One of the best scenes in the movie Elf is when the department store announces that Santa is coming and then Elf stays up all night decorating. He knows Santa personally, and knows that they need to offer their very best to celebrate his arrival. He can’t contain his excitement about Santa’s coming. But when he gets there, it’s not the Santa he knows. He says to him, “You sit on a throne of lies.”
As I watched this movie, this is exactly how I have been feeling about the Jesus I see portrayed in the media. When people talk about Jesus right alongside guns and hate and exclusion, I just want to shout, “YOU SIT ON A THRONE OF LIES.”
It seems that Christians and churches need to go back to basics and first ask the question, what does it mean to be a Christian? Some people think it means being a good person or going to church on Sunday. Observing the media, you would think it means defending ourselves with any force necessary, excluding anyone who is different, turning our backs people who need help, and pointing the finger at all of those sinners out there.
At it’s most basic level, being a Christian means becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. In my denomination we mark this by an affirmation of faith, usually at baptism or confirmation, where we accept God’s grace and publicly declare our intentions to become a disciple of Jesus. To follow Jesus, we have to know him (I know him, I know him!). Being a disciple means being a learner, an apprentice in the ways of Jesus. The way we do that is through spiritual disciplines that we do alone, such as praying and reading Scripture, and things that we do together like meeting in small groups, worshiping together, and serving others. Self emptying is a defining characteristic of Jesus. When we commit our lives to these things, we grow to be more like him.
While churches have been worried about declining numbers and bemoan the fact that fewer people want to go to church, I believe that this millennial generation has called us out and have failed to see Jesus in us as individuals or in our congregations. I guess that sounds harsh, but I think what’s happening here is that you can’t fake the real thing.
Every week, I see posts from church people asserting their right to say Merry Christmas to anyone anywhere anytime, citing “political correctness” as something to be rebelled against.
When I celebrated Hanukkah with new friends, they were telling me how difficult it was to find decorations for the party. They went to Michael’s and some other stores that normally sell party plates, cups, napkins and such, but couldn’t find any that were Hanukkah themed. Finally, they found some blue paper plates with menorahs on them at Publix. You gotta love the Pub.
This week, instead of flaunting her religious freedom to say Happy Hanukkah, my new Jewish friend sent me a Christmas card. What a beautiful expression of love.
Ironic that it was this friend that looked the most like Jesus.
God in the City 