March 26, 2013

Christianity Sounds Pretty Absurd, Doesn't It?

In this post Christian era, we are surrounded with societal voices that tell us that our Christian beliefs are illogical, lack wisdom and constitute evidence that our minds are not tuned into the reality of our modern world. In the views of many in our society, this Christ, this Suffering Servant, who died so that we would not be eternally shamed, is not a god, or is no better than any other god, if there is a god, of course! Our beliefs are foolishness, we are told. Of course, we are told, Jesus could not have been born of a virgin; it would take a miracle for that to happen, and in the world’s wisdom, miracles don’t exist. Of course, we are told, He was not resurrected on the third day after His death on the cross. The dead don’t come back to life. It would take a miracle for that to happen, and in the world’s wisdom, miracles don’t exist! Christianity sounds pretty absurd, doesn’t it?

Those who had selected today’s lectionary seemed to know that we would be facing this battle, just as they did in some fashion. So I segue into today’s reading from Corinthians, where St. Paul is reminding us that “….the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Here, St. Paul assures us in that we are not losing our grasp on reality:  

21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

From the outside, Christianity sounds pretty absurd, doesn’t it?

In the Gospel reading today, Jesus tries to explain the rationale of his “lifting up,” his impending death, to the crowds:

31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people* to myself.’ 33 He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. 34 The crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Messiah* remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?’ 35 Jesus said to them, ‘The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.’

To many of them, whatever Jesus was talking about sounded pretty absurd. The Messiah would “remain forever”; why would he be “lifted up”? Jesus “hid from them” after this speech. It’s a physical departure, and yet the fact that he hid leaves us to ponder so much more.

To add another element of support, those who created today’s lectionary, have chosen passages to remind us that this “Gospel” was all promised to us, and prophesied to us, thousands of years ago. They shore up our faith by sending us back in time to help us secure our footing in the “absurd” with the prophetic history in Isaiah.

I treasure many of the passages in Isaiah. They are full of promise for the people “Israel,” yet include all the nations of the world. Today’s reading starts with a “heads up” to “coastlands”, a pseudonym for the nations at the western end of known world in Isaiah’s time. “Pay attention you peoples from far away!” the text exclaims. The text then takes us back to restoration of Israel under the Messiah Servant’s care.

Isaiah has my attention!  My “peoples” came from about as far away as you could get from Isaiah’s home turf. When I think about it, my faith is strengthened by the knowledge that the Messiah has came not only rescue the tribes of the Jewish Nation, He has come came to be a “light to all the nations.” Though we see these plans heavily emphasized throughout Isaiah, it is even more comforting to know that God’s plan wasn’t suddenly “switched up” to include the gentiles. We continually see the promise glimmering at us through fragments of the books of Moses. It includes not just the biological children of Abraham, but all people who are “born of the spirit,” therefore becoming Abraham’s children, that receive this promise. Christians receive the promise, and the outside world looks at this and says, “Christianity sounds pretty absurd, doesn’t it?”

I’m thinking again. Jesus is “a called Servant,” called from before the foundations of the earth. He was called to be a Servant to rescue all of us: rescue us from ourselves, return us to God and bring us home. Faith in God, Christianity in particular, looking in from the outside, sounds pretty absurd, doesn’t it?  I, for one, am grateful for this “absurdity.”

Marje Sullivan