Four Camps

Honestly Approaching Easter

As all of Christianity prepares to celebrate Easter, most of us will find ourselves in one of four camps or somewhere between them.

The first camp is the Camp of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the Jewish High Priest to whom Jesus was taken following his arrest. His primary interest was to protect the status quo, or more specifically - the system that had given him authority. Caiaphas represents the religious, those who have replaced their love of God and others with their commitment to religion. The Camp of Caiaphas views themselves as holy or set-apart simply by virtue of obedience, the holding of traditions, and their perceived grasp of Scripture. The claims of Jesus outrage the Camp of Caiaphas because they offer direct access to God apart from their religious expectations and dismiss their pious attempts and displays of self-righteousness.

The second camp is the Camp of Peter. Peter walked step for step with Jesus for three years. He ate with Jesus, served Jesus, laughed with Jesus, and worshipped Jesus. He was committed to Jesus. Yet, when the Jews called for the execution of Jesus, and Peter was recognized as having been associated with Jesus, three times he emphatically denied his Lord. Those in the Camp of Peter are true believers until the path of faith and feelings forks. Their faith is visibly strong while among believers. But the moment they walk into a faithless environment, they move far away from of any indications of faith. Their language, judgement, and behavior blend into their surroundings or they simply hide in silence and the appearance of alignment. The Camp of Peter has unwittingly embraced fear and hypocrisy, as their preoccupation with self-preservation and/or self-promotion has clothed them in the costume of whoever stands before them.

The third camp is the Camp of Pilate. Pilate was the worldly Roman Governor to whom Jesus was taken. Pilate was focused first and foremost on keeping the peace. He had no interest in faith or religion, but in the politics of power. The Camp of Pilate seeks to please the majority and/or those in higher positions. People-pleasing leads to a fluid identity formation that prizes adaptation over fidelity and popularity over morality or integrity.

The fourth camp is the Camp of Jesus. Those in the Camp of Jesus accept that they are who they are in the sight of Jesus and nothing more. Through deep continual fellowship, they stop hiding behind images as people of God, disciplined disciples, or people of power and find the freedom to be real with one another. Without the pressure to conform or impress, they connect more deeply with one another and with Jesus. Quite simply, they embrace grace for themselves and others, love with depth, and live in gratitude.

A prodigal is one who can admit, at least to himself, that he is somewhere outside of the Camp of Jesus, and can see that, while outside the Camp of Jesus, he continually runs into the part of himself most in need of grace. The prodigal is willing to turn and start the journey home, knowing that no matter how far he has strayed or how deeply entrenched he is in another camp, Jesus will celebrate his return and quench his thirst.

John Crosby