Thursday, June 27, 2013

Jesus would be in the bars.

     "Christians hang out with too many christians."
     "Yeah, if Jesus were here he wouldn't cake his schedule with churchy events."

     One of these quotes was thrown my way during a teaching on Sunday, the other was presented in an eye opening conversation.

      It feels good to have people around you with the same beliefs doesn't it? We all hang out and encourage one another as we walk through the ups and downs of life. What if we focused on people who don't have an excellent rage of community to build them up? The people that desire Jesus but have no idea how to manage a relationship with Him. I'm guessing that our issues would get smaller each day and our love for those people would grow, much like the mustard seed Christ speaks of. Mark 4:30-34

     During small group a few weeks ago, we were discussing how it's difficult to connect with some people that do not believe in Jesus nor follow Him. BS! We are all broken people that desire to be loved. Relate away! One of the girls made a excellent point during our conversation. She said, "I don't think it's that we cannot connect with them. We just get use to our everyday routine with our church community that we put ourselves in a bubble. And it only seems that we get farther from them, but really if we were to hang out with them, we'd realize that what they do is just everyday life for most people."

     We're the weird bubble ones here guys. Sure, be extra nice to your waitress. But why not go to a party with her? Spend time with her? Show her a human being full of love, honesty, creativity, loyalty, all the other good things God puts in you. That's what Jesus would do.

     While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were the Pharisees saw him eating with "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'? On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who needs a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Mark 2:15-17

     I'm guessing that if Jesus were here, in America during this day and age he'd be on the streets and in the bars. He wouldn't join the "fun", he would stand strong as a majestic leader over flowed with passion for His people. People would point at him with confusion plastered on their face. Then they'd ask him questions and he'd be excited to explain that their souls are not lost.

     Yesterday I saw something out of the ordinary. I was driving down a busy street and traffic almost came to a stop. I was confused because it was the middle of the day, rush hour had yet to hit. When I got another half mile up the road I saw what caused all the commotion. It was a extra large beach ball rolling down the street. It was a beautiful a scene to witness. Here is this beach ball, in a place where it does not belong. Everyone around it stopped or slowed down because of it. Their eyes were glued to it. All it was doing was what it was created to do. Filled with air, just rolling down the street. This sight reminded me of Jesus. All he did was come to earth, love and teach people about the goodness of the kingdom. He did what he was created to do. That's all.    

   Some of you may think I'm bashing the church or community and if you do, then you missed the point. I'm challenging you to do what you were created to do. Sit the the tax collectors and eat.




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