There is no question that the resurrection of Jesus is THE critical event in the Christian faith. The resurrection makes the good news good. The resurrection proclaims to us that God has overcome the grave for us. Just as Jesus was raised, we too have the promise of resurrection. Because of this, we can live in hope. And let us not forget, the resurrection is not just about a future possibility, but also is a present reality. Consider what Paul wrote in Romans 6:4, "so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (NRSV). We are to walk in newness of life.
What does that mean? I'm sure it has several implications, but I believe that it indicates that there needs to be a distinctiveness to the Christian's life. There should be something different, something that is noticed by others. Think about it; this is how Christianity survived and grew in the beginning. There was something about the way Christians lived, how they treated one another, how they hoped and loved. It got people's attention. It made people think, "I want to live like that."
Christianity never should have made it. Christians were few in number. They were disowned by their families. They were persecuted, tortured, and even killed. And yet, Christianity continued to grow. People went through great lengths join the faith. Was it because the early Christians were amazing evangelists? Maybe, but it had more to do with the way they walked in newness of life... distinctive... different.
Then everything changed. In 313, Emperor Constantine issued an edict decriminalizing Christianity. Then, in 380, Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire, decreeing that all citizens should be Christian. How great was that? Right? Maybe... maybe not. Sure, Christianity continued to grow, but now it was supposed to. The Roman empire was far reaching and it's citizen's were expected to be Christian. There didn't have to be anything distinctive about their lives. Christians went from distinctive to entitled. That's right, I said it... entitled. Everything was set apart for Christians, so Christians didn't have to be set apart. And so it went for years, for generations. Don't get me wrong, Christians did some wonderful things (and horrible) in the name of God. But it was almost handed to them. Entitled.
Fast forward to today. We are to believe that the sky is falling on the Christian faith, the Christian church to be more specific. Why? We've lost our sense of entitlement and we don't like it. The number of professing Christians are declining. Churches are closing. No longer are Sundays protected. Even "regular" church goers come less frequently. Open doors simply are not enough anymore. You know what? It's all true. You know what else? It's all entitlement talk. And we are all guilty, congregants and pastors alike (yes, including me).
Do you think all that stuff would matter to the early Christians who faced death and persecution for their faith? Let us not dishonor them be even entertaining the thought. No, they were true resurrection people who walked in newness of life. They were who we need to become again. We have to get real, get authentic. We have once again claim the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the grounds of our hope and faith. We need to lead lives that have a distinctiveness about them. My friend and colleague Jeremy Vickers speaks about the fragrance of faith and asks, "Do we pass the smell test?"
I could keep going, but I have to save something for the sermon! But I know the time of entitlement is over and that is probably a good thing. It's time now to be resurrection people who walk in newness of life. It's time to live lives that compels others to say, no proclaim, "I want to live like that!"
Chris
