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Washing Bin Laden's Feet

Look at the picture above. What kinds of feeling does it stir inside you?

Far be it from me to pass judgment on the man seated in the middle. Bin Laden has done a lot of horrible things and I do believe society has an obligation to hold him accountable. But would Jesus wash his feet? I think he would. I believe Jesus would show him a Calvary-like love. Not only do I think he would. But I know he did.

Before you call me a heretic, hear me out.

Last week, I finished listening to the "Cross & the Sword" sermon series Greg Boyd preached at Woodland Hills Church back in 2004. (The sermon series was so controversial, 20% of his congregation packed his bags and left.)

In the sermon series, he makes a marked distinction between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world. The Kingdom of God, lived out in a genuine way, is filled with service and love for others - a "power-under" philosophy. Jesus modeled this in several ways: enduring the temptation to given all the kingdoms of this world, washing the feet of the ones who would deny and betray Him, giving His life and loving still the one who would end up killing him. The kingdoms of the world, quite the opposite, are filled with a "power-over" philosophy which Evil uses to steal, kill, and destroy that which God made good and beautiful.

Greg also explains that in the history of the world, whenever the Church hijacks a nations, deems it "Christian," and uses civil religion to "power over" people their way of life, well, things aren't so peaceful. (I believe I witnessed a few of these in my old school KJV-only, fundamental, independent Baptist days.)

In the USA, many Christians believe our country and the Kingdom of God go hand in hand - that America is a "Christian nation" ... a theocracy of sorts where civil religion is supposed to permeate every facet of our lives. The pledge under God. His name on our money. Exodus 22 displayed in public. How ironic is it that this kind of civil religion was exactly the same thing pilgrims came to America from Europe to escape ... a culture where "Christians" said "you have to do it this way" or else?

On any weekend close to Independence Day or Memorial Day, it's not uncommon to see churches all over the country esteem and celebrate American patriotism. Several years ago, it's was this kind of celebration where Greg Boyd witnessed a video montage of three crosses overlayed with American fighters jet and the American flag. He recalls vividly how livid he felt to see image of killing machines intertwined with symbols of peace and sacrifice.

Now I love the USA. The freedoms afforded to me came with many braves soldiers who paid the ultimate price. I try to live my life not taking that for granted. As noble as military service is made out to be, when Jesus tells me to love my enemy to the point of laying down my life for them, I have to take that seriously.

The next questions beg to be asked:

• If the Scriptures say our fight isn't against flesh and blood, what constitutes our "Christian nation" killing for the sake of an earthly freedom that was never promised to us by God?
• And if you were a Christian living in any other country besides the US, would God favor your country above any other the way the American Christian culture largely thinks God favors America?

I propose an alternative way to live. One that Jesus proposed.

Let's embrace the words of Jesus for all He intended them to be. Let's follow Jesus' actions even when you don't think it's the logical or "right" way.

Jesus showed Calvary-love to me giving His life. He did the same for you. And George W. Bush. And Barack Obama. And Osama Bin Laden. And Indianapolis Colts fans. And everyone else. I'm glad it's not up to me do decide what happens to them when they leave this life.

One thing that is up to me is the kind of love I show to them ... the kind that powers under, and serves, and washes the feet of the kinds of people the kingdoms of the world call unlovable and evil.

(The painting above was done by Lars Justinen of Justinen Creative Group for Heavenly Sanctuary. I think it's beautiful.)

For further reading, read Myth of a Christian Nation by Greg Boyd or Jesus For President by Shane Claiborne.

N. T. Wright on Hell

Years ago, I read Brian McLaren's book "The Last Word and the Word After That." In it, he brings forth a profound discussion that I believe many western Christians forget to engage in.

In a historical sense, where and when did the idea of hell originate? And how has it evolved over time and cultures?

N. T. Wright touches on that historical stream of thought in this video as he talks about his encounter with a Greek Orthodox priest in the Sistine Chapel.

HT: Out of Ur

What Matters More - Derek Webb

Well, this is sure to be controversial. It's the new song from Derek Webb off his upcoming album "Stockholm Syndrome." Enjoy.

Forrest Jenan at Neighborhood Church - Apocalyptic Fascinations: Part Two

• 5:17 PM: We want to tackle Matthew 24.
• 5:18 PM: Matthew 21 ... Jesus goes into the temple and gets angry. This is an enacted parable. Jesus shows up in the Gospel, in the first century. Jesus is a prophet in the same sense as Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.
• 5:19 PM: Enacted parables are making points with your actions.
• 5:19 PM: Jesus is declaring the temple is bankrupt. That's it's system is no longer needed.
• 5:20 PM: Jesus is forgiving sin away from the temple sacirficial system ... which is a big thing.
• 5:21 PM: Matthew 22 ... Jesus starts telling weird stories. He's talking about food. He's ripping down social boundaries.
• 5:22 PM: Upper class eat with lower class. Men eat with women. Jesus is shattering these social boundaries.
• 5:23 PM: Matthew 23 ... it's full of woes. He pronounced judgement on the religious leaders.
• 5:24 PM: He judges first the institution and then the leaders. He spends a lot of time judging the religious establishment ... and not a lot of time judging those in the margins. Those on the fringes
• 5:27 PM: "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
• 5:28 PM: There's a chapter break right here at the end of Matthew 23 ... and that's sad.
• 5:29 PM: Matthew 24 ... Jesus then begins to talk about the temple. And the disciples are confused.
• 5:31 PM: Let's talk about how Jesus answers the disciples question.
• 5:32 PM: Jesus is clear about "this generation" not passing until something happens.
• 5:33 PM: At Jesus' trial, they ask him if he's the Christ, the Son of God.
• 5:34 PM: Because Jesus' message is "Repent, for the Kingdom is near."
• 5:35 PM: Jesus lays the groundwork for his trial all throughout the book of Matthew.
• 5:36 PM: Matthew 10 ... He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'
• 5:37 PM: For most of us, in our 21st century context, going out to save souls is the idea.
• 5:38 PM: If you read it like that, you're reading it wrong. You're reading it like a 21st century person rather than if you were in the 1st century.
• 5:39 PM: Jesus is not talking about individual souls ... he's talking about national crisis.
• 5:39 PM: Change your trajectory or a pagan nation will come in and destroy you.
• 5:42 PM: If your mission was to go out and to proclaim a kingdom different then Herod or Caesar, then someone's gonna sit up and notice.
• 5:43 PM: This has nothing to do with the universe ... and everything to do with the disciples.
• 5:44 PM: He told the disciples that the Son of Man would come before they would finish.
• 5:46 PM: The disciples, at the beginning of Matthew 24, asked about the "end of the age" ... not the "end of the world."
• 5:47 PM: A first century Jew's interpretation of personal salvation wasn't of a personal bliss called "heaven."
• 5:48 PM: Jews wanted Eden ... a return to peace and shalom.
• 5:50 PM: I wonder how we should read then the rest of Matthew 24.
• 5:53 PM: How we think about the end relates to the way we live today.
• 6:06 PM: I want you to think. I want us to think. I want us to read scriptures Biblically. I want us to leave changed. Our message to the world is one of beauty and hope and passion. It's not always gonna be like this. My God made a promise and he will fulfill it.

Homosexuality & The Church's Response

Something to chew on. Last night at Fuel, Kelly Thomas, one of the pastors at Neighborhood Church, led a discussion about homosexuality and the church's response. He threw out a quote attributed to Tim Geddert, a NT professor at the Mennonite Brethren Seminary in Fresno. Just something to chew on for a Monday night.

“In my view, we as Christians have not been commissioned by God to attempt to enshrine our understanding of Christian ethics into the law codes of our country. Those committed to Jesus, those who participate in his discipleship family, decide freely to follow Jesus… I do not believe it is our responsibility- even assuming that we are all in agreement that homosexual partnerships are outside God’s will- to also make sure that they remain illegal. On the contrary, while we support laws that protect people from being harmed by others, we also support laws that preserve human rights, even the right of non-Christians to act non-Christianly. We are not called to use the law codes of our countries to try to make the world more and more Christian. Rather our calling is to live in contrast to the ways of the world and thus bear witness to the reality of God’s kingdom. Our calling is to live in accordance with God’s will, when the laws of the land support us and also when they do not.”

What do you think?