Through the Life, Death and Resurrection of Christ, God is taking back His lost and broken world, and reclaiming it for what it was always meant to be.
This is the gospel definition that I learnt this weekend at Fall Retreat, as we went to Chicago Urban Program to learn more about what it meant to carry the gospel to the broken world.
Indeed, CUP exposed me of the incompleteness of the Jesus I preach and portray in my life. The gospel would not be the gospel in its fullness if it neglects the real needs of the marginalised.
It is interesting that at the start of Jesus’ ministry, (and also in its entirety), Jesus was healing the sick, feeding the hungry, casting out demons. If the Church is not identified by that, then we are not worthy representatives of Him. James 2:15-17′s portrayal of spiritual niceties given out in place of genuine charity is a stark reminder to us all that faith needs to take action.
How many times have I preached mercy, yet turn the other way to my brother in need. I guess back at home people never really were aware of social ills and the urgency to help. Growing up, we were too comfortable in doing church activities and feeling spiritual. Jesus’ ministry brought the spiritual into the physical; showed heavenly abundance by earthly provision; displayed cosmic love by giving a human touch. THIS is the beauty of the Jesus we know. Sadly, we have become ugly and all the world knows about us is that we hate everything.
I was asking myself then, if even non-christians champion social causes, so what if we did? We do not want to do social justice because we want to be ‘better than non-christians’, do we? I think that’s not the point. The speaker at the retreat shared that Christians do social justice because we believe that our present world should be a glimpse of what is to come– to show the world more of the coming kingdom. Christians fight the battle of social injustice confidently and with purpose, because we know the outcome. God has redeemed this world. God will come again. All things will be restored to what it is. This should not cause us to sit back and relax but to be part of God’s healing power on earth.
As I write this, I am still struggling with the prospect of overwhelming responsibility that can potentially numb me into inaction. May God give me strength to do my part.
mmm
amen!