2024-04-18 A Meditation on This Jesus Business
“3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.” (Rom 16:3-16 ESV)
It’s a flop, this coming to Jesus business. So say the winds in the willows. So say the “first post” cry of panic. So say our own brush with a persecuted destiny: can you, O Woman, O Man live up into the hated brush with destiny? A destiny with peculiar new enemies? A destiny met with devilish equations, calls for more “justice” and “assertive judgment”, a call to “discipline” and to do the “obvious thing”. Towards one “obviously” still in denial. Towards ones “obviously” screwed up and cut from a very different, sin-laden, cloth.
For, all of us can go down for the count under a spirit of judgment. All of us know what it is to have our very existence made out to be illegal. All of us know, the innocent trust: that Jesus forgives all, that Man, Woman in her or his estate give the right hand of fellowship, that church is a place for second chances. This is a beautiful thing, and we do well not to muddy up the waters.
Coming to faith, then, is incremental even as we do pause around the question: my militancy, my labors, my dutiful determination; these things, shall they simply be whisked away, wished into oblivion, replaced with let’s face it, pathetic “Christian” things? For we once thought the believer the social loser, until that is finding believers in fact are no less sinful, and are just as plucky about their station in life: we are the winners! Haven’t you seen the films? We are the prototypes, the paragon, the bulkhead of the community! Bah! Enough with your tears and your appeal to a, perhaps more moral, but more pathetic new clique.
The soldier is immediately in the spotlight as one for whom the message of Love and of Cruciform life together, has made a dent. The soldier is surprised: their message triumphs at large, and brings many curiosity-seekers. The soldier was known for his or her judgment and patience, steel resolve and firm procession; but now! Now this one is a Christian; now this one is a Zealous Tribe; now these are Committed Evangelists!
The spiritual blockade, then, is directed at the perverse “affection” shown by so many who predate us: their secret familiarity with being “churchy” whilst not denying their resentment of so much of what that walk asked them by way of compromise. Be the born-again loser. Be the cautious submissive, loser. Be the tolerant imposed-upon child. Be the parental figures’ best imposed wishful thinking, as though this elder generation had a right and proper message for their youth. No, the youth were sell-outs, to have acceded to faith so easily. The youth harbored secret resentment. The youth said “Bah!” to the antics of the unchurched, rather than with boldness rising up: churched and the more grateful for it. Churched, and the more cut out to fight the good fight, for it. Churched, and Peace in believing.