Telling the Story

The other day a friend asked me to write a note to a friend of his that has no Christian background.  His friend is interested in moving forward, in knowing God, knowing what Christianity and following Jesus is all about.  But my friend asked me to try to offer encouragement in a way that a non-Christian would understand.  Here was my stab at that... It was a wonderful exercise... that really helped me think about ways to reach outsiders with the Gospel.  It also challenged me to “always be ready to make an account of the hope that lies within you.” (1 Peter)  To learn how to do stuff like this, especially tell your personal story, visit http://www.christlife.org/sharefaith/SharingChrist.html

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Well, we are clearly more than a collection of meaningless material elements.  We have dignity, our lives have meaning. This to me seems obvious when I really reflect on life.  I love living, I love the adventure, I love to love others and to be loved.  I love to get out into nature and the mountains and get some fresh air. Something is transcendent about it.  All cultures speak of this clearly.  We are more than just material elements.  And if our lives have meaning than Someone has personally created each one of us for a purpose.  We have purpose- to love and to be loved.

Our creator gave us the option, unlike animals, to be free, to have a mind, a will, a conscience – a “soul” in biblical language.  God made us absolutely free to choose to live a life worth living – a life that connects to his purpose for our lives – a life that connects to the deepest fabric of our universe.  We also have the opportunity to reject this life and choose to run our own lives – this, however, leads to “me first.”  And what follows is the whole history of “sin” - putting myself and my needs before others – and even trouncing on them to meet my needs.  This leads to death and separation from God and his purposes.

He could foresee this though.  He first told us how to live through a people he interacted with (Israel) and he gave them a law to live by.  This wasn’t sufficient. They just tried to meet the basic requirement of the law (and even make their own) and didn’t see the deep meaning behind the law. He knew this was going to happen.  So he gave himself to us so completely by becoming like us, by becoming human.  He gave himself to us through his Son.  He sent his son to us.  His Son, Jesus, showed us how to live.  He was the most impressive person who ever walked this earth.  He said amazing things for his times.

Since that time millions and millions of peoples all around the globe, throughout history-  have found in this God-man – the ultimate meaning of there lives.  He entered our space for a life-time (33 years) and he was killed by the Jewish authorities via Rome.  As a God-man he chose instead of punishing his people for disobeying the law (and for killing him!) – he showed them the ultimate meaning of all things – love – by dying on a cross freely – and bearing the punishment (needed because of God’s absolute justice) of all the people’s disobedience.   God raised his Son, the God-man, from the dead – and not only destroyed the power of sin, but death itself.  So that for those of us who put our trust, our reliance in this God-man – Jesus who died for us and was raised from the dead – we are promised His very divine life.  And it begins now!  We live connected to Jesus as our life-source.  And we are promised, just like him – to be raised from the dead after our death.  So that we too can experience the life of God forever – in love.

God makes this very easy for people to enter into this life.  He draws near to us through simply elements – bread, water, oil.  Especially in water.  And this is where “baptism” (being immersed) comes in.  Jesus gave all his followers – his community of disciples, his Church - a powerful reality – that when we are baptized with water – we are joined to the life of Jesus –as we are immersed in the water- we are immersed in the burial of his death – and we rise out of the water – just as Jesus rose from the dead.  This symbol is powerful and God promises to send his very life-force, his Spirit to give us the power to live this new divinely-connected life.  And on a personal note- its awesome!  What a great adventure!  I have learned what life really means by being a Christian, I have learned to love, and I have a wonderful hope and joy of being connected to the source of love for all eternity.