Roller Coasters

I was reading an excellent blog post on MDCC Cross Talk about weeds and watering, and it got me to thinking about roller coasters and the act of simply believing the gospel

I don't know about you, but roller coasters give me the willies. When I take my physics students to Cedar Point every year, I always get a knot in my stomach as we step into line for the first roller coaster my co-workers get me to ride.

Now, I'm a physics teacher. I have a good mental understanding of the physics involved in making a roller coaster both thrilling and safe at the same time. Further, I mentally recognize that the amusement park has paid an engineering firm lots and lots of money to test, retest, validate and test to make sure it is safe for riders. But to let go and trust that is a different matter entirely.

In my head:
"Why do I do this every year? I should just go get some elephant ears. But that wouldn't be exciting ..."
"Well, no turning back, since we are next to get into the car."
"That's it!?!?! only a lap bar? Where's the helmet? At least an airbag? No steering wheel? No brake?"
"Ugh, why does there have to be that unnerving clank-clank-clank sound on the way up? It just reminds me how much I can't get out of this thing."
"Why aren't we at the top of the hill yet?! I wanna get off. Stop the ride. Let me climb down."
"Why is it so quiet?! What happened to the clank? WHERE IS THE TRACK?!"
"OMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSH! I'M GONNA DIE!"
"Just scream and let go! YAAAHHHH!"

And every year, I'm shaking with excitement and a big smile on my face on the way out.

Simply believing in the gospel of Christ is alot like that. I'm sure that most, if not all Christians say that they've been saved by the death and ressurrection of Jesus Christ. Much like the mental assent to roller coasters, most of us say that we have been saved from sin. But there exists a roller coaster for us as Christians to ride in simply believing the gospel of Christ every moment. I'm not talking about the cliche metaphor of the "ups and downs" of our lives. When we believe this:

. . .that you have put off once for all with reference to your former manner of life the old self who is being corrupted according to the passionate desires of deceit; moreover, that you are being constantly renewed with reference to the spirit of your mind; and that you have put on once for all the new self who after God was created in righteousness and holiness of truth. (Eph. 4:22-24 Wuest)

When we choose to simply believe in THIS truth, we climb on to God's back. We let go of saying that we know where our lives are headed. We see the argument that we just had with a loved one or the immaturity in our own personalities or the shortcomings in our characters and still say, "I have put off once for all ... the old self". We let go of the safety bar, put our hands up and say, "Father, you have hidden me in Christ. I believe in your work to effect this truth out through my thoughts, words and actions."

"FOUL!" you may say. "It's just not logical. How can you believe that you have put off the old self if you are still arguing with your spouse? still getting angry at your kids? still haven't done anything significant with your life?"

Well, those thoughts stem from the perception that the truth of the gospel depends on a life that you or I can produce. That's just like thinking that you should have a steering wheel and a brake on the roller coaster so you can control it.

Sorry. No steering wheel on this ride. That's what you give up for admission to this park. You received the heaven-powered, more-real-than-reality salvation-work in the death of Christ by saying yes to his gift. The Message translation says it like this:

What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection.

His ressurrection life is the life that we are included in. We've climbed into His car. We secure the lap bar over our lives to His life. The ride where God controls where we go. The life where God defines success, where God works out the maturity, where God springs forth love and compassion.

And our job is to stay in the car.

Stay believing the truth, even if you don't see it in your current circumstance. Stay believing the cross of Christ HAS CONQUERED SIN in your life.

We don't stay in the roller coaster by clutching for dear life. God's already taken care of that. He established the plans for your life from before the universe began. He has engineered this ride of yours not only to be safe, but glorious. So, don't run away from the emotional dynamic of this life. Don't get out of the car on it's way up. The fear, anxiety, accusation, temptation, shame feelings aren't what you are riding. You are riding Christ.

Just let go. Throw your hands up and believe. God guarantees that you'll be smiling on the way out.

The Kingdom of God is at hand.

I was just reading my friend Nicole's blog entry about Luke 21 on her blog "40 Days of Worship". As I was reading through the passage, I felt something the Holy Spirit was saying something a little different to me. As I read through the passage and tried to put myself in the shoes of the disciples and understand all that Jesus said, it seemed to unfold a little like this (paraphrase):

Jesus and his disciples were in the temple, and He invited them to see what was unseen. The chapter starts out with His praise of the poor widow. I could see Jesus sitting around in view of the collection box with all his disciples just aimlessly milling about. Jesus catches the eye of the widow, then excitedly waves over the twelve. "Hey, guys, you gotta see this! Look over there, who do you see?"
"Uh, that's Pharisee Bill. He own half the city."
"No, not him. Look! who's that?"
"Are you talking about that old lady? The one that dropped two measly coins into the collection?"
"YES! Isn't she great?"
"Jesus... what are you talking about? She just dropped in a couple of coins? How important can she be?"
"You are looking with your own eyes, but you don't see the Kingdom of God in her. She has given ALL she has for the kingdom of God. Don't be looking at appearances."

And just like the rest of us, the disciples didn't get it the first time. They kept right on going, talking about the external. They were dazzled by the impressive temple. It must have made them feel important to be right inside this majestic structure. Then Jesus breaks into their delusions of grandeur with this bomb: "Hey, guess what, guys. This place is going to be totally demolished."
"WHAT? Jesus, are you crazy? How do you know that??"
"You see ..." Jesus proceeds to lay out the history yet to be unfolded, "... and great miraculous signs from heaven..." Jesus can't keep secret all the things that will happen to his beloved band of brothers, "but not a hair of your head will perish!" He's brimming with the weight of the future that will come from the act of his cross, and he can't help but share it because it is so imminent. "Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near! ... when you see all these things, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near... my words will never disappear."

Jesus is still inviting his disciples (and by extension, us) to view the circumstances around us from an internal, heaven-based point of view. Through this whole passage, he juxtaposes what will happen in the world with the security of the kingdom of God that is near. One way people interpret "the kingdom of God is near" is to think Jesus is saying, "it will be coming soon" as in time. But I believe he is saying, "the kingdom of God is just beyond your fingertips. If you just change your point of view, you'll grab hold of it."

So, when he warns us about self-indulgence, drunkenness and the worries of life, Jesus is warning us not to slip into a view of life that does originates from our own earthly perspective. These are powerful influences, and seductive in nature. They dull our senses from what is more powerful. The Kingdom of God that Jesus brought on the cross is more powerful than these. Watch out! Don't analyze anything from a worldly perspective. Rather, view everything from the perspective of the cross. The cross has powerfully saved you and me from being buried alive under the pressures of life. The cross has given you and me access to power to overcome every situation.