It
has been a hard weekend for our country- mourning the death of a young woman
named Heather Heyer, arguing over the social structures and dynamics of our
country’s history and presence, and (my personal and ultimate pain) seeing the
church’s failure to respond to these social and political divides in a
Christ-like way.
That
being said, I want to unpack how the church is called to respond to this world
that we are in but not of. We are constantly complaining, angered and
frustrated with the current state of our country; it’s in almost every
conversation, sermon, and Facebook post (and these feelings are completely in
the right). But my concern and my conviction lies with our lack of remembering
where our foundation is and where we find our hope. Yes, we are disappointed
with this world but that shouldn’t surprise us or hurt us- this world has, is
and will always fail those within it. Whatever good that is found in it is a
grace to enjoy, but this world is not ours to cling to; this world is not
eternal. Our disappointment should be with what IS eternal- the church. The
only thing that will last from this decaying world is us, the body of Christ.
So why do we spend time remarking on our disappointment with the dead things?
Does that engagement not put more emphasis on the dead and dying? Does this
hopelessness not poison our own hearts and lives when we choose to exist in it?
If we are living in the disappointment and hopelessness of this world, what was
the point of Christ taking it all on the cross?
My
heart hurts when I think about the current political divide in this country,
but what especially pierces my heart is how that influence has divided the
church. We have allowed secular culture to dictate our theology and doctrine
rather than allowing theology and doctrine to create a new Christ-centered
culture within the body. If the church continues to bend it’s knee to the era’s
significant societal status quo, we will be no different from the rest of the
world. And if Jesus calls us “new creations” in Him, aren’t we supposed to be
different?
Martin
Luther King Jr. said it best in his Letter From Birmingham Jail when he
said, “In deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church. But be
assured that my tears have been tears of love. There can be no deep
disappointment where there is not deep love. Yes, I love the church. How could
I do otherwise? I am in the rather unique position of being the son, the
grandson and the great grandson of preachers. Yes, I see the church as the body
of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scarred that body through social
neglect and through fear of being nonconformists.”
He
goes on to say, “There was a time when the church was very powerful--in the
time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for
what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that
recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that
transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a town,
the people in power became disturbed and immediately sought to convict the
Christians for being "disturbers of the peace" and "outside
agitators."' But the Christians pressed on, in the conviction that they
were "a colony of heaven," called to obey God rather than man. Small
in number, they were big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be
"astronomically intimidated." By their effort and example they
brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests.
Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak,
ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an archdefender of
the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the
power structure of the average community is consoled by the church's
silent--and often even vocal--sanction of things as they are.”
How
does this play into the current state of division in the church? How can we
represent Christ and diligently obey the mission to love this world to Him if
we are not acting as one? If we were truly “God-intoxicated” would we be so
quickly intimidated and divided by opposing political (or any) view at all? If
our foundation truly was Christ, would we not unite upon that solid ground with
more confidence in Jesus as our source of unity?
These
are difficult questions, I know. But we need to be challenging ourselves if we
are going to be the church that claims the name of Christ.
This
is a lesson from Redemption Hill Church's Summer Dinner Series. The pastor answers these
questions straight from the scriptures. Please take some time and listen to it
this week. I truly believe it will be a tremendous form of encouragement and
hope for you as it was for me.
