Radical Jesus 1: North American Sanitization

Today, and for the next few days, I would like to discuss the topic of:

1. How do we as North Americans view Jesus?
2. Who was Jesus really?
3. How do we respond to who Jesus really was?

When you are asked to think of what Jesus looked like what image comes to your head? For me, and I assume most caucasian North Americans, it is a picture of a tall white man in a white robe with a blue sash and flowing long hard and a beard. He is walking with children being nice and loving them. He is depicted teaching people, healing people, and everyone around him is similarly dressed in clean nice clothing. He is depicted as clean and loving and friendly. The famous picture of the last supper shows Jesus clean eating with the disciples, who are all clean.

How does this sanitized view of Jesus affect how we do Christianity? I think that this sanitized view of Jesus leads us to a sanitized Christianity. I feel that many churches today have this idea of sanitization permeate throughout their lives. I think of a past post regarding this sanitization. I was asked why I sat with a kid that showed up to church in a leather jacket and had tattoos. My church didn’t want to see the dirty they wanted to see the clean. If you came to church clean then welcome otherwise, go get cleaned up first.

Links:

• Post 2: The Real Look of Jesus

The Love of Church

As you know if you have been reading my blog for a while I have struggled with church attendance. In fact, I have struggled with it alot. There have been many years when I really hated going. I only went because my wife wanted to, and I wanted to make her happy. Now however I love attending church. Here is why.

Connection: In the short time we have attended our church we already feel connected to others in it. On Sunday mornings people come up to us to talk. One of the members of the church found out we snowboarded at a local mountain and called us to see if we wanted a ride one morning. The people in this church reach out to others and make them feel like family. We live far away from our family, but at Christmas we had no less that 3 invites for Christmas meals. We feel like people would miss us if we didn’t come to church.

Solid Teaching: Our pastor does not pull his punches. He calls it like it is. He encourages you to do the same. He has said from the front of the church that if we think our church is holding back the ministry God called us to then we should find a church that will support us. He also calls out the congregation on our poor behaviour. There is no below the belt at church and that is refreshing.

People work to live a real life: When you talk to others at the church you find out how they really are. They don’t just say that they are fine. At church it is possible to see people praying for others before the service over coffee. We don’t work to make sure that all perceive us as fine. People at the church air thier laundry and ask for help and prayer.

Living Life in the Community: This stems from the point above. The natural outworking of a life of honesty with those around you is living like a family. In a family you know about others because you live in close proximity. With the faith that people show in each other while sharing thier problems they live in proximity to each other. This causes a community. Walking into the church the first day you could feel love in the building. Between the kids playing during the sermon and the hugs going around, even between the men, love permeates the place.

Hacked.

Just a quick one to get some people to pray. My paypal account was accessed unauthorized and charged with lots of stuff. I am in the process of a dispute with paypal. Just pray that they are able to resolve the problem quickly. I am a student and have less than $0 in my bank account now.

Can You Tell I am a Christian?

What is it that makes one a Christian? I know there is an obvious answer, salvation. To be a Christian one must accept that the only way to heaven is through Christ and accept Him as their personal saviour. Choice makes you a Christian, the choice to follow God and make Him the master of your life. Can anyone tell that you are a Christian though? Can anyone tell that you are a child of Christ, apart from the world? Can anyone tell that you read your bible? Can anyone see the good news in your life?

• John 13:35:By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
• Romans 15:7:Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

In John Jesus tells us that people will know that we are His disciples by the love that we have for each other. Romans tells us to receive each other as Christ to the glory of God. Christ sacrificed His life so that we could be received into the glory of God.

So my question to you is this… When a person comes to your church for the first time do they see this acted out? Do they see that you are Christians by the love and respect that you have for each other? Can they feel the love in the building? If they attended a business meeting would they leave knowing about the squabbles over colour in your auditorium or how much you planned to give to missions? For those of us that are married, does your spouse see that you are living with Christ by the love and respect that you treat them with? I know that all too often I fall short of the kind of love that I should be giving to my wife.

Link Day 3

Today is the third installment of Links for Christians living. Enjoy!

• Gothiquefae’s Weblog: A great blog full of his insights. Check out his soul window for some interesting thoughts on faith.
• Audience of One: Another great site with musings on non-violence and outreach. Careful if he likes your blog you he reads fast and comments lots. A very intelligent man.
• Religion Facts: Talking with someone of a different religion and want to know more about their beliefs. Check out this site for facts on different religions.
• Symbols and Their Meaning: Ever wondered what that symbol you thought made a pretty necklace really means? Here is a place to start the search.
• Christian Classics Ethereal Library: Contains the writings of many church fathers such as St. Augustine and the Nicene Fathers. You must create an account to download local copies in different file formats, but membership is free.