“NEW CREATURES”

2 CoRINTHIANS 5: 16-20

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.†

Jazz cats

Yeah, we’d all like to be jazz cats—so much of what we call cool originates with jazz culture, including the word cool. Who wouldn’t like to be able to play an instrument with such complete abandon and freedom as a jazz artist? They seem to be one with their instrument, which becomes for them a means of language and a vent for the otherwise inexpressible longings of the human heart.

We’ve heard stories about people with head injuries or people born on the autism spectrum who can sit down at an instrument and play in no time as if they had been rehearsing for years. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know that kind of giftedness?

Jazz is american

Jazz is the great American music. It is music of the American experiment—the cultural melting pot—and it couldn’t have emerged from anyplace else.

Jazz emerged from pain and hardship, combining African-American blues and ragtime with European military band music. In the early 20th century, Jazz grew through greatness—the Great War and the Great Depression.

By World War II, Jazz was the American mainstream, expressed in the high elegance of the Big Band era.

Nazis hated jazz

Just in case we needed another reason to despise Nazis, we know that they hated jazz. They hated jazz because jazz was America and all America stood for: multi-racial, polyphonic, syncopated, bass-slapping, jitterbugging, sexy fun.

Nazis prohibited jazz and went to great  lengths to pick out anything too jazzy. From their propaganda, we read:

1. Pieces in foxtrot rhythm (so-called swing) are not to exceed 20% of the repertoire of light orchestras and dance bands.

2. In this so-called jazz type repertoire, preference is to be given to compositions in a major key and to lyrics expressing joy in life rather than Jewishly gloomy lyrics;

3. As to tempo, preference is also to be given to brisk compositions over slow ones (so-called blues); however, the pace must not exceed a certain degree of allegro, commensurate with the Aryan sense of discipline and moderation. On no account will Negroid excesses in tempo (so-called hot jazz) or in solo performances (so-called breaks) be tolerated;

4. So-called jazz compositions may contain at most 10% syncopation; the remainder must consist of a natural legato movement devoid of the hysterical rhythmic reverses characteristic of the barbarian races and conductive to dark instincts alien to the German people (so-called riffs);

5. Strictly prohibited is the use of instruments alien to the German spirit (so-called cowbells, flexatone, brushes, etc.) as well as all mutes which turn the noble sound of wind and brass instruments into a Jewish-Freemasonic yowl (so-called wa-wa, hat, etc.);

6. Also prohibited are so-called drum breaks longer than half a bar in four-quarter beat (except in stylized military marches);

7. The double bass must be played solely with the bow in so-called jazz compositions;

8. Plucking of the strings is prohibited, since it is damaging to the instrument and detrimental to Aryan musicality; if a so-called pizzicato effect is absolutely desirable for the character of the composition, strict care must be taken lest the string be allowed to patter on the sordine, which is henceforth forbidden;

9. Musicians are likewise forbidden to make vocal improvisations (so-called scat);

10. All light orchestras and dance bands are advised to restrict the use of saxophones of all keys and to substitute for them the violin-cello, the viola or possibly a suitable folk instrument.

If the politics of hatred hated Jazz so vehemently, what does that make Jazz but the music of love? Love of all peoples, new forms, and the free spirit of free speech and expression?

Jazz is Freedom

A jazz approach to music (and life) is going to say there is always more to the music than just what is on the printed page. The script may be fine, but there may be something off the script and beyond the script that we are yet to discover.

A classical musician may be an unsurpassed virtuoso, but they may spend decades playing their music with only the strictest adherence to the script. No departures whatsoever. The thing is with jazz that it comes into its own realm through improvisation. The artist becomes writer in a spontaneous utterance through solos. It really has to come from the artist’s own soul. It is intensely personal and thereby deeply spiritual.

New Creatures

In our text, Paul proclaims that we who are in Christ have become “new creatures.” What exactly is it that makes us new?

1. We are made new by being released from the burden of righteousness. We are free from trying to establish righteousness by our own good will. Instead, we receive the righteousness of Christ as a free gift.

2. We made new by God’s undeserved favor in Christ; specifically, the total forgiveness of our sin. We become free because we are no longer imprisoned under the curse of sin.

3. We are made new by the extraordinary promises of eternal life. Death no longer will hold us and we shall be raised to immortality.

We acknowledge that Christ alone has-accomplished this renewal, and we are simply blessed to live in it.

What is the difference does it make? All the difference in the world! We have been translated from Death to Life, fFrom despair to hope, and from self-absorption to Love.

We are new creatures, partaking in the new humanity initiated by Christ.

Jazz Discipleship

Our discipleship is a lot like jazz. We are made new in the awareness of our unique giftedness. God has given us all gifts in order that we learn to ply them to his glory. In short, God expects us to take up our instrument and to blow, Daddio!

Jazz musicians spend years in the scales and experimenting their way through the jazz classics. In time, they come to discover and develop their own voice. Voice—that place of utter originality—is what every follower of Jesus seeks in living their lives. To love as deeply and truly as one can is the aim, the music. Discipleship is a matter of each of us exploring virtue and finding our heart’s truest expression of grace.

Like jazz, our best soul work emerges out of pain and hardship. Without suffering, there is little depth. In spite of that pain, our God-given gifts need to be exercised. They are like old saxophones found in the attic: the brass may be faded and tarnished and the pads may require new leather, but it is time to take it down and to learn how to play. Our gifts are given us to be used.

Yours is your heart—the instrument of love, sacrifice, service, and soul—and the song that is you and nobody else needs to be heard through the world as your unique and extraordinary witness.

The axe is in your hand; will you play?

Lions not lambs

Did you ever hear the story about the lion who thought he was a lamb? There once was a lion who thought he was a lamb. When he was just a baby, his mother was taken by a hunter and he was left all alone. Seeing the poor lion cub and having pity on him, a group of sheep took him in and raised him as one of their own. As he didn’t know any better, the lion cub believed that he was a sheep. He stuck with the herd, wandered about with them, and ate grass. When a predator came near—such as a coyote or lion—he cowered and ran off for safety with the herd. Inn time, as he grew, he felt something stirring in him.  He tried to push this feeling away and continue to live as a lamb, but it was not his true nature and the feeling of unease grew within him as time went on.

Then one day a huge lion appeared, roaring on a hilltop with all his might. All the sheep ran, but the young lion didn’t move, he was petrified, but at the same time he was curious. He felt a strange sense of “knowing” and wanted to understand what this feeling was. The old lion approached him and asked him what he was doing with the sheep, to which he replied “I am a sheep”. The lion laughed and roared: “you are not a sheep, you are a  lion!”He took hold of him and held up his claws. “Do those look like sheep hooves?” He smacked him on the back end and said, “Does that look like wool to you? And what’s this?” he added, grabbing hold of the lion’s tail. He then lifted and carried the young lion to  a nearby pond, up to the water’s edge until the waves on the pond were absolutely still and all was silent. As he looked into the mirror-like reflection of the crystal clear water, the young lion saw the old lion’s face, then his own – after looking again and again he suddenly saw it for the first time and he roared, “Yes! I am a lion!”

Sax in your Hand

Brothers and sisters, we are new creatures in Christ. We are made to be lions, not lambs. We are not to be skittering with the herd but roaring with the pride!  

Somewhere along the line, Christians got the wrong idea about humility, as if being servants in God’s name meant that we are to play doormat to the rest of the world and rollover at every confrontation. Au contraire! In that we are new creatures, we are the sons and daughters of the King of Heaven—we are princes and princesses, nothing less.

The world around us is filled with lots of noise, lots of it dark indeed. Closing our eyes, ears, and mouths to evil may protect our innocence and defend our spiritual temples from pollution, but we are here for a purpose greater than self-defense; we are here to take part in the eternal glorification of God, which is our eternal joy as well.

We—the Body of Christ—are very much like a jazz band. We are as different one from another as a saxophone from a piano, a drum kit from a stand-up bass, but the song that comes through us by the Spirit unites and combines us to produce an amazing song.

We need that unity in a divided America today. We need that song to be heard by broken and despairing hearts. America’s eyes and ears are searching for something true and good to believe in and follow.

May we—you and I—become carriers, couriers, and transmitters of that song. We learn the tune by having open eyes and ears; we play that song whenever we open our mouths in thanksgiving or praise to God. 

God has put a sax in your hand.

Come on! Blow, Daddy! Be! Become!

Let fly faith, hope, love like crazy!

You and me—we need to be heard.

Let’s start working on our roar. †