Thursday, October 23, 2008
To The Cross...
A while back, Russ Smith "penned" what may be his best blog post EVER. It was a book review on the book "The Crucifixion of Ministry" and it strikes at themes that are near and dear to the heart of this blog.
Says Russ:
Failure is our teacher - crisis our guru. And if we reflect on that fact, we should do so with gratitude. You see the real good news of Easter is that it is ONLY failure that is our teacher and ONLY crisis that is our guru. Without the Easter story there would be only death, no lessons, no learning, no transformation.
Did you ever wonder if when Optimus Prime and the boys do this:
it hurts? I have no idea, but I do know this - they are designed to transform. We are not. There is a reason their human companions don't just pick up the knack to turn into vehicles. I mean that is gonna hurt a bit more like this:
only hopefully with a much prettier result.
Have you been to the cross?...or are you busy avoiding it?
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Says Russ:
Like a great Jazz artist, Purves weaves key themes through the text: the Mystic Union with Christ (that when we are His, we're united with him...thus his righteousness is exchanged for our rags, and vice versa) and the Vicarious Ministry of Jesus Christ (that even now he reigns, he continues to serve as the High Priest in the Heavenlies, and He offers His worship to the Father). Thus everything important is being done.As I read Russ, the phrase that titles this post ran through my mind. The scriptural passage that best describes what Russ refers to here is Gal 2:20:
None of these are new to me....cognitively I was aware of them and their implications long ago. However Purves shows some great wisdom in making us aware that intellectually knowing a truth is not the same as living into it: “More elusive is the deep conversion of mind, will and heart where we know the inner reality of being laid hold of by Christ in the Spirit, so we share in his active obedience to, communion with and mission from the Father. From my observation it requires the pains of ministry in midcareer to prepare a person for the radical transformation of ‘I, yet not I, but Christ.’”(111)
From my vantage point, I see pastors who talk about the transformational power of Christ, but live as practical atheists....little prayer beyond the obligitory few sentences at the start of a committee meeting. Little brokenheartedness before the Lord. Sure we can pray, but then let's get on to something practical for Pete's sake. As though Jesus' work wouldn't get done without them. And there's a vast moneymaking industry of conferences, publishing houses, gurus, and seminars designed to give you the magic keys to effective ministry. I suggest that none of the people involved in this industry would deny the truths that Purves lays out. Yet in the room are palpable and false excitements that betray where the treasure is buried. [emphasis added]
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.Note where this journey with Christ leads us - THROUGH the crucifixion to the resurrection. Much as the resurrection completes the salvation Christ brings, it is meaningless without the crucifixion. The Easter story starts Thursday night, NOT Sunday morning.
Failure is our teacher - crisis our guru. And if we reflect on that fact, we should do so with gratitude. You see the real good news of Easter is that it is ONLY failure that is our teacher and ONLY crisis that is our guru. Without the Easter story there would be only death, no lessons, no learning, no transformation.
Did you ever wonder if when Optimus Prime and the boys do this:
it hurts? I have no idea, but I do know this - they are designed to transform. We are not. There is a reason their human companions don't just pick up the knack to turn into vehicles. I mean that is gonna hurt a bit more like this:
only hopefully with a much prettier result.
Have you been to the cross?...or are you busy avoiding it?
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