Why Gospel Our Lives??

 

Next week, we will dive into and dwell with the four gospels for 50-ish days.  We will let the stories of Jesus roam and rummage around our life.  We will sit prayerfully with Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John, who will each sing to our hearts, souls, and life.  Just like when you prepare for a trip, you pack a bag with necessities that help you navigate your exploration, there are resources that can help us as we journey through each Gospel, chapter, and verse.  First, remember that each Gospel was written to a particular community to share the good news of God’s unconditional love incarnate in Jesus Christ.  The Gospels are not just trying to cram some cognition into people’s brains.  These stories were meant as more than information, but for transformation to change lives today.  Second, all four writers are using a very politically charged word, “Gospel”.  This means good news.  Gospel was also Caesar language.  When Caesar invaded your village, defeated your defenses, tramped and took over, a herald/messenger would arrive (insert trumpet blast here) with a scroll.  “Good news!  You have now been conquered by Rome!  Cheer or else!”  The messenger continues, “On the positive, Rome will protect you from other invaders.  On the negative, that is going to cost you through increased taxation.  And don’t even think about a revolution, because we defeated you once and we will do it again.  Have a nice day.”  Insert confetti thrown here.  Gulp.  Zoinks!    Hold that tension that the Gospel writers are saying there is a different good news that comes not with treats or violence or fear, but with God’s love that never lets us go.  Moreover when the Gospel writers call Jesus, “Lord”…that is overt political language of who has the power in our lives.  When the Gospel writers call Jesus, “The Son of God,” that was the title for Ceasar and Ceasar alone.  From the very beginning, this description and definition lets us in on the truth that Rome isn’t just going to let this peasant, itinerant, healer, preacher, sharer of God’s unconditional love get away with this.  They will crucify him just like any other “would be” savior of the people.  When we say that church and politics should be kept separate, we are missing one of the central claims of Scripture.  Our Gospels confronted the powers that be with an unconditional love that can still change our lives, churches, and world.  The Gospels, good news, isn’t just a story we read, it is a life we are called to live every hour and every day.  Jesus didn’t come to establish buildings; he came to share a revolutionary love that reorders our whole lives.  Jesus still calls us as disciples or apprentices or practitioners or artists, to follow him.  Why do we read the Gospels?  Because I am always an amateur apprentice to Jesus.  I am still a student, a beginner, of this Jesus way.  I am still trying to get my muscle memory, heart in-sync, soul in-tune with the wisdom of Jesus.  Because while I can nod at the truth of God’s unconditional love and unceasing grace on Sundays, by Monday morning you’d think I hadn’t been to church.  By Wednesday I am grouchier than Oscar on Sesame Street.   By Thursday, I have prayed, “Jesus, I know you said, ‘Love your enemies,” but can I get a pass on that person?!  Pretty please??”  I am forever a beginner, but the beauty is that every time I open the Gospels, I have the invitation, opportunity, and grace to start afresh and anew, as if for the first time.  May the Gospels re-author our lives, re-energize our souls, and re-organize our whole lives toward the One we follow.  Amen.