Jesus Today . . .

JESUS IS LIKE TELSTAR

For almost a decade now we Americans have been the beneficiaries of Telstar, even if we no longer give a lot of thought to it, but only recently have I viewed that magnificent satellite through the eyes of someone on the other side of the Atlantic. An Englishman has commented: “It was simply wonderful to see live American programmes on the screens, and it must have been equally wonderful for the Americans to see personalities and places in Europe.” He noted that it was the purpose of Telstar to link countries together divided by the great Atlantic, and to enable them to see and to hear each other.

It occurs to me that Jesus is like that. He is the magnificent unitist in that he joins together that which would otherwise be forever separated. In him people transcend sex, race, culture, age, nationality, and even religion. The apostle Paul seems to see this truth in cosmic terms in Eph. 1:10: “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth.” Everything, even nature itself, will eventually be one in Christ. He sees Jesus as the great unifier. Paul does not seem to see this universal union as conditional. It will be a reality sometime in God’s tomorrow --- “in the fulness of times.” The NEB renders it beautifully: “He has made known to us his hidden purpose --- such was his will and pleasure determined beforehand in Christ --- to be put into effect when the time was ripe: namely, that the universe, all in heaven and on earth, might be brought into a unity in Christ.”

Jesus is like Telstar, bringing people and nations together. Our English friend who writes of the excitement of Telstar may not interpret the things he sees and hears through Telstar in exactly the same way we do, but he is aware that the orbiting satellite brings us closer together. Telstar does what nothing else could do, virtually erasing the dimension of “far off”. These are Paul’s words as he writes about the great unifier, separate and far off. “You were at that time separate from Christ,” he tells the Gentiles in Eph. 2:12-13, “But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” No one wants to be separate and far off, but how exciting it is to be brought near, especially when the proximity is God himself! What a fellowship that is, fellowship with the heavenly Father!

Telstar is something like that in that it cultivates fellowship between people. Our English friend can become one with us in our anxiety over the murder of black youths in Atlanta or an attack on our President in Washington, seeing and hearing these things via Telstar as soon as we do. We in turn can see and hear Margaret Thatcher speak before parliament right along with him, and as we sit, watch, and listen together, in spite of an ocean between us, we can compare notes on our mutual agony over unemployment and inflation.

Moreover, Jesus is like Telstar in that there is unfathomable mystery to it all, however much revelation and know-how we may suppose we have. When a scientist lays out all the facts that are known about Telstar, it is nonetheless baffling. No one can really explain its secrets, just as with radio, TV, x-ray, laser beam, and a thousand other things. The lowly telephone even awes me! Recently I talked to a friend in Korea and it was just as if he were next door. What a world we live in, with things like Telstar and telephones!

Jesus is like that. Just as a scientist will tell you with straight face that Telstar is simple, you can also be told that the story of Jesus is as simple as the humble peasant girl that gave him birth. And it is true in a way. Like Telstar Jesus is wonderfully simple and simply wonderful. And yet no one can even begin to penetrate the mystery of the incarnation --- “The word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father” --- or the nature of Christ as eternal Logos --- “Although he existed in the form of God, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant and being made in the likeness of men.”

Even his “simple teaching,” as we are wont to describe it, is staggeringly profound, even the most elementary. “The kingdom of heaven is like . . .” Was he really trying to make it simple? Is there not considerable indirection in his teaching, so that his hearers would have to reach out somewhat, far beyond themselves, to understand? Matt. 11 :25 makes it clear that his teaching was purposely hidden from “the wise and the intelligent” (Does that include us?) and revealed to babes. But even the babes were baffled. His own disciples apparently understood but little of what he was talking about. Sometimes they were downright stupid, and he told them so (see Mk. 7:18, 8:17).

Like Telstar, it is by its very nature too much for us, for it touches a reality that is thus far largely incomprehensible to us. We can but look through a glass darkly. Jesus was put into orbit, as it were, by Power that we know not of, except vaguely, and he is Son of God as well as Son of Man, a Person that belongs to two worlds, an infinite Being that moved into our finite world, pitching his tent among us for awhile. Heb. 5:7 states it dramatically, In the days of his flesh he offered up prayers to the one who was able to save him from death. How utterly mysterious! Deity praying to deity for deliverance from death! He was beyond time and flesh, and then there were “the days of his flesh.” I identify with his disciples, for it is also too much for me!

But Telstar is like that. If you spend much time trying to fathom even the mysteries of this world, it can drive you nutty. Thank God that we can plug into the power of the mysteries even when we cannot understand. This is the beauty of the Christian faith. We are not told that we have to understand it but to believe it. When Jesus tells us what the kingdom of God is like (Perhaps today he would say that it is like Telstar or a laser beam!), we have some notion of what he is talking about in spite of all the mystery. Perhaps he is in essence the kingdom of God, for we see it has to do with peace, love, joy, and doing the Father’s will in this world.

That may be the point. We are not to comprehend as much as we are to act. We become new creations by being born from above, not philosophers who understand all mysteries. By its very nature knowledge puffs us while love builds up, the apostle reminds us, so it is clear which we are to pursue. Our pursuit of knowledge must always be a means, while love remains the end in view.

Finally, Jesus is like Telstar in that he is the great communicator. The time was --- when we were all “far off” --- when we had no contact with “the other side.” Without Jesus we have no knowledge of God’s love and mercy. In putting Jesus into orbit, instantaneously in contact with all mankind, God provides mankind access to Himself. Because of Jesus as communicator, the Father will move into our hearts and make His home with us. Jesus makes it possible for us to live together in peace and harmony. Paul says he removed the wall of partition, thus taking away the barriers. Whether prostitutes, beggars, unscrupulous business tycoons, self-righteous Pharisees, despised Samaritans, or unwanted children, he found them and linked them to God and to each other and to other people.

Like Telstar. he is always in orbit, always there, communicating and bringing us together, providing inexhaustible power for our hard-to-live-in world. --- the Editor

There is a factory in Derby which makes the famous Crown Derby china. If you visit that factory, you will see artists applying very unattractive paints to the china --- yellowish-brown, bluish-black, dirty-looking red. The edge of the china is circled in black. Then the china is fired, and the fire brings about an amazing transformation. When the pieces are taken out of the kiln, the blue and red have become lustrous and bright; the black has become gold. It is through the furnace of sorrow and suffering that some of the choicest saints are conformed to the image of Christ. He would teach us that our sufferings, like his cross, can become the path to glory. - Expository Times