Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Jesus Economics

For a man who had no place to live, no money to buy food, and no government agencies in place to provide such crucial items we must be in awe that He died on a cross for thwarting the government and not in the streets from starvation. Of course, such a surprise could only come if we missed His message.

In the struggles that the American economy is facing we can see how truly the cries of America the Christian are far from correct. This statement can be said with boldness and in truth because the story of the first group of Christ's followers, recorded in the book of The Acts, show a different kind of Christian, the kind of Christians that were not shocked by Christ not dying in the street.

Acts 2:44-45 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

The first group of Christians seemed to take much more from Jesus than just showing up to church and voting for policy changes. They somehow tied taking care of each other in with their spirituality and their relationship to God?! Along with how to do church, Jesus taught them how to live in an economy where the majority of people were impoverished due to extreme taxation, which took half of an average persons income. Jesus showed them an economy that did not rely on what their government was or was not doing for them. These Jesus Economics were followed by the earliest groups of His followers and we find that none of them were without.

Shelter.

Clothing.

Food.

They had it all. My guess would be that they were not left without any extra-amenities either.

Jesus' Economy did not involve an MBA to function. Jesus Economics were very simple, take care of each other. It seems as though the earliest Christians saw that Jesus did not put a limit on how much they were to take care of each other so they did not put on any limits (Part of the story of the first church, then, is that they did not limit anything Jesus had said. Better yet, they seemed more to try Jesus' teachings to the max. They really believed in what He had to say).

I'm just thinking through some thoughts of how Christians should be responding to the situation with our economy. Part of me knows we never would have arrived at this place if Jesus' Economics were practiced. So that part of me is a little bit angry with our culture and mad at myself for our consumeristic ways. At the same time, another part of me is hopeful. Jesus' Economics can be put in practice today and lives will be affected in very positive ways.


Note: Jesus' Economy is not intended to save wall street, but to save people.

2 comments:

Scott said...

I like where you said, "Part of the story of the first church, then, is that they did not limit anything Jesus had said. Better yet, they seemed more to try Jesus' teachings to the max."

Josh and I have been discussing what it looks like for us as individuals and our church to live out the Gospel to the fullest here in Odessa. One thing that hit me is that I hate being called a legalist, yet in my attempts to streamline Christianity down to the basics of what has to be done, but seldom anything more, I have become just that. I have created a life where if I just do such and such, then I am ok, but that is never the Gospel message.

I am just reminded of the story of the rich, young ruler who said, "I have kept the law, what more must I do?" That is exactly where we too often find ourselves: "I have accepted salvation, and I go to church. What more must I do?"

Felicia said...

We are far too self absorbed to practice Jesus Economics....just as we are far too self absorbed to share His love. Excellent message...our prayer should be a revelation of exactly WWJD!