Children have a way of asking the most thought provoking questions. You know---those that actually require a parent to stop, think, and answer with clarity. The other night, my youngest son, Riley, asked me a question that caused me to stop--ponder. "Mom" he says, eyes wide, staring back at me, "Is Jesus our brother?" "He's closer than a brother". "We'll what does that mean", he asks--squinting his eyes in confusion. "He's our Savior, sent to pay a debt that we ourselves could never pay." After that answer I realized that he was more confused than ever. After much more explaining, he got it. The entire exchange with my son about who Jesus was--and is brought questions to my own mind of how we--people--individuals-- view who He really is versus who we've made Him out to be in our own minds...how we've fashioned Jesus as a mere "relative", one of the guys in the group just like us--made in our own image. We see Jesus in the scriptures reaching out to the untouchables--sitting with sinners--challenging the Pharisees and Sadducee's, He's the one that the religious hated and the "least" of these loved!What we've done in our churches/seeker sensitive churches to make Jesus cool--more appealing--to those rejected by the religious, church folk (those professing Christ but looking nothing like Him) is paint a picture of a loving, rebellious, going against the grain, tolerate of all sins, man that requires nothing but to love others and treat others with respect--the way everyone wants to be treated.
What people have done in the world to make Jesus cool--more appealing--to those rejected by the religious, church folk--is paint him as tolerate, loving, one of the guys, non-judgmental, caring to all, requiring nothing in return, but accepting of all that we do, because He is the man who made the "least of these" first, and the religious the last!
A friend of mine said it best "Jesus doesn't offer options for people to consider, He issues commands for people to obey." Luke 5:31-32 Jesus makes it clear why he came, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
Jesus calls us the way we are, in our sin..where we are, but he calls us to repentance--to turn from our sin. If we profess Christ we must admit that we are sinners, dead in our trespasses in need of a Saviour to rescue us. How have so many missed the mark? How have so many gotten it wrong? It's easy---we love who we think He is--and dismiss who He really is because dying to self is the hardest thing any of us will ever do!
To truly accept Christ means looking yourself in mirror and truly seeing the "you" for who you really are--in need of a huge make-over from the inside. He is the son of God sent to do the Father's will, not ours. Following Christ will cost you. Christ requires change!
