The Strength of a Wimpy Jesus

Written by Ed Kauffman

The Strength of a Wimpy Jesus

Peace Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010

 Begin with “Army Strong” Commercial

 Read – Luke 6:20-31

 So which will it be?  Two very different images of life and how we should live it.  Be strong or be merciful.

 In a speech that Ted Turner, the media mogul, gave in 1990 to the American Humanist Association he said, “Christians are bozos, and Christianity is a religion for losers.”  More recently in his blog, Greg Boyd referred to an interview several years ago for Relevant Magazine, in which Mark Driscoll (well known pastor of Mars Hill in Seattle) said,

“In Revelation, Jesus is a prize-fighter with a tattoo down His leg, a sword in His hand and the commitment to make someone bleed. That is the guy I can worship. I cannot worship the hippie, diaper, halo Christ because I cannot worship a guy I can beat up.”

 Today is being marked across Mennonite Church Canada as Peace Sunday, and this week Canada will observe Remembrance Day (obviously related).  As a church, how do we deal with these competing images?  Do we keep quiet and hope no one notices?  Do we buy into the images sent our way by the military?  (And yes, I know that commercial is from the US military, and Canada is different, but I also know that those images are prevalent even in Canada, and many of us watch US TV enough that we have seen those commercials as well.)

 The images we see in commercials like that suggest that being strong has to do with the power we can wield.  Tanks, guns, being able to scale tall buildings, withstand enemy attack, and come out looking good.  It’s a tough guy stance backed up by sophisticated weapons, and as long as my weapons are better than yours, I will be strong.

 But is that really strength?  Does it really get us anywhere?

 In contrast, Jesus calls us to some very different images.  Blessed are the poor.  Blessed are the hungry.  Blessed are you when people hate you and exclude you.  That really does sound a bit wimpy doesn’t it?  And then what about this loving enemies bit. 

 Jesus suggests that if someone strikes you, you should offer the other cheek, or if they take your coat, you should offer them your shirt as well.  We don’t know all the original context of those words, but some have suggested that actually Jesus is suggesting actions that would put the other in a position of shame.  Offering the other cheek means they would need to strike you with their palm, much more of an affront than a back-handed strike.  Offering your shirt would leave you naked, some suggest, which would cause the person demanding your coat a great deal of shame.

 But whatever the case, Jesus says we are to love our enemies, do good to those who hate you and lend expecting nothing in return.  In other words, we are to act like God, being merciful, even as God has been merciful to us. In much of the world’s eyes, that’s being at least, stupid, and yes, wimpy.  In a time when security is at the top of everyone’s list of concerns, and standing up for your rights is seen as only logical, being told that the poor and hungry are the ones who are blessed, and loving your enemy is the right thing do to, well, that just seems wrong.

 But, does it?  Where does true strength lie?  Do we have the whole picture? 

 My grandfather served in the Corps of Engineers of the US military during the First World War, and was stationed in France in 1918, at a supply camp just north of Dijon.  Gay and I and our son Sean were able to visit the site of the camp several years ago, and were amazed to discover some film footage taken by the army in 1917 showing the workings of the camp.  I was able to trade some photos and information I had for a copy of that film, now digitalized.

 Growing up however, the only picture* I ever saw related to my grandfather’s service, was the one here in the front (detail on screen), showing his bayonet training graduation. It was a picture that hung in an upstairs closet, out of sight.  My grandfather rarely talked about his war experience. In fact, at one point when a cousin’s child asked him about his war experience he marched them upstairs, pointed at the picture and said, “Don’t you ever get involved in anything like that!”  I’m currently reading a history of WWI, and its not hard for me to understand why he didn’t talk about it. He had seen war up close, and knew that it was not like the commercials.  Some of you have had that experience as well. 

 I’ve talked with enough persons who have returned from war to know that very few see it as a glorious thing.  All across the US churches are setting up programs to help returning soldiers deal with the aftermath of being on the front lines.  As general Patton once famously said, “War isn’t about dying for your country, it’s about making the other guy die for his country.” (slightly paraphrased)

 The truth is, it really doesn’t take much strength to kill someone, particularly with the technology of today.  In fact, a great deal of fighting is done with pilotless drones, or missiles fired from hundreds of kilometers away.   And, as I mentioned earlier, you are only perceived as strong, so long as the other party doesn’t have bigger or better weapons. 

 I can be 6’5”, 250, and physically fit, able to take on anyone, but if the other guy has a gun, I’m toast.  Such strength is fleeting, and requires ever bigger and better means of destruction.  And, as our opening video reminded us, the victims of such strength are not just our enemies, but the houses, neighbourhoods, families, and loved ones of the innocent.

 So where does true strength lie?  Are the accusations of a wimpy Jesus correct? 

 In the blog I mentioned earlier, Greg Boyd goes on to say this,

 “I frankly have trouble understanding how a follower of Jesus could find himself unable to worship a guy he could “beat up” when he already crucified him. I also fail to see what is so worshipful about someone carrying a sword with “a commitment make someone bleed.”  But this aside, I’m not at all surprised Driscoll believes the book of Revelation portrays Jesus as a “prize fighter.”  This violent picture of Jesus, rooted in a literalistic interpretation of Revelation, is very common among conservative Christians, made especially popular by the remarkably violent Left Behind series.

The most unfortunate aspect of this misreading, as Driscoll’s comment graphically reveals, is that the “prize fighter” portrait of Jesus easily subverts the Jesus of the Gospels who out of love chooses to die for enemies rather than use his power against them and who commands his followers to do the same (see e.g. Mt 5:43-45; Lk 6:27-36). In fact, if you read these passages carefully you’ll notice that Jesus makes loving enemies and refusing all violence the prerequisite  for being considered a child of God! …Now, there’s no denying that the book of Revelation is full of violent imagery. But the literal interpretation of this imagery not only contradicts the Jesus of the Gospels and the non-violent teaching of rest of the NT, it also ignores the genre and historical context of this book. …For example, as a multitude of scholars have noted, it’s significant that the sword Jesus uses isn’t held in his hand, as Driscoll claims. It rather comes out of his mouth (Rev. 1.16 [cf. Heb. 4:12]; 2.16; 19:15, 21), signifying that Jesus defeats enemies simply by speaking the truth. The saints also overcome not with physical weapons but by “the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony” [Rev. 12.11]. Along the same lines, it’s significant that in the climatic battle scene of Revelation 19, the warrior Jesus is clothed with a blood soaked robe before the battle even begins (vss 13ff). The blood is clearly not that of his enemies, whom he has yet to fight. Rather, the symbolism suggests Jesus goes to battle and ultimately reigns victorious by shedding his own blood.

This is directly related to what is arguably the most important imagery of this book. It’s crucial we notice that the blood soaked warrior who fights with words of truth is the slaughtered Lamb of God (e.g. Rev. 5:6-13). The Lamb sits on the throne and is the only one “worthy” to open the scroll that reveals God’s way of ruling the world and defeating evil. In fact, a number of scholars have argued that the whole point of the book of Revelation is to vindicate God’s sacrificial lamb-like way of overcoming evil.  That is, God’s way of defeating evil by being willing to die rather than conquer with violence looks like it loses throughout history, but all will see that it triumphs in the end.”

 Our passage from Ephesians also calls us to recognize the true power and strength of God, shown to us in Jesus Christ.  The writer of Ephesians reminds his readers of the hope they have in Christ. * He says:

17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you,

what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,

19and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.

 What kind of power is this?  Well, God’s power was demonstrated.  The writer goes on: *

 20God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things

Not only are we told that God has the power to raise people from the dead, but that Jesus, the lamb who was slain, the one who gave up his life rather than fight, has now been given rule and authority and power over everything!  That’s not just a future hope, that’s true now.  And then comes the truly amazing line. * for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

God has placed Jesus in this position of power “for the church, which is his body.”  We participate in that strength and power as part of Christ’s body. 

 And we see evidence of that power if we are willing to look.  While politicians boast of changes that took place because of military shows of strength, there are many who say that changes in Poland, Germany, and even the Soviet Union came about more because of the church and non-violent means than otherwise.  The power of a kind word, a hand of help is far more and far more lasting than the raising of a sword.  School kits sent to children will do more to foster wholeness and peace than money spent on tanks and guns.

 To claim that power of God is to live in a different way, to act from different values. It is to see the Beatitudes of Jesus that we read in Luke 6 or Matthew 5 as expressions of a way of life for now, not as some ideal for the future.  And not because we think it will make a difference by-and-by, but because it makes a difference now.  A difference both for us, and for the neighbour, and for our enemies.  And believe me, it often takes more strength to live by an ethic of love than it does to lash out in violence.

 As Christians we are called to follow the way of Jesus.  To follow the lamb that was slain.  To recognize where true strength lies and the victory that has already been won in Jesus Christ.

 So this week, we remember – but let us remember the whole story.  The story of all those touched by war and violence.  Let us remember those whom Jesus called blessed.

And let us remember where true strength lies, not in guns or force whether physical or social or economic, but in the loving ways of God, the merciful one, who raised Jesus from the dead thus vindicating the way of peace.  Let us remember.

 (Replay MCC video)