When in Rome?

Just as Jesus was born in a small town that wouldn't come close to qualifying for a dot on a map of the Roman Empire, Christianity's birth in Jerusalem would have been less than a blip on Rome's radar screen of concerns. Alexander had CONQUERED an empire. But Rome knew how to RULE an empire. They tried to assimilate these various sub-cultures into one large empire-wide political, economic, and social system. And they "tolerated" the various religious practices of the peoples...as long as they didn't conflict with the interests of the empire. So for all Rome cared, these followers of Jesus were just a new sect of Jews breaking away from other Jews. It was a localized conflict that would surely stay localized and take care of itself over time. No government intervention necessary.

And yet it did not stay local. It spread like wildfire. And it puzzled Rome; for while violence increased among the traditional Jews, the number of Christians grew in spite of a message opposed to violence. Rome would soon change its tune toward both the Jews and the Christians, dealing with each in different ways. Several years later, the Emperor Nero set the city of Rome on fire and blamed the Christians for starting it. He had them rounded up and lit up as human torches to light the city in the aftermath. Nero's accusations were of course false, but from another perspective, they held ironic truth. Christians had started a fire across the whole empire, or rather, fanned the flame of a fire that their Lord, who came to cast fire upon the earth (Luke 12:49), had already kindled. Something new and unsettling was at work within multiple pockets of the empire, something that threatened the "tolerance" that just masked a mandatory worship of the state, a declaration of Caesar as Lord. A Christian Revolution was happening -- not through war, not through a new system of government...but through a message of faith, hope, and love...people impacting other people personally...not for the purpose of power or wealth...but just for the sake of genuine love. And so a "TOLERANT" society quickly became very INTOLERANT of Christians.

See any parallels? America's story is far different than Rome's. In many ways, it's the opposite story -- Rome going from pluralism to largely Christian, America descending from Christianity to pluralism...unless we keep working to flip the script. Rome needed a plot twist when the church arrived. America needs one now. Start the Revolution up again. No, not to overthrow a government. It needs to be a revolution of LOVE...REAL LOVE -- not a weak TOLERANCE masquerading as love. And it needs to be a revolution of TRUTH...REAL TRUTH -- the Reality of a living Jesus. Rekindle the fire.


To His Glory,

Caleb