In Ancient Rome it was understood that a crucified messiah was a failed messiah. When Jesus died the Empire thought it had won again. Little did they know how wrong they were and how revolutionary Jesus was.
While on earth Jesus engaged His culture in profoundly creative and controversial ways. Jesus rocked the boat of the "blessed". He challenged the the status quo and opposed Empire everywhere He saw it. He did all of it in a manner that was not condescending but agitating. I have heard it aptly said that He "comforted the afflicted and afflicted the comfortable." Jesus is still agitating and benevolently afflicting today.
And then we have Jesus' death and resurrection, the most revolutionary action ever. Eternity changed. Nothing would ever be the same. He rose again and conquered sin and death. Jesus engaged the world in a way that was reviving to our souls individually, transforming us back to our true original selves, and inviting us to live in His Kingdom which is entirely alien and revolutionary from our old human ways of living.
We need to rethink everything. I need to rethink everything. I need to carefully (and painfully perhaps) allow Holy Spirit to dig through my mind and soul to root out the lies of Empire; I need to question everything I take for granted and compare it to Jesus, and His ways, not to society. And as I am doing this I need to engage my culture in constructive ways. We are called to create and reimagine how life is and should be. And then we need to step out into these ideas, take the plunge into reality. Naivety is wrong. New ideas are not sufficient. Actions must form and flow from these new ideas.
How, when, and where do I spend my money?
How am I called to view all that God has provided me?
How do I invest my money? Do our investments fuel wars, slavery, and exploitation?
What can I do that will engage my culture and culture’s view of money, luxury, and pleasure?
How am I blessed? How am I being a blessing? Is how I am blessed in proportion to how I am a blessing?
As much as I want to fall into cynicism that is not what God has called me to; that is not what Jesus died and rose again for. Jesus has not given up on humanity. We are not to called condemn or reject society, but to fight for the people within society. Jesus has already said we are all worth it by His death. We are here to save both the oppressed from the brutality and injustice of Empire, and the oppressors from the greed and idolatry of Empire.
As much as I want to fall into cynicism that is not what God has called me to; that is not what Jesus died and rose again for. Jesus has not given up on humanity. We are not to called condemn or reject society, but to fight for the people within society. Jesus has already said we are all worth it by His death. We are here to save both the oppressed from the brutality and injustice of Empire, and the oppressors from the greed and idolatry of Empire.
What are ways to agitate how we live? What do we need to give up, give away, or give more of? How does my spending change? How do my expectations change? How can I be more conscious of my place within humanity and God's creation? Where can I live out the economic principles of the Kingdom and sacrifice?
May our steps be ever more in the ways of Kingdom, and may we never be too content to ask where the lies of Empire still cling to us as we continue walking from death into Life.
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