One of my favourite Christian ‘jokes’ is that the prevalence of ceilidh’s in the social life of the 1990s church was very biblical. After all Jesus did say “I have come that you might have life, and have it in a barn dance”. OK so I’m not funny, but at least I’m not in denial about it. But that passage in John 10:10 is, for me, the point.
In John 10:10 we see a contrast between two types of life “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” I don’t know about you, but I want life to the full and not one that is being stolen and destroyed. To set this in the wider context, the story of humanity starts with creation in union with God, we decide to go our own way then, at just the right time. Jesus comes and starts putting things back the way they should be and at the end we hear God say “Behold, I make all things new” in Revelation 21. We get a new heaven and a new earth. Part of our mission as followers of Jesus is to be part of that renewal of all things.
Humanity is broken. I am a broken person living in a broken world. But we don’t have to accept that things have to stay like that. As God is putting me back together, so I become a light in the darkness, reflecting his light that cannot be put out. As I band together with others who are being changed so we bring light to our neighbourhood, work place, town, nation, our world.
The astute among you will have noticed that I haven’t said that I’m a Christian primarily because Jesus died for my sins so I can go to heaven. That may even upset you, and I’m sorry if it does. But I think that muddles the how with the why. I totally believe that I am reconciled to God through the cross, and trust me, I’m thankful that Jesus did that. But I really don’t believe that he did it so I could live a comfotable life knowing that after death all would be well. That sounds a little individualistic if you ask me. Really, it’s not about me or you. There’s something bigger going on here. God is renewing all of creation to himself and he is renewing me as part of that and so I can play a role in it.
The scary thing about seeing the bigger picture is that there is no room to rest on my laurels (not that I’m sure what they are). God is renewing the whole of creation which means I need to allow him to renew me. I can’t simply have an insurance policy faith. I have to be committed to changing me to be more like him. Or maybe I mean allowing him to change me to be more like him. If I’m playing my role in renewing creation I have to look after the poor, be a good steward of the earth’s scarce resources, give generously in a word where accumulating wealth is the major past time and all because it gives glory to God and extends his kingdom here on earth.
I want a more ‘full’ Jesus like life. Please God help me to seek and serve you in your mission to renew all things.
Update: Saturday 17 March…
A couple of books that have been recommended Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell and Simply Christian by TomWright.
This post is filed as: thoughts and musings. It was written by mrdavidberry.
so is your question still valid? I wonder if even to ask ‘what’s the point?’ is to try to pin down faith and God’s renewal and journeying with God to an answer that fits in a couple of sentences. What are the new questions?