One of THE most overused phrases among Christians today is, “I just want to be more and more like Jesus.” HOLD ON—I am NOT saying that is something bad…it’s just that I don’t think that some people have a CLUE what they are talking about when they say those words!
People from a churched culture grow up with a “safe” picture of Jesus—he had feathered hair, wore a white robe with a purple sash, was a constant giver of hugs and carried a lamb where ever He went.
However, in reading Scripture that is NOT the Jesus I am seeing. I am discovering that if I want to become more and more like Jesus that I am going to have to drop my Sunday school perceptions and embrace the following…
#1 - Jesus Is A Warrior King!
Check out Revelation 19:11-16…never seen a picture of THAT in a Christian bookstore. One of my favorite stories is found in Matthew 21:12-16 where His passion is demonstrated by the fact that He whipped some tail! I am sick and tired of people saying that a Christian is always nice…a Christian is someone who is passionate for the things of God—which requires some table turning from time to time.
#2 - Jesus Purposefully Offended The Religious!
Keep something in mind—it wasn’t the atheists, agnostics or even the devil worshipers that murdered Jesus…but rather THE most religious people in that time period. Why? Because He was nice? NO! Because He…
- Healed on Sunday…which in their mind was SINFUL! DON’T MISS THAT—these people MISSED a MIRACLE because it did not fit into their formula…and they considered Jesus “wrong” for doing what He did!
- He hung out, even touched lepers…which was a no-no in that time period.
- He went to a tax collectors house for a meal…which was a social declaration!
- He went off in Matthew 23…calling the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs, sons of hell and snakes!”
Jesus was NOT concerned with making the religious happy—He was dangerous, on the edge—that’s who Jesus was!!!
#3 - Jesus Did Not Get Inward Focused!
Like it or not—Jesus didn’t go to a bookstore, get a theology book by a dead white guy, get a group of guys together that were just like Him and give the world the middle finger because He was obsessed with “going deep!”
If I meet one more group of guys who think they are becoming more like Jesus because they are theological superior to people (which, by the way, is PRIDE!) but do not know a lost person by name or refuse to exercise their spiritual gift…and yet claim to be godly…I am going to punch them in the throat! (For everyone who just got mad about that—please refer to #2!)
#4 - Jesus Offered Forgiveness, Not Condemnation!
Check this out…the people Jesus WAS nice to were the broken, the poor, the outcasts, the prostitutes…those whom society had thrown away! He didn’t yell at them! He didn’t look down His nose at them. He didn’t sit in a church pew and wonder, “Why are they here?” He offered them forgiveness—something that MANY churches today simply do not do!
You know what I mean…someone goes through a painful divorce and they are pushed out. A teenage girl gets pregnant and the other mothers in the church forbid their “angels” to hang out with her. I’ve seen it…so have you…and it ticks me off! Jesus NEVER told them their behavior was ok; in fact, He preached repentance…but He did not condemn them!
# 5 - Jesus Was Passionate About Obeying His Father!
Jesus had a passionate desire to obey God…He recognized His Father as the absolute authority on this planet…and went to the cross and gave His life as an act of obedience and worship.
Pastors will say that God reigns and is sovereign…and then they will back down before a board of deacons or elders because they fear them more that God. If you are going to be like Christ—obedience, not prostitution (being paid to perform a service) is required.
#6 - Jesus Had A Vision To Reach People!
I read on a website once that a vision could not be numeric…and I will have to say that I about threw up! Jesus had a desire to reach the NATIONS! (Matthew 28:18-20) Now I am not the smartest man on the planet…but that’s a lot of people.
Jesus said in Acts 1:8 to reach the ends of the earth—that’s a lot of people!
Jesus told three parables in Luke 15 about something lost being found…and then said the angels in heaven rejoice when people cross over the line of faith.
If Luke 19:10 is true…and there is a church out there that does not care about reaching people…I simply say you need to check your heart because hell is hot! Seriously—HOW could someone NOT care about people stepping over from death to life?
#7 - Jesus Was Not Normal!
Jesus, in His teaching and mentoring tactics, was different!
He taught with authority…He told stories…He didn’t go line by line, verse by verse through the OT…He used modern day illustrations…He connected with the hearts of the people…and they GOT IT!
He was not normal in who He surrounded Himself with—He didn’t go for the religious professionals but rather men who were crazy enough to believe and follow Him. He didn’t fit in with the religious system of the day…and they killed Him for it! (But He had the last laugh!!!)