A Dynamic and Challenging Christ
Authors often talk about the difference between creating flat vs. dynamic characters. Flat characters are one-sided and predictable. If the villain in a story wears a black hat, chews tobacco, and has a creepy laugh, he's as flat as the Texas pan handle. Dynamic characters are all together different. They are more complicated and less predictable. They can both inspire us as well as shock us, and it takes most of the novel to fully get to know them.
How about Jesus? Is your view of Jesus flat or dynamic? Have you polished off His rough edges, dressed Him up in a clean robe, and allowed Him only to speak soft soothing sermons? Is this sort of "comfortable" Christ the actual Jesus revealed to us in Scripture?
These challenging questions struck me as I was reading through the Gospel of Luke. Shortly into chapter 8, a Jesus is revealed whom I really like. He's so approachable, even women are in His entourage (something other rabbi's would never allow). He takes the time to share inside information with us as He explains His parables. This Jesus is a great guy to have on your side because He flexes His power with amazing miracles. He calms a storm. He casts out demons. He raises a dead daughter. He feeds 5,000. He even sends out His 12 disciples to go do similar things in His name.
Yes, I really like this Jesus. He's the good God-guy who wears a white hat and always wins his gun fights. Apparently, the 12 apostles really liked this Jesus too. I am sure that they were having a blast hanging out with this miracle Messiah. He is the big man on campus, and it's cool to be seen with Him.
Then I went on to read chapter 9, and suddenly things begin to change. The miracles are still there; Jesus even transfigures right before our eyes. But something else begins to happen. Jesus begins saying things that make me uncomfortable. Suddenly He's a lot less predictable, and I am not so sure I want to be seen with Him. He begins to talk about crosses -- His own and ours.
The 12 have a problem with this too. They get so enthralled by all the miracles that they begin to argue among themselves who is the greatest. When they see different disciples doing miracles in Jesus' name, they get jealous and want to stop them. When Jesus is rejected in a particular Samaritan village, their solution is to call down fire and brimstone to burn down the place. They obviously were getting carried away. The disciples were drunk with the power and privilege of being associated with the Savior.
Jesus has enough of this foolishness and quickly corrects them:
"And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.'"(Luke 9:43-44)
Talk about a reality check! In essence Jesus is saying, "Yes, I can do miracles, and yes, you can do great things in my name, but that's not what this is all about. I have come to lay down my life, and if you would be my followers, I am asking you to do the same."
Toward the end of the chapter, we read about others who want to come and join Jesus' posse. One is willing to follow Jesus wherever He goes. (Such a statement should come with a warning label -- could he even imagine what he was getting himself into!) Jesus replies, I hope you're used to roughing it, because foxes and birds have better living quarters than I do. A second would-be disciple asks for a leave of absence to go bury his dead father. Jesus replies, "Let the dead bury the dead...You go proclaim the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:60). A final potential recruit encounters Jesus sort of like an 18 year-old signing up for the army. He tells Jesus that he is ready to sign on the dotted line, but first he wants to go home and say goodbye to his family. Jesus the General barks back: "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)
What do we do with such a Jesus? I suppose we could just rip out chapter 9 from our Bibles and play it safe. Or we could accept Jesus on His terms, and enter into the dangerous world of discipleship. Our lives are hidden in Christ, and therefore we find ourselves constantly in the shadow of the cross. Sure there are glorious things to celebrate -- we have the victory over death and the grave, and all this is given purely by grace! But just like Jesus, prior to our own resurrection, our lives are to be marked by sacrifice.
As we journey together through Lent it’s a good reminder that the cross we are to carry is not a shiny gold pendant on a chain, but a rough hewn beam which causes bruises on our backs. We are not to argue who is the greatest, but be satisfied in being the least. We are not to be jealous of other Christians (or churches), but rejoice that the Lord is using them to increase His kingdom. We are not called to curse our enemies or hold grudges, but to love and pray for them.
Jesus Christ is not flat, but alive and dynamic! He is calling each of us to throw off our versions of a dull, predictable, and safe Christianity and follow Him on a path that is adventurous, dynamic, and dangerous. "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." (Luke 9:23-24)