There is great beauty in the Gospel of John, but it is also, in many ways, really annoying to read, especially out loud. I know – you think I am being disrespectful, but I disagree. There are amazing stories and ideas that appear in John and no place else, and that I truly cherish. My beef is that the Jesus of John is, in so many ways, completely different than the other Gospels. He is exceptionally long-winded and repetitive and pushes the idea of fate/destiny constantly. I am a free-will person, so the idea that God controls everything, or that we all have a prescribed future, rankles my soul.
One idea I do love, however, is from John 17. It is part of the beginning of the end, and Jesus speaks about how He will no longer be in the world. He elects His disciples to step up and continue the work after He is gone, which, considering the apocalyptic nature of so much of Jesus’ preaching, leads me to believe that this, being written some 60 years after the resurrection, comes from the desire of the church to keep people motivated and to not give up. The question so often asked is this: what does it mean to be in the world, but not of it? Google it and you will find thousands – maybe millions – of opinions, so let me give you mine. I think Jesus meant that every generation needs to tell their faith story, and that story should stay consistent with His intent, but, at the same time, will not necessarily be told the same way.
Consider the way we worship. I think too many churches get stuck in a tradition or time period and stick with it, believing that their way is the right, superior way. The worship wars have been going on for 50 years; too many meaningless arguments about music, inclusive language – even the King James Version of the Bible! I think that being stuck is to be of this world; God is doing a new thing every day! Sure, a lot of what passes for praise/contemporary Jesus music is overly simplistic and cloying, but the same can be said for a lot of the old hymns. So much faith-centered music written over the last 40 years is amazing, and to rule it out because it isn’t organ-based is to be of this world and not open to the Spirit.
I don’t walk around in a robe (except on Sunday mornings) and I don’t speak Aramaic. I live in the 21st century, but I try not to allow it to stain my faith. I can be a lover of God and watch secular movies. I can read science fiction/fantasy and also read my Bible. I can have non-Christian friends and still hold on to my belief about Jesus. I live in this world, and I don’t plan on becoming a hermit. The part we all have to navigate is how our lives and our behavior show what our real values are. It isn’t that hard to do, really; just be faithful.
Prayer – Holy God, we are in a different time, but we have the same command from You to love one another. We pray that this happens in our lives. Amen.
Today’s art is “Cosmic Creation” by John Lloyd Rushing.