The Absurdity of it All

by Heath

"Christianity is the only major religion to have its central event the humiliation of its God".

This powerful statement begins Bruce Shelley's classic work "Church History in Plain Language". And so it seems fitting today for me to ponder the absolute absurdity of all. God becoming flesh entering into the embryonic state, forming in the womb of a Jewish peasant girl. Being born
amongst animals, hay and the fresh smell of manure. Living a simple life and dying a gruesome death. The word that today best sums it up for me is absurdity.

Countless years of Christmas carols, sipping
eggnog and taking in re-runs of "It's a wonderful life", has buffered us from the divine absurdity of Jesus. So each year we must re-remind ourselves that Christian orthodoxy has at its core the belief that our God's greatest victory was birthed in vulnerability. His greatest demonstration of love was discovered in His demise. His greatest act of heroism was His humiliation. How absurd.

So absurd that the Romans of the 1st century could hardly take such a teaching serious. This crude depiction of a crucifix is historically the first representation of Christ on the cross. It
dates back to the late first century and comes in the form of anti-Christian graffiti. Etched into the Palatine, the chief of Rome’s seven hills the caption etched next to the picture reads, “Alexamenos worships his God”. The artist reveals the absurdity Jesus by giving him the head of an ass.

You see, the Christmas story really is absurd, even ridiculous. After all, what kind of king would be born in a manger? What deity would suffer death on a cross? What sort of transcendent being would allow Himself to be beaten and spat upon and slapped and scorned by mere
mortals? The way of the world screams in unison, “absurd”! Only a fool. . . No, only a jack-ass would willingly suffer such a fate. This is not the way of great men or of gods. Human wisdom teaches us that obscurity and humiliation is the way of the weak, not the way of the divine.

But, we are called not to rely on human wisdom, but a deeper wisdom sourced in the loving way of God himself. Drink in the rich insight of this text:

“For the message of Jesus is absurd to those who are perishing, but to us who are
being saved it is the power of God. .

"For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God
was pleased through the absurdity of what was preached to save those who
believe. . .

"For the absurdity of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the impotence of God is stronger than man’s strength. . .”

I Corinthians 1:18, 21, 25

Malcolm Muggeridge commenting on this text asks, “Was it not after all, the perfect way to come and expose the inadequacy of all human wisdom by displaying the utter foolishness of God? And what a better way to reveal the impotence of worldly powers than to defeat it with
divine weakness.”

I’ve concluded that the Christmas story is absurd. And, it’s precisely in its absurdity where the greatest depth and strength and power reside.

Let’s make a pact together this Christmas to not make the story more plausible. Let’s not clean up the manger or sentimentalize the child. Let’s embrace the absurd truth that our God was humiliated on our behalf.

God’s love is so amazingly absurd. It's only by embracing this kind of love that we have the power to offer others this same kind of love. May your love this season reflect God’s love to all whom you encounter.

Merry Christmas!