Last night, my friend and I went to a Yellowcard and All
Time Low concert. We waited outside in
the freezing cold for over an hour! Once
in, we managed to get fairly close to the front. For the little-known opening band, it was a
bit crowded but nothing intolerable.
However, once Yellowcard came to the stage, the area became an intense
and hazardous mosh pit.
Looking
back on it, I wonder how people reacted when they heard Jesus speak. Did they violently push and shove, trying
desperately to get to the front—like how fans were when Yellowcard and All Time
Low were on stage? Why can people,
Christians included, become so enthusiastic over events in the empire but not
so much over events in the Kingdom of God?
At least in my experience, I have never seen people rushing to church,
vying for the front row.
Something
else I noticed during the concert was how crude the lead singer for All Time
Low was. In the moment, I thought he was
hilarious and I laughed loudly with everyone else and enjoyed the whole concert
thoroughly (aside from being pushed and shoved like a rag doll). However, I know that I would not have wanted
my parents or my pastor to hear anything that was said last night. How can there be such a division in my
life? How can I enjoy parts of the
empire yet still strive to be part of the Kingdom? Why do I try to serve two masters, even
though the Bible vehemently stresses that I cannot?
1.
Can Christians strive for the Kingdom while
still enjoying parts of the empire?
2.
Is it wrong for Christians to partake in the
empire, appreciating the talent that God gives musicians?
One of my friends was at the same concert and I heard a lot of stories from her!
ReplyDelete"Why can people, Christians included, become so enthusiastic over events in the empire but not so much over events in the Kingdom of God?"
I think this is a very intriguing observation that I find myself guilty much more then I would care to admit. It makes me wonder if a non-Christian would see a higher calling in my life if they observed how I live. I think as Christians it's our main priority to strive for the kingdom of God. Would it be safe to believe that the kingdom of God is in everything, therefore we can still enjoy the empire and appreciate the talents God blesses musicians with.
The Kingdom and the empire are not found in specific geographic locations or in specific activities. So the Kingdom can be equally present at church and at a rock concert, albeit in different expressions. Likewise, the empire can be found just as much in church as in a rock concert. I've been to rock concerts that were far better Kingdom experiences than I've had in many churches.
ReplyDeleteA few questions: What drives the band's art? Why are they performing music live and what are they doing in their live performance that supplements their music? How did the audience participate (other than excitedly, which isn't necessarily a bad thing)? Was there a certain kind of community formed around the concert and what was the overall spirit of the community?