Who's Hope is it?

On the heels of Barak Obama's inauguration, I feel a certain weighty inspiration. Here is a man that appeals to our ideals of hope. Agree or disagree with his specific stances on issues, but hope is universal because it springs from our God and it was Jesus' message, His Good News, before it was anyone elses.

There was one particular part of our President's speech today that captured me because I feel like its a message the Church could take to heart in the era of transition we find ourselves collectively in.

...They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint...

The Church for too long has enjoyed a season of Power and has operated in the world under that mode. The consequence is a culture that rejects us because the Gospel is not a message about power. The Gospel is a message about justness, humility, and restraint (more on this in a future post).

Earlier in his speech, President Obama said that the world has changed and so should we. He meant the country but I think its a message for the Church as well. We shouldn't fear change as if the Gospel will be altered in the process. And we shouldn't see change as merely packaging. If the Gospel is timeless, it will find context in our current time. In these changing times, we will contexts shift but our Gospel of Hope remain the same. As I said, before Hope was Barack Obama's message, it was God's. As followers of Christ, we should be a people inspired by Jesus' message of Hope and Change. To those that carry that banner, I look forward to joining with you...