the drum|rob fairbanks

What Motivates Your Life to Do Good?

“Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I looked up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.” Psalm 63:3 

Yesterday, I wrote about the amazing gesture of adoration the woman in John 12 gave to Jesus by pouring a bottle of pure nard, an entire years wages worth, onto His feet. The follow-up question that must be broached is what would bring about such an extravagant gesture? What drove her to such an act?

The only thing I can think of is that it is in response to an even greater love. She somehow received a love from Christ that was as profound or even greater. That is similar to what the Psalmist says in the above passage. He says that his praise (or activism) was in direct response to a love that is better than life itself!

For the Christian, this love is most beautifully and tragically demonstrated in the crucifixion of Jesus. A group of us are reading a series of weighty theological books right now - the current one being Hans Urs von Balthasar’s, Mysterium Paschale.  I feel smarter just typing that out (and my Word spell-checker is just freak’in out)!?!? 

Anyway, Balthasar writes,

“The cross is…the event towards which the history of his (Jesus’) life is oriented and through which it's other episodes receive their meaning. The cross is the midpoint of saving history, all the promises are realized in it, every aspect of the Law, with its quality as curse, is dashed to pieces on the Cross.” (p.17)

In other words, what Christ did on the Cross changes everything. Personally, it certainly did and continues to for me. The trajectory of my life has been permanently altered as a result of the forgiveness, that for me was only discovered and received in Jesus.

Although, the Biblical location of the story of Martha and Mary is certainly found pre-crucifixion, the reality of forgiveness is firmly fixed within the Gospel account. In a similar story involving a different woman but the same type of gesture, Jesus tethers the motivation of her extravagant love to this idea of forgiveness. He says to his guest, “I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:47)

My concern is that many people today who are involved in the Missional conversation are not living into such a responsive life.  As the Apostle John put it, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (I John 4:10) Our activism is always a 2^nd movement. They are surely motivated to do good, to care for others and to act forcefully for justice in the world (all critical Kingdom activities), but are missing the important centered concept of Christ’s all loving act of dying on a cross for the forgiveness of their sins. His death obviously carries with it more meaning than forgiveness, but it certainly doesn’t carry less. For me, living outward toward the world with compassion is inseparablely connected to my experience of forgiveness of my sins.

“Because your love is better than life…

I serve those who have little or nothing, I contour my life so that it coincides with your Kingdom, I sacrifice in small and large way, and I will give all, even a year’s wages!

r

Thankful

Today as I sit in my house in Portland, sipping coffee, and listening to the sweet sound of rain fall on the ground outside, I am thrust into waves of peace. I am reflecting on a month of learning, laughter, increased friendship, sorrow, and deep joy. The past three weeks I got to spend listening to amazing classmates (who I now consider friends) discuss and grow in what it means to be the church. I again learned that there is no perfect church, mostly because there is no perfect person. And in my most vulnerable moments, I have to remind myself that the church is people. Beautiful, broken, alive, and challenging people. 

We read the Gospel and understand maybe a tenth of what Jesus was trying to teach and model to us. Reading through Mark 10 and 11 a few minutes ago, I am in awe of how little I seek the Kingdom of God and instead seek the opinion of the world. How often do I stop and listen? How little do I remind myself that joy is a gift and a choice? How terrible am I at thinking of myself as a little child, hopeful that God redeems and saves? How often do I care more for my possessions than I do for my present relationship with God? 

All of these questions I examined this past term and found that there is no greater answer than the person of Christ. And for me, that begins by being thankful and being disciplined enough to listen wholeheartedly to God. So today, I don’t have any huge theological answers to how the church should function better, serve God more, or be wholly united. But I am able to live into the posture of being thankful. Thankful for a class who tested me, encouraged me, and put up with me. Thankful for a Creator who is infinitely more able and loving than I. 

Thankful.

Katherine

Not Doing What the World Says I Should

    I’m not sure how to handle forgiveness. The culture tells me I’m entitled to my grudges, my animosity, my lifelong hate against someone who wronged me. My friends tell me that I shouldn’t allow that one person back into my life—much less forgive them. That it’s idiotic for us to be close friends after the devastating breakup. That the walls I build are justified.  

    Christ and his kingdom step in and call me quite clearly, against the expectations of the world, to tell an alternate story. To forgive seventy times seven, yes, but also to be perfect as my Father is perfect. And yes, that’s great, and yes, I tell myself that I have forgiven and so fulfilled the letter of the law but I still hold a seed of hatred in my heart. I beg off forgiving completely, because they hurt me, they used me, whatever the situation may be, I’m completely and undeniably justified.

    And recently, all that’s been thrown back in my face. Because the letter of the law is there, but no spirit, no heart. This was never and should never have been about me. Rob said in class that forgiveness is the most important tool we have to give people a foretaste of the kingdom, and I’ve been focusing much too hard on myself and my hurt to realize that I should be extending an open hand, declaring boldly that

the kingdom of God is near. No reservations or qualifications. No second guessing. This is about as countercultural as I have ever been. It is everything the world is telling me not to do.

But that is exactly what Christ is calling me to do.

I forgive you. The kingdom of God is at hand.  

Anna

I Don't Want to Hate the Church

      I venture to say, based on observations as far as I am able to see, more people are calling themselves Christians while more Christians are denying the title for all its negative connotations. Have you heard anyone claim their faith as “believer” or “follower of Christ” or “Jesus lover”? That’s dandy, and true. But the term “Christian” has been taken away from us, much as the symbol of the rainbow has. As a young person learning that I am in the midst of much needed revelation and change for “the church,” I fear the negativity toward the church. I fear for non-believers because it will keep them away, and for believers because of unforgiveness and bitterness toward those who have been getting it wrong. I fear the anger I’ve seen. I fear more splitting, more division dangerously close at hand within the whole Christian body. I pray it doesn’t happen that leaders who are making right changes due to convictions about how the church has been failing begin to find new titles. I don’t want to see a new movement rise up again only to lose itself in its mission once more. I want to see the church be taken back; for the term Christian to be taken back.  To bring them back to mean the body of Christ and Christ-like. The only way to know those meanings is through Christ himself and we find him in the Word, our Bibles, and in prayer. I think this means we must look at the broken church with a heart of forgiveness. Jesus saw the broken and flawed and he forgave them, then said, “now sin no more.” Forgiveness and correction. Jesus was, is, for the church, his bride, so I want to be, too. Jesus’ heart probably breaks for her, I want mine to, too. Let us lift the church back up to what it should be, not break it down.

   “And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had… they worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity- all while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” Acts 2.44, 46-47

-Ashley

The Great Divide

By Laura

Race is not an issue that can be ignored, especially not by the Church- the people of God called to make disciples of every nation. In his article “The Color of Faith,” David Van Blema remarks on the gravity of the situation: “In an age of mixed-race malls, mixed-race pop-music charts and, yes, a mixed-race President, the church divide seems increasingly peculiar. It is troubling, even scandalous, that our most intimate public gatherings-and those most safely beyond the law's reach-remain color-coded,” (26). God sends the Church into the world to be His image-bearers, living out the unity, peace, and love that exemplifies life in Christ. In order for the church to begin living out its missional identity, it must realize the ways it has been affected by racial segregation and take a biblical approach to embracing reconciliation and oneness in the body of Christ. 

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus came proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is here. We are living in the tension between the redemptive act of Christ on the cross and the reconciliation of all things to God when Jesus comes again and the world is made new. As Christians, we are to live into the present truth of the Kingdom and join in the redemptive work of Christ here and now. In Revelations 7:9-10, we are given a picture of what the body of Christ will look like after the Second Coming when all is made right: “There...was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,” (NIV). 

This is the true picture of the Kingdom of God as it was meant to be- diverse, colorful, and unified. This is the beautiful future that God calls us to live into now. David Campbell, a professor at Notre Dame, advocates, “If tens of millions of Americans start sharing faith across racial boundaries, it could be one of the final steps transcending race as our great divider,” (Van Blema, 27). The Church has a great role to play.

Conflict Stifles Mission

By Kayla

Spending four years here at Whitworth, I have witnesses a lot of confrontation regarding spiritual matters. Whether it be a discussion of salvation, the creation story or homosexuality, it’s hard for me to ignore the aggressive attitudes that many students take on. I also happen to be a biology major, which has a tendency to prompt conflict in Christian conversation.

When I think about the arguments that some students choose to partake in, I am reminded  of Jesus’ call to us found in the book of Matthew. When asked what the greatest commandment of the law is, Jesus replies ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

While I do think that discussion is an important part in our walk with Christ, it can also become a cancer to our relationships. When it crosses the line from constructive to hurtful, I think its best for us to remember what is most important. When it comes right down to it, I think we all could stand to focus a little less on the miniscule differences of opinion present among our brothers and sisters in Christ and a little more on the most basic of calls: to love God and to love our neighbors. After all, what value do the little things have if we can’t first and foremost show love to God and to one another?

Get Low - a disturbing, wonderful movie about angst and forgiveness

Robi and I went to a movie a few nights ago entitled “Get Low.” It’s a bit of an Indie film starring Robert Duval. 

The story revolves around the character Duval plays who happens to be a recluse. What he wants is a funeral, but not your normal funeral.  He want to have one before he dies. Something that many of us might want…to be spotlighted before we stop breathing.  The problem, however, is he can’t find anybody to talk at the funeral–at least positively.  He has been a crotchety old geezer for too long…or so it seems.

Without giving away the powerful center of the movie, let me say that there are incredibly powerful themes about shame, guilt and restitution and finally forgiveness. When the movie ended Robi and I sat in utter silence because we were so moved. It is definitely worth watching and has astonishingly redemptive accents.

Go check it out!

via www.youtube.com