You Too Blog

To be honest, I was uncertain how I should proceed with this commentary when I was presented with the topic. The question: "who is Jesus" is a bit overwhelming, both in its breadth and its depth. The later gospel of John would explore the depths of this question, digging out deeper bottoms for the broad channels that had been laid out by the earlier synoptic gospels. Luke, while by no means shallow, is perhaps the broadest of the gospels. Where Mark is swift and focused, Luke is studious and cataloging, earning its author the nickname of "Luke the Historian". Indeed, Luke is the longest of the gospels; at least in a quantitative sense, he has more to say about Jesus than anyone else. So where do we start? Who is Jesus, anyway?

It occurs to me, however, that in asking "who is Jesus", we have an immediate connection to the author. Luke is unique among the gospels in that it contains a personal introduction much like the epistles. The author states quite plainly and explicitly why he is writing his gospel and to whom he is writing it:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

The author's situation is familiar to us. He implies that he was not an eyewitness to Jesus himself. His is an "inherited" faith like our own - "handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word." He may or may not have been Jewish (tradition has it that he was a gentile), but in any case, he does not write from a Jewish perspective. He never calls Jesus "rabbi", seldom quotes Old Testament scripture unless he is quoting a recitation by someone else, and writes in a polished Greek style free of linguistic cross-over from Hebrew. Perhaps this is a bit of a digression, but my point is this: the author of Luke is in much the same boat that we are. He isn't ignorant of who Jesus is. He knows the narratives and the teachings, which were handed down to him by others. But still the question nags -- who is Jesus?

In a way, Luke has its inception in doubt. Certainly he believes, but like Thomas, he just can't quite resist the urge to reach out and touch it just to be sure. The question won't stop nagging. He has to "carefully investigate everything from the beginning", just to satisfy his own curiosity, as far as I can tell. The way he describes it to Theophilus, he decided to write an orderly account because he had made a careful investigation rather than the other way around. Perhaps he intended to write the account from the beginning, but he presents it as something that "also seemed good" -- a secondary motive to his own personal inquest: are the teachings true? Who is Jesus?

One of the ways that Luke answers this question is by heredity. Jesus is defined by whose son he is. Here we are given a trichotomy: Jesus is the Son of God, the Son of Man, and the Son of a man -- David. The first testifies to his divine nature, the second to his human nature, and the third - the role of Messiah - is where the first two meet.

Jesus as the Son of God, though perhaps the most astounding of the claims, is in some respects the most straight-forward. Luke deals with it flatly and unflinchingly. This identity tends to be most dominant in the early chapters of Luke. It is first testified to in the account of Jesus' birth, which Luke presents with considerable personal detail, probably from first-hand interview with Mary. This is followed by Luke's account of the baptism of Jesus, in which he records God's own direct proclamation that Jesus is the Son of God. As if for emphasis, he immediately launches into the genealogy of Jesus, which is interesting not only because Luke continues past Abraham (unlike Matthew), but he concludes with "the son of God" as matter-of-factly as Isaac is the son of Abraham and David is the son of Jesse. Acts continues this tradition, starting straight away with an account of the ascension. If traditional authorship is correct, perhaps this is trait he acquired from his time with Paul who, as Luke describes it in Acts, wastes no time after recovering from his unsettling conversion experience, immediately taking to proclaiming that Jesus is the Son of God in the middle of the area synagogues. Luke is nothing, if not direct on this point.

Jesus as the Son of Man is something that I honestly don't think I've ever really thought about beyond the obvious. Clearly it refers to Jesus' humanity, and this is quite literally how it was phrased in Greek. In the New Testament, the actual phrase transcribed as "Son of Man" is more literally to the effect of "son of a human being". However, the phrase is used so often and in such a titular fashion throughout the New Testament, that  you can't escape the feeling that there's a bit more significance than just that. The phrase actually originates in the Hebrew of the Old Testament, where it actually has two different forms. One literally means "son of Adam" (and "Adam", in turn, means "man"). The other is literally "son of Enoch", the grandson of Adam by way of Seth. For reasons that are a bit too complicated to get into here, the latter carried the specific connotation in Jewish tradition of man's weakness (physically and morally), frailty, and mortality. Shades of that connotation survived the merger into its Greek form. In that light, it seems likes an odd title for a perfect being to use.

However, if you look closely at where this phrase is used in Luke, you'll see the intent in this. Luke reveals that Jesus most frequently used this phrase in reference to his own suffering. He uses it in reference to the physical limitations he shared with all men - his weariness as the "Man of Sorrows". For instance, in Luke 9:58: "Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.'" He also uses it in sympathetic fashion, for instance when healing the paralytic in chapter 5. It's a way of declaring, "I share this physical existence and its suffering with you." Most of all, Jesus uses it when predicting his own death. This is where the connotations of mortality are particularly apt, and if we look a bit closer, the themes of man's moral weakness that are associated with "Son of Man" find their place as well. It's subtle, but masterful: although God's plan was there from the beginning, there is a sense in which Jesus' sacrifice for atonement was predicated by our own sin. Those who have not fallen do not need to be redeemed. So it is in this sense that the role of redeemer is the offspring of our weakness and sin. In fulfilling this role, Jesus becomes not just the Son of Adam, but also the Son of Enoch.

Finally, Luke identifies Jesus by the Messianic title of the "Son of David". The role of Messiah is two-fold. He is the ruler (Luke 1:31-33, 46-55), and also the deliverer (1:67-79) -- a sort of fusion of the prototypes of David the king, and Moses the prophet. It hearkens back to the deliverance from Egypt, which represented slavery, and to the royal lineage of David, which represented the presence, guidance, and authority of God. The Jews, when they escaped from Egypt wished to be free of slavery, but soon discovered that, without a ruler, they were directionless and without a sense of identity. God desired that they have no earthly king, but begrudgingly acquiesced with the warning that not every king would be a good one. Jesus as the Son of David is the restoration of the true kingship -- God once again taking our own shortcomings and turning them back towards his own good purposes. No other could fill this role - God wished for us to accept his rule directly without an intermediary earthly authority, but we could not accept it. Jesus, being at once both God and man, was uniquely qualified to bridge the gap, simultaneously satisfying our desire for a human, earthly king and God's desire for direct lordship.

Having said all that, I'll conclude by pointing out something about Luke's genealogy that takes on new significance. As I mentioned before, the genealogy in Luke traces beyond Abraham, unlike the one in Matthew. As you trace your way back through the names, it passes through David, Enoch, Adam, and finally God. Son of David, Son of Man, Son of God. Three lineages that are at once distinct in their meaning, and yet unified in their source, and occupying but a single person -- almost like a ghostly image of the trinity itself.

Well, I must admit the subject of the Pharisees always makes me uncomfortable.  Unfortunately, I can often see “their side” of the story and find myself making excuses for them.  I honestly, HATE, the parable of the prodigal son.  I am a first born, I feel his pain, why couldn’t the father just say “glad you are back go help your big brother?”  However, I am always grateful for the reminder that there are so many things in our world that are not black and white, and are not about me.  I think that we tend to think that we, in today’s society, have the market cornered on learning how to deal with issues that fall in “gray areas,” but in reality Jesus is telling the Pharisees that life is in the gray areas and they need to learn to find a balance. 

The Pharisees are not all wrong, there are many rules we all must follow.  The Bible is explicit that there is only one way to the Father, this is a rule we cannot get around.  As parents we teach our kids rules for their safety, I feel that God the Father created many rules for our safety.  There are other rules we create to help keep our family healthy and our lives running smoothly, and I feel we learned this from God doing the same.  So, it is not following rules that causes the Pharisees need a little redirection.  In my opinion, the Pharisees are in error when they allow the rules themselves to become the ruler.  We have to maintain perspective of what the rules are created for and the bigger purpose behind them.  Also, as people who are “good” at following the rules we need to not get prideful and think that we are better than everyone else.  The one and only way to the father fails to mention having been the best type A Christian around.

So, at this point I start to feel a little guilty thinking I definitely have a lot to work on, since my fabulous rule following will not get me to heaven.  Thank goodness for grace.  Luke reminds us that Jesus was there for all sinners, and that includes me.  The one way to the Father is through HIM.  No one is outside the scope of that grace.  Some days, I will admit that is hard for me as I think how deserving I am.  Other days it is hard because I am overwhelmed by how undeserving I am, and how much forgiveness I don’t deserve.  Luke gives examples of all kinds of people who received God’s grace and forgiveness to remind us we can all have it!  I really appreciated that the “sinful woman” in Luke 7 was forgiven much, because she loved much.  I am going to strive to be a woman who loves much and I challenge you to do the same. 

One final thought, the Pharisees were wrong but, not all wrong.  Rules are not all made to be broken, contrary to cool kid, non first born belief.  Many rules need to be challenged and reevaluated so that we can continue to grow and change.  However, to disregard all rules would lead to chaos.  It is just as wrong to swing to the opposite extreme and allow anything.  My favorite part of my least favorite parable is that the Prodigal son does tell his father how sorry he is and how miserable his life of lawlessness was.  He was wrong and he did have to eat pig slop.  So, let’s find a middle ground.  My sister doesn’t want to eat pig slop, and I don’t want to be a Pharisee.  Let’s evaluate why we do the things that we do and the spirit in which they are done.  Truly following the Lord and seeking His will leads us to a middle ground we can agree on with guidelines to make our lives better.  And no matter what we get the gift of grace, hallelujah!

It is no surprise that many of us get nervous when conversations about the Holy Spirit come up.  We come from a movement that focuses on the rational and our silence regarding the Holy Spirit is deafening. After reading through so many of the passages about the HS, it makes me pause and think how heretical our tradition may have been to be so silent about it.  This is a huge omission on our part.

Often we think of experiences with the HS as out-of-body-like.  Some one speaks in a language that is unrecognizable to anyone around them.  Or maybe you have experienced someone abuse (in my opinion) the HS by naming what it told them to do and ironically it is in their own personal interest and not in the interest of others.

Luke and Acts have a very different picture of the HS.  The HS is its own character in the story. Luke and Acts paint a picture of the HS as the power that fuels the breaking in of the kingdom of God and the spreading of the gospel.  I don’t get the impression that the HS shows up and people start going into trances.  But what seems to happen in a variety of ways that people have the ability to see and act on behalf of the gospel in the face of great challenge.  Because of the HS people speak in different tongues (languages) and now numerous people are able to hear the gospel that wouldn’t have been able otherwise.  The HS comes upon unlikely people like Mary (teenage peasant girl), Elizabeth (barren woman), Zechariah (Levite with no heir), Samaritans (traitors who married the oppressors), Philip (eunuch which is a person with crushed testicles or was castrated at a young age, resulting in hormonal consequences), and the list could go on.  The HS comes upon unlikely people from unlikely backgrounds and this tells me that the kingdom of God is breaking in, welcomed, and accessible to all people, places, and circumstances.  The HS seeks to break down the barriers and empower all people to experience the gospel.  Nothing should hinder the gospel from reaching to the ends of the earth.  Not language, gender, social standing, economics, nationality, religious tradition, social function, NOTHING should stand in the way. 

So in a way, yes, by the power of the HS people will do things they wouldn’t do before.  They will speak in ways and with people they didn’t before.  They will go to the abandoned people and places in society (like the desert and Samaria).  They will be moved to sell property for the sake of the community.  They may give up positions of power from before and face danger, imprisonment, and persecution.  But all of this is for the sake of the gospel so that the kingdom of God may reach to the ends of the earth. 

So what about us.  The HS does not tend to mobilize people upward in positional power by society’s standards.  “My things” are now “God’s” and are offered to be used for the sake of the kingdom.  I have to be willing to cross social barriers and endure the social consequences for the sake of the gospel.  Do I even recognize social barriers at work?  Will I go to the abandoned places and people in our society?  Do I know where the abandoned places of society are?   These questions come to mind as I consider the implications of living our lives empowered by the HS.  

To be honest, I was a little nervous being one of the ones asked to write about the role of women.   It seems for years, the same fight has been fought, and the same discussions have been had about women’s roles.  So many of us, particularly those who grew up in the Church of Christ, can recite I Corinthians 14:34:  “Women should remain silent in the church.”  It seems this scripture is used more often than not when discussing the role of women in the church.  But as we read books like Luke and Acts, it seems that there is more to look at.  Luke discusses many women in his writings, and he shows their important roles in making a difference for Christ.  

In this day and age, and particularly in this culture, it is impossible to ignore the fact that women’s roles in our society are changing drastically.  If we look back to the 1950’s, a woman working outside of the home was rare.  We move into today’s world, and we see not only women working, but women as CEO’s of the huge companies they work for.  With the feminist movement in full swing, and a woman running to be the Vice President of our country, we see that women’s roles are not just changing in the church community, they are changing all around us.   It would be unwise of us as a church to think that women serve a lesser purpose in the kingdom of God than men.  We see women making huge differences for Jesus everyday…and we can also see it in Luke’s writings.  Yes, the majority of the public teaching was left to men during Luke’s day, but women also played a critical role.  From Mary and Martha, to the women who helped financially support Jesus and his ministry, to the women Jesus uses in his parables, Luke shows in his writings that women made a difference.  

For years, I have listened to discussions about the role of women in the church, mainly because my own mother became a minister on a church staff long before that was the norm.  Watching my mom over the years, there has been no doubt in my mind that God has used her to bless other people, and even to bless their church body as a whole.  It does not seem that Luke’s writings in particular are those that suggest women should or should not be holding the leading roles in a church organization.  The writings do, however, show that women are extremely important in sharing the Gospel of Jesus with the world.   

In this world, women often feel the brunt of oppression on a daily basis.  Even in America today, some women do not receive the same paycheck as their male counterparts.  It is a surprise to see a woman running for President or Vice President.  Female students sometimes feel as though they can not be as successful in math and science as the male students.  The media bombards us with images and stories of women (ie: Paris and Jessica), making us think that we must be like them in order to be important.  Even in the Bible, women read that we are to be silent in the church and ask our husbands spiritual questions (1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-14).  How encouraging it is to read Luke’s writings and his accounts of women and the relationships they have with God and Jesus!

Luke does something very interesting in his writings.  He pairs men and women together in a passage and sometimes he mirrors their stories one after the other.  This technique suggests equality among them during a time when women were considered second-rate.  He also continues his theme of the first shall be last and the last shall be first that we have seen with the Jews/Gentiles, rich/poor, and the Pharisees/sinners.  Luke’s words embolden women to take a stand and to be leaders for Christ.  We see that some of the oppressed women found strength to move into action, simply because they were human and in need of God’s mercy.

In the beginning of Luke, there are two special birth announcements.  Gabriel came to Zechariah and told him that his wife, Elizabeth, would bear him a son.  Elizabeth was old and barren.  Zechariah let his logic and common sense take over and he questioned how he could be sure.  Zechariah was struck dumb.  Gabriel also spoke with Mary, a virgin, telling her she would give birth to a son.  She also questions the angel, but she is full of wonder instead of doubt.  She remained faithful and was called blessed.  In this pairing, Mary was humbled by the angel’s visit and Elizabeth says she is blessed because she believed while Zechariah has to deal with the consequences of his doubt.

In the second chapter of Luke, we see equality in faith between Simeon and Anna.  They were both in the temple when Jesus is presented.  They both say a prayer of praise.  They are also both witnesses to a fulfilled promise.  It is important that we take note that Anna was a prophetess.  She was a leader in faith.  Have there been women in your life that led you in your faith?

Luke’s seventh chapter compares a woman who washed Jesus’ feet and a Pharisee.  Luke shows us that the attitude of the lowly woman seeking forgiveness is better than the righteous attitude of the Pharisee.  The woman knows her place in society but is moved into action because she can not find the right words to show her gratitude for God’s mercy.  The Pharisee may use many words, but is not moved enough inwardly to move into action outwardly.

Jesus surprises the Pharisees by healing on the Sabbath.  Jesus surprises them even more by healing a woman on the Sabbath.  Jesus heals a crippled woman in chapter thirteen and heals a man with dropsy in chapter fourteen.  Jesus’ mercy must be such a surprise to an oppressed and handicapped woman! 

Jesus shares a few parables about mercy.  There is the parable of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son.  In the first and last parable, God is portrayed as a man.  Luke has between those two parables a parable that portrays God as a woman in the parable of the Lost Coin.  Women all over the world that are told day after day that they are nothing more than a servant can finally feel important because they are truly made in God’s image.

 These writings are just a few examples how women play a significant role in the life of the church.  Women often move into action when they encounter God’s love.  Women were able to support Jesus financially, a woman had the courage to touch Jesus’ cloak, another woman, a widow, gives God all she has, and women were first to enter the tomb to find that Jesus had risen.  Women today can read Luke’s writings and know that God delights in their actions to promote His kingdom and know that they are loved equally.

    About a year ago the favorite Bible song around our house told the story of a wee little man who climbed a sycamore tree so that he could get a view of Jesus as he came to town. What is amazing is what happens next. Jesus spots this little guy and he knows his name. But not only does Jesus know his name, he announces, not only to Zacchaeus, but to the surrounding crowd that he was headed to stay at Zacchaeus’ house.  Big deal, right? Wrong. It was a big deal because Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Correction. He was the chief tax collector.

      In another incident Jesus comes across a tax collector doing his job on the outskirts of town and after saying, “Follow me,” Jesus finds  himself as the honored guest in Levi’s home surrounded by a host of tax collectors. Big deal, right? Wrong. It was a big deal to the religious elite and to Jesus.

      The disreputable. Societal outcasts. Traitors. Sinners. All terms to express the way in which people like Zacchaeus and Levi were viewed by the religious leaders. In fact, Jesus even tells a parable in which the Pharisee goes so far as to thank God he is not like the tax collector. This was a big deal to the Pharisees because tax collectors were typically Jews who had signed up to work for the Roman government. This made them traitors to those who preached so fervently the importance of obedience to the Law. For Jesus, this was a big deal because he knew he had something to offer those that had been cast aside. And apparently, according to Luke 15:1, the tax collectors and “sinners” thought Jesus had something to offer them too.

      What is it that Jesus had to offer? Concisely put, it is that God’s love is for all people and his salvation reaches far and wide. What Luke is trying to tell us about people who are generally known to be living sinful lives and are doing something we believe is inherently evil is that “God’s salvation is not rootless. It springs from his great love for the whole race” (Leon Morris, Luke, p. 38). God’s love is inclusive, not exclusive. In addition to this message came Jesus’ call for tax collectors to change their lives to live in a way in a way “in which God’s care for the oppressed, the imprisoned, the blind and the poor heads the agenda” (Fred Craddock, Luke, p. 77).

      It is interesting that Jesus’ interactions with Zacchaeus and Levi lead him into their home and around the table. Fred Craddock points out that in Jesus’ day having a meal with someone or a group of people meant a total acceptance of them (Luke, p.78). When attacked for his so-called “bad table manners,” Jesus doesn’t jump down anyone’s throats; instead he clearly indicates those to which his ministry is focused (Luke 5:31, 32; 15:2). However, what is most convicting about Jesus’ response is that it caused his listeners to decide for themselves whether they are healthy or sick, righteous or sinner. Even today we are good at categorizing people, but through Jesus’ interactions with tax collectors and “sinners,” as readers we cannot be spectators at the feast. Instead, we have to look introspectively and ask the tough question, “Am I at the table with Jesus, tax collectors, and sinners, or am I among the critics?”

I feel that the phrase “tax collectors and sinners” has become somewhat of a cliché in our churches.  We often breeze through the phrase without perhaps stopping to consider its ramifications.  Of course, we all probably learned in Sunday school that the tax collectors were dishonest people.  But I don’t think this phrase really translates to our society.  Sometimes prostitutes are lumped into the phrase “and sinners.”  I think that’s sort of a shame, because the term still holds the same meaning for us today.  Perhaps we’d be more impacted by the meaning of the scriptures if we said, “Prostitutes and sinners.”  It doesn’t sound as harmless as tax collectors, at least not in my eyes. 

We all know that Jesus made a habit of hanging with these people.  It seems to me that this is one of the hardest, messiest, riskiest things to translate to our current practice as followers of Christ.  It’s clearer to think about being selfless as Christ was, or spending time in prayer, or communing with our friends around a table.  But spending time with “sinners?”  How does this look today?  Of course, since Jesus was perfect, he was somehow able to fellowship with people steeped in lives of sin and, without demeaning them as people or offering a cheap sales pitch, call them to a higher purpose.  I’m reminded of the true but trite phrase, “God loves you just the way you are, but he loves you too much to leave you that way.”  We don’t see Jesus lingering around the doorsteps of their homes and gathering places with pamphlets about how they need to repent or be thrown into hell.  We don’t see him establishing relationships under false pretenses, being friendly enough to get his foot in the door, only to use his relationship as a springboard for bringing people to God.  Instead, Christ invested himself in these people.  He spent time eating with them and getting to know them.  He formed true relationships, and out of these relationships drew people closer to God.  But, he was the Son of God.  In my opinion, he had a little bit of a leg up on the rest of us. 

How is this practice supposed to look for us today?  It seems that too often, we tend to lean toward one of two extremes.  Either we hang with the “sinners” until the lines are so blurred that there is no longer a distinction between us and them, or we stay safe in our houses and churches, far away from “these people.”  Perhaps every now and then we venture out into these waters, attempting to form relationships with people who live lives we consider to be sinful and wrong.  But are we establishing a relationship, or are we acting as salespeople for Christ?  I remember being in a department store one day when I was approached by a woman who appeared to be a fellow shopper.  She walked up and told me that she thought I had a pretty face.  I was surprised by this random compliment and felt momentarily flattered… until she began to talk to me about Mary Kay and what a great salesperson she thought I would be.  Suddenly the compliment lost all of its meaning as I realized she was only using it as an “in” to strike up a conversation about her business.  I found myself quickly wrapping up that conversation.  Do we as Christians do this to people?  Do we use friendship as an “in” to attempt to convert those around us?  Does having an agenda ruin any chance of a real relationship?  Will we send people headed for the hills as soon as they catch a whiff of our true intentions?  These are questions I often consider.  It seems that Christ’s interactions with people grew out of who he was.  People were drawn to him, and because of the way he lived he was able to call people to a higher standard, speaking to them out of love and relationship rather than looking down his nose at them.  Christ saw the hollowness of their sinful situations and offered them something better.  I think that’s what we may sometimes be lacking – something better.  If people just see us as goodie-two-shoes with a list of rules a mile long about what we must do and cannot do, I can’t help but think that they will feel sorry for us rather than be drawn to know more about why we are the way we are.  If we think of holy as meaning separate, we may tend to look down our noses at others.  But, if we cultivate true holiness in our lives, it will separate us from sinful lifestyles in a way that will make others wonder what we’ve got that they don’t.  I believe that this can only grow out of true relationships formed with people out of a desire to love and show the love of Christ.  If we get too trigger happy about sharing the gospel, we’ll come across like a Mary Kay salesperson.  If we rub elbows with people who hold different values than we do, we have a chance for the gospel to come shining out of our lives to bring light to those who are in the darkness.

Jesus seemed to have endless patience with the “tax collectors and sinners.”  The scriptures paint a different picture of his interactions with the Pharisees.  Jesus always seems at his wits’ end with the holier-than-thou church folks.  When I was in college, I had the privilege of interning for the RE youth group for two summers.  It always surprised me how much I enjoyed working with the kids in middle school.  One day someone asked me how I could stand to be around sixth and seventh graders all the time – it’s such an awkward age.  After thinking about it, I realized that the awkwardness is just what I loved about them.  Unlike the high schoolers, junior high kids KNOW that they don’t have it all together.  This makes them pliable and, in my experience, easier to reach.  Maybe the tax collectors and sinners were the junior high kids of the Bible.  Jesus knew that they were a messed up bunch, and even they – deep down – knew it.  When your life is in shambles, your ears are open to a new message, you are longing for a breath of fresh air.  The Pharisees, on the other hand, thought they were too cool for school.  They had it all figured out and were waiting for everyone else to catch up to speed.

Jesus, in his ever-clever way, pointed out that it’s the sick that need a doctor, not the healthy.  We know this scripture inside-out, but how many of us are willing to get our hands dirty to enter in to the lives of those who are sick with sin?  It is messy work, and I find that I am often too busy or too lazy to seek it out.  The tough thing about this is that sin is a vicious cycle.  We can’t form friendships with people addicted to drugs, to sex, to power and money, and expect that they will come clean right away.  They may want to change, but we know that addictions are relentless in pulling their victims back to their old ways.  The tough part is sticking around for the healing process.  It’s much easier to say, “Get up, take your mat, and walk.”  Of course, it is only by the power of Christ that we are able to stick around for the long haul.  Frustratingly, we may never see the fruits of our labor.  But I have to believe that, with Christ’s help, I am planting seeds in the hearts of those I engage in authentic relationships with.  May we all grow more like Christ in our ability to truly love, especially those we so often see as unlovable. 

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Last night I sent my thoughts on this topic to Brooke to post on the blog.  But then I woke up this morning feeling terribly convicted about all of the things I failed to mention yesterday.  So, here are a few MORE of my thoughts on this topic!

I realized that in my previous writings on this topic, I made a pretty clear distinction between us and them, “them” being “the sinners.”  In case any of you are worried, I have not forgotten that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God!  It occurred to me this morning that as soon as we identify “the sinners,” we have, in effect, become guilty of the sin of the Pharisees.  Who are we to point the finger at different groups of people when we ourselves are so flawed?

And now in defense of the prostitutes: I mentioned addictions as one form of sin in which people become entangled.  While this is true, there are many things going on in our world that have less to do with addictions and more to do with life situations.  We cannot assume that all of us come into the world on an even playing field, equally capable of making good or poor choices.  I don’t personally know any prostitutes, but I do feel confident in saying that if those women thought there was a better way to survive, they would probably take the out that was offered them.  No little girl says, “I want to be a prostitute when I grow up.”  Rather, it is the fatal combination of factors (such as abuse, neglect, poverty, hopelessness, lack of self esteem) that lead to such choices.  And then there’s the classic morality question posed by Kohlberg.  Is it wrong to steal if you are too poor to afford medicine and your wife will die without it?  When presented with the Heinz dilemma, most of us would probably be hard-pressed to call that a sin.  Yet think of all of the “sin” that stems from similar situations in our inner cities.  While not as seemingly harmless, much of the crime that takes place is a result of basic needs that fail to be met when people are crushed by poverty.  The frightening thing is to realize that we are all complicit in this systemic sin.  We have, while others do not.  We are faced with the choice of whether to gossip about a coworker or cheat on our taxes rather than whether to steal so that we can feed our children and the addictions that numb us to our tragic circumstances.  It’s easier to think that we have no connection to these people, and our suburbs, gated communities, and safe lives reinforce the idea that we are all on our own, operating independently of one another.  But in reality, we are more connected than we think.  We are indirectly responsible for the power differential that creates so much violence and hatred in our world.  Now if only there was a simple solution to this…

And now in defense of those living in suburbs and gated communities: It would also be easy to paint a picture of all sin as residing within violent, poverty-stricken inner cities, but of course we know this is far from the case.  I never cease to be amazed by the stories I hear of things that happen in seemingly perfect suburbs of Frisco.  The affairs, the gossip, the insecurity and self-loathing experienced by people trying to live up to the perfect standard set by our culture. 

There are a lot of people hurting everywhere you go, no matter the income level or family situation or chosen profession.  You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Hate the sin, love the sinner.”  It seems that too often we throw out the baby with the bathwater and go ahead and hate the sinner, presuming that the “sinner” is doing something on our list of favorite sins.  (Favorite sins meaning those sins we’ve personally decided to find offensive, while we excuse a multitude of other sins for the convenience of being guilt-free when we engage in them ourselves.)  My greatest wish is that Christians could take back our rightful place in society as lovers of all of God’s creation rather than the self-appointed judges of the actions of others.  We should not be the ones waving the “God hates gays” signs.  We should not be the ones bombing the abortion clinics.  We should NEVER be the ones sending a message of hatred out to the world on God’s behalf.  That, to me, is true blasphemy.  Christ himself is the judge, yet he spent his time on earth truly loving people.  Not that he wrote off their actions as excusable or held a post-modern “do what’s right for you” stance, but he acknowledged the inherent worth of all people, created in the image of God.  My prayer is that we will learn to recognize and cultivate this image within ourselves and within all of those around us.  Anything less just separates us from God.

In our culture we label everything.  Everything in our world has an association.  Scientists never cease to name every known living organism on the planet.  Business is all about branding and brand recognition.  Names are everywhere.  We put our names on school papers, sign them on checks, they are on the back of sports jerseys and on government issued identification cards. 

We like our labels, and with labels come connotations.  Connotations in our world, however, do not have to be based on fact nor experience.  Yet, if we come across anything for which we do not have a label, we immediately assign one.  We categorize the unfamiliar into a category that is more familiar to us, because once categorized, we can appropriately address that which was unknown based on a lifetime of social/personal development and programmed responses.

This is how we treat people.  When an unknown person is similar to us, then we categorize the person in a positive manner.  But, when we come across someone who is not like us, “a foreigner” to our world, then we tend to put that person in a negative light. 

These reactions are similar to the people’s reactions that Luke writes about.  In the first part of Acts 11, the Apostles and other Brothers (circumcised men) in Judea were appalled that Peter had eaten in the house of Gentiles (uncircumcised men).  They were basing their opinion off of the unknown.

Perhaps even Jesus formed opinions that were not exactly positive about those who he was not as much familiar with.  When Jesus healed the lepers in Luke 17, only the Samaritan returned to give Him praise.  Jesus then highlights the cultural and racial difference between Him and the Samaritan by calling him a “foreigner”.  Jesus was after all human, so maybe it is human nature to label people based on racial or cultural differences.  If Jesus is our leader, maybe it is not entirely wrong to acknowledge these discrepancies.  Our politically correct part of society today however suggests that we not acknowledge any difference between any of us. 

By ignoring our differences, we take away the power of God’s word and salvation.  It is our differences that God uses, and Luke writes about, to break down worldly obstacles and join man in God’s name.  Through God, human’s can overcome their nature to label others, and worship him in a common Christian culture.  Again in Acts 11, once the circumcised believers heard how Peter was bonded through the Spirit in God’s word by the story of Jesus’ resurrection to the uncircumcised Gentiles, the believers response…’they praised God saying, ”…God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life”.

Jill:  I'm here today with best-selling author and renowned physician Luke.  Hi Luke, thanks for joining me today.

Luke:  You're welcome, thank you for having me.

Jill:  Today I'd like to discuss with you Jesus' teachings regarding Samaritans and Gentiles, and what they mean for us today with regard to minorities and foreigners.  First, what can you tell us about the Samaritans?  How were they regarded in Jesus' day?

Luke: Well, there was quite a bit of racial tension among Jews and Samaritans in that time, sort of like modern-day tensions between different races in America.  The Jews viewed the Samaritans as a lower class of people, and would not associate with them or even pass through their land.  You could compare their situation to the way blacks were segregated in America before the Civil Rights movement.

Jill:  I see, and how did Jesus' views differ?

Luke: Jesus viewed Samaritans as equals, and treated them as such.  He illustrated these views both with words and actions.  The parable of the Good Samaritan is an obvious example, as well as his healing of a Samaritan leper, who was the only one of ten healed to return and thank Jesus.  His example eventually rubbed off on his disciples, who, as I wrote in Acts, preached to and baptized many Samaritans.

Jill:  Ok, now let's move on to the Gentiles.  How were they viewed in New Testament times?

Luke:  Well, if the Samaritans were similar to an ethnic minority today, then the Gentiles were viewed as foreigners along the lines of the Soviets during the cold war.  Anyone who cooperated with or worked for the Roman government was viewed as a traitor. Zacchaeus was one such person.

Jill:  But Jesus had different ideas regarding the Gentiles, didn't he?

Luke:  Yes. Jesus' first love was his own people, the Jews, but he knew that his message would eventually be carried to the Gentiles as well, as God's plan for salvation included all people. Jesus intimated this when speaking in Nazareth, his hometown, and he was driven from the town because of it.

Jill: And after Jesus' death, the ministry to the Gentiles began in earnest?

Luke:  Yes, as I wrote about in Acts, the apostles, especially Paul, preached and taught among the Gentiles, and many became Christians.  The tensions between the Jews and Gentiles didn't magically disappear, however.  There was still disagreement, for instance, over whether the Gentile Christians would have to keep the Jewish laws about food and cleanliness.  Even Peter needed a vision from God to prompt him to socialize with God-fearing Gentiles, and faced criticism afterward for doing so.

Jill: Just one more question, Dr. Luke.  What do you think this means for Christians today?

Luke: Well, basically, I think it tells us that God loves all people, and welcomes people of every race and nation to be a part of His family and receive salvation through Jesus. We should do the same, by working to break down barriers and change attitudes toward and treatment of our modern day Samaritans and Gentiles.

Jill: Thank you for your time, Luke.  Hopefully we will all take your words to heart.

While reading through Luke and Acts, I struggled a lot with how comfortable our family has become, and how much more we still think we need. Reflecting back on the past year, I tried to think about how much time I spent thinking about our personal finances, including retirement, as compared to how much time I spent thinking about how I can use my blessings to help the poor…there is no comparison. Besides tithing, I spent little time actually thinking about how I can help the poor.

I wish I could say the opposite, but taking care of the poor is not as high of a priority as it should be in my life. Yet, the poor and hungry are the first people who are blessed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, and the rich and well fed are the first people who are cursed in the Sermon on the Mount. This is kind of a slap in the face to Americans considering that the poorest of American’s have a lot more money and food than the majority of the world.

I wonder how often Jesus actually thought about the fact that he basically had nothing. I doubt the average North Dallas resident would want to associate with someone like Jesus. He didn’t really have a career, assets, or income. I can honestly say that if two new families came to Richardson East, one poor like Jesus and one wealthy, I would want to meet and invite the wealthy family to lunch or to our house. This would be the most comfortable choice, but completely opposite from what is said in Luke and Acts. Luke 14 says that when you plan a big dinner at your house, invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind. Again, these types of people would not currently be at the top of my list, yet Jesus says that he is the poor, because when we reach out to them, we are reaching out to Jesus.

Acts seems to speak more to how we should also take care of those that are close to us, our fellow believers. In Acts, Luke says that the believers basically saw all of their money and possessions as one big pot that was used to help those who had hit hard times. The believers felt that their money and possessions were not earned, but rather given by God. I don’t know why God chose to give us so many material blessings, but he did. I tried to imagine what he was thinking when he decided to do this. I wonder if he thought “There are a lot of people in Dallas that are hurting, so I’m going to give the Halls money and other blessings to help those who are hurting. When they receive this, it’s going to be really hard for them to see that I gave it to them because they have the skills and resources necessary to distribute those blessings to those that need it. They are going to be tempted to think that they earned it, and that it’s for them. I hope they realize that they have been chosen as workers to distribute what I have given.” I wish I looked at our blessings in that way every day of my life, but I don’t. I often look at blessings or money as something that I have earned, but this is clearly not the case. I, like all of you, have simply been chosen by God to receive blessings and turn right around to give them away to those as they have need.

I truly believe that God has blessed us in order to give those blessings to others. That is difficult for me to accept, especially living in Dallas where we have so much wealth, and can get so caught up in stuff. Jesus states it well when he simply says in Luke 12:23 “Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.” I pray that God will give me the strength to fully believe this statement by reflecting it in my life.

It seems to me that we as American society, Christians and non-Christians alike, struggle with how we view the poor around us.  Poor people in America have taken on a negative connotation among many of us - we often view them with fear, disdain, and apathy.  We can fear them because they are different; perhaps they are of a different race or of a different background than ourselves.  We can look down upon them with disdain because we feel that they've brought their condition upon themselves, haven't taken the proper steps to improve their condition, and as a result we may feel they're bringing pain upon our society.  And frankly, many of us do have a kind heart towards the poor but choose not to get involved because it's too ugly or too depressing.

Luke's Gospel deals with the poor more than any other Gospel, and they are a focal point of his writing.  The following are a few major messages which strike me as I study Luke's text regarding the poor:

Jesus came into the world poor.  Though many expected a wealthy king, Jesus was born the son of a carpenter, into a poor family.  Furthermore, rather than seeking wealth and fortune, he conducted his entire ministry as that of a poor man.

The poor are blessed.  Luke recounts Jesus' blessing of the poor in his recreation of the Sermon on the Mount.  The poor are blessed in their simplicity - it is easy for the poor to serve Jesus because their life is simple and void of the barriers we often face.  Their blessing is that they have a great reward awaiting them in heaven.

Jesus calls us to serve the poor.  The bulk of Jesus' ministry centered around serving those less fortunate.  In Luke, He proclaims His mission as bringing good news to the poor.  He calls us to invite the poor into our houses, to feed and to clothe them.  And in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, He lays out significant consequences for those who choose to ignore this calling.

Reading Luke's Gospel, it becomes obvious that Jesus has a deep passion for the poor.  He not only sides with them, but He also puts Himself in their place.  As Christians in America, Jesus calls us to throw aside our feelings towards the poor and simply serve Him by  loving and caring for the poor.  We also must carry with us a "poor" spirit - though we may not be outwardly poor, our decision to follow Christ should be simple and we should be ready to drop everything to follow His call!