he was to finishing, which made the pain a tad more bearable.
Ultimately his notes ruined any measure of intrigue or surprise. Everyone knew all of his alliterated points – including what letter they began with – from the start.
This would be like sitting down to watch a film that opened with a monologue from the director. He would explain where the story was located, who the characters were, and outline the plot, conflict and resolution. He would then conclude by saying, “Thanks for listening, now enjoy the film.”
You may be thinking, “That would ruin the whole thing.” Yes, in fact it would. But have you ever given much thought as to why?
It’s because a good narrative leads us forward not by giving us information, but by withholding it. We have to remain engaged in the story to see what will happen next. The best films do this brilliantly. They allow us to know where we are in the story, but enough is hidden to hold our attention.
Pastors must learn from this. Many preachers begin their sermons with an introduction of some sort, which are often a summary of the teaching itself. Communication theory would call this “sign posting.”
It’s telling people where the teaching is going (almost point-by-point), and constantly reminding them of where you have been. While this can help people locate themselves in the midst of a lecture, it also creates barriers and boundaries.
With "sign posting" the listener is not free to think outside the framework that has been constructed. Their minds and hearts are not invited to go anywhere because they have already been told where the lecture is going. If they desire to actively participate, they have to move with the speaker to the next predictable point.
By contrast, narratives invite us into a world of exploration and discovery (read my last post for more on this). When you are caught up in a magnificent story do you really want someone reminding you of where you have been or where you are going? Of course not.
You want to be free to think, imagine and consider new possibilities. “Signposts” get in the way of that.
In an age of information overload we don’t need more lectures; we need sermons that stir our collective imagination. The difference between the two can be found at the beginning by simply listening. Are congregations being told where they are going or being invited to listen and engage in a story?
The Need for Unfinished Sermons
Some believe that sermons are dying. People contend that no one will ever sit and listen to anyone talk for more than 20 minutes without dying from boredom. Others contend that we have no attention span and need sound bites not lengthy lectures.
But what if it’s not the length of the sermon, or even our shortening attention span? Everyday in our country hundreds of thousands of people see movies at the theater. Most of these films are anywhere from one to three hours, and the moviegoers pay attention nearly the entire time. For the most part those people watch two kinds of films.
The first is the kind where by the end of the first scene you know the way it was going to end. Films like this rarely generate good conversation. Typically all that anyone can say is, “I like it” or “It wasn’t that good” or “My favorite part was …” That’s it. The storyteller has left little to the imagination because he finished the story for you.
Then there are films where you have no idea how it is going to end, and even when the film is over the story isn’t. It brought you into new territory and opened new possibilities that must be explored and (re)discovered. For days and weeks you discuss it, critique it, and think about it.
This is what good stories do – they do not provide answers for us, but invite us on a journey of discovery. This is also what good sermons do. They don’t answer all your questions, but send you in a direction to find out more. As we search we often stumble upon a new world .
By contrast, have you ever sat and listened to a sermon only to realize that you’ve heard this all before? You know exactly how it’s going to resolve and what points of application the pastor will give at the end. This is why so many churchgoers can’t pay attention. It’s hard to focus on something that is familiar, and even harder when it’s predictable.
These kind of sermons rarely generate good conversation. The listeners are left to speak in terms of whether or not it was “good” or if they “liked it.” They are not invited anywhere, because everything is complete; the story has been told for them. Sermons like these are dying and it has nothing to do with attention span.
Those who preach must leave things unfinished; allowing the teaching to bring others into new places. For it is not what happens during the teaching, but what others do with it after they have heard it that will make all the difference.
A (Non)Compelling Vision
Jesus’ vision while he was here on earth was not very compelling. He was always talking about dying a violent death and inviting his followers to join him in it. It’s no surprise that no strategic guide for church growth includes this as part of its message.
Make no mistake, there is no shortage of vision in churches these days, it’s just that it doesn't speak about death. Rather, the talk is often about “building community” or “serving neighborhoods” or “continued growth.” It seems these things are opposed to the idea of death, but they are actually bound to it.
Jesus said, “unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Growth comes from death. As a matter of fact so does serving and even building community. I learned (and am learning this) everyday.
Not long ago my wife and I had some friends live with us for a little over six months, then we had some other friends move right next door. It was our plan to live in community. We found out that it was glorious and difficult.
The difficult side was, and still is, that I don’t always get my space or what I want. Sure, it sounds selfish because it is. Sometimes I just want to do what I want to do. However, when you make the choice to truly “build community” your life ceases to be only about you.
This means I have to die myself and my selfish desires and choose hospitality and generosity. It’s only when this happens that life in community is glorious. Death of self precedes life in community, and the more one lives in community the more that brings about the death of self. It's an endless cycle.
And what about serving our neighbors? This is not just bringing giving them a cup of sugar when they are running short. It’s identifying with them in times of brokenness and sorrow as well as moments of joy and celebration. To identify with another person in her pain is to admit that we have brokenness too - it's allowing something to die.
To truly serve, live, and love like Jesus our attitudes must become like his. That is we must be willing to follow him to his death and die with him. This is what Paul told the church in Philippi in the second chapter of his letter to them (read it here).
Perhaps all the vision being cast is not bad or wrong; it’s just starting in the wrong place. For if we are to build something, continue to grow, or serve anyone it has to begin with death - or else we remain but a single seed.