I am extremely skeptical of the current landscape of the dramatic arts in the church. This is strange to me because I spent most of my life heavily involved with them in some form. I participated in and won speech competitions at a young age, and acted in every role that I could get my hands on. These roles were exclusively performed in the church. The community that I’m currently involved in probably shares this same skepticism. This is especially true when it comes to plays, sketches, or skits. I can’t put my finger on exactly why this is other than to speculate that there may be a stigma about “acting” in church. Our community is very concerned about being true to ourselves, refusing to put on masks or to  “perform” our Christianity.

            However, this is a response to what my generation has seen at the church. Dan Kimball says of this, “Drama is another art form that can been fantastically effective—or embarrassingly horrible. In our gatherings, we rarely use a Willow-Creek type sketch in which a conflict is dramatized before the message is given. But we do use a lot of dramatic Scripture and poetry readings, or we’ll have actors express various emotions while a script is being read….The point is to use drama in ways that resonate with our culture.”[1]

How many times can we portray the same pantomime featuring God and Jesus teaming up to defeat the devil’s influence of drugs, alcohol, and money? This is typically the spectrum of “church drama.” As I say this, however, I also realize that our same skeptical church does have a film and literature group where we discuss movies (with actors) that have had a profound influence on us.

I truly believe that content is extremely important. It goes back to this Enlightenment form of truth that the church still holds tightly to. The goal of church drama has been to communicate a simple one line moral lesson. It doesn’t seem to wrestle with difficult topics, leave problems unsolved, or use raw, authentic language.[2] I could see my community responding to reenactments of classic works of literature that use elegant language and real-life situations.

            I also believe that poetry is returning to the church in full-force. The rise of spoken-word also presents startling opportunities. At our church, we have a resident poet who presents his poetry frequently.  If we believe, as L’Engle does, that all good art is religious in some way, poetry may be the best example. One would be hard-pressed to find a poem that does not, in some way, point to some kind of deep reality. Sadly, I think that often, church-driven dramatic art does not point to a deeper reality, instead opting for pieces that are “relevant” and “cool” (which really are neither).

            Mark Miller asks the questions, “What if we were to take our message and being speaking the language of the natives? Instead of telling people Jesus is the light of the world, what if we showed them the stark difference between light and darkness? What if we removed all of the argumentative language, replaced it with beautiful narratives, and let people feel the power of story? Instead of trying to convince people to accept a list of spiritual laws, how about placing individuals in the story, allowing them to learn and interact with God’s character?[3] 

[1] Dan Kimball, The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations, 148

[2] I’m not saying that language should be vulgar. I am just arguing that it should be authentic and poetic.

[3] Mark Miller, Experiential Storytelling: (Re) Discovering Narrative to Communicate God’s Message, 26

1We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

-       An interesting note here. The author says that the message of salvation “was confirmed to us by those who heard him.” This is why many people say that the author couldn’t have been Paul. Because Paul often counts himself as a primary witness to Christ. The author does not. This argument would also rule out Peter, Mary, James, etc. This is why some argue for Apollos or Priscilla, or Clement.

-       The author encourages the readers to pay closer attention to Christ

-       Story (eagle, helicopter, plane)

-       You can see how this would be significant for the people of Israel

-       Jesus was not the Messiah that they expected. It was different, but the author says pay attention. Don’t ignore this like you did the law or your mission for the world.

-       He uses another form of argument called an a fortiori where he uses a lesser argument (the law, angel) and says that if this must be true, the greater must be true (Jesus)

-       If we received judgment, destruction, hardship for not obeying the law, how much more if we neglect Christ!

-       Jesus wants to rescue from sin and injustice.

-       She also says to be careful that we do not drift away. The imagery is of a boat in the middle of raging sea with no direction.

-       This message from God is huge. If a great ruler sent you a special message you would be sure to listen to it. Even more so if the ruler came in person!!!!

-       God has come in the person of Jesus with rescue! Pay attention.

Observation #1: Actively pay attention to the person of Christ

5It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

 7You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor 8 and put everything under his feet.” In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

-       In 1 Kings 1-2 we see the story of David, a very old man at this time, and his responsibility of anointing one of his many sons to be king as his heir.

-       Abonijah, one of David’s sons got together with the head of the army and one of the senior priests and had himself proclaimed as king.

-       However, David had promised his wife Bethsheba, that her son Solomon would be king. So, he had Nathan (prophet) and Zadok (priest) anoint Solomon.

-       The question then was, “Who really should be king?”

-       We know that David is dying, but who should be king?

-       The people of God, familiar with the Kings story would know the question raised in Hebrews. Who is to lead this new kingdom?

-       We have always thought that the angels governed this kingdom. They gave the words straight from YHWH.

-       The reality is that Jesus has always been higher than the angels.

-       But, who is to govern this new world? The answer surprises us. The author quotes the OT. “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”

-       We are the new governors. The world is being put back to its original intent. Remember, that was our mission all along, from the Garden of Eden, to steward the earth.

-       However, there is a twist. The first time the word “man” is used it’s like any ordinary person. The second time, it uses a word for “Son of man” which could mean an ordinary human being or, to someone who studied Daniel or the teachings of Jesus, could mean the Messiah.

-       Jesus was born into sin. Born into our world where we have chosen counterfeits, other lovers, a world that is cracked and broken.

-       He made himself where we are, lower than the angels.

-       But that is not where God intended us to be.

-       Christ is now the embodiment of what it means to be human. Christ is restoring humanity. That is why Hebrews is hopeful.

-       Christ stands in our place, as God’s son, Lord of All things.

-       It is Christ’s work, not ours. We participate with him, and we realize our true calling.

-       However, we see here clearly that this is not yet apparent. We do not see everything subject to Christ. We do not see ourselves as humans (as the church?) really promoting justice, healing, and hope.

-       Instead, we’re worried about who’s in vs. who’s out. We are entangling ourselves with the agendas of the political right or left that have nothing to do with anything but politics.

-       We fight those different than ourselves.

-       How can Psalm 8 and the business of being “crowned with glory and honor” be true in such a reality?

-       Christ says “Follow me. I am showing you what it means to be human. I am showing you your role in the world.”

-       He’s done it and He is doing it. That is cause to celebrate.

Observation #2: Christ leads us in what it means to be truly human

10In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. 12He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; 
in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.” 13And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says,”Here am I, and the children God has given me.”14Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

-       This last section is riddled with themes and analogies. Let’s go through some of the them.

-       “Both the one who makes men holy and the ones who are made holy are in the same family”

-       …Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers…

-       This is really the only passage in the NT that develops the idea of Jesus as the older brother of the new humanity.

-       The God that we serve is seen as “Father” throughout scripture. But, God also became “brother” in Christ.

-       Analogies can be taken too far, but this one is pretty cool.

-       Jesus is an older brother who celebrates his siblings, and praises them. This is an older brother who is not ashamed to be seen in public with His younger siblings. In fact, he sings about them to all the people.

-       Jesus came into our world, but was without sin. Yet, He is not a patronizing older brother who looks down His nose at us. He loves us and leads us.

-       Here also, we see Jesus as a type of pioneer. He leads the way into this new world. It is like an explorer in a jungle that has never been explored before so that we can follow.

-       Pioneers often find new terrain for fame or fortune, but Christ does it by His love.

-       The jungle is a world of pain, suffering, and death. But, Christ carves out the new world of open spaces and mountainous terrain.

-       In doing this, Christ makes us holy. He sets us apart so that we might know the presence of God.

-       But, this is done through suffering. Let’s read the whole passage that Hebrews quotes from.

Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, 
by night, and am not silent.3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. 4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 8 “He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” 9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast. 10 From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. 11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. 12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13 Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. 19 But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. 20 Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. 21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. 22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.

-       Hebrews reminds them of Christ’s suffering. And it reminds them of their slavery in Egypt. This is another theme that is brought up. He is the new Moses, delivering people from their slavery.

-       “He too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

-       He became like us in EVERYTHING, even in death! We all die. Christ died. He is truly our brother.

-       Through Christ’s suffering, He has freed us from our slavery. In this, He has become our true high priest (this is a huge theme in the book). He makes atonement for our sins. That was the priest’s job, to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people.

Observation #3: There is nothing we face, today or tomorrow, or the next day, in which Jesus cannot sympathize, help and rescue us, and through which he cannot forge a way to God’s new world.

-       What does it mean to live as a Christian today?

-       What does it mean to live a life that resists sin and the devil?

-       We may have answers from a previous generation to those questions (and those are good), but what does it mean today?

-       Many of us our wrestling with these questions.

-       How will you ever be free from your addiction?

-       How will your relationships ever be healed?

-       These are questions that we must work out in the midst of our Christian community

-       But, we must never lose sight that Christ leads the way for us. He has become like us and calls us to be like Him.

-       Let us be a community that follows Him in all that we do.

The Trinitarian Creative Process

            Analogies are seldom helpful when it comes to the Trinity. People have attempted to explain the trinity as water, an egg, etc. and none seems to explain this beautiful relational expression of the God that we serve. However, Dorothy Sayers beautifully explains the Trinity revealed in the creative process. She explains it specifically in terms of a creative writer, but says that it can be translated into any art form.

First, the Creative Idea, is the image of the Father. “The Idea of the book is a thing-in-itself except as the Energy (the image of the Son) reveals it. The Idea is thus timeless and without parts or passions, though it is never seen, either by writer or reader, in terms of time, parts and passion.”[1]

Second, the Creative Energy is the image of the Word, or the Son. This is the incarnation of the work, the working out of the piece. “The Energy itself is an easier concept to grasp, because it is the thing of which the writer is conscious and which the reader can see when it is manifest in material form. It is dynamic—the sum and process of all activity which brings the book into temporal and spatial existence.”[2]

Third, the image of the Spirit is the Creative Power. This is something that is harder to understand. It is the intangibles of the book. “…though it proceeds from the Idea and the Energy together. It is the thing that flows back to the writer from his own activity and makes him, as it were, the reader of His own book. It is also, of course, the means by which the Activity is communicated to other readers and which produces a corresponding response in them. In fact, from the readers’ point of view, it is the book. By it, they perceive the book, both as a process in time and as an eternal whole, and react to it dynamically.”[3]

[1] Dorthy Sayers, The Mind of the Maker, 30, parentheses mine

[2] Sayers, 30

[3] Sayers, 31

These are my notes from Hebrews 1. It’s long. If you want to download the podcast as well, you can and follow along.

Tonight I want to begin talking about a new book: the book of Hebrews

Why this book? Well, first of all, it’s a challenge for us. We have looked much at the Old Testament over the course of SNCC and have also looked at the person of Jesus Christ in relationship to the OT.

We also have looked at the book of Acts and have seen the conflict in the church between Greek and Jewish cultures

We’ve looked at Paul and examined what happens when the gospel comes in conflict with the empires of the day.

Hebrews is an anonymous letter. We don’t know who wrote it

It looks as if it was written to the Jewish people and celebrates the person of Christ above all else.

Any book, particularly any letter from scripture that you read, must be read keeping in mind community. When we read this letter, it is like we are hearing one side of a phone conversation. We don’t know the particular issues that are being addressed and the particular relationship that the author has with the hearers. We can infer these things, but our inferences are incomplete.

Many early fathers held that Paul wrote the book of Hebrews, but that idea faltered for several reasonso Paul usually identifies himselfo The author says puts him/herself in the camp of those who have second

hand knowledge of Christ. This is contradictory to what Paul says elsewhere about himself.o The style of language is really far

removed from Paul. o Theological differences (complimentary but not the same). o Paul doesn’t tie in themes like “high priest” and the author of Hebrews, although he/she has a high Christology, never uses words like “in Christ”

Luther argues that Apollos, another preacher at the time wrote the book. Many scholars think that this is the best guess

Tertullian said that it was Barnabas, a traveling companion of Paul.

Other speculations: Luke, Silvanus, Clement of Rome, Epaphras, Priscilla, and even the Virgin Mary!

Whoever it was, she was brilliant!

The best education in Greek, probably from a Jewish background, and a gifted artist and theologian.

I believe, also, that Hebrews provides us particularly as a community with some insight. The author is speaking to a group of YHWH

following people, people who have lived their whole lives as religious people, serving YHWH.

These people, however, have been radically changed by Jesus. All of their customs, laws, etc. have been fulfilled through this man.

The author of Hebrews says, “Don’t go back. I know it may seem easier, but this Jesus guy is it. He is what we are longing for, searching for.”

I have heard many of you say that you could never go back to your church backgrounds. For many of you, you would not be in church if it were not for this community, these people.

The reason is not because you didn’t like the music, the style of dress, the lighting, the seating, or the building (although these things may have reflected an undesirable theology)

Many of you said that you have not see the person of Jesus authentically represented.

We can see in this epistle that Christ is to whom we cling. He is the fulfillment of all our spiritual longings. He is what brings life to the “dead church”. And he brings authenticity to the “inauthentic church.”

Let’s jump in 1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 5For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; 
today I have become your Father? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”?

The author is brilliant. He/She knows the story of the people of God, even quoting Psalm 2:7 and 2 Samuel 7:14 here, speaking of Jesus as Messiah, “Anointed One.”

The author identifies Christ’s coming in the last days, which I automatically get pictures of “End Time” charts and “Left Behind.”

Really, all the author seems to be saying is that Christ is the fulfillment of all these things, because of him, it is completed. Everything else that is new refers back to Him.

The author points out the uniqueness of Jesus.

He is God’s only or unique son. He is the heir of all things. In the Hebrew culture, the sons would receive the Father’s inheritance. Especially if there was only one son. Jesus possesses all things.

Christ not only possesses all things, but he is the agent of creation and sustains all things

This was revolutionary to the Jewish people. The people who affirm every day that “God is one.” God has a son who is God Himself!

Paul, in Colossians says that “through him all things hold together.”

YHWH has spoken before: remember our ancestors: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David. And the prophets: Isaiah, Joel, Micah, Elijah

But, Jesus is God’s ultimate speaking. It’s different than any other. He is God’s own son.

And He is more than just a “chip off the old block”. He is the “exact representation of his being.”

He is the “radiance of God’s glory”

The word for “exact representation” is the word character. It’s the word that we use to describe characters in a play or characters of the alphabet.

When we write a letter, it is the sound embodied.

Jesus is the physical embodiment of God’s glory

The word character in their world was the exact impression made on a coin by a hot metal press.

It’s almost as if the author is saying: “For a long time, God has given us sketches about his character, ideas about who he was. However, in Christ, we have His exact portrait.”

He also is seen as the one who purifies sins. For the Jewish people, they would have thought of a high priest. The high priest was the one who provided a sacrifice for sin. This will be the main thrust of the author’s argument. Jesus is the true high priest who made and continues to live as our sacrifice.

This opening section is VERY important for the Jewish audience. It establishes Jesus Christ himself as the three most important offices of the Jewish peopleo Prophet

greater than Elijah and all of the other prophets, speaking for Godo Priest

providing forgiveness of sins, in the line of Aarono King

reigning with God, greater than David Observation #1: Jesus is a big deal 6And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” 7In speaking of the angels he says, 
”He makes his angels winds, 
his servants flames of fire.”8But about the Son he says, 
”Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, 
and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. 
 9You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; 
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions 
by anointing you with the oil of joy.” 10He also says, 
”In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 
 11They will perish, but you remain; 
they will all wear out like a garment. 
 12You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. 
But you remain the same, 
and your years will never end.” 13To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my right hand 
until I make your enemies 
a footstool for your feet”? 14Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

This passage is basically a regurgitation of Old Testament scriptures (mostly Psalms) in reference to Jesus

Why all of this talk about angels?

For us, it’s kinda like, duh! Jesus is better than angels

But, you have to understand the situation that the Jewish Christians were in.

They understood Jesus as the Messiah. They recognized who he was and had given their lives to him

However, many of their friends and family had not.

They would say, why would you give up the law? It’s such a beautiful thing!

Tradition also told them that Moses received the law from angels. No doubt it would have been told that the angels were beautiful and carried the law to Moses.

Therefore, the author of Hebrews is saying that Jesus trumps angels. Angels have nothing on Jesus!

What are things of our traditions that we hold in higher esteem than Christ?

No religious tradition, no theology or philosophy can hold a candle to Jesus!

Now, obviously theology and philosophies are tools to know Christ. And, the Holy Spirit reveals Christ is many ways. However, the person of Jesus is so much more powerful than your box.

Don’t go back! Don’t return to the law. Don’t return to the angels. Press forward with Christ.

Verses 8, 9 quote Psalm 45:6

7.

One of the great themes of the Bible is that God longs for real justice.

We see grave injustices in our world: Darfur, Katrina, etc.

God doesn’t just desire that our individual sins be forgiven, but that the world be put back to rights, that evil no longer exist Observation #2: The person of Jesus is greater than angels or any system of belief, any logic, any experience, or anything else!