"Not the Type"

This Sunday morning was, up to this point in my life, one of the most scattered 24 hours of my life. I say that because I was so fired up and joyous about what God was doing in me and through me, what he was revealing in scripture and meditation, and just in the way that he stirred renewed hope in those around me that I'd lost hope in. And at the same time I was relishing that all of these blessings would come to THIS sinner!? This was overwhelming me so much that I literally couldn't fall asleep. In the middle of seeing the night become morning before my eyes (which still freaks me out every time ...), and after praying for discernment of whether I should force myself to sleep or go without it totally, I eventually said "screw sleep" at around 7am or so. I found myself a thirst for scripture and I began to read the last chapters of Luke and though briefly read with no hardcore, in-depth, inductive bible study, I subtly grew to feel a little more weight with the more I read. It's just a very humbling experience every time I read about the last hours of Jesus' life ... because though sometimes I'll ask and arouse stupid questions like the disciples did of "Who is the greatest?" (Luke 22:24-30 ... I still find it kinda funny and kinda disturbing at the timing of the disciple's question ... right before the crucifixion ...), I can't really come out of it going "Ya! That was a great story about me and my goodness!" Thank God. I hadta finish reading it in time to make service heh so I showered, got dressed and got ready.

So I drive to church in silence and I'm still fired up and eventually I get there. I'm a little late ... Maybe missed the first 5 minutes but oh well. The service was good (Somehow Sunday services have been different to me ... but I can rant about that some other time). Felt quick. I like the series we're doing on the scriptures. Today we went through 2 Timothy 3. So I get to Sunday School hour and 10 minutes in (I guess you call this "loitering" where you're just kinda chatting around with whoever), I run into my aunt whom I haven't really caught up with since summer began. She's not really my aunt in blood or anything but we're related enough to see each other during holiday gatherings (Eh it doesn't matter cuz in Chinese culture you call everyone aunt and uncle anyway). We had a little chit chat and before she was about to head off to Sunday School, I asked her where her daughter, my cousin, was. I've been particularly concerned for her in terms of life and her not getting the gospel. My aunt told me she was was at service but then left, saying that "You know her." So a little bumbed I questioned for clarification that I wouldn't see her in Sunday School to which the response of her mom was "eh, she's "just not the type. Maybe one day she'll wake up. " I'm not sure whether these words can convey the tone and understood concern and broken desperation for her daughter and my friend and cousin. I just nodded, brokenhearted on the inside but wearing an indifferent grin. We say our goodbyes and I go to Sunday School. I prayed earlier that somehow God would help me out with this whole not sleeping the night before thing, knowing that this type of prayer has gone unanswered numerous amounts of times during my all-nighters the previous semester of college ... But this time He was faithful. I just remember sitting in class having a barrage of thoughts coming every which way about this. I was an emotional wreck and it spurred me to kinda just say things out loud to the class that I normally keep in to keep quiet and not appear like a religious guy. I don't really know what even went on in my mind that whole time. I guess I could read what I wrote in my notebook during that time. I titled it "How'd I get here?". Heh. All I know is that that phrase ... "she's JUST NOT THE TYPE" was the one that haunted me throughout.

The thing that makes my heart cringe is not just all the theological confusion going on in the words conveyed. The thing that tears me up inside is that the message of the Bible was never meant to be a book for a "type of people." Never did I read anything about Jesus coming only to those worthy of his presence ... Because none were. None are. Rich and poor alike, young and old, foolish and wise, kings and beggars, men and women, fathers and children, Jew and Gentile, fishermen and experts in the law, Pharisees and tax collectors, doubters and slanderers, adulterers and liars, demonic and religious, older brother and prodigal son, persecutor and murderer of Christians and whacky prophets, stutterers and screw ups, wicked sinners and religious, "church goers" and those who didn't give a spit about any of it; pagan worshippers and magic practicioners; peasants and princes; etc. are the type of people we find that cling to this Jesus of the Bible.

Their home groups would have been interesting ... In the book of Acts alone you have people ranging from a weird magic practicing weirdo named Simon (Acts 8:9-13), a blaspheming, violent murderer of God's people named Saul ... who turns out to later write the majority of the New Testament (Acts 9), a Suburban wealthy God-fearing woman named Lydia (Acts 16:11-15), and a blue collar, lower level Roman soldier/Philippian jailer (Acts 16:25-34), who all come and are gathered because of Christ alone. If left alone in a room without Christ, these people would probably tear each other apart. It's not that these people were "good enough" to be "the type" of church-going folk that we see everyday on Sunday. These were genuine people of different levels of socioeconomic status, different ethnicities and cultures, different ages, different genders, different philosophies on life and who God is. Yet all share a fellowship because of our great mediator and savior Jesus Christ.

All throughout scripture and particularly in the gospels you've got just jacked up people ... Ya everyone is jacked up. But it's interesting and awesome that when ordinary city folk of various cities hear this man's claims to be God in the flesh, the bread of life, life to the full ... When they hear that this man speaks with AUTHORITY, the flock to him. They run and chase and cling to this guy. And so often we see people like the blind beggar (Luke 18:35-43) shout out in complete desperation and humility: "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" And even when those in front rebuke him and tell him to shut up he cries out louder "Son of David, have mercy on me!" The gospels tell so many instances of the inadequate screw ups and rejects and outcasts of the city crying out for Jesus to heal them ... to save them. From the dropouts in High School (equivalent to the fishermen) to the experts of the law (equivalent to maybe an esteemed college professor and/or maybe a very highly esteemed expert in a particular study), Jesus is going after the hearts of not only the rejects of society but the proud and the arrogant as well. He totally deconstructs the idea that the tax collectors were too unworthy to be saved and he continually works and speaks in a way that deconstructs the idea that the Pharisees have some sort of special favor from God because of their outstanding moral deeds. In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus unapologetically speaks the truth that religion and morality don't justify, and in the end, even fasting twice a week and tithing on everything you have, doesn't save. Jesus says that the tax collector, the one who is so ashamed of his wickedness that he wont even enter the synagogue, the one who can't even "lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (Luke 18:13) ... Jesus says this guy is justified. In both ways, Jesus doesn't neglect the other. He time and time again says "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). I think we think that Jesus just wanted to own the Pharisees up and just tear them apart and so in the end we ironically become Pharisees and try to do the same to those whom we look down upon. But not so with Jesus. If Jesus had NOT relentlessly rebuked them, he wouldn't have been loving. No, Jesus intentionally goes to BOTH the tax collector (Luke 5:27-32; 19:1-10) and the Pharisees (Luke 7:36-50; 11:37-43; 14).

Jesus tells a parable (Luke 15) of a son who basically says "Dad, you're as good as dead to me, gimme my inheritance and let me be" and how even when that son who has wandered has squandered all that he had in reckless living, the Father humiliatingly and shamefully runs out to embrace His son right when he sees him from a distance. From the perspective of an old man lifting up his robe and exposing his undergarments to run out to embrace the son, this is ridiculous. But it doesn't stop there. The wayward son, having memorized and recited to himself what he would say to his father, overwhelmed by the grace of his father, doesn't even bother to try to offer repayment of his reckless living by being a lowly servant of his father for he knows that he doesn't have to prove himself. He's already loved. No act or work by his hand can justify his life lived in darkness and blatant recklessness. And this is where most of us end the story. But Jesus goes on to mention the other main character in the story: the older brother. Jesus doesn't just go after the blatant "sinner" and outcast of Jewish society at the time. He goes after the heart of the jealous older brother who though he obeyed all the commands and probably did all the right moral things, didn't get the gospel.

From the story of how one sister who was so busy and distracted doing all the right things and the seemingly inconsiderate sister who instead of helping her sister in the kitchen was at the feet of Jesus listening to his every word (Luke 10:38-42) ... to the sinful woman who in the presence of haughty, educated religious men (Pharisees), stood behind Jesus at his feet, and weeping her heart out, kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment of an alabaster flask (Luke 7:36-50) ... to the Roman official in the Roman guard, who is high up in the military system, who pleads to Jesus that though unworthy, if Jesus say the word, his servant be healed (Luke 7:1-10) ... to the call for an uneducated low-life fisherman (who evidently was struggling with their expertise), who in response to Jesus' bringing so many fish that it began to sink the boat, cried "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O LORD," Jesus goes "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men" (Luke 5:1-11) ...

This great gospel of Jesus Christ, this Jesus revealed to us in Scripture is NOT a savior for a certain type of people. This Jesus is he whom so many of totally different people with totally different times, ethnicities, cultures, preconceptions, socioeconomic statuses, philosophies, and baggage, call Lord and Savior.

Jesus didn't come to only save those of us church-goers who listen to Hillsong and David Crowder, wear Christian t-shirts and crosses on our necks. Jesus didn't come to only save those who purchase Christan books and hold a Bible up on a display case in our living room. The Gospel of Jesus isn't just for those who purchase Wayne Grudem Systematic theology books nor is it just for those whose only mantra about God is "God is love." And the Gospel isn't just for the outcast and abusive alcoholic. This gospel of Jesus Christ is an all-inclusive one that absolutely destroys any notion that says that one has to adjust his or her lifestyle to fit a certain type of person before God will love them. The Gospel is "not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).

"He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2).

Father, help us. I think the tendency is for us to always compartmentalize You into a quiet time or make "following Christ" about what we can do and how good we are for it. Would you bust us in the times our hearts deceive us in such a way? Would you continue to relentlessly tug and pull on our hearts and lead us to repentance ... because of grace, not guilt? No matter how eloquent I think I am or will be, I can't save my cousin and friend. Only You can. Have mercy on us all Father. We need You more than we know. Would you have our pride collide with grace and mercy? Would you let me live to see the day that my cousin cries out to you "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" Help us please Father.