CHRIST IN YOU???

What Does it Mean to Have Christ in You?

Many sermons end with the hope and plea that we discover the Christ within us. We expect that Christians have some experience of finding Jesus, being found by God, having a Christ conversion experience. Some religions hold that we cannot be Christian unless you we had an emotional experience of the living Christ. They demand that we accept Jesus as our personal savior.

Some of us come to follow Jesus as a result of our steady education in scripture, theology and the regular attendance at church, receiving the sacraments and participation in the community. That is pretty much my own personal situation. I am a committed follower of Jesus by background, tradition, education and participation in the church. But I cannot say I have been “converted” or had a mystical experience. Many people do testify that have had such a “warming” to use John Wesley’s term. Many have been moved by Billy Graham crusades and accepted Jesus and gone down the aisle to have hands laid on them with prayer.

My own commitment to follow Jesus came through my background in the church, education and exposure to prejudice against Jews, Blacks and homosexuals. It just became the natural and right thing to do to become an outspoken advocate to help end racial, religious and sexual prejudice. It was just the way it was for me and is now too.

I often press preachers to give examples of people who have Christ within them. The easy ones are Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Archbishop Tutu, Dorothy Day and St. Francis.

I believe Gandhi, Madame Curie, and Freud while not specifically Christian, had compassion and Christ like love to help people.

How about devout Roman Catholics today? Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner have widely divergent views of how to run the government and care for the poor and are willing to wage war. Are they Christ like-Christians?

First of all no one can judge the value or quality of another person’s commitment to Jesus the Christ, although each of us does that in our hearts and minds. We think, he’s a good one and she’s not. Madonna is a baptized Catholic and now is involved in a sect of Buddhism. Is she Christ-like? Who are we to judge? Some bishops and others are uneasy with Christian clergy and laypeople who profess to be Zen Buddhists. Why not enjoy both Buddhism and Christianity?

Well, I do make some judgments. I have some standards, but I will praise those who live up to my standards and ignore the rest. I Judge a person’s commitment to Jesus Christ very simply. How does her or his faith work to serve the poor, the sick, the disenfranchised and seek peace in the world? Does the person’s so-called spiritual life result in direct service to others?

I know many devout followers of Christ work to earn a living at jobs whose contributions to others well-being is indirect. Insurance, advertising, engineering, real estate, travel, government, retail, wholesale, food, media, finance and a whole host of others.

There are doctors and dentists who serve the sick and suffering directly and become wealthy in doing so. Who am I to judge if they have a Christ consciousness.

Nurses and medical technicians give direct care to the sick. Teachers, no matter what their religious beliefs may be, give direct care to the development of children’s minds and hearts.

Most people in all lines of work have little or no Christ commitment motivating them. Are the devout Christians any better at what they do than non-believers?

We in the church acknowledge that God’s Holy Spirit is at work in people and in the world at all times. My atheist cardiologist friend saved lives and prolonged the lives of many more. The Holy Spirit works through Larry whether he believes it or not.

We who are members of the church, the body of Christ, must mind our own business when it comes to other people’s faith and motivation.

I get tired of this era of pop-spirituality we are in with meditation, labyrinths, retreats, quiet days, prayer groups and daily offices and little action in the church and the world to help the poor, oppressed and the sick. While Jesus often prayed, he did not call us to develop our spiritual life. He called us to complete the creation by doing our part in bringing in the Kingdom of God.

If we take following Jesus seriously we need to focus on discovering for ourselves what the best way is to serve the poor, the sick and disenfranchised and to seek peace in the world. We proclaim the gospel and we do the work we are called to do, and do it.

The late senator Mark O. Hatfield, Republican from Oregon was an evangelical Christian and an activist for peace and justice. He put it this way:

Radical allegiance to Jesus Christ transforms one’s entire perspective on political reality. Priorities become totally changed; a whole new understanding of what is truly important bursts forth. There is an uncompromising identification with the needs of the poor and oppressed. One is placed in fundamental opposition to structures of injustice and forms of national idolatry. Further there is a commitment to the power of love as the only means to the end.

Hatfield saw that some issues affecting people could only be solved by changing the laws that oppress people. Changes in the law brought about ending legal oppression of Jews and African Americans. Today a capitalist medical care system fails many people in getting health insurance. Now the government must help the poor get proper medical care. Political action to bring about change is part of following Jesus.

From the Hebrew Bible we find a simple principle for living well and following Jesus:

Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Many are quiet followers of Jesus without any announcements made about their motivation:

-bringing sick people to church

-teaching school

-being a social worker

-working as a hospital administrator

to mention a very few, as the list would be endless.

I find it inspiring to see and hear about people who are acting out of the conviction they are imbued with a Christ-consciousness. Preachers using concrete illustrations of Christians following the teaching of Jesus help motivate others to act vigorously in the world.