Beer, Cigarettes, and the Kingdom of God

I was invited to a 311 concert the other night with a good friend from church. The opening act was Matisyahu, and I couldn't pass up. I was first introduced to Matishyahu when I heard him on the Edge music station in Dallas about a year and a half ago. It was one of those driveway moments: you're listening to a song, you pull up into the driveway, but can't turn off the car because you're too caught up in what's going on with the radio. I couldn't believe my ears that day when I heard a Hasidic Jew rapping to reggae on my alternative radio station.

He was talking about the kingdom of God in a lucid, clear way reminiscent of the sayings of Jesus. "Lord, raise me up," "I want Mesiach now," and "King without a crown" are phrases in his lyrics. They speak clearly of the alternative world that God is setting up in our midst. He sings with passion and hope for what God is doing in and through Israel.

I saw him do his business for 50 minutes last night on the Smirnoff stage. At the beginning of the set, his fans were close to the stage. About halfway into the set, the band left the stage, and Matis began beatboxing with a microphone and about 70 speakers surrounding him. It was unreal, and at that point, he caught the eye of all in the stadium. If they didn't know who Matis was before, they certainly knew him now.

He spoke about the yearnings of Israel, to be light to the nations, for the God of Israel to save his people and redeem them. He spoke of how our souls are thirsty and that there's only one source in our world that can fill it. He spoke about the kingdom of God. And folks took long drinks from their overpriced beers ($8 for a 16oz!!) and breathed in deep from their cigarettes. I couldn't help but think at how God goes about getting in front of people.

I hope that his message will connect with people and draw them closer to the true Fountain of Life. We have a name for such a Fountain--Jesus, himself a righteous Jew from the Holy Land who caught the attention of the people. I wonder if Jesus ever laid down a beat box session with his peeps....