why did it have to be this way?

question that has been banging around in my head for sometime. if we needed the blood of god to satisfy the justice of god (which i believe we did/do), why didn't god just lay him on an alter and sacrifice him quickly? why did jesus teach, and make profoundly political statements against the current powers? why did he have to suffer, and be nailed to a roman cross? why the public shame and humiliation that was the crucifixion?

i believe because he was exposing the world and its ways for what they are and were. he was putting on display the falleness of our world, and thus giving us an alternative to the "way the world works." the feeding of the thousands, clearing of the temple and jesus' prayer in the garden were all temptations to take his rightful place of power and bring about the "justice of god." but it wasn't to come this way. it is so mind blowing to me. jesus could have called 12 legions of angels, he could have started the holy war of holy wars, but he didn't. he willingly, and voluntarily laid down his life.

now this, if you agree with me, has HUGE implications for how we live out our existence on this earth. if we are taking seriously the call of scripture and our lord to "walk as jesus did," and "take up our crosses" it is going to impact our social ethics, or how we deal with folks. right? so for me the cross, is not just the instrument of death i call upon so i can get to heaven, though it is most certainly that. the cross is a political alternative to the politics of the day (and i am not talking about a new way to do government). it is a radical call to lay down my life, so that through christ i may pick it up someday. it is a different way of seeing and engaging the world.

to say the gospel is not a social gospel or has no social implications, in my mind, is to communicate an incomplete gospel. in matthew, we often quote the story of the sheep and the goats to warn others of the impending judgement, and i believe miss what is bringing about the impending judgement. it is not our lack of knowledge of scripture, adherence to religious ritual or what we abstain from. did you hear that? it is none of those, yet all of these things seem to be of upmost importance to church folks. instead it is our treatment of "the least of these." i can know everything right, confess it right and follow the rituals, and jesus could say "i never knew you." why? how? because we didn't take care of people. because we didn't understand that in fact, jesus was a revolutionary. in fact jesus was coming to upset the establishments of this world and usher in a new age!! and we chose to ignore it. we ignored our cross, and acted like the christian life wasn't a call to die, but rather a call to religious activity.

god IS remaking the world. it is true, he didn't "make everything right" when he was here, but i believe he will one day and is calling us to live like it is that day! even now, in the midst of all the ugliness of our planet. it won't be easy. we are still in a fallen world, and most people will not embrace our ethics and way of life. but through the spirit of christ, we are promised victory - through death.

and this is why, among other reasons, i am wandering in the desert. trusting christ for my salvation and my next action. i am from here to eternity from "getting it right." but i can't and won't go back to the alternative of accepting things for the way they are, and performing my religious duties. i have caught the vision of a kingdom far superior to anything i could have ever imagined. it is beautiful, and it looks like christ.