The Myth of Jesus?
A while ago I saw a television documentary concerning the life and so called suicidal death of Jesus. The whole of it was considered a myth by the commentator. On another one of these show types, the Big Bang Theory was explained as scientific reality, that all existence exploded from a single point 13.8 billion years ago and continues to expand - even today. I’m good with that. What I have a difficult time with is that this is happening in and of itself. From where did this colossal burst of energy come? A single atom? Ok. From where did this atom come? And how many eons had it been in existence before it exploded? It seems to me this goes nowhere. It simply does not make sense to me.
On the other hand, at least to me, this is more sensible - that “in the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland and darkness covered the abyss while a mighty wind swept over the waters. Then God said let there be light;” or, if you will, a BIG BANG!! Or how about this one? “At the time when the Lord God made the earth and heavens, while as yet there was no field shrub on earth and no grass of the field had sprouted, for the Lord God had sent no rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the soil, but a stream was welling up out of the earth and was watering all the surface of the ground - the Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being.” It seems to me this could very well be a poetic rendition of the same events. But why? Why would this be significant of any form of intelligent thought? What force would be at the heart of all this. This is my suggestion. As I have considered all that I know in my small, impotent existence, there is only one force I have found which has the underlying power to hold anything and everything together.
As a high school religion teacher I told my students over and over that, “Love is a verb. You have to do something about it.” Love is an action. I would seem to follow that the Big Bang very likely exploded “love into motion.” The question would seem to follow: what would be the point of that motion without intimacy? How can intimacy take place without interaction? How can any meaningful interaction take place between a God with the power to explode the universe into existence and small, miniscule little us. Furthermore, how can there be room for a myriad of answers to these questions?
The solution? At least the one I continuously come up with is Jesus! The God Man sent to us as a gift to bridge the gap between the Creator and us, the objects of his love. How could intimacy be demonstrated in any more poignant way than this? That the God of the universe would come to us in a more humble way as to be born in a barn likely not far from stable animals and manure droppings in order to show us how we are to love. That most of what we strive for is of little importance in the scheme of his plan for intimacy with us.
It seems reasonable to believe that we are children of God, uniquely and wonderfully made; that we are treasures beyond any human comprehension. And that God is calling you and me to a more and more intimate relationship with Him. And that this relationship is to be like a gushing fountain pouring out divine love to those with whom we come in contact. This would seem to be a logical conclusion and the pinnacle of love. Merry Christmas!!