Simple Religion

The longer I live the more I find Jesus ... uncomplicated.

Last week I attended a baptism service.  It wasn't held at a church and those being dunked weren't clad in white robes.  It was simple.  It was outside, by a river, with those coming to watch sitting on beach towels, lawn chairs and straw mats.  Each person who wanted to be baptized stood up and told us, the spectators, why they were making this commitment.

Reasons varied as did the candidates.  One, a woman in her 70's, spoke of the peace she had found during the death of her husband.  Because of the continuous witness of a neighbor who spoke about Jesus as a friend, she wanted this same friendship.  In 2008 she took her first step toward knowing God.  In 2013, she was making it a public event.

One young man, in his twenties, looked like a hippy.  With his shaggy hair and pitiful beard, he articulated his lifes' journey.  His struggles with pornography, drinking too much, and feelings of living an empty life drove him to examine what Jesus Christ was all about.  In the end, he became convinced that a life surrendered to God was the answer.  His baptism was a final commitment to start his journey in a public way.

The thing that struck me was the bystanders who watched.  Joggers, Nordic walkers, Mom and Dads pushing strollers ... they all stopped and stared as they witnessed strange words about a personal relationship with Jesus filling the air.  As those who desired to be baptized walked into the river, were dunked and emerged hearing cheers and shouts from us, the spectators, I can only imagine their thoughts.

I think the thing I want to express is most captured by a recent article by Bono. lead singer of U2:
My understanding of the Scriptures has been made simple by the person of Christ. Christ teaches that God is love. What does that mean? What it means for me: a study of the life of Christ. Love here describes itself as a child born in straw poverty, the most vulnerable situation of all, without honor. I don’t let my religious world get too complicated. I just kind of go: Well, I think I know what God is. God is love, and as much as I respond [sighs] in allowing myself to be transformed by that love and acting in that love, that’s my religion. - See more at: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/frankviola/bono-on-jesus/#sthash.vIcCT5Vk.dpuf