Christ and the Search for the New

Last updated on: August 27, 2018 at 5:57 pm by Brad Roth

Christ and the Search for the New 2018-08-27T17:57:22-05:00 Brad Roth

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:5).

We all like something new, something fresh, something lifted right out of the crinkly packaging. We try something new, grow something new, do something new. Paint the wall a new color: decanted mint or zip zip lollipop fuchsia or gossamer white. Variety–or really: newness–is the spice of life. So, what’s new?

I like newness as much as anybody–at least, newness in manageable drabs. I never re-read novels. I’ll brake for a new walking trail. I’m a sucker for those New This Year! tomato seeds out of the winter catalog. But I also recognize the risk tied up in the quest for the new, how so often our desire to try or feel or be something new ends up taking us down some very well-trod roads. The Seven Deadly Sins don’t really need an update. Lust, pride, greed, gluttony, and the rest have an unfortunate ever-freshness to them. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

So much of our hunger for newness comes from the seeming monotony of everyday life. We get caught up in this and that, one thing after another, an enervating gray boredom clouding a dull edge of meh. And so we want something new to prick us into feeling again, to spike the punch of the thumb-scroll through the news, to give us a stiff defibrillation. Oh. We rub our eyes and look around. That’s new.

No doubt the hunt for novelty stems from a deep human desire. I know, it’s an old preachers’ trope: whatever’s missing in you can be found in God. Stash the phone and crack open the Bible and all will be made well. But perhaps our longing for new things is really a hunger for The New, for Christ who is both fresh as an infant and the Ancient of Days. Perhaps what we have to do is not concoct some flashy, fizzy newness so much as return to the source of all that is new.

At least, it’s been true for me. All too often I’ve been a card carrying member of the “what’s next?” club, besotted with big ideas, addicted to tomorrow’s project. But all things new are rarely enough things new, and there’s that niggling dangle of something down in me that realizes this. I keep discovering anew the originality of Jesus’ life, the daring freshness of the gospels, his speech and actions and miracles that thread between impossible poles to start a living cascade of a movement. I keep coming back to his table and getting surprised all over again by the vibrancy of that exchange through bread and cup. I get stunned by prayer.

So maybe that’s what you need (sorry to go sermonic. I can’t help myself): a new that’s un-new. An ancient, ever-new. Perhaps, like me, you’ll snap to the realization that your longing for something new will never be sated by ferriswheeling to the next new thing. Instead, you’ll find that you need a go slow, trawl deep, encounter with the New One who makes all things new.

Uncategorized

Jesus Christ

newness

Previous Post

August 13, 2018

Pray and Struggle: Immovable Faith for Impossible Situations

Next Post

September 9, 2018 Is the Gospel Good News if People Aren’t Transformed?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month January 2023 November 2022 May 2022 April 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What book tells about the creation of the world?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Acts Psalms Revelation Genesis

Books by This Author Books by Brad Roth

See All Titles »