Behold the Lamb
Dear Trinity, Jesus' grace dear ones.
Some people think the church is in the guilt business. I've even noticed an uptick in conversations around protecting kids from the Christian message because it can be so heavy at an early age. Don't get me wrong, too often, the Christian message has been instrumentalized to cause fear, guilt, or shame, and to exert control on young and old alike. But, that is a misuse of the message, an abuse of authority, and should be roundly rejected.
Yet, even without instrumentalizing or emphasizing how guilty/fearful/ashamed someone should feel for sins of commission or omission, are those feelings still experienced? Do non-churched people feel guilty? Ashamed? Experience existential fears? Of course! There has been a greater emphasis on shame in particular in the last few years, and lots of helpful teaching, even from TED talks about shame's source and alleviation. Brene Brown has over 20 million watches on her powerful talk on shame: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame
A most revelatory surprise came on Palm Sunday evening at our Catechism/First Communion session. I asked, “What does guilt feel like?” I've never heard better answers. Mostly 3rd graders with a few older grades mixed in reflected on the physical, relational, and spiritual experience of guilt. “Feels like a big rough rock in my stomach.” “Feels like lots of anxiety in my shoulders and neck.” “Feels really hot.” “I wish I could time travel backwards and not say what I said.” “Everything feels weird and awkward with the other people.” “I just keep hoping that when time passes, it will kind of go away or melt away.” “I just feel so bad, like I just want to forget it ever happened.” They explained it better than I ever could!
What a joy to be able to share the simple gospel message with them about what God has done with our guilt-and the source of that guilt-our sin. Namely, in Jesus' death and resurrection, he has forgiven it all. Everything! GOOD NEWS!
The church is betraying her own message, when she maximizes guilt or uses it to manipulate. No, these days are not about making anyone feel worse or to place a heavy spiritual burden on anyone's shoulders. These days are about pointing to Jesus Christ who has come to steal sins from thieves, to give life to murders, to make covenant promises to promise breakers, to take captivity captive, and to put death to death. Jesus didn't come to make you guilt-laden, shame-laden, and neurotically fearful. He came to take that all away. Let him have everything he came for. As the Moravians say, “Give to the Lamb the reward of his suffering.” Jesus' peace, Nathan
