Where’s Michael: April and Alithos Anesti

Oklahoma Disciples, may the risen Christ inspire you, transform you, and give you the strength to be a blessing or a miracle for someone who passes through your sphere of influence.

Looking for Jesus of Nazareth

It was odd, the first time I saw it there.  A “Where’s Waldo” poster was visible just above the bright light that the hygienists used to see to clean my teeth.  It was big enough to search and keep your mind occupied while the sounds of dental health echoed.  She changed the poster every six months.  “Has anyone ever found him?” I asked.  “Oh, sure.  Mostly, older children.  It helps them focus and takes their mind off what I’m doing.  It can make my job a little easier.  Sometimes, an adult will, too, especially people with grandkids or teachers and people who spend time with kids.”

Here, midway through Holy Week, I’m thinking about Mary Magdalene, the one person all the gospel writers agree went to the tomb.  She was the first to proclaim a risen Christ.  The first preacher, as it were.   The gospel writers show us different responses to finding and meeting Jesus, to faith in Christ, and to the faith of Jesus in the God he proclaimed. 

With everything happening in the world between religious and non-religious people, and among the diverse expressions of Christianity vying for relevance, power, and authority in our Nation, I’m thinking about clergy colleagues and those who will attend worship on Easter Sunday.  Magdalene’s, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him,” (John 20:13c) echoes in the chaos of our context.   There is no doubt that many feel her distress.  The dissonance is real.

For Doug Wilson’s neighbors, CNN documentary a reminder Moscow is Christian nationalism’s ground zero.
(Religion News Service)

The United States at 250: How the Country Has Changed in the Past 50 Years
(Pew Research)

Where do Americans turn first for information about breaking news?
(Pew Research)

At Pentagon, Hegseth prays ‘every round find its mark’
(Baptist News Global)

White evangelicals remain among Trump’s strongest supporters, but they’re less supportive than a year ago.
(Pew Research)

Urgency Is Not Faithfulness
(Christianity Today)

In the Easter story, women are the first to proclaim the resurrection – but churches today are still divided over female preachers.
(Religion News Service – Religion Hub)

Easter in a brutal world
(The Christian Century)

H. Richard Niebuhr calls it “the enduring problem.”  His Christ and Culture is a challenging conversation partner today, as it was when I first read it as a religion major in 1985, revisited it as a seminarian, and, in the time since graduation.  Niebuhr frames looking for Jesus and the enduring problem for his followers in these chapters:
Christ Against Culture
Christ of Culture
Christ Above Culture
Christ and Culture in Paradox
Christ Transforming Culture.

I’m grateful for the ways our clergy and congregations proclaim the good news of God and follow the ways of Jesus, whom we claim as Christ.  We don’t always get it right.  Jesus never said we would.  In the chaos of our context and the real struggles, I think it is important, maybe more than ever in my lifetime, that followers of Jesus do Jesus-like things.  We know what that looks like.  Where are you finding Jesus?  How are you sharing your faith and Jesus’ faith in God by celebrating, creating, expanding, mobilizing, staying, and welcoming at the banquets in your life and that of your congregation?

Alithos Anesti (Truly, he is risen).