After 40 long years of being oppressed and crushed the Libyan people said Enough! - to the self-styled Dictator Muammar Gadaffi. In what was to be one of the most remarkable movements these times, the common people of Libya took up arms and mobilized themselves to face the highly militarized forces of Gadaffi. They put up a courageous fight and initially managed to push back the Gadaffis army taking control of some major towns, but they were soon to be outdone by Gadaffis heavy fire power. Hard-pressed and pushed to the brink of certain defeat and destruction they displayed remarkable courage choosing to die rather than surrender. The world was moved to see their determination to fight till the very last. For the first time in history the Arab League of Nations gave their unanimous support and full consent for the all powerful Western nations to intervene. Long appeals to world bodies to intervene finally yielded results, UN gave its sanction and Nato intervened declaring a no fly zone over Libya and providing strategic air-support to the rebels. The tide changed yet again and Gadaffi was on the run. He is today like a ‘rat’ holed up in a small town which is his last defense. It is only a matter of time before the once dreaded dictator of Libya, Muammar Gadaffi is gutted out.
The Libyan revolution in line with many other revolutions dotted thru history is yet another powerful reminder of what the common people are capable of each time they decide to come together as one man against an oppressive State or Regime. The uprising of the common people since ancient times has time and time again proved to be a powerful force to reckon with for any ruler. Monarchs, Kings, governments, generals, dictators, and even religious leaders have scarcely managed to escape the ire of the commoners. Whenever common people have taken to the streets they have been like a Tsunami of sort that utterly destroys everything in its way and permanently changes the political, social, and economical structures. Hardly any government or Military force has been able to hold out against such a force. No wonder in the very recent the Indian government finally bowed out under the pressure of the overwhelming mass support for Anna Hazare’s campaign.
In ancient Greek city states there would convene an assembly of citizens of a city. Apart from the fact that its decisions must conform to the laws of the State, its powers were to all intents and purposes unlimited. It elected and dismissed magistrates and directed the policy of the city. It declared wars, made peace, contracted treaties and arranged alliances. It elected generals and other military officers. It assigned troops to different campaigns and dispatched them from the city. It was ultimately responsible for the conduct of all military operations. It raised and allocated funds. Its two great watchwords were ‘equality’(isonomia) and ‘freedom’ (eleutheria). This powerful assembly of common citizens was called ‘ekklessia’ (church) informs William Barclay.
This revolutionary imagery of the church is a major jolt to our present day understanding of it –a gathering of peaceful Christians who come together for a time of melodious worship, quiet prayers, a good sermon and some tea-fellowship. Some of us may argue that Jesus did not mean to use the term ‘church’ in this ‘dynamic’ sense. Let us therefore go back and closely examine Jesus’ words. Jesus said to Peter, ‘. . .you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it’(Matt. 16:18). From its very inception Jesus saw the church as a body which would be in conflict. That is how he conceived it to be.
Vishal Mangalwadi in his book Truth and Social Reform argues that a fresh look at the gospels will convince the reader that Jesus did not intend his following to become just another religious sect but carefully built it to become a power structure, an alternative to the Jewish establishment of that time. Quite naturally the Establishment saw Jesus and his followers as a threat to its own existence.
Jesus called on to Peter (church) to ‘feed my sheep’ and ‘take care of my lambs.’ In a corrupt and oppressive society when the Church takes on the role of a good shepherd and reaches out to take care of the weak and the wounded sheep it will find itself in conflict with the wolves who regularly feed on such sheep. The Church therefore has to answer the call to carry the cross. It is in this sense that the gates of hades will not overcome the church, because the followers of Christ will not be deterred by death, they will willingly lay down their lives, in their commitment to ‘take care of the lambs.’
In Mk14 when Jesus teaches about his own inevitable suffering and death, Peter takes him aside and begins to rebuke him. The very notion of a suffering messiah was a scandal to the church, even in its earliest days – reflects Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The Church today is unwilling to suffer. She is in love with Christ but does not the cross. The Church is guilty of preaching Christ without his cross; in doing she has separated Christ from his cross. The cross is nothing more than a decorative ornament of the Christian church today. The old rugged cross has been replaced with a brand new gold polished cross. Not only has the Church compromised her own call but even has dished out cheap grace – grace without discipleship - at whole sale discount rates to attract more people to her fold quite opposite the Christ she worships who surprisingly withdrew from places of huge crowds. The Church has extended a red carpet and made it a cake-walk for anyone and everyone to become a Christian. Not a word of commitment is asked of anyone who wants to become a Christian, lest we displease them and put them off. Where is the call given to carry the cross? Where is the call to hate your life? Where is the call to lose it? When is the call that brings not peace but division in a household? Do we ever tell a young aspirant ‘Beware, think again before following Christ,’ the son of man has no place to lay his own head’ or ‘No one who catches the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God’ When have we ever asked anyone to count cost before becoming a Christian? It is precisely for this reason that the church has become a powerless body producing bulks of lukewarm Christians each year, who will never go out of their way, never dare, never take any risks, but quiet ironically be thrilled hearing messages of the impending persecution in the end times and earnestly pray to be ‘raptured’ before the persecution begins. Who in the world will ever think of persecuting such safe-players? Who would waste their time and energy over a people whose ultimate dream is to but die comfortably on a warm bed surrounded by loved ones and be gently transferred into the heavenly abode? Who could such a people possibly pose a threat too? Somebody once said If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? This is a question worth reflecting upon by each one of us.
The Church must return to her original call, she must recapture her vision and become the ekklesia that the gates of hades cannot prevail against. The Church must once again preach the Christ Crucified who is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.1 Cor1:23-24. Christ Crucified is still a stumbling block to many but it is only in preaching the Christ crucified will the Church experience the power and wisdom of God. The Church must not be ashamed of the cross but embrace it. The Church must carry her cross and follow after her Lord. The bride cannot choose a fate different than her bridegroom.
Praise the Lord
- Abh ijeet Tivade, pastor,
NMBF Church, Navi Mumbai.
The Libyan revolution in line with many other revolutions dotted thru history is yet another powerful reminder of what the common people are capable of each time they decide to come together as one man against an oppressive State or Regime. The uprising of the common people since ancient times has time and time again proved to be a powerful force to reckon with for any ruler. Monarchs, Kings, governments, generals, dictators, and even religious leaders have scarcely managed to escape the ire of the commoners. Whenever common people have taken to the streets they have been like a Tsunami of sort that utterly destroys everything in its way and permanently changes the political, social, and economical structures. Hardly any government or Military force has been able to hold out against such a force. No wonder in the very recent the Indian government finally bowed out under the pressure of the overwhelming mass support for Anna Hazare’s campaign.
In ancient Greek city states there would convene an assembly of citizens of a city. Apart from the fact that its decisions must conform to the laws of the State, its powers were to all intents and purposes unlimited. It elected and dismissed magistrates and directed the policy of the city. It declared wars, made peace, contracted treaties and arranged alliances. It elected generals and other military officers. It assigned troops to different campaigns and dispatched them from the city. It was ultimately responsible for the conduct of all military operations. It raised and allocated funds. Its two great watchwords were ‘equality’(isonomia) and ‘freedom’ (eleutheria). This powerful assembly of common citizens was called ‘ekklessia’ (church) informs William Barclay.
This revolutionary imagery of the church is a major jolt to our present day understanding of it –a gathering of peaceful Christians who come together for a time of melodious worship, quiet prayers, a good sermon and some tea-fellowship. Some of us may argue that Jesus did not mean to use the term ‘church’ in this ‘dynamic’ sense. Let us therefore go back and closely examine Jesus’ words. Jesus said to Peter, ‘. . .you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it’(Matt. 16:18). From its very inception Jesus saw the church as a body which would be in conflict. That is how he conceived it to be.
Vishal Mangalwadi in his book Truth and Social Reform argues that a fresh look at the gospels will convince the reader that Jesus did not intend his following to become just another religious sect but carefully built it to become a power structure, an alternative to the Jewish establishment of that time. Quite naturally the Establishment saw Jesus and his followers as a threat to its own existence.
Jesus called on to Peter (church) to ‘feed my sheep’ and ‘take care of my lambs.’ In a corrupt and oppressive society when the Church takes on the role of a good shepherd and reaches out to take care of the weak and the wounded sheep it will find itself in conflict with the wolves who regularly feed on such sheep. The Church therefore has to answer the call to carry the cross. It is in this sense that the gates of hades will not overcome the church, because the followers of Christ will not be deterred by death, they will willingly lay down their lives, in their commitment to ‘take care of the lambs.’
In Mk14 when Jesus teaches about his own inevitable suffering and death, Peter takes him aside and begins to rebuke him. The very notion of a suffering messiah was a scandal to the church, even in its earliest days – reflects Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The Church today is unwilling to suffer. She is in love with Christ but does not the cross. The Church is guilty of preaching Christ without his cross; in doing she has separated Christ from his cross. The cross is nothing more than a decorative ornament of the Christian church today. The old rugged cross has been replaced with a brand new gold polished cross. Not only has the Church compromised her own call but even has dished out cheap grace – grace without discipleship - at whole sale discount rates to attract more people to her fold quite opposite the Christ she worships who surprisingly withdrew from places of huge crowds. The Church has extended a red carpet and made it a cake-walk for anyone and everyone to become a Christian. Not a word of commitment is asked of anyone who wants to become a Christian, lest we displease them and put them off. Where is the call given to carry the cross? Where is the call to hate your life? Where is the call to lose it? When is the call that brings not peace but division in a household? Do we ever tell a young aspirant ‘Beware, think again before following Christ,’ the son of man has no place to lay his own head’ or ‘No one who catches the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God’ When have we ever asked anyone to count cost before becoming a Christian? It is precisely for this reason that the church has become a powerless body producing bulks of lukewarm Christians each year, who will never go out of their way, never dare, never take any risks, but quiet ironically be thrilled hearing messages of the impending persecution in the end times and earnestly pray to be ‘raptured’ before the persecution begins. Who in the world will ever think of persecuting such safe-players? Who would waste their time and energy over a people whose ultimate dream is to but die comfortably on a warm bed surrounded by loved ones and be gently transferred into the heavenly abode? Who could such a people possibly pose a threat too? Somebody once said If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? This is a question worth reflecting upon by each one of us.
The Church must return to her original call, she must recapture her vision and become the ekklesia that the gates of hades cannot prevail against. The Church must once again preach the Christ Crucified who is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.1 Cor1:23-24. Christ Crucified is still a stumbling block to many but it is only in preaching the Christ crucified will the Church experience the power and wisdom of God. The Church must not be ashamed of the cross but embrace it. The Church must carry her cross and follow after her Lord. The bride cannot choose a fate different than her bridegroom.
Praise the Lord
- Abh ijeet Tivade, pastor,
NMBF Church, Navi Mumbai.
