I remember while attending seminary, hearing one sentence that shook every foundation that I ever had when it comes to religion, my faith and the church.
That sentence is: “The gospel of Jesus Christ is scandalous!”
It’s a sentence I have wholeheartedly bought into - one that has become one of my own core values.
The theology in this one sentence goes something like this: The good news of Jesus Christ is so transformative, so all encompassing, breaking down all barriers, that it pushes not only the imaginations of all humanity, it takes them to places they do not even want to be. In our sinfulness as humans, we cannot comprehend nor go where Christ is transforming all of creation, because of our own limitations. We tend to fight against it or ignore it. It’s simply too much of a good thing.
If you are one who is comfortable in your daily walk with Christ, then there is something you are probably missing. If you take for granted or do not see, hear, taste, smell, touch or feel what God is doing in creation, then there is something lacking. If you are not overcome with joy so overpowering that it is mind boggling, then you need to be on your knees. If you do not get to the place where you are questioning God, asking, “Are you serious? Your really mean that?” Then your spiritual vessel needs to be filled.
Because the Good News of the Gospel is a scandal, it takes us places where we do not want to go, engage people we do not want to see, and act in ways that we would never act.
So the next time, you feel the urge to judge others for whatever reason EVEN if you think it has righteous merit, remember, Christ was lovingly with those who were being judged and it was a scandal. When you believe that you have the answers to what is right and wrong and even have the biblical references to back it up, Christ was right there reinterpreting Scriptures in the spirit of love and forgiveness and that was a scandal!
If there wasn’t a scandal, if Christ did not push the “righteous ones” beyond their limits, if he affirmed the religious establishment’s efforts of holy indignation, then there never would have been a reason to have a crucifixion.
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Editor’s note: John Gibson is the pastor of Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church, Pea Ridge. He can be contacted through this newspaper at [email protected].
Church, Pages 2 on 07/10/2013