Why Jesus? (Being Part of the Big Picture)

I know I just asked the above question a few blogs ago, but there are many answers to this question, so plenty of blog-fodder. 

I was thinking about my cousin, Mary Ann, presently on a short-term journey to the Central African Republic to conduct a Bible school (for adults) and to encourage the Christian community in the region of Zemio.  The Christians there can use all the support they can get as they have had to deal with the terror campaign of Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army. 

Mary Ann  and her husband, Les, served in Africa as missionaries for over 40 years and in retirement they keep going back for short-term projects and programs like the present one.  The question you may ask is, “Why would anyone do this?”  After all, when retirement comes don’t we all want to put  our work behind us, especially if it puts us in a place that could be a threat to life and limb?

Now, I admit that one of the motivations for travel is the fact that Les and Mary Ann have children still serving in that region, but that is not the only reason they return again and again. They return because they love the people there – after forty years one can’t help but establish a bond.  But they also return because God has called them to something beyond themselves, and they feel both compelled as well as exhilarated by that calling.

Which returns me to the question, “Why Jesus?”   Mary Ann and Les might articulate this differently,  but I think they would agree with me – Jesus calls us out of an unsatisfying life of self-absorption into a life that plays itself out on the grand stage of history.  Jesus proclaimed that the kingdom of God was  breaking in upon the world.  The apostle Paul picked up on the theme by declaring that through Jesus God was doing nothing less than restoring the fullness of creation.

So, maybe all you want out of life is a decent job, a happy relationship with your significant other, or time off for good behavior.  Maybe all you care about is beating your best score in World of Warcraft.  Maybe your biggest dream is to make the cheerleading squad.  Or maybe all you want to do is retire so you can play golf.  Go for it.  Sounds stimulating.

But if you want to be part of something bigger than yourself, if you want to be part of a movement that is changing history, indeed, transforming  creation itself, then that’s “Why Jesus?”  If you haven’t heard this grand vision in the words and life of Jesus, then I suggest you haven’t really been listening.

What We Want and What We Need

We all want something out of church.  Let’s admit it.  Some want the fellowship of good friends who share common values.  Some want moral instruction for their children.  Some want spiritual guidance for their teenagers.  Some want answers to difficult questions.  Some want easy steps to happiness. Some want consolation for life’s troubles.  Some want an energetic worship service with music that makes you want to dance.  Others want just the opposite – worship that is solemn with music that leads to meditation.  Some want a sermon that speaks to the intellect.  Others want a sermon that speaks to the heart. 

I hope it is obvious that no one can have everything they want in a church.  There are too many competing expectations.  How do we manage to have church in the midst of all these differing desires?  Perhaps because we realize, somehow deep down in our heart of hearts, that church is not really about what we want at all, but about what God wants. 

Jesus says, “take up you cross daily and follow me.”  And the more we seek to put aside what we want out of church in order to take up our daily cross the more likely we are to be a church that satisfies our souls.  We sometimes discover that what we wanted was not nearly as important as what we needed, and God always provides what we need as we follow Jesus in this life of daily cross-bearing.

Oh, churches still have squabbles.  And sometimes we have knock-down, drag-out confrontations.  But the more we bear the cross the less we’ll sweat the small stuff and the more likely we’ll find common cause. 

Take a look in the mirror and be honest with yourself.  You want something out of church.  What is it?  Then ask yourself, “What does God want from me?”  When you get in the habit of seeking the answer to that second question you will be closer to helping the church be a gateway to the kingdom of God, and you may find exactly what you need, if not what you want, out of church.