Well, in the post below this one, I told you all that I would be blogging about Chapter 1 of David Platt's new book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream.
WOW.
About half way through chapter 1 (Which, by the way, you can click here to read for free. Just scroll down and enter your email address at the bottom.) I began wondering how in the world I'd summarize my thoughts after underlining (yes, I write in books) or journaling over half of what I'd read.
So for you math wizards, that means I'd found 1/4 of the chapter pretty earth shaking and I'd only read half of it. I don't know what mathematical formula I can produce to show you just how much I finally ended up noting, but it was A BUNCH. Put that in your calculator and crunch it.
Anyway, here are the things that truly stuck out to me the most...
Page 7, "We are settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves."
Um. Yeah. Wow. So very, very true. Why is it that as a Christian I try to cater my worship, my service and my devotion around ME? Shouldn't I be catering everything around Jesus and how my life should glorify Him? Yes, yes I should. I'm a selfish beast, apparently.
Page 13, David Platt (DP as I will call him from now on because I can and I'm lazy) is talking about how we, as Americans, make Jesus into a nice, middle-class Jesus. "A Jesus who doesn't mind materialism and who would never call us to give away everything we have. A Jesus who would not expect us to forsake our closest relationships so that he receives all our affection."
(I really should probably just quote all of page 13. Or you could just BUY THE BOOK.)
Anyway, after saying how we are changing Jesus from what the Scriptures say about Him to a middle-class American Jesus, DP says the following, "But do you and I realize what we are doing at this point? We are molding Jesus into our image. He is beginning to look a lot like us because, after all, that is whom we are most comfortable with. And the danger now is that when we gather in our church buildings to sing and life up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible. Instead we may be worshiping ourselves."
(Emphasis added by ME.)
Holy stinkweed. I'm pretty sure that DP reached off the page and slapped me across the face with page 13. I mean really, do I REALLY love the Jesus in Scripture? Do I REALLY love the man who told me to forsake everything, everything to follow Him? Forsake my husband? Forsake my kids? Forsake being totally and utterly comfortable?
Do I really love THAT Jesus?
I'm not sure that I do, honestly.
And I am currently praying that God cultivates my relationship with my Savior so that I love the real Jesus and not the one I'm comfortable with.
PS: If you haven't bought this book, you should at least download the first chapter and READ PAGE 13. I'm just sayin'.
Moving right along...
Page 17, DP is talking about when Jesus told the rich man to abandon his possessions and give to the poor. DP says, in reference to that scripture, quoting it even, "'Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.' If we are careful, we can misconstrue these radical statement from Jesus in the Gospels and begin to think that he doesn't want the best for us."
And that's where I got kicked in the teeth. If I really believe what the Jesus of the Bible says about being a follower, shouldn't I already know that He has my best interests at heart? Shouldn't I realize that even though it seems excruciatingly hard for me to sacrifice my own life, for one sold out to him, that in the end I am getting the ultimate best for me. Afterall, Jesus loved me enough to pay my ransom, wouldn't He know what is best for my life?
Finally, on page 21 DP writes in regard to the rest of his book, "We will look at the core truth of a God-centered gospel and how we have manipulated it into a human-centered (and ultimately dissatisfying) message. We will see a purpose for our lives that transcends the country and culture we live in, and we will see our desperate need for his presence to fulfill that purpose in us."
"...and in the end we will determine not to waste our lives on anything but uncompromising, unconditional abandonment to a gracious, loving Savior who invites us to take radical risk and promises us radical reward."
I don't know about you, but the thought of radically abandoning my own selfish desires, my own comfortable life, for one that will accomplish the purposes of Christ is SCARY. It shakes me to my core. It brings tears to my eyes and lump in my throat. What if God asks me to do something HARD? I don't wanna do anything hard!
Following the Jesus of Scripture could cost me everything I hold closest.
But what's my alternative? To live a comfortable life worshiping a Jesus that I've crammed into my middle-class world? Is that really even worshiping Jesus or would I then be worshiping a false god that I've created?
Truly I see no choice. If I say I believe in Jesus Christ as the atonement for my sin, then I have no choice. If I say I know that Jesus took my burden, paid a ransom for my life, and I love him within the depths of my soul, then I have no choice.
Radical abandonment to Christ is the legacy I want to leave. Following the Jesus of the Bible is my only hope.
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What did you think about Chapter 1? I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
I ditto everything you just wrote! Blown away really...now the hard question is what do I do about it?!?
ReplyDeleteI'm so not getting this book from you am I? :)
ReplyDeleteRead the first chapter. I have thoughts on it all but wrestled with what to comment. So, I hope none of this is offensive, b/c I am not intending to be.
ReplyDeleteI think the most beneficial thing about a book like this, is being challenged to go to scripture itself to find answers, and not taking the author's word for it.
I don't know what the rest of the book says... I hope he refers to more scripture on the topics, especially in loving others (including providing for your family's needs) and how people can be "radical" Christians within their own community.
But I agree that apathy and comfort go hand in hand within the American Christian community (total generalization, as there are lots of exception to this rule).
But if one truly follows Christ, the Holy Spirit WILL be at work. The Holy Spirit is far more powerful than a person's desire for comfort in the world (as you know through your own experience).
I guess I just get an icky feeling when someone comes across as saying "You aren't a really following Christ unless... you are leaving your career and moving to the ghetto to do ministry, etc." NOT saying that's what the author said, just a bit of the way he comes across. I understand he is probably meaning that we need to realize living for Christ means often times living outside of our comfort zones (which I applaud).
But it's always a GREAT question to ask: Are you living for Christ or for yourself? Are you putting God into a box that fits your life and beliefs?
This goes for both those who live comfortably, and those who live "radically." Because I bet there is probably a bit temptation of pride creeping in and self back patting when one does something "radical" for Christ... ouch. I felt this MYSELF with foster care and being adoption minded. I'm constantly reminding myself that I am NOTHING without Christ. I can only boast in Him.
That's my 2 cents for what it's worth. Sorry if I got on a soapbox. ;-)
Read page 13 (and the whole chapter.) What strikes me the most about Jesus' call to the men in Luke 9 and to the rich young ruler is how PERSONAL each call was. Each man was given a specific reason not to follow or a specific way how to follow. Jesus pressed these men exactly where He knew it would hurt the most and where they needed to be pushed the most.
ReplyDeleteJesus does no less for us. His call for us to love God with ALL our heart, soul, mind and strength is a radical calling that will completely different in each of our lives.
I am very interested to see how DP goes on to define radically living for God...because it is not as easy as selling our stuff, moving to India and telling people about Jesus. You can do all this, not have love and miss God's radical calling completely.
Another quick note- so glad he referred to Bonhoeffer's Cost of Discipleship. I so was thinking of this book during the first half of the chapter. I read it awhile ago and now really want to go back to it...truly another challenging book for this summer's reading list.
Thanks Jessica for putting this out and making us all think about what Jesus is worth to us. :)
This book sounds very engaging! I can't wait to check it out. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDelete-Meredith
I know I'm a year later posting a comment but I finally read a few chapters today. And wow! So much to think about and evaluate. Thanks for having a post.
ReplyDeleteI have heard about "Secret Church" and within the last few months learning about what other countries have to go through to satisfy their hunger for God, just amazing! That hunger can be so strong.