Relevant Jesus

Have you noticed how hard Jesus came down on the religious?

Like in Luke chapter 11 towards the end, Jesus gives a distressed proclamation focused to this people group.

Jesus even goes on to say, "Woe to you (religious people) because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."

Jesus insults.


A while back I was in a meeting full of pastors from around the place I live. A topic had been brought up dealing with who and what kind of pastors would be allowed to be in this little group. The discussion had gone on for quite some time and standards were made which would limit who was allowed to attend our meetings.

Who was left out?

Homosexual pastors
Pluralistic pastors (those who believe there are multiple ways to God besides Jesus)
Buddhist Monks

So here you have a group of people leading congregations who are excluding other leaders who don't have it all "figured out."


In the past year I have become extremely sensitive to the places in scripture where Jesus confronts, challenges, and insults the religious leaders. Being a pastor, I have a responsibility to observe the instances where I act like just another religious leader, and the places I act as Jesus has taught.

I'm finding out that if one thing is for sure, I don't have things figured out. I'm finding that the more I study and the more that I seek, my self seems worlds apart from God. I'm finding that the more I live, feel, think, and even breathe like Jesus; the harder it is and the shorter I fall.

I don't have things figured out.

Grace.
Mercy.
Love.

I thank God for his extension in reaching to me where I am, and where I fall short. Everyday I desire to live more in tune with God by continuing to follow the ways of Jesus. I am so thankful for this grace.

By excluding pastors who don't have it all "figured out," is the group somehow saying they do have it all "figured out?"

Its the sick that need a doctor, not the healthy.

At what point do we as followers in the way of Jesus, feel we have the right to stop extending grace to others? At what point do we say, "forget mercy," and continue to exclude the people who may need us the most?

May we, in every second of our life, continue to let Jesus teach us the difference between up and down. May we learn the ways of Jesus so that in every moment, our center is focused on doing things God's way and not our way. May we extend grace to others because of our thankfulness to God for extending his grace to us.

Spectrum

I find this interesting: the degree to which the diversity of Christianity reaches.

On one side, Christianity contains teachers such as Joel Olsteen who teach a health and wealth type Gospel. The other side contains the likes of individuals such as Shane Claiborne who give up everything to become poor for a mission of reaching out to the "least of these."

Where do we turn with such a broad range of Christians?

The Civil war brought about two sides (the Union and the Confederate groups) who thought God was with each of them. They both prayed, praised, and believed they had God's favor.

What do we do with this?

Health and wealth vs. social justice

Union vs. Confederates

Even in Christian denominational circles, there exists critiques of "other" denominations not doing things the right way.

Ghandi even once said he wasn't so sure of Christians, but he was quite fond of their Christ.

Jesus said something like this: "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." (John 14:23-24)

As individuals who are disciples of this Jesus, we must stay true to His teachings. Our faith in Him encourages us to walk, live, speak, act, pray, and even breathe in His way. Ultimately, somewhere deep down inside us we know that His way is better than our way.

When religion can seem to pull us apart, Jesus (his life, his teaching, his death, and his resurrection) unites those who place their faith and trust in Him.

May the spectrum of Christians prod you to be more and more like Christ. May the various colors of religious people not discourage you, but inspire you to be like your Teacher.

Exposure

Have you ever sat down to read the Bible?
If you have, have you ever had a time when it seems you feel more uncomfortable after you've read than before you've read?

Does the Bible ever mess with you?

Just the other day I opened to the Sermon on the Mount. It was one of those days when things just seemed to be going perfect.

Comfortable

I read half way through Jesus' teaching when I stopped. Something didn't seem right. The perfection and comfort I had, suddenly turned cold, stale, and lonely.

I closed my Bible and began to meditate, pray, and focus on God.

For the rest of the day my spirit hurt. I was hard on myself. I saw myself as a failure. I saw myself as a person who lacks something.

Distant

Later that night, I was read through Isaiah 6. Verses 5-7 vibrantly jumped off the page:

"Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among of people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."
"Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the alter. With it he touched my mouth and said, 'See this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.'"

It is when Isaiah is exposed to God when he realizes how dirty, how unclean, how distant the rhythm of his being is compared to that of God.

In that moment, the angel atoned his sin with a coal from the alter of God.

This Jesus

He atoned sin, canceled guilt and taught us how to live so we may begin to live in rhythm with God.

So

When we feel distant, stale, unclean, and uncomfortable; we have hope and believe that Jesus has shown us the Way.

May you continue to follow Jesus' way regardless of how you feel. May you live in rhythm with God. May the scriptures continue to mess with you, humble you, and make you realize your dependency in Jesus. May the comfort and perfection you feel in yourself dissolve away as you expose yourself to the living God.

The Way

Do you ever wonder what God is like?

Sometimes I'm left wondering what to do with this God who created everything around me. The stars seem so far away and so far removed. The scale of creation seems so big and yet I'm left trying to understand what God is like. Doesn't He feel so far away? So big I can't get a hold of Him? So great that I don't know how to relate to Him? I'm left pondering the age old question: "What is God like?"

Here are some ways people say this:
"The nature of God"
"The rhythm of God"
"In line with God"
"The glory of God"

The Psalms continuously describe different aspects of God.

Pick one.

Read it.

Find how God is described.

Like in Psalm 19:

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for
the sun,
which is like a bridegroom coming
forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to his
course.
It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul.
the statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are sure
and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.
By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great
reward.
Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
May the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

So we read and read and observe what (in this Psalm the author is David) David said.
But what do we do with this?

Do you believe in Jesus?
Does Jesus live in your heart?
Are you living in Christ?

It seems so easy to answer yes to these questions.
But what do these over-asked questions even mean?

Jesus instructs us to obey his teachings. [Matthew 28:18-20, John 14:23-24]

What are Jesus' teachings?

Think.

Is the Jesus you've learned about and understand come from the scriptures (the gospel), or from some others lips? Is the Jesus you've learned a stereotype or stigma produced by other people? Does that version of Jesus reflect the same Jesus the gospels reflect?

May you look to understand what God is like by looking at Jesus; the things he did, taught, and instructed. May you live your life with a belief in not only His death and resurrection; but with a belief in everything He was/is and stood for. May an uneasiness come over you to be a true disciple, a true learner of this Christ. May the pulse of your being beat to the rhythm of God.

May the cross represent "The Way" of Jesus to us all.
May the cross confirm what God is like.