The First Samurai

In the movie 'The Last Samurai' the opening scene begins with beautiful auburn-filled panoramic shots of Japan and the narrator telling us that there is a legend about how Japan was formed. This legend says that the gods reached a sword down into the waters and pulled it back up. As the sword ascended back to the heavens four perfect drops fell off the sword and formed Japan. The narrator goes on to explain that he believes Japan was truly formed in a different way, forged in history by 'warriors of honor.' From here the movie jumps scenes to a striking contrast, where the protagonist of the story is being introduced at a carnival as a military hero who had received the government's highest commendation, the medal of honor.

Thus, within the first minute of the movie we are given the heart of the story. We do not know it yet, but it is there. For we come to find out that when we pick up the story our protagonist is a stark contrast to these 'warriors of honor' that we will learn more and more about. How? After all he has been given THE medal of honor, yes? True, but he has been given a medal of honor by a dishonorable government who has employed him to carry out dishonorable deeds. So much is this true that we quickly learn that there is almost no honor left in the life he has lived.

The word samurai means 'to serve.' The samurai understood his existence to be completely summed up in one task, to live a life of service to the king. He was utterly devoted to this task. This finds expression in the film when the emperor informs the central samurai figure that he is not sure how much longer the samurai's services will be needed. Without hesitation he responds to the emperor by saying, "If I am of no service I will glady end my life." A samurai is one who exists for one purpose, to carry out the king's bidding.

Doesn't that sound like someone we know? He said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work" (John 4:34). Yes, Christ was the first samurai. He gave us this example of how we should be living our lives, living to serve the king. This is where our honor will come from, for He also told us that, "...if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him" (John 12:26). There is a certain amount of 'honor' that can be gained from the approval of men, but in the end even the greatest medals on earth are proven to be no more than empty trinkets. However, to be honored by the one true God in heaven is an honor that will never fade. And if we give our lives to Him for His purposes we will hear him honor us one day before all of creation with these simple words, "Well done my good and faithful servant!"

The Purpose Of Fruit

Jesus instructed His disciples in discernment by telling them that they would know the difference between a 'good' tree and a 'bad' tree by its fruit (Luke 6:43-44). He said a seed that landed in good soil would bring forth fruit (Matthew 13:8), and He cursed a fig tree for failing to bring forth fruit (Matthew 21:19). He said that it was His glory (and ours too) to bear fruit, and that this fruit could only come about in death (John 12:24). And He encouraged us to abide Him, for it is the only way we can bear fruit (John 15:2-5). So, with all this talk about fruit what is its real purpose in our lives?

I think it is for one chief reason--fruit is tasty! I mean, it is also nutritional. It does have some caloric value, but not a whole lot. You could live on fruit alone, but you sure would have to eat a lot of it! Above all else fruit is simply enjoyable. If we continue to abide in Christ (John 15:2-5) we will find ourselves walking in the Spirit (Romans 8:1-4) and we will also find God growing in us the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). And it is through the tasty fruit of the Spirit that God tempts unbelievers to partake in his goodness. Thus, David proclaimed, "Taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalms 34:8).

Okay, okay enough Scripture references. But it is true! God wants to grow fruit in us. It is what we were created to do. Nothing fulfills us more than bearing fruit. And nothing gives God more glory than the fruit He is able to bring forth in our lives. So what is my role? Can I grow fruit in my life? Nope. Think about it, imagine a seed 'deciding' it would grow its fruit one day. Can you see that little seed straining, pushing, pulling, doing everything it can to make fruit pop out? That's how we look sometimes. No, all a seed can do is surrender--surrender itself to the earth, to the natural cycles of life, hoping it was one of the lucky 25% that landed in good soil, but knowing it may likely be choked by thorns or scorched by sun. Yet, ready and willing to surrender its shell in a springing-forth of a life-giving, death. Pretty simple don't you think? And sounds kind of familiar too, yes? It is a picture of the Christ, and that puts you in good company.

THE Revelation

I started a Doctorate in Ministry program this fall at Drew University. Our first class is called 'Millenial Markers of Faith and Experience' and we have spent a good bit of the early part of the class exploring the apocalyptic tradition within Christianity, especially its 20th century expression in the so-called Evangelical portion of the church. I have been both amused and a bit surprised at the number of classmates who refer to that final book of our canon as the book of Revelations, when in fact it is the book of Revelation (no s on the end).

Granted this is a very common mistake. So common that you expect it among the average believer. But we're talking about ministers. These are men and women who study the Scripture almost every day of their life. They prepare multiple sermons and/or teachings every week for their church. They have been trained in seminaries through a grueling 82-plus hour/unit graduate degree of intensive biblical and theological studies called a Master of Divinity. You would think all of them would know the name of the book at least! I would not be surprised if many of them did not particularly care for the book. Even if some of them had never read the book. But not know the name?

Yet, once I get passed the surprise of this crazy fact I see that it really reflects something about our contemporary misgivings on the Apocalypse of John. Is seems that many people, even many ministers, view this book as a jumbled collection of strange visions that have little do with down-to-earth reality that they face from day-to-day. Thus, they refer to the revelations that are stuck in between their Bible and its concordance. This could not be further from the truth. Revelation is in fact one unified vision of God and his work in, through and above human history. It is the 'unveiling' (the literal definition of the Greek word from which we get apocalypse) of reality. That thing which we now only see through a dark glass dimly.

But once I get past my analysis of other people's misgivings I start to see my own. Do I not go through each day from moment to moment believing that I am in fact living in the midst of a jumbled collection of strange circumstances that have little to do with the Glory-to-God kind of heights I'm trying to attain? Could it be that all of these things that are keeping me from reaching the concordance of my life are not obstacles at all, but rather the very culmination of all that is meaningful in my life? Could it be that the most sacred things in life are right around me? In the lives of my family members? My friends? My neighbors? Indeed, the book of Revelation is the great unveiler!