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  Mark 9:45 am on August 29, 2010 Permalink | Reply  

  TRUST – the WAY and the DESTINATION 

  “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me…” — Jesus, John 14:1

  “TRUST” is the main issue on Jesus’ heart as he gives his disciples a “farewell” speech.  There is such deep Trinitarian theology in these few chapters, I’m really looking forward to dwelling in the reality of the Godhead over the next few days.  But truly, Jesus does not begin his final talk with his disciples by reinforcing their doctrinal beliefs, or by pop-quizzing them on their Trinitarian orthodoxy…no, to Jesus there is something far more important than anything else.

  Deeper than theology, deeper than doctrine…is TRUST.  It is the first developmental task a human must achieve.

  Fully-formed adults all around us are still waiting for someone to teach them how to trust, and thus still function as scared, insecure little infants.  The cynicism and skepticism of this age is profound, and I believe it is partly because we put our trust in things that will inevitably fail us.  Politicians, love-relationships, money, our health…

  But Jesus promotes an attitude of TRUST.  Trust in him.  He is worthy of your trust…quite possibly your most precious asset. Not only is it the avenue by which Christ can enter our hearts and we enter his, but it transforms our approach to life!  If you have an ATTITUDE of TRUST, then your APPROACH to every relationship will grow out of faith, not fearfulness.  Jesus, no matter what happens in this election, or relationship, or job, or doctor’s appointment…JESUS will always be trustworthy – he will never fail us.

  In what, specifically, is Jesus asking us to trust him?  From his words, it seems he wants us to trust that he is both the WAY and the DESTINATION.

  Speaking with his disciples, Jesus begins admitting to them that he is leaving and preparing a place for them with the Father.  He tells them that they “know the way,” and will come after him to get there.  Thomas, thankfully, asks a clarifying question – “How will we know the way if we’ve never been there before?”

  Jesus then turns the metaphor of “way” on its head and says that they know the Way because they know him – Jesus IS the Way!  But he goes on to say that he is in the Father and the Father is in him.  Also, he says that the place that God dwells is in Christ – the new Temple.

  If we see Jesus as both destination and way, we will develop a sense of spiritual satisfaction, and continued development in our maturity as disciples.  We aren’t left hungering and craving something new all the time (new ideas about God, a new church or community to meet my needs, etc) – we already have complete “arrival” in the person of Jesus – but we don’t see the Way of Jesus as a once-and-for-all list of propositions to be defended…we are always on a journey with him – he our “trailblazer” (Heb 6:20) and we are his followers!  In following Jesus, we live in humility – realizing that we haven’t “arrived” yet – we are still “the Wandering People of God,” hoping and longing for the complete rest waiting for us when we know and can see with our own eyes the answers to all our questions.

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  Mark 9:14 pm on April 24, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 60's, American Idol, Beatles, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, Jersey Shore, Revolutionary War, Survivor, TV (2)   

  So if Ya Want a Revolution 

  If two things pervade the realm of ironic ubiquity and paradox in our world today, its “reality TV” and the word “revolution.”  Reality TV has been around since Candid Camera, but has really skyrocketed in the last decade with hits like Survivor and American Idol.  At first it was a novelty to see what was purportedly unscripted dramas with “real people” living out the script with their actual lives… until we found out that producers, editors, even WRITERS were behind the scenes all along.  In fact, there is nothing less real to me than the reality TV show Jersey Shore – not even high fructose corn syrup is as processed as that lame excuse for “reality.”

  Which brings me to the word “revolution.”  If I am to understand this word correctly, it is “an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or system by the people.”  Can we really have a “REVOLUTION” in pet food?  Even Chicago beer is purportedly having a revolution…we’ve come a long way from the 60′s, man.

  

  So please excuse me if I was a bit skeptical with the latest reality TV show, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, which just aired its final episode of the season last night.  Its a show about a British chap moving to the “unhealthiest city in America” to introduce common sense cooking and healthy eating at various sectors of the city.  Focusing on schools and families, he is avoiding turning his revolution into a bureaucratic paper-trail of boredom, choosing instead to inspire a people movement that he hopes leads to lasting change.

  My initial skepticism was doubled when I saw his name and mug all over the show itself – Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution? What kind of people movement has one guy’s name splashed on their banner?

  But as I watched last night’s episode, and reading this blog post, a few thoughts that had been germinating in my head about TRUE revolutions and how they happen began to emerge:

  1. It must be led by a passionate few – maybe one at the start. Jamie’s self-described “revolution” was a turn off to me and most of the folks in Huntington, WV where he filmed his show.  He was seen as an “outsider elite” that no one took seriously.  But every word that came out of Jamie’s mouth was dripping with passion for fresh, healthy foods.  He was relentless in his passion – he didn’t shame the city, he inspired them with a vision that “We can do this.”   That combination will start a revolution every time.  Read more about how a leader’s communication makes or breaks the change they seek.
  2. It must quickly be passed to other locals that are ambassadors to the larger community. Jamie worked hard, and finally won over Alice, an elementary school lunch lady who was stubbornly doubtful of the new fresh foods being introduced into the school’s lunches, by the end of the series she was teaching other lunch ladies how to cook with real food.  He spent a whole day with a radio DJ who was defacing Jamie’s work on the air, and showed him the King-size coffins now being made to accommodate the obese in their city.  He won over the trust of a major donor from a local hospital which spread his “revolution” to every school in the city.  He found the lynch-pin citizens and instilled in them the passion so clearly evident in him.
  3. It must leave no corner of the territory unaffected. Imagine if the Revolutionary War had left 1/3 of the New World in the hands of the British – or imagine if Martin Luther King Jr. concluded that the “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington was victory enough.  Jamie put together a “boot camp” for parents, lunch ladies, teachers, and district administrators, and pleaded with each of them to see the larger systemic issues with not joining the revolution.  “You giving your kids jelly beans for lunch is killing them early, and its putting them to sleep in class.”  “Chocolate and strawberry milk is being advertised in school cafeterias, and yet it has more sugar than fizzy pop.”  “It really gets easier making food for school kids that is good for them, and now I’d never go back to the old way of doing things.”  Hearing these stories helps change hearts at every level.

  What are you so passionate about that you talk about little else?  Which ambassadors are you passing your passion and vision to who are in turn sharing their story with the locals?  In what areas have you conceded defeat, or are simply unknown to you?

  Its not the 60′s anymore, but the Beatles had it figured out: “So if ya want a revolution….welllll ya know….we all want to change the world…”

  So maybe this is not the day of one major Revolutionary War, but maybe its the day for a million revolutions – will you be what starts one?

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  Mark 10:41 am on February 8, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 60 Minutes, Cornell West, Greek Orthodox Church, Istanbul, Patriarch Bartholomew, Turkey   

  “WHEN…not IF you are Persecuted…” 

  60 Minutes did a piece recently interviewing Patriarch Bartholomew, the official leader of the Greek Orthodox Church, a body of about 300 Million people – the approximate population of the United States.

  You’d think that with that kind of following they’d be in good company, but no – they are in Istanbul (formerly Constantinople).  This city in Turkey has been the dividing line between East and West – Muslim and Christian.  Istanbul stands at 99% Muslim, with only about 4,000 Greek Orthodox dotting the city landscape.  While 60 Minutes was taping the interview, Bartholomew was informed another attempt had been made on his life.

  How do you love your neighbor in such a circumstance?

  In fact, this is one instance when we can literally ask, “What Would Jesus Do?” because there is a record of this exact situation.  Surrounded by people furious at his very existence, Jesus used the opportunity not to lay down and die, but to be crucified on a hill for all the world to see.  This wasn’t self-righteousness, it was displaying what love looks like in public.

  Some might say that Christianity always has the most trouble truly communicating it’s raison d’être in an environment where it is generally accepted or revered as the cultural norm.  Christianity was born into a political and social circumstance where exile, humiliation and persecution where expected by all followers of Jesus.  That’s why in Matthew 5:11 when Jesus said “When (not IF) you are persecuted you are blessed by God.”  He supposes that each person who chooses to live the alternative lifestyle of Jesus Christ will by their very nature be targets of mockery and destruction by others.  And what do you do when (not ‘if’) it happens?  Two things: remember that prophets who came before you were also persecuted, and then turn the other cheek.

  But what about in America?

  Even in an age when statistically few people are actively engaging a Christian faith, most see America as a “Christian Nation” if only in name.  Even still, you can bet that Christians living out the Christ life will have it confirmed to them when they find themselves being persecuted.  Live different, and there will always be dissenters trying to rope you back into the mainstream.  Our political system might keep you from getting executed (by the Government anyway,) but keep showing your love – and you will be attacked.  It will take you to jail, make you misunderstood and maligned by friends, and harassed by cynics, hypocrites and nay-sayers. You will be given threats at every level to stop shaking up the status-quo.  You will be underfunded and overexposed.

  And if you’re reading this today and can’t think of a time when you were brought down to your knees for your beliefs – maybe its because that’s all they were — beliefs.  Put some of your radical beliefs into action.  Loving your enemies, being a peace-maker, mourning with those who mourn…it will quickly make you see just how surrounded you are by people who don’t understand you – but nevertheless keep at it – they are desperately in need of Love.

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    Katrina 12:42 pm on February 8, 2010 Permalink

    Mark – nice post.