A ROCK STAR PREACHER
Sometimes rock stars step into the pulpit and we need to pay attention. Recently, Billy … ahem … William Corgan gave an interview on CNN. (Watch the clip here.) In his interview he made several humorous comments about Christian Rock Music. But that was not what captured my attention. Rather it was his comments about suffering and rock ‘n roll.
Here is what he said: “There's a long established concept that gets bandied about, which is ‘Misery makes for great art’ … you're basically saying, ‘Suffering's good for business.’ And I don't think suffering's good for business … I think suffering or the gestalt of, ‘Here I am, ripping my heart open’ - I think that lasts for about two or three albums. At some point, you have to mature into the deeper work … constantly posing an existential crisis, either through fantasy or oblivion, really has been pretty much explored in rock and roll.”
His comments could well be about Christians and the Church too. Over the last several years there has been a needed and renewed emphasis on being honest about suffering without trying to explain it away. We have moved toward embracing it, speaking openly about our, and admitting how messed up we all are. This is good and needed. But let’s remember, it only “that lasts for about two or three albums.”
I say this because there are some who seem to be more than okay with stopping in the pain, suffering and brokenness of life. I once had someone say to me, “We just need to sit with people in the crap of life.” And I agree, but we also need to be willing to - at some point - move forward together.
And Corgan gives us such a direction. When asked about the future of rock ‘n roll music he replied, “I think God's the great, unexplored territory in rock and roll music.” His insight has much to teach us: he moves from suffering toward God. And we must take that second, most important, step.
This is exactly what Jesus did. He did not stand by wincing at the mess we’ve made of our world and ourselves. He entered it fully and sat in the crap, but he did not stop there. He proclaimed good news. What was good about his news was that we did not have to sit in the crap forever.
Suffering is where we have to start. This is one of the unfortunate truths about life. All of us will experience suffering. If you think that is not the case that’s because you haven’t suffered yet. But the good news of Jesus said the story doesn’t have to end with suffering. He not only spoke of this, he is living proof of it.
Jesus took upon himself the suffering of the world. While on the cross he shouldered the suffering, pain, scorn, shame and sin of the world. He was tortured, nailed to that instrument of execution, bled, died and was buried. We call this tragic day Good Friday.
But the story did not end on Friday. It ends (and begins) with resurrection. Life, not death, has the last word. And this is our future.
The good news of Jesus is that we don’t have to sit in the crap forever. When he encountered broken people he offered healing. When he sat among sinners he told them, without judgment, of forgiveness. When he met those who were suffering, he joined them in it, and showed them a way out of it. Jesus was insistent that we can experience the transforming power of grace.
His message was to tell all of us about a God who loves us exactly as we are and exactly where we are – in all of our mess, shame, sin and pain. This same God is one who loves us so much, he can’t bear to keep us in that place. But invites us to move into healing and wholeness and new life.
Suffering has it’s place – as a starting point. But we must never forget our future – the God who who entered our suffering to show us the way forward. Thanks for the sermon, William.