Jesus—Another Dude?

"I think Jesus is just another dude," was Bryan's bottom line in our impromptu conversation.

I knew little about Bryan. But soon he was telling me about his construction accident. "I should have died," he said. This turned our conversation.

"What do you think would have happened if you had died?" I said.

With little hesitation, he responded, "Nothing."

At that moment, the words of the Apostle Paul pointed at me: "Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ…having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

I could still remember back when I was a lot like Bryan. Words like "atheist, Heaven, Hell, agnostic, and Jesus", became part of our eight-minute interaction. Mostly Bryan talked. He detailed much of his spiritual journey. The more he talked, the more I saw my former self. The one separated from Jesus.

I longed to interrupt him with my "good news" of God's love—His plan of salvation. I could talk and…"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1 came to mind.

Love would be to really listen to Bryan's life-story. For a near-stranger he was sharing to a surprising depth. How long since someone has listened? How long since someone had put down their own agenda?

He sees Jesus as merely another dude. If I act without love, he could see a Jesus-follower as just another irritating noise.

Or he could see 1 Corinthians 13:13, "Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love."

I trusted God for Bryan's soul. I slowed down and listened, really listened. With love.

God’s Providence

Nancy serves the poor---financially and spiritually. She works in one of the more challenging environments in the world. Semi-urban America. For years, her Jesus-focused ministry’s financial needs have been met solely by God’s Providence.

Telling of a recent trust-God-for-everything month, she smiled, “I’ve been praying like crazy.” Then this letter arrived from a near-stranger. Along with a sizeable donation.

“I got my recovery check from Farmer’s Insurance. It was a lot more than I had expected. So—I tithe regularly, but somehow I don’t he with mission contributions.

I don’t know why, because I greatly admire missionaries! There is aretired missionary in our Bible study. Boy! Does he have some stories. Anyhow—I’m making a contribution…

No—don’t object. Let me expand my soul a little bit. Let me help while I can. The time will come too soon perhaps when I don’t have anything to offer. I don’t have much now. I really don’t do much at church—like I did in the past.

I wish I could be there to your see face when you get this check. Bless you…Deaton”

In Corinthians 9, the Apostle Paul gives the New Testament’s most concentrated exposition on giving. A central theme is: “…for God loves a cheerful giver.”

This connects to another thread. Revealed in these scriptural excerpts: “Your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God…overflowing through many thanksgivings to God…they will praise God for your obedience….thanks be to God.”

Do you see this? The happy, God-focused giver stirs people to thank and praise God.

When Nancy saw Deaton’s check she was in awe, humbled by God’s answer to her prayer…speechless, until joyful praise of God overflowed from her heart to her lips.

The cheerful giver, the grateful recipient “overflowing through many thanksgivings to God”. Providence happened.

Just like the Bible said!

God’s Door, Window, or Chimney

“If God closes a door, He can open a window,” Richard said. And then Branden raised his hand at youth group, “And if the window’s closed, there’s always the chimney.”

I’m not sure if he was just trying to be funny, but he hit a theological home run.

The conclusion of Mark 4 illustrates the door-window-chimney concept. We find Jesus wrapping up a day of preaching from a boat just off the shore of the Sea of Galilee. He gives the command to His disciples: “Let us go over to the other side."

And then “There arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.” Jesus was back at the stern sleeping.

They awoke Him. And a door of opportunity opened for Jesus to rescue the day. Jesus could have grabbed the rudder and muscled the boat into the optimal position for stabilizing the boat. A heroic show of physical might.

Nope.

Well how about the window of mental enlightenment. “O.K. men let’s think this one through quickly. We can figure out a rescue plan.”

Nope.

Here’s the Jesus method: “And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush, be still.’ And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.”

Do you think anyone in the boat said, “You know what, that’s exactly what I thought He would do.”?

I’ve been through my share of storms and challenges during my twelve years as a follower of Jesus. Repeatedly, when the big ones blew in, ones capable of crushing me, the rescue plan was off my radar.

I can relate the Disciple’s response: “They were in absolute awe, staggered. ‘Who is this, anyway?’ "

This is Jesus. Expect the unexpected.

Firing the Boss

They should pay me more.”

“I need to make more money.”

It can get annoying hearing this kind of gripping all the time at work. And does complaining help? So I’ve come up with a solution. Fire the boss!

Step one is to determine which boss to fire. For me there’s a significant hierarchy looming above. Jackie is department manager. John is next up the ladder. And there’s also Angie, Joe, Heather, Tim, Dave, Thomas, Archie, and all the way up to Lee.

He’s CEO of this gigantic corporation. So does he have a boss? Well actually, he kind of does. It would be the stockholders. And they’re into the stock market for one reason—money.

So I’ve concluded from my analysis, money runs the whole show. As it has been said, “If you want to see where the power is, follow the money.”

Jesus said, 'You cannot be a slave of two masters; you will hate one and love the other; you will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
When the central theme/focus of our work-life is the money we earn; this is the master, the boss. And money is not a good boss. Almost always, when “Money” is the boss, his ever present partner tags along. His name is “Worry.”

Now Jesus goes on to say: 'This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive or about clothes for your body... Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren't you worth much more than birds?”

Who’s your boss? “You cannot serve both God and money.”"

Don't Ignore Andrew

Sixteen-year old Andrew was instantly likeable. He offered to volunteer for some heavy moving after my friend Brandon made a quick call.

His work ethic and attitude also impressed me. And then afterwards, as we sat at McDonald’s, told me something else which peaked my interest.

One Sunday, with no invitation or prompting from anyone, Andrew visited the church a block from his home. How many teenagers would do that?

I asked him, “So why did you decide to go to church?”

Andrew answered, “I just wanted to see what it was like.”

“What did you think of church?” I said.

Andrew responded, “It was kind of like the first time I heard Spanish.” He said it made little sense to him. I asked if he knew anybody or if anyone spoke to him. “No,” Andrew said, “I was just sort of there.”

He never returned.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “You seem to me to be well-motivated and well-instructed, quite capable of guiding and advising one another. So, my dear friends, don't take my rather bold and blunt language as criticism. It's not criticism. I'm simply underlining how very much I need your help in carrying out this highly focused assignment God gave me, this priestly and Gospel work of serving the spiritual needs of the non-Jewish outsiders so they can be presented as an acceptable offering to God, made whole and holy by God's Holy Spirit.”

What’s he saying?

People inside the church are excellent at communicating and teaching each other. But there’s a higher calling! Our job, assigned from God, is to get the outsiders to be insiders— followers of Jesus.

Bottom line: we’ve all ignored strangers and missed opportunities to serve their spiritual needs. Outsiders are looking for Jesus. Are we looking for outsiders?

Giving Jesus a Try

“I tried Jesus,” Tashia said.

I was concerned. She seems nearly devoid of any spiritual life. She confirmed my inkling: “It didn’t work out.” And Tashia, my cousin, whose sons are like my sons, wasn’t giving much gusto to her commitment.

Not all her fault. She had been enticed to follow Jesus with skewed expectations. Near-instant upswings in her life situations were assured. So, when life continued to be challenging, she bailed on Jesus.

Many preachers lay out the peace-prosperity-happiness scenario in presenting the Christian faith. But listen to Jesus:

“You will be hated by all because of My name.”

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

“A man’s enemies will be the members of his household.”

“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross …”

“If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you”

Ouch! Does this sound like Good News? Does this sound like an effective rallying call to a lifetime Jesus-commitment?

Jesus never preached, “Let the good times roll.” He preached, “Repent for the kingdom of God is near.”

Hated, peace-less-ness, enemies, deny yourself, persecuted, repent. Raise your hand if this is what you desire.

The Jesus-life has two edges. Yes, there will be joyous times—lots of them. But be prepared for the cross-cutting of life-challenges. Be prepared; these could surpass those of your pre-Christian years. Jesus wants followers who are totally committed to trusting in Him—bold, faith-filled, enduring commitments.

Jesus said: “In this world you will have trouble.” That’s a promise. Then Jesus added, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” When we follow in His footsteps, we experience troubles. And as we continue the journey, we overcome.

That’s a promise.

Theology Check

"God’s hand was upon it,” I told Bea. I was excited about an incredible auction I had won on eBay. I was thinking: “God answered my prayer from the night before.”

Now Bea is quiet. When she does speak, I listen. She pondered my excitement and then she said, “Was God’s hand upon it, if you hadn’t got the great deal?”

Deflating my bulb of exuberance wasn’t her intent. It was kind of a Pontius-Pilate-moment, when he asked Jesus, “What is truth?”

“Check your theology,” Bea added, “I check mine all the time.”

She made a significant and valid point. If I would have lost the auction, which would have been the opposite of what I prayed, there’s no way I would have told Bea, “God’s hand was upon it.”

The pattern we typically follow is: if something turns out the way we think it should, it’s good. It’s God. Yet it’s more difficult to see situations which seem totally opposite our desires and expectations as good. As God.
So what is truth? Theology check time.

Standing there talking to Bea, I cited James 1:2, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trails of many kinds.”

Pure joy...come on now, how many Christians actually do this?

Yet God has a reason for trials. A preacher I greatly appreciate, said, “Don’t waste a trial.”

This is why. Listen to the next two verses: “Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

God knows, and so do we; going through a rough spot in life is one of God’s most effective tools in maturing us as Christians. Refining us.

“Consider it pure joy…” When God is molding you into being more Jesus-like.