At the Baptist General Conference of Canada’s Celebration 2024, I made the statement — in the context of challenging Canadian churches and church leaders to reach out to their neighbours —

“There is no ultimate Canadian. But if there were, it would be Jesus!”

Of course, the quintessential Canadian does not exist. People have been trying to define what a Canadian is for generations but all definitions seem to come up short.

Perhaps the best explanation for our inability to do so comes from Pierre Elliott Trudeau who made the statement:

“What could be more absurd than the concept of an ‘all-Canadian’ boy or girl? A society which emphasizes uniformity is one which creates intolerance and hate. A society which eulogizes the average citizen is one which breeds mediocrity. What the world should be seeking, and what in Canada we must continue to cherish, are not concepts of uniformity but human values: compassion, love, and understanding.”

This Canada Day, let’s talk about Jesus as the only real hope for the future of Canada & the World.

Jesus Identifies as the Great “I AM”

Exodus 3:13-14 — “Then Moses replied to God, ‘Suppose I go to the people of Israel and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” What should I tell them?’ “God answered Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’”

Guess what? Jesus himself also used this same name to describe himself. We see this in John 8:12, 18, 24, 28, and 58. We know that that is exactly what Jesus was claiming because immediately after Jesus makes this statement they want to try to stone him to death for blasphemy.

Why is this important to Canada? Since the Scripture elsewhere describes Jesus as the light of the world and the King of kings, it makes sense that included within the world, and the other kings, is every other nation that has existed, exists today, and will exist in the future. If we’re looking for true leadership, if we’re looking for a true representation of what it means to live out the life of a citizen of our nations, we need to look no further than Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only real hope for the future of Canada and the world.

Jesus Knows When to Arrive — At Just the Right Time

The Bible is clear that Jesus arrival to the Earth was at exactly the right time. There are two ways we can look at time. One of them is Kronos time which is time as it flows from one minute to the next, from one hour to the next, from one day to the next, from one week to the next, from one year to the next, and so on. It flows inexorably towards the end. But there’s also a different kind of time that’s spoken of in the Bible and that is Kairos time. This means the right time.

Where this plays out in the Philippines is that I promise that I’m going to go to your birthday party and you’ve invited me several times and I’ve said, “Yes I’ll be there.” But then just as I’m about to leave for your birthday party, one of my relatives from the province arrives at my house and I need to entertain them. My plan to go to your birthday party is Kronos time. My plan to entertain my all-of-a-sudden houseguest is Kairos time.

Romans 5:6-8 — “When the time was right, while we were still weak human beings following our bad hearts and broken ways, the Chosen One died for us.”

2 Corinthians 6:2 — “At the right time I heard your cry…”

Galatians 4:4 — “But when the time was right, Creator sent his Son…”

Just as Jesus came at the right time for the people living in first century Palestine, living under the thumb of the Roman empire, Jesus also came for those who live today in Canada. Right from the beginning, it was God’s plan for the entire world to be saved. Jesus himself testifies to this in John 3:16-17, when he converses with Nicodemus in the middle of the night and he clarifies to Nicodemus that God sent his son to the entire world because of his love for that entire world. Guess what that world includes Canada!

Canada Needs Jesus

That means, as we extrapolate from Jesus, statement of God’s love for the world to our existence today that Canada needs Jesus just as much as the first century Palestinians needed Jesus. 

Canada needs Jesus because we as Canadians are enslaved by sin. Humanity was created with original righteousness, which then became slavery to sin after the incident in the Garden of Eden. This action affected all of Adam and Eve’s descendants — including present-day Canadians — their cultures, and even the physical world around them [I have written about that here]

Humanity’s story is one of repeated rebellion. From Adam and Eve to Noah, from Abraham’s family to Israel’s kings, Scripture records God’s faithfulness alongside humanity’s repeated failure. Canada is not unique in this respect. Like every nation, we need a Saviour.

It doesn’t get much better in the New Testament. Everyone trying to get it right whether it’s Jesus’ disciples, or the early churches — in whatever city you would like to choose. 

Canadians aren’t much better. In fact, in a recent survey, Evangelicalism was sometimes perceived to be more damaging than beneficial. Coupled with that is the church’s active participation in the Indian Residential School System and implications for us today. And looking inside the church itself we face questions such as How do we hang on to the next generation?

Christ Is the Quintessential Human

Oxford defines quintessential as: “representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class.”

the Scriptures are pretty clear that Jesus is a representative of humanity. This is clearly discussed in Paul’s epistle to the Romans. In chapter 5, he talks about these two atoms. He talks about Adam from the garden of Eden as being the first atom. And it’s because of this atom that sin came into the world and that laid to everyone having to die. Because while we were in Adam, we send. But then we also read about the second ad which is Christ. And it’s this Christ that brings salvation to the world — “If humanity died as the result of one person’s failure it is certainly true that God’s kindness and the gift given to the kindness of one person Jesus Christ have been showered on humanity.”

The first Adam represented humanity in the fall into slavery to sin and the second Adam, or Christ, represents humanity in their freedom from that slavery and their restoration back into a right relationship with God.

In some ways, this may be even saying that there are two quintessential humans both of them, Adams in somewhere and other. Adam being the first Representative of humanity at Christ being the second Representative of humanity, but the one who transforms that humanity into a redeemed and saved humanity.

As the Quintessential Human, Jesus Connects with Every Culture

If it’s indeed true that Jesus is the quintessential human that means that Jesus, as that quintessential human has something to say to every culture of the world. This means that just as Christ was able to enter the world of the Jewish man in the first century so too Christ can enter the world of the twenty-first century Canadian human. To be a representative of this quintessential person—to be the second Adam for us as Canadians.

And of course, this applies to every other culture of the world as well—

Filipino,

Vietnamese,

Georgian,

Russian,

Ukrainian,

Kurdish,

Azerbaijani,

and Iranian.

Jesus Clearly Connects the Here and Now with the Not Yet

If Jesus, as the quintessential human, can connect with every culture of the world, that means that he actively connect the hero now with the not yet. Philippians chapter 2 famously speaks about Jesus, leaving his life as a rumour of the universe, taking the form of the servant becoming obedient and showing us what it’s like to be a true human. But in that action, he also connects this world with the world to come.

When I was growing up, my primary understanding of salvation was, will I go to heaven when I die or will I go to hell? It was a primarily future post death scenario. I didn’t expect to experience the joys of salvation until after I had died.

The reality is that Salvation isn’t just something to wait for until after we die. In John 8:1–11, Jesus meets the accusers and the woman where they are and tries to connect them to the gospel through the things that he says. He encourages the accusers to reflect upon their own lives and sinfulness. He encourages the woman by reminding her that she no longer needs to be a slave to sin, but that she can find a new way of living.

In John 9:1–12, people assume the man is blind because of personal sin. Jesus says that’s not the way to look at this man’s problems. Rather blindness serves as a reminder that we too may be blind but it’s OK for us to approach the light of the world who can illuminate us and who can give us sight.

How can we move beyond the question “If you were to die tonight, do you know where you would go?” because I would suspect that this is no longer the primary relevant question for Canadians. People are more concerned about daily needs. How can the church move beyond merely presenting hope for the future by providing hope in the here and now?

A question instead is what does Jesus offer to Canadians in the hero now even as we wait for the not yet?

Jesus Offers Illumination

If Jesus is the quintessential human can connect with every culture of the world, and if he can connect the here and now with not yet, it also reveals that Jesus can offer illumination for us to see the path we must follow in our life. This illumination is not nearly offered to those who are Jesus followers. It’s also an offer that Jesus himself makes to everyone in the world who is seeking illumination. Who is seeking enlightenment. Who is seeking direction for the path set before them.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I AM the light shining on this dark world. The ones who walk with me will not stumble in the darkness but will have the light that gives them life.”

I think it’s significant that here is one of the instances in the New Testament when Jesus directly identifies himself with Yahweh, the God of the people of Israel, who first revealed himself by this name when he offered to freedom from Egypt. When Jesus said those words, I am, he was signalling to his listeners that that God of salvation from your history is here with you today and is offering you salvation here and now.

In the context of Canada, it leads us to ask some questions: 

How does Jesus illuminate Canada?

Is the church illuminating Canada too?

Does the church live out the values of the kingdom?

What happens if the church hasn’t been successful? Can reconciliation happen?

Jesus Speaks Truth in Culturally Relevant Ways

If Jesus is the quintessential human, if Jesus can connect with every culture in the world, if Jesus can connect the hear and now with the not yet, and if he offers illumination to the world, that means he also speaks truth in culturally relevant ways. Is able to take this universal truth and reality that God loves the world and to distil that down into ways that understandable applicable, relevant in each culture of the world.

John 8:17–18 — “Your tribal law tells you it takes the word of two people to know the truth. So then, I speak for MYSELF, and the Father speaks for me also.”

John 8:28–29 — “When you lift up the True Human Being on the cross, then you will know that I AM who I say I am…”

I’m sure Jesus could see his listeners getting agitated as he kept referring to himself with that name I am. But Jesus continues with that because he knows that those that that name is culturally significant to his listeners. He wants to get his message across. He wants to speak as the one with ultimate authority into the lives of those people living in Palestine in those early days. So we continue using this name I am. Of course we know that it’s true. We know that Jesus himself is the great I am.

Which leads to the next questions on Canada Day: 

How do Canadians determine the truth?

What truth does Jesus represent?

Does the church understand how to determine the truth?

For example, in the Philippines we:

• Consult the Bible.
• Negotiate with family.
• Ask advice from experts.
• Follow the teachings of various religious congregations.
• Reflect on matters and draw our own conclusions.

Is this the same process that Canadians would follow or would there be something different from this? What’s clear is that determining truth is not always the easiest thing to do is it?

Jesus Says He Is the Only Option

If all the previous things are true. If Jesus is the quintessential human, if Jesus can connect with every culture in the world, if Jesus can connect the here and now with the not yet, if Jesus offers illumination to the world, and if Jesus speaks the truth and culturally relevant ways, that means that Jesus is pretty unique. Jesus stands alone. Jesus stands apart from all of the other people saying they have the answer.

And Canadians are looking for the answers aren’t they? In some ways there’s a vast divide perhaps not even one divide but several divides as people think about the best path forward for Canada. What’s the best way is it to look back at some of the values we remember from when we are child and try to return to those? Is it to question everything that we’ve experienced in the past to see the injustice that have happened and so come up with a new path moving forward? Is it a combination of the two? Is it something completely different? It’s complex isn’t it?

Jesus understood the complexity of this and embrace it. His claim was that he was the only option. We see this in John 8:23–24 — “You are from below and belong to the ways of this world. I am from above…”

That’s a rather cryptic way of him saying I’m the one you people need.

And this touches on a truth that we see through the whole length breath and depth of scripture. That is that the Gospel is political. God wants no rivals. He wants to be the one to rule. And that’s not because of some ego trip that God is on. No it simply because he rules with love he has our best interest at heart. He doesn’t want to condemn us, but wants to save us. Therefore, he is the only logical choice for who we want to rule our lives, our nation, and the physical world around us.

More questions than answers:

How does Jesus serve as the way for Canadians?

Does the church point a clear way to that Jesus?

Jesus Says He Is Ultimate Reality

In John 8:58, Jesus States is true identity in a way that was immediately understood by those who were listening to him, and in a way that clearly declared who he was claiming to be. His statement “I was there before Father of Many Nations was born—for I AM” so infuriated his listeners that they wanted to kill him because Jesus was claiming to be ultimate reality. His earlier uses of the phrase I am were just circling around the concept without coming out and stating explicitly who he felt he was.

There is no ultimate Canadian.

But if there were, it would be Jesus.

Questions for the Canadian Church

Why did God rescue Israel from Egypt? Exodus 2:23–25 gives us the exact reason — “After a long time passed, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites still groaned because they were slaves. So they cried out, and their cries for help went up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the Israelites being oppressed and was concerned about them.”

Did you noticed those four concepts? God heard their calls for help, God remembered his promises, God saw the oppression, and God was concerned about them. 

I think we can say the same thing about Canada. God hears, God remembers his promise, God sees oppression, and God is concerned about Canadians.

How does Jesus exemplify this for Canada?

What is Jesus hearing from Canadians?

What is Jesus remembering about his promises to Canadians?

What oppression does Jesus see in Canada?

What is Jesus concerned about for Canadians?

How do we—as Christ’s body—exemplify this for Canada?

For some reason, God and his wisdom shows humans to be the messengers, bearing the good news of Jesus Christ as a ruler, two live out and teach the values of his kingdom, to love him, and love their neighbors, and to testify to the truth. That means these actions of God in hearing, remembering, seeing, and being concerned are also our actions towards the world around us.

What are we hearing from Canadians?

What are we remembering about Jesus’ promises to Canadians?

What oppression are we seeing in Canada?

What are we concerned about for Canadians?

The Right Choice for Reaching Canada

At the end of all of this, we are forced to make a choice about who we think Jesus is. After Jesus made his claim to be the great I am the people listening to him had two choices. One choice was to pick up rocks and start throwing them at him. The other choice was to submit to him as the great I am.

I always love Mark 8 where Jesus conducts a poll among his disciples as to who they think he is. I don’t think Jesus was surprised by any of their answers, so perhaps he’s asking the question so that it’s a catalyst for their them to think about it.

Here is the account from Mark 8:29–30:

“‘But who do you say I am?’ he asked.

‘You are the Chosen One!’ Peter answered.”

From this point on we see something different in scripture I think. Whereas prior to this Jesus was always saying don’t tell a whole lot of people about what’s going on. But after this, he no longer warns them to be silent. In fact, he commands them to be noisy!

Acts 1:8 “Instead, set your hearts and minds on the Holy Spirit, who will give you strong medicine when he comes. You will then tell my story in Village of Peace, in all the Land of Promise and High Place, and then to the farthest parts of the earth—to all languages, tribes, and nations.”

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is not a line of identity but a line of how far the good news extends. Can we say the message Jesus brings is good news for Canadians or not? Does Jesus have something to say to twenty-first-century Canadian lives? If Jesus brought God’s presence into a first-century Jewish community; If Jesus drew near to those in first-century Jewish society who were on the fringes; If Jesus was able to show his humility in a way that was understandable to first-century Jewish society; And if Jesus was able to proclaim good news to first-century Jewish society; 

That means that we can be God’s presence in twenty-first-century Canadian society. That means that we too can draw near to those in twenty-first-century Canadian society who are far from him. We too can show humility in twenty-first-century Canadian society. We too can proclaim good news in ways understandable to twenty-first-century Canadian society.

As a flawed human who is a slave to sin, I cannot be all that is needed for Canadians or any other national churches. I need to look to Jesus for that because only Jesus can truly be a human in any of these contexts.

So, when I say that Jesus is the quintessential Canadian, this is what I’m talking about: Jesus has a voice that Canadians need to hear today.

The one who is the Ultimate Reality is also the one who emptied himself. This is why Jesus can make himself known, be present, be powerless, and proclaim the good news in a way that is understandable to Canadians.

Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash