Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Missing the Point?

An expert in the law, tested Jesus with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Step into most of our suburban churches. Everyone is "perfect." Clean. Affluent. Safe. There is a cornucopia of rules and doctrines to which you must intellectually assent. Is this what Jesus had in mind? Is this not the institution that Jesus stood up against in his day? It may be cliche to say he was a social rebel, but that's what he was. While everyone was hung up on making sure people were following the rules, taking the safe and easy route, and keeping outsiders out he stood up with one message: LOVE. That's what he was telling us it's all about. I don't think it was Jesus' intent to start a new religion at all. At all.

Don't get me wrong, I love the church and know that it is used to bless many, many people - myself included. I just can't help but think that in our complicated operations, doctrines, fast-paced programs and exclusive club membership we're missing the point sometimes.

2 comments:

Jon said...

Jesus taught a Kingdom, and ended up with a church.

You hit the nail on the head. Although you're being too gracious when you say we miss the point "sometimes."

Peace to you, and to the world,
my friend.

isaiah said...

Trev, It's all good!

You are tuned into the frequency, Bra!… and receiving the signal loud and clear. Now stop and look around you at how many have their receivers turned off! They don’t just have them tuned to a lower frequency- they’re turned off- so they’re not receiving anything.

I like to think of most church- goers as having their radios tuned to the wrong frequency or turned off most of the time…especially come Sunday morning. But there is divine order in this Trev.

“He that has his radio tuned to the right frequency, and turned up…let him hear!”

Love God more than TV, money, sex, alcohol, work, music, cigs, clothes….. all that the world has to offer???? It’s a very hard thing to do until one either has something bad happen to them which leads them to God…or one discovers the divinity already present inside of themselves through the abundance of magic and spirit all around. This God, this Spirit- this abundance… asks nothing except that we love ourselves, and in loving- give of ourselves…because one cannot give away (love) what one does not have.

Happy Easter to you and the family-you are blessed and held in the light of love.