Suddenly: The Future
Citroen unveiled the future in 1955. Not their idea of the future, but the future itself; the Citroen DS was a front-drive, unibody, four-cylinder passenger car designed for aerodynamic efficiency. Those traits describe 90% of the passenger cars built between 1980 and now, but only one car in 1955. It had power steering, power disc brakes, and a fully independent suspension. It was at least a decade (or two or three) ahead of its time.
Naturally, people felt a wide range of emotions at the introduction of the DS: shock, outrage, disbelief, elation. It was scandalous in that quaint, antiquated way of yesteryear, like when a Stravinsky concerto debut caused a riot in 1913. Or how people in the future will view the original iPhone: a new cell phone so radical that it dominated headlines and attracted long lines of devotees outside Apple stores.
Concertos, cars, and cell phones can all conspire to unveil the future. It’s scary. But it’s the new reality.
Jesus was the new reality when he came to earth. For everyone who had awaited his arrival, the future was now here. This included Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council:
“He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.’ In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’” (John 3:2-3)
The future had arrived. Nicodemus knew that, sort of. He thought Jesus was at least the first real prophet in 400 years, or perhaps something greater. He acts with a cautious reverence to Jesus, the newest player in the religious game of the time, and seems to wrestle with accepting the person and purpose of Jesus. Jesus cuts through the caution when he describes the total transformation a person needs before they can see and understand the new reality of grace. God gives this transformation through baptism, being born again, and the gift of faith itself. He wants people to live in the new reality of redemption by grace through faith, and to have the promise of a future with him in Heaven.
Sometimes, an unexpected future suddenly arrives in your life:
A physical disability brings a future of dependency
The death of someone you love brings a future of grieving
An unexpected pregnancy brings a future of unexpected joy yet an entirely new responsibility
When this happens, remember that God is with you. His future for you includes a rebirth. It’s scary because it’s unknown, and humans typically approach the unknown with caution and even doubt. But nothing is unknown to God. Especially not the future.
Eventually, the DS came with a 141-horsepower, fuel-injected 2.3-liter engine. Its 120-mph top speed matched its stunning looks. But the DS originally debuted with Citroen’s venerable 60-horsepower 1.9-liter engine from the 1934 Traction-avant, itself a revolutionary manifestation of the future – in 1934. It was a bit less futuristic by 1955. Nevertheless, more than 1.4 million DS models would be sold over its 20-year run. The masses could see, touch, and embrace the future.
