What is the Church of Stop Shopping
In the above picture, we see the Stop Shopping Choir at Times Square New York City, while Rev. Billy shouts their message. While they advocate local markets and oppose the obsessiveness of shopping (which they dubbed the shopocalypse) the Church uses organized arts, humor and grassroots. The Choir of Life after shopping sing about a new day, when the stress is gone and we are free to live without debt. The Church believes that Americans are getting overwhelmed with shopping and consumerism. Reverend Billy preaches in favor of real experiences, not ones dictated by products, and for people to care more about local economies. In the church's website, they explain the power struggle that small local business' share against large corporations that may be among wealthiest in the world, but provide us low cost products at the hands of overworked, underpaid children and women in third world countries. They expanded from a 1 man street performer preaching about the bleeding of shopping, to a now 35 member choir and 5 piece band. In their documentary, Rev. Billy and the choir take a road trip around the nation from Black Friday up unto Christmas Day. Many of the facts that they shared about our nations' consumerism were overwhelming to think about. Last year American's spent $455 billion on shopping during the holidays, and consumer credit debt is now $2.4 Trillion. The United States used to be a producing nation, such as manufacturing automobiles. But over the last few decades, the United States has shifted from producing to consuming. And especially over the holiday's, families are inclined to show love through buying gifts more than anything. Have we forgotten what Christmas is about. Are we caught up in providing more for our children then we had growing up that we've lost the values that once shared? When we buy items, we have choices we can make. We can buy from local business' where money that we put into them will be recycled through the local economy. Or we can buy the low cost products of Disney or Walmart, where the money we put in will never be put back into local economies. The documentary is definitely worth watching, its only an hour and a half. What Would Jesus Buy?
Here's the real the question. Even though the movie doesn't discuss many biblical teachings through out its length, its there to get the ball rolling and to get its viewers thinking about the question "What would Jesus Buy?" I've pondered this question now for awhile and more questions arise, such as "What would Jesus buy if he were on earth today?" and "What did Jesus buy when he was on earth?". If we look back at the story of Jesus we are told very little about his life up until he begins traveling and preaching for several years before eventually paying the ultimate toll for our sins. The bible tells us that Jesus was a carpenter for a living. This means that he worked with his hands a lot, and just like today, carpenters built, fixed, assembled and repaired things. Because we know that Jesus doesn't contradict the bible, we can know that he showed hard work and wasn't lazy, because Solomon says that "lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." (Proverbs 10:4) Even though Jesus was poor during his ministry, Solomon isn't referring to financing poverty, but spiritual. Jesus obviously worked during his life to be able to afford basic human needs, and he wasn't a beggar. We also know that he didn't have much financial wealth which means that he only bought what was necessary, no more and no less. And if Jesus was alive today, I don't believe that he would buy anything that we normally would buy for ourselves or others, such as Ipod's, computers, televisions, phones, music, or cars. During the Jesus' ministry, he sent out the disciples in pairs and he gave them power over demons and the power to heal the sick. (Matthew 10/Mark 6/Luke 9) Jesus begins to give them instructions on what they should preach, how they should do it, and who they should preach too. But he also gives them specific instructions not take any gold, silver, or copper with them and to take no bag, or any extra clothing or shoes or stave's for their trips. (Matt 10:9-10) Jesus tells the twelve disciples not to take extra items with them because he will faithfully provide for them everything they need. The gospels show that Jesus took a special interest in the poor, seeing as he choose to be poor himself. During the famous speech about the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus explains doing good acts through faith and love towards others, such as clothing a naked person, or giving them something to eat. When the witness' say that they don't remember doing that for Jesus, he responds with "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you have done unto me" (Matt 25:40)
The Rich Young Man
One testimony that is consistent in all four books of the New Testament is the story of the rich young man or rich ruler. I perfer Mark's version because he has the greatest detail. As the story goes, Jesus was traveling when a young rich man came running too him, fell on his knees and asked "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?". Jesus questions his motives, asking him why he called him "Good teacher" because only God alone is good. Jesus recites the 10 commandments to him, and most eagerly the rich young man exclaims that he has kept them all since he was a boy. "Jesus looked at him and loved him". Then Jesus tells him that he only lacks one thing, that he must go and sell everything he owns to give it to the poor. And Jesus follows up and invites the man to follow him just the disciples have done after he has sold everything. The man became very upset and he left them very sad because he had much wealth. As the other apostles looked at each other in shock, Jesus speaks up and says "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!...It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle then for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. This story is one my favorite to read. We see a man that has acquired a lot of wealth and has done so at an early age. Maybe he was given a large inheritance and thats why he was so rich, or maybe he had worked very hard his whole life to get where he was now. What we do know, is that he was a wealthy ruler, and he seen running to Jesus and falling on his knees. A man of his stature has never fallen on his knees for anyone, he has servants that he can command to kneel before him if he wanted to. He has authority, but when he comes to Jesus he gives all his authority to him. We also see him running. This indicates urgency on his part. No other time has this man had to run unless he wanted to, he was probably carried or driven by other men. When this rich young man, finally gets to Jesus, he gets right to the point, asking about eternal life. Jesus see's that his motives are clear because he is calling Jesus the good teacher. Then Jesus explains the commandments. The rich ruler is so eager to interrupt when he hears this because he's excited. He's excited because all of these things Jesus is saying he has done since he was young. Then we see the compassion of Jesus because he knows whats about to knock this guy down, and he wants so bad for this young rich man to throw away his burdens and follow him to the kingdom. Jesus tells him to sell everything, and the rich man is devastated. Everything he has worked for his entire life, his authority, his legacy, his wealth. Jesus is not going to be second to any of these things. The disciples are looking at each other in disbelief. They probably just witness one of the best interviews ever for someone to become a disciple. This young man has lived a good life, and has obeyed the commandments since a child. He knows Jesus is the good teacher and seeks eternity in the kingdom. If this man can't even be a disciple of Jesus, then who possibly can? Jesus explains to his followers that its harder for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, then a rich person to be saved. They ask "Who can be saved?" and Jesus replies thats its impossible by human means alone, but not with God. (As a side not, when he says its harder for a camel to go through the eye of the needle, I don't think he was speaking literally, although I'm not entirely sure as Jesus often used long exaggerations as humor in explaining his teachings)
As we see through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Jesus often taught using parables. Jesus also had compassion enough to then try to explain them to his disciples. A few parables he used also included money, such as a the rich blind fool, the rich man and Lazarus (Actually not a parable), and storing up treasures in heaven. And in almost every story and parable the Jesus talks about regarding money or wealth, he usually has that directly associated with eternal salvation. That's because it is so important that to talk about at the risk of sounding redundant. In fact when reading through the New Testament, the only time the bible mentions Jesus getting physically violent is when he comes back into Jerusalem and he overturns the tables of the money changers and dove sellers at the temple. For people to be using the temple as a way to get more money was so appalling in the eyes of Jesus that he flipped over benches and drove them out, and didn't even stay in the city that night when his motives were questioned by the religious elite. (Matt. 21:12-17)
So is it a mystery that Jesus talked so much about money. The bible goes so far as to say that money is the root of most evil. Jesus didn't come to earth so that we could live comfortable lives. He came to show us the truth, that if we follow and believe in him, we will be able to spend an eternity with him. But that means storing up treasures in heaven, and not here on earth. Because in 100 years it won't matter what car you drove or what house you lived in, but if you were able to change lives, especially your own. Giving up our need for money and items possibly means losing some security. But when we have to rely on God, it tests us to believe what we say we believe. Oh and how God wants to provide for you. He says don't worry about tomorrow because it already has enough worries, just let go and give it to God. Lastly God asks that we faithfully give back to him just a small portion of what he has given us. He says that he will bless a cheerful giver. He is so adamant that he will keep his word that he says in Malachi 3:10 ""Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."" So maybe next holiday shopping season, we think about what we are buying, our motives and how our money is being used to help the kingdom of God.
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