I'm Bringing Jesus Back
(with apologies to Justin Timberlake)
by Keith Giles
Let us stop making Jesus in our own image. Let us embrace the Jesus who washed feet, and turned the other cheek, and forgave his torturers. Let us lay aside the false "Kick Ass Jesus" who could beat us bloody in a full-contact Ultimate Fighting Tournament (See Mark Driscoll quotes).
Let us put away the cash-minded, wealth-obsessed Jesus who wants us to be rich and embrace the Jesus who urged his followers to sell everything in order to get the Kingdom.
Let us burn our "Wild At Heart" books with the gun-slinging, bare-knuckled adventurer Jesus and go back to the Red Letter Jesus of the Gospels who was "Mild At Heart" and loved people until it killed him.
Let us lay aside the Republican Jesus who seeks to give us political power instead of leading us to love our actual neighbors, no matter who they vote for.
We need to stop making the version of Jesus we are more comfortable with and accept the Jesus who makes us uncomfortable and asks us to love and forgive and share like no one has ever seen before.
Those who mock Jesus for turning the other cheek have never realized how much strength and courage it takes to actually fight your own flesh and allow Jesus to crucify your ego for the sake of others.
I'm bringing Jesus back. Who wants to join me?
-kg
"May the tame God of relevance be replaced by the God whose very presence shatters our egos into dust, burns our sin into ashes, and strips us naked to reveal the real person within. The Church needs to become a gloriously dangerous place where nothing is safe in God's presence except us. Nothing-including our plans, our agendas, our priorities, our politics, our money, our security, our comfort, our possessions, our needs."
- Mike Yaconelli
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7 comments:
I'm just wondering if you've read any of the material that you bashed. You used some cliche phrases from and completely out of the context they were used in...
Yeah I read vintage jesus, I read Wild at heart - and what how you referenced those books in no way relates to the author's perspective.
That's a travesty.
I think if you're not offended when Mark Driscoll says:
"There is a strong drift toward the hard theological left. Some emergent types [want] to recast Jesus as a limp-wrist hippie in a dress with a lot of product in His hair, who drank decaf and made pithy Zen statements about life while shopping for the perfect pair of shoes...I cannot worship the hippie, diaper, halo Christ because I cannot worship a guy I can beat up" but you're offended at what I've just written about getting back to a Biblical Jesus who doesn't fit our American culture then we're just doomed to see things differently.
As for the "Wild at Heart" reference, I have to say I have read that book and I do not agree with the version of Jesus he represents. I believe in a "Mild at Heart" Jesus which is what we see in Scripture, not a mountain-man, kill and skin a deer Jesus.
I guess that's just me...?
kg
I prefer to not worship any imaginary characters.
I'll pass on the "new and improved" deity, or son-of-deity.
Non Credo Quia Absurdum
Chris,
Interesting. So, you're of the opinion that no one named Jesus ever lived in Jerusalem and inspired the New Testament writings or the Christian church?
Have you studied history? I'm curious where you think all of Christianity came from, then?
Typically, World Religions are inspired by actual, living people. There is an Islam because of Mohammed. There is a Buddhism because there was a guy named Buddha. There is a Judaism because of Abraham and Moses, etc.
This is why we don't worship Peter Pan or Paul Bunyan - because we recognize the difference between fictional characters and historical figures.
We can, of course, debate whether or not the religions or teachings are valid or important but I think arguing that Jesus never existed goes against logic, history and even non-Biblical, Roman and Pagan historians who affirm that Jesus did live and die as the New Testament affirms.
Still, you're free to believe whatever you like.
Blessings,
Did "a jesus" live in Jerusalem, son of a carpenter, put to death for crimes against the state? Sure. Maybe. Probably. Maybe not.
Was same "jesus" of virgin birth, died and rose again?
No.
Look, it comes down to faith/ belief. You do, with no evidence and I don't with no evidence. But the burden of proof should lie with the people who make assertions in the first place.
We don't worship Zeus or Neptune anymore so religion evolves as well.
aloha
During our last attempt to listen to a message by Mr. Driscoll, (many years ago now...), we were treated to a tirade against the "hippy" Jesus, and that was the last thing we did that had any interaction with that guy or place....
It baffles me how someone can make a charicature out of the Jesus who forgive those who crucified Him, and still call Him Lord! It makes me think of the two thieves hanging on either side of Him...
Which one mocked Him, deriding Him for not coming off the cross and smoking everybody there? Which one confessed His sin, repented, and went to be with Jesus in paradise? It's a good think for all of us that Jesus didn't pull a Schwartzeneger when faced with the cross....
Daniel
Fantastic post. I am now following your blog because of your well-argued and highly articulate writing. None of the previous comments should even be on here. It seems to me that you are being attacked by Satan himself, leading me to believe that your words, and heart, are true. You are correct that we should embrace the Jesus of the Bible. We are too caught up in making Jesus over to be acceptable to the masses, at the expense of what the Bible actually tells us about Him. Keep the faith, you are doing exceptionally well.
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