Radical ...

Been reading David Platt's new book, Radical the last few days.  Have to admit I've been reading and thinking more than I've been writing because its a lot to think about.  I think for me, the start of my thinking is WHY this is "radical" ... I mean, pretty much, David is just unpacking scripture and the Jesus of the Bible (as opposed to the one we've made over in our own image) and holding that up as our standard.  It's just that somewhere in our tradition, our thinking, and our own comfort, we've taken the gospel message and the Jesus of the Bible and tried to tone them down a bit and make them a bit more palatable to our "American dream" culture.  Not gonna lie ... I'm guilty.  Pretty sure we all are.  I LIKE being comfortable.  I LIKE being safe.  I LIKE Jesus fitting into MY framework and MY world.  I LIKE a Jesus who calls us to give ... just not everything ... and a Jesus who lets us serve and then go home to all of our creature comforts.  I LIKE a relationship that calls me to give more, but not everything. 

It's a hard pill to swallow when we truly look at what the Jesus of the Bible calls us to:
deny ourselves (not just a little ... a lot ... all)
take up our cross (not the one we wear around our neck)
follow Him (become homeless, let someone else bury your father, do not say good bye to your family)
know more of Him than we get in a Sunday service
give more of our resources than our tithe

"To everyone wanting a safe, untroubled, comfortable life free from danger...stay away from Jesus."

- David Platt, Radical

Pretty sure at our core, if we are honest.  We want Jesus AND ... a safe, untroubled, comfortable life free from danger!  So, if this is what the Bible has said all along ... if this is who Jesus has been from the beginning, how come we are calling "radical" just getting back to what was intended from the beginning.  This is not new truth.  This is not a remarketed Jesus.  This is not a new movement. 

Got to thinking what radical actually means ...

Radical  /ˈrædɪkəl/
–adjective
1. of or going to the root or origin; fundamental: a radical difference.
2. thoroughgoing or extreme, esp. as regards change from accepted or traditional forms: a radical change in the policy of a company.
3. favoring drastic political, economic, or social reforms: radical ideas; radical and anarchistic ideologues.
4. forming a basis or foundation.
5. existing inherently in a thing or person: radical defects of character ...
–noun

9. a person who holds or follows strong convictions or extreme principles; extremist.
10. a person who advocates fundamental political, economic, and social reforms by direct and often uncompromising methods.

I tend to associate the idea of being radical with being extreme ... and that tends to give it a negative connotation.  Extreme sports are, afterall, dangerous.  Extremist tend to do scary, bad things in our world.    And while I think if we follow Scripture, we will be considered "extreme" in our comfort-driver American Dream, I am more intrigued with the first meaning: of or going to the root or origin.  Does being radical simply mean we get back to the life Jesus has called us to come and follow?  Does it look something like this?

The Radical Experiment is a year-long journey that includes these five components:
Pray for the entire world.
Using a prayer guide, such as Operation World, pray for the entire world over the course of a year.

Read through the entire word.
Using a chronological Bible Reading plan, read through the entire Bible.

Commit your life to multiplying community.
Commit yourself wholeheartedly to the local church. But even deeper than that, commit yourself to a small group within your faith family that is intentionally sharing, showing, and teaching the Word while serving the world together.

Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose.
For the next year, take a close look at all of your expenses as individuals and families through the lens of specific need in the world. Work to set a cap on your lifestyle so that you can free up as much of your resources as possible for the sake of the glory of Christ in His church, among the lost, and among the poor.

Spend your time in another context.
As you give the majority of your time to making disciples in your community, commit, as individuals and families, to give 2% (one week) of your time in Gospel ministry outside of your community for the sake of God’s glory in all the world.

Still thinking.