IAmJoshBrown.com

Subverting the Empire: In Jesus’ Name

Part One - Why We Do What We Do
Part Two - Dangerous Criticism
Part Three - Undermining (featured in Next-Wave Magazine)
Part Four - Agitating
Part Five - Reminding
Part Six - Critique as Construction

So this is my last post on subversion. I assure you. For some reason, there hasn’t been any feedback (good or bad) on this little collection of thoughts. I’m not sure if it’s because everyone agrees or because everyone things I might be an anarchist (which I’m not by any means). What started with thinking about my role in this vast empire of Americana and in reading through The Powers That Be and Exiles, I’ve finally come to a comfortable place of unrest. I thought it would be only fitting that I end with a discussion on obedience to Jesus and how I am hoping to pattern my politics, economics, and spirituality after him. May we all have the same amount of unrest that he did.

Subverting the Empire: In Jesus Name (also known as obedience)

For me . . . as I’ve been saying for a few months now . . . Jesus really messed things up for me. I mean I had a nice little existence carved out for me. I had what I felt was a rather healthy theology and wasn’t too shabby at practicing it. Then I made solemn vow to spend time reading nothing but the gospels until I could sort some things out. Needless to say . . . a year and a half later I haven’t left the gospels. Some might say I have selective reading skills. Or that I’m overplaying certain areas and passages of the Bible while ignoring the “whole counsel of God”. Both are probably fair assessments if I’m honest. But for some reason I’m either unable to or unwilling to move away from these 4 pieced together stories of a carpenter from Galilee.

He’s under my skin. And very enigmatic. Thinking about him almost haunts me. Not in a creepy way. But in I can’t get him out of my mind. What would he do in this situation? How would he react here? What would he buy? How does he love? What kind of people did he hang out with?

I can’t shake him. I can’t walk away from these simple stories told by simple men.

Here’s the deal . . . I’m not saying the rest of the New Testament isn’t important. As quirky and polarizing as I think Paul is . . . I still have crazy respect for the guy. I like John and his vivid, wild metaphors. I like James and his in your face attitude. I even enjoy black and white Luke with his attention to details in Hebrews. I even like the narratives of the Old Testament. With their prophets and kings. And theh stories of the pilgrim and then exilic people.

But if I was stuck on a desert island . . . just give me the gospels. I could spend the rest of my life just reading these stories. And here’s the deal . . . I’m not minimizing other areas of Scriptures . . . nor saying you suck if you enjoy a reading of Ruth by the fire . . . but if you read the gospels for a year and a half straight. Reading only the stories of Jesus . . . with no commentary from Paul. No shaping and emphasis from the church.

You start to see a much different portrait of Jesus. All of a sudden he starts to come to life. You don’t see him as just some emergency exit before “Armageddon”. He’s no longer an insurance policy for the afterlife. You move past all of the talk about future clouds, homosexuals, worship music, and witty illustrations that make your point. You just see Jesus. The most subversive figure in all of history.

One guy who in less than 3 years brought an empire to it’s knees. And in death . . . started a movement of cultural, spiritual, political, and economic change that is still creeping forward 2,000 years later.

That’s subversive. That’s something that I can’t walk away from. That’s revolution. That’s someone I can’t ignore. Or marginalize with bi-monthly readings or conversations. That’s someone who demands my allegiance. Forces me to do things that I might not normally do. May not even want to do.

So when Jesus said give to Caesar what is Caesar’s . . . I see a subversive example that reminds me to tell Bush and Rove and Cheney and Pelosi and Franken to have what is theirs.

As Jesus spites the religious leaders by asking ridiculous questions and giving mysterious gray answers . . . I attempt to follow by calling a spade a spade and agitating people into reflection by sharing thoughts and “what-ifs”.

When Jesus heals and offers hopes and creates new ways of living . . . I begin to imagine and construct new ways of living, giving, and acting that are just as valuable as anything within the 4 walls of a church.

As Jesus radically and ironically embraces sinner over saint . . . so do I pour my life into radically included all into this new world being created.

When Jesus stands in death looking out over anger, revenge, violence, retribution . . . I stand in life and lay bear the violence of war.

This is why it’s subversive.

These things undermine things. They agitate people. They remind them that this is only a temporary foretaste of something better.

It’s in the name of Jesus. It’s in obedience. It’s in submission. This is true subversion.

© 2007 IAmJoshBrown.