The answer is always Jesus.
But affirming Jesus as 'the answer' is not to be confused with arrogance; Jesus is not to be taught with presumption or oversimplification. Thus, as we offer Jesus, we recognize life's complexity, bowing to God's sovereignty.
In Ephesians 4 Paul envisions Christian leaders equipping “…the saints.” (Ephesians 4:12), thus building up “…the body of Christ… [empowering the Body to gain]…the knowledge of the Son of God… [becoming mature]…” (Ephesians 4:12-13 ESV).
It’s interesting the word “mature” means literally: complete; consummate virtue, and integrity. I like that, for at the heart of authentic equipping is integrity; raw honesty about the complexity of life, going beyond proverbial “Sunday School answers.”
There's a great story about a Sunday School teacher who was teaching a lesson about the importance of hard work; the virtue of being industrious. "Class," she began. What's brown, furry, and cracks lots of nuts?" Well at first the class was dumbfounded; totally stumped! But then, a little boy sheepishly raised his hand. "Teacher," the boy began. "I know the answer's Jesus, but it sure sounds like a squirrel to me!"
Sometimes we just need "to call a squirrel, a squirrel," because life is squirrely at times: cut-throat lay-offs -- ravaging illness -- insidious violence! Sure the answer's always Jesus, but often the process of comprehending Jesus, in a unjust, complex, confusing world -- is a process -- a journey requiring -- time.
In Ephesians 4 Paul envisions Christian leaders equipping “…the saints.” (Ephesians 4:12), thus building up “…the body of Christ… [empowering the Body to gain]…the knowledge of the Son of God… [becoming mature]…” (Ephesians 4:12-13 ESV).
It’s interesting the word “mature” means literally: complete; consummate virtue, and integrity. I like that, for at the heart of authentic equipping is integrity; raw honesty about the complexity of life, going beyond proverbial “Sunday School answers.”
There's a great story about a Sunday School teacher who was teaching a lesson about the importance of hard work; the virtue of being industrious. "Class," she began. What's brown, furry, and cracks lots of nuts?" Well at first the class was dumbfounded; totally stumped! But then, a little boy sheepishly raised his hand. "Teacher," the boy began. "I know the answer's Jesus, but it sure sounds like a squirrel to me!"
But not just typical time, chronos time (chronological time) -- but God's time karios time (eschatological/divine time) -- for God's time is ultimate -- for in God's time, God makes "...everything beautiful..." (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV) -- even rough, 'unanswerable' episodes. And so our honesty is not cynicism, as we affirm that even confusing times are 'not ends in themselves,' but elements transformed by the Almighty, into an incredible tapestry of redemption and meaning
And so in Christ, we enter into what John Updike calls “octaves of passion,” encountering both the 'highs and lows' of life, with radical abandon. For it’s true: the living God has "...by his own action has given us everything…necessary for living the truly good life” 2 Peter 1 notes, “…in allowing us to know…[Jesus]…[who empowers us] to escape the inevitable disintegration…[of]…the world…” (2 Peter 1:3-4, Phillips).
And so life is a mixed bag, with 'unanswerable,' confusing episodes. But even such episodes can be radically transformed, as we’re consumed by the Answer (Jesus) and not arrogance, or any other earthly element.
And so in Christ, we enter into what John Updike calls “octaves of passion,” encountering both the 'highs and lows' of life, with radical abandon. For it’s true: the living God has "...by his own action has given us everything…necessary for living the truly good life” 2 Peter 1 notes, “…in allowing us to know…[Jesus]…[who empowers us] to escape the inevitable disintegration…[of]…the world…” (2 Peter 1:3-4, Phillips).
And so life is a mixed bag, with 'unanswerable,' confusing episodes. But even such episodes can be radically transformed, as we’re consumed by the Answer (Jesus) and not arrogance, or any other earthly element.
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