The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering The Truth That Could Change Everything

In Brian McLaren’s new book, The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering the Truth That Could Change Everything, he describes the mission of Jesus from within the first century Jewish context. My book review might be titled, recalling a Swahili proverb I learned a few years ago, “When the elephants fight, the ants get hurt.”

Reading McLaren’s book, I thought about how the Jews had been the “ants,” tired of the procession of super power “elephants,” who had stomped on their holy land, one after another- Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and finally, Rome. For centuries Israel had been itching to take their turn as the “elephants.” They looked forward to a reversal where they could do a little stomping of their own, once they received the “kingdom of God.” Into this situation, Jesus arrived, says McLaren, with a hidden, radical message—a redefinition of the “kingdom of God,” building upon the teaching of the prophets.

McLaren explores what varies parties thought about how the kingdom would arrive. The Zealots believed in taking matters into their own hands, bringing God's kingdom to the earth through violence. In fact, this is the belief of many people today, "salvation through military domination." Think how much the nations of the world invest in weapons, espionage, and national security. Consider just how similar to the Zealots we (and by "we" I include me) are.

The Pharisees trusted that God's rescue would arrive once the people got their act together. They stressed holiness and purity. So often the church takes an approach similiar to the Pharisees. We look for salvation through "moral means." I recall a prayer group that met at our church, interceding for the teachers and students of our school district. When I asked, "Who have you invited to join in this wonderful prayer ministry?" they answered, "this group is only for the spiritually pure." I recognized the Pharisee in them and me at that moment.

The Sadducees and Herodians took the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" tactic. They did their best to get along with the Romans, knowing that there was no hope of defeating them, either on the battlefield or in the marketplace. They chose the path of accomodation. It should be no suprise that these two groups survived rather comfortably with this arrangement. I see a similar "cave in" when Christians collapse Christianity with being American. I am an American Christian, yet my primary, controlling allegiance should be to Christ- something I find very challenging in a post-9/11 world.

The previous groups all appear in the Gospels, the last group listed by McLaren does not, the Essenes. The Essenes withdrew and disengaged from society, believing the world to be hopelessly corrupt. They were like Jonah, sitting outside of Ninevah, waiting for the Almighty to send down fire and brimestone. A modern day comparison might be those who homeschool their children to avoid the corruption of the public schools. Such persons can really identify with the Essenes point of view- seeing Jerusalem and the Jews of the countryside as caving in to godlessness.

Over against the above approaches, Jesus taught how God's kingdom was already available, right here and right now, although hidden. What a crazy message! Couldn't Jesus see that the pagan Roman "elephants” were in control? But Jesus' message was that the "elephants" weren’t the problem. The "elephants" weren't the reason why they had not yet tasted the kingdom. Sin and the power of the demonic- in Rome and in the Jews- was the problem. McLaren's book journeys through the Gospels to lift up Jesus' message and methods.

Instead of a spectacular, overwhelming kingdom arriving through coercion, jammed down people's throats, Christ's kingdom was like seed growing secretly, a treasure hidden in the field, a pearl of great price, various kinds of fish being pulled from the lake, already there, yet not obviously visible, waiting to be revealed. Through gathering disciples, parable, personal conversation, preaching, teaching, table fellowship with sinners, public demonstration, and miracle- Jesus uncovered for his disciples what to others was a "secret"- unseen, invisible. Yet for those with the eyes to see, God was ruling in the present- a monarchy that would continue into eternity. Once the disciples discerned God’s kingdom among them, they could then be sent out as special agents, bringing the kingdom’s blessings to others, Christ working through them, transforming the world.

I really appreciated McLaren’s treatment of the “Sermon on the Mount” in his chapter titled Kingdom Manifesto. He helped me to see the relevance of the “Sermon,” especially in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Disciples today face tough challenges. How do I live as a Christian with the violence in my day? What should be the response of Jesus’ 2006 contemporary disciples? Suddenly, Jesus’ “Sermon” took on a whole new meaning for me. I agree with McLaren, “What if Jesus were more right, and right in different ways, than we ever realized!” I must say that I’ve never found my Lord’s “Sermon” to be easy, yet I see more than ever that it is a “Sermon,” and Jesus is a Person, that I am called to build my life upon- the solid Rock upon which to weather the storms of this world.

The concluding section of the book offers suggestions for how to respond to Jesus’ “secret message” in our time. So I’ll be doing a lot of praying and re-reading of the “secret message”- trying to discern ways to “plot goodness,” a Christ-like goodness for the world God so loves.

Here’s my bottom line. Read this book! John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of a Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” That means that God pitched his tent as a particular Jewish man, living at a unique moment in history, responding to specific issues faced by God’s people, the challenges of first century Judaism. If John 1:14 is true, and I think it is, then we need to see how Jesus lived, episode by episode, in the Gospels. For too long, we’ve reduced Jesus’ story to slogans. McLaren’s book roots us firmly in history, and the Story of what God is up to in the world, Jesus in the first century and Jesus in 2006.

Peace to all, Duh-sciple Tim

The longer we're Christians

Funny thing about Jesus. He hung out with all the wrong people. Partied with them. Ate with them. Drank with them. Accepted them without judging them. Slowly, over them, he transformed them.

These days many Christians seem to prefer their isolated ghettos. I once said hello to a prayer group that was meeting at our church. Just a handful of women. I asked whether they were inviting others to join them. Their response, "This group is only for mature Christians!" I thought, "Okay... I know where I don't belong. This group is for the mature Christians. See ya."

That's how the ghetto gets created.

Over against this, Jesus encourages us to make all kinds of friends. Just accept people and love them. Because over time- accepted people, accept people- and loved people, love people.

So if you've been a follower of Jesus for a long time, I give you permission to make non-Christian friends. More than my blessing, I say... Go for it. Don't worry if they're mature or not. Who knows? They may get a taste of Christ's love through you.

Blessings,

Duh-sciple Tim

Poem: Advice

In preparation for Holy Week I came across a poem by Brian McLaren. It brings to mind Christ's passion.

Passion as in "suffering"

Passion as in "fervor, zeal, fire"

Here's the poem.

Advice

If they are cruel, be kind.
If they are mean, don't mind.
If they reject, don't fret.
If they insult, forget.
If they exclude, love still.
If you cannot, God will.
If you lose hope, just wait.
Don't hate.

The Apostle Paul writes, affirming the message of the poem:

"If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. " (Philippians 2:1-13)

Blessed Holy Week to all,

Duh-sciple Tim