artists as outsiders

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an actor. Not because I particularly enjoyed acting (although I did later when I actually tried it), but because I wanted to be famous. I wanted to have people know who I was.

I imagine that the desire for celebrity drives many in show business. But for Danish actress Connie Nielsen (Gladiator, Law and Order SVU), acting is about something different. For her, being an actor means being an outsider. 

"As an artist you actually do have to make a choice to be an outsider. If you're an outsider you have the freedom to say what people on the inside don't dare to say," she told CNN.

I think this speaks to what we are doing at Convergence. We are constantly asking questions, taking risks, seeking to truly know and experience God as intimately and authentically as possible. If God has particular interest and desire to connect with outsiders (and I believe God does), then this fits right in with our vision. 

Convergence exists to support and resource and build community with artists. We realize in doing this, we look very different than most churches. We don't try to be different just for the sake of being different, or to be cool; we just strive to do whatever it takes to connect with this group of "outsiders"--the artists and art lovers in our community.

How much of what we call church are we willing to let go of to actually be the church?

forgiveness

We're doing a communion series--each month we talk about a different aspect of communion. Yesterday was about forgiveness; here are some thoughts:

We often talk about what we need to do in approaching communion--we need to confess our sin, we need to make our relationships right, we need to examine our hearts...all of these are good things, but I think they can cause us to put the emphasis on us, not God, when we approach the communion table.

We focus on what we need to do, instead of what Jesus did for us. The point becomes getting right with God, rather than accepting and living in God's love and faithfulness and grace.

We do come to the table as sinners in need of grace. But that grace comes not because of anything we do, but because of what Jesus did.

Jesus ate with sinners. He didn't tell them to get their lives together before inviting them. He confronted sin with compassion and mercy, not judgement.

I think we often fall into this trap of "grace, but..." thinking "yes, God forgives, but I'm supposed to..." Now I know God does call us to respond to His grace and follow his example of love. Following Him does bring challenges. But if we can't talk about His grace without talking about our responsibility, then I fear we miss the full impact of that grace.

Each celebration of the Lord's Supper is a fresh experience of the Gospel; for at the table, our host, the Lord Jesus Christ, meets us with compassion and open arms.

While they were eating, Jesus took break, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."

Then he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

                        --Matthew 26:26-28

Jesus as Healer

Sunday we talked about Jesus as Healer. We looked at several passages in the Gospel of Mark (1:21-45, 2:1-12, 3:1-6, 5:1-43, 7:31-37, 8:22-26, 9:14-29, 10:46-52). It was really neat to see how healing was so prominent throughout the book.

here are some thoughts from the evening...

for Jesus, healing wasn't always about the condition healed, but more about restoring the person healed to fellowship with God and with others, by forgiving sin and making them pure and acceptable again. Jesus often tied together physical healing and spiritual healing.

In Jewish culture, it was often believed that serious illnesses or infirmities were punishment or judgement; so the sick often deserved it. There wasn't a huge desire to see people healed or restored. As usual, Jesus went against the flow.

Many Christians, churches, and even denominations emphasize healing today, and teach that Jesus' power to heal has been passed down directly to us; that if we have enough faith, any illness can and will be healed.

My concern is that this idea makes it about and for us, rather than God and the other. I believe that God can heal, anytime, but not necessarily that He will. I believe God heals, just not on demand. 

I'm sure most of us have known very Godly, faithful people who prayed for healing for themselves or others. Sometimes we see miraculous recoveries, but more often we don't. I think the healing God offers happens in various ways at various times.

The healing stories in the Gospels reflect Jesus' intimate, powerful relationship with God, as well as his great compassion. He often healed with words, touch, and physical means.

In healing, Jesus demonstrates the Kingdom of God, one of his main themes. Healing is not just about the individual healing, not just about physical healing…it's about revealing the heart and nature of God…

So I think an application for today is not that if you have enough faith you will be healed. Rather, I think Jesus shows us that healing goes beyond the physical, beyond the here and now. It's a symbol, an example, of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is possible now in part, and eventually in full. In the same way healing often often happens now in part, but ultimately it will happen in full.

Does God heal? Yes, but not always in the way I want or expect. I pray for healing, and that prayer helps connect me to God—to be open to how He is working. It also connects me to the one for whom I am praying.

Finally, I think we see in Jesus' healings an example of how God invites us to partner with Him. Jesus is showing us not just what He wants to do for us, but what he wants us to do for him. He wants us to follow his example and be his healing agent in our world.

For us, here and now, healing is not just about God removing our illnesses or infirmities; rather, it’s about God making us more whole, more like Him, more His, both in this life and in the life to come.

How does your relationship with God enable you to be a compassionate, healing presence for people today?