BUDDY CHRIST

Normally, I am not a big fan of sharing the spotlight, but the following is one of the best blog posts I have read on the Christian faith in a long time.  It was composed by a friend of mine and we have been talking about his crisis of faith for awhile now.  His words are important and need to be shared.  I am sharing without his permission, but with full credit.

From DWB at castlechurchdoor.com  ...

Buddy Christ

28October2011

by castlechurchdoor

 

It has been so long since I have written to any of the blogs I write for, that I almost forgot how to log in to compose today’s entry. If I am being honest I had to take a break from the blogosphere because I was burned out, my faith was floundering, and I owed myself a break to try to decompress and to be able to provide quality to my friends and colleagues here at the door and to those who grace us by taking time out of your day to read our musings and meanderings of theological wanderings.
Also, my faith was/is in crisis. That’s right, shock of shocks, Pastors, Priests, Rabbis sometimes have times of doubt and questioning – times of fear and failure – times when we aren’t sure what we believe and if we believe. During one of my sleepless nights of questioning I even stumbled over an invitation only support group online for clergy who have become atheists but because of the economy can not leave the ministry. You can find the link to that info here. http://richarddawkins.net/articles/643520-announcing-the-clergy-project-support-for-pastors-and-priests-leaving-the-pulpit Also, NO I haven’ t joined that group.

I read articles about men leaving the church, found here. http://www.antiochian.org/node/17069
What I have discovered is that I haven’t lost my faith in Christ – perhaps in what I think we have been seeing a great deal of in recent years, since the movie “Dogma” first hit theaters – a peddling of ”Buddy Christ.” A soft Messiah, a cuddly Messiah, not a man who walked into smelly tombs to bring friends to life, not a savior who was so intense he sweat tears of blood, not a Lord who made whips and cleansed the temple, not the Christ who refused to answer Pilate – thus assuring that He would be nailed to the tree.

I question if the modern church has given the modern culture what they have demanded, this is a market driven economy. Joel Osteen tells folks that God wants them to be rich or wealthy and his congregation is packed. Others have “worship” *cough* that is much more about entertainment than worship – we, and yes I include me, have given the world what George Carlin mocked us for – Buddy Christ.
This is not the Jesus of Scripture. This is not the Christ that withstood the tests and temptations of Satan in the wilderness. This is not the Son of the Living God that tells us that it’s okay to enter the darkness of the valley of the shadow of death, for His rod and staff comfort us. This is not the Holy One that descended into hell, that took on the sin of the world, that defeated sin, death, and the devil.

My faith began to be restored by talking to a Jewish friend. He laughed when I talked with him and said, “My people are known for crisis of faith and screaming at God, maybe I can help.” He did, he listened, he laughed, he wept with me and for me and he said, “My friend, you have not lost faith, you have lost sight – lost sight in the Jesus of Scripture – the charismatic leader that walked on water and healed the sick.” Then he laughed and said, “If Jesus saw his image today, he’d roll over in his grave – then nudged me and said, Oh that’s right, he already rolled the grave away.” We both smiled and he got a twinkle in his eye and gave me the best and most beautiful advice. ”Return to the story, forget the myth, forget what culture and the church are peddling – return to your first love.”

Amazing, faith restored from a Jew quoting Revelation. He never referred to Buddy Christ, he said, “The man Jesus I have studied does not drink mocha lattes, wear pink fuzzy bunny slippers, and wax eloquently over the next marketing plan for the church – he rolls up his sleeves, spits in the mud, and helps people see.” He then spit and said, “There’s your mud, open your eyes.”

This may not apply to you in any way, if not I apologize for wasting your time. But if your faith is fragile, forget the myth and return to the One – Jesus the Christ.

Blessings

DWB@CCD.

Unexpected Surprises

THIS IS A REPEAT OF A PREVIOUS ENTRY ON ANOTHER BLOG TO WHICH I CONTRIBUTE, SO IF YOU FOLLOW CASTLECHURCH DOOR, YOU WILL PROBABLY RECOGNIZE IT. 

This evening I encountered one of the most amazing miracles of all creation. I held a newborn baby – less than two hours old - in my arms. That may not seem like such a big deal to many people, but to me it is incredible. I am a 54-year-old woman who has never been blessed with the experience of bringing a child into the world. I have held nieces and nephews, and the newborn infants of congregation members but never have I held a baby that newly born. As the family and I stood in the hospital room, tears of joy at the miracle that is life trickled down more than one set of cheeks; my own among them. I looked down at the wee little baby in my arms, the loving family gathered around in that comfortable albeit institutional – hospital room and was struck by a moment of profound clarity.

Our Lord, Jesus was once this tiny. His little mouth would have pursed hoping to suckle just as this wee one was doing. He would have let out a hungry cry of discontent. As I left the hospital and returned to my vehicle, I couldn’t stop pondering that thought along with the reminder that there was no comfortable hospital room, but a stable – most likely a cave instead. The tears began to trickle again, for an entirely different reason altogether. Suddenly I was overwhelmed by the surprising absurdity of the whole idea of the Incarnation. I thought of that hours-old baby I had just held. This, THIS was the way that the God of all creation chose to reveal himself to the world – in human form. Yes, I know that this is not news. We all KNOW this. But the surprising absurdity of the incarnation became amazingly, well, incarnate to me as I held that baby tonight.

The Messiah, the Anointed One, the Son of God, the Long-Expected One - no one would have expected such an inauspicious arrival. God promised that something new was about to be underway, but what a surprise it was when it began. And if the absurdity of Jesus’ birth is one incredible surprise, consider the reality that it is only the beginning of the surprises which God has in store for us through Jesus. Consider the surprising and unexpected people he chose to be his disciples. Fishermen? Tax collectors? Seriously? Consider the surprising twists that generally conclude his parables; the way he turns the questions of his challengers back on them with questions of his own. Even his closest companions and disciples found themselves surprised as Jesus ministry unfolded. It was never quite what they expected. From his ignoble birth to his ministry – just about everything about Jesus could probably be described as unconventional, particularly in light of who he was and who Israel expected the Messiah to be. And that final trip to Jerusalem – the predictions of his own death. The apparent end to the story one tragic Friday and then one last surprise on a Sunday morning when tragedy becomes good news. Jesus says to his followers “the kingdom of heaven has come near.” The kingdom of heaven is a kingdom full of incredible surprises. 

Looking for evidence of the kingdom and the presence of Jesus around us? Better expect to be surprised, because if God is at work, the unexpected and surprising are bound to be the norm. 

Prince of Peace, King of Kings, Messiah, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God – a baby; an unconventional human full of surprises? Seriously? SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Thanks be to God for failing to meet our expectations and miraculously surprising us with the kingdom.

Be surprised!

PK (+)