The Real Jesus

My two take aways:

• How many people see the beauty of the real Jesus because of the ugliness of His followers? Pfft.
• The real Jesus doesn't want or need gatekeepers.
• If you are marching to some kind of victory over people, you are not marching in the Jesus-march.

I cannot speak for our church's pastor, but I believe he began the current series we are in at Christ Community Chapel,  which is looking at the fruit of the spirit, because of this same premise...

Christians (me, you, we) often don't act like Jesus... don't love like Jesus... don't have joy like or through Jesus... don't have peace like Jesus... don't show kindness or patience like Jesus...  instead, we play 'gatekeeper', like Greg Boyd points out in the video sermon above.

We are so jacked up. Aren't we? And, of course, I think I am way less whacked than you. { That's a joke. Just in case you don't 'know' my ways yet. }

Random thought, since I don't have a pastoral pedigree...

You know what would be pure awesomeness? If the politicians and media morons - regardless of which side of the aisle they call home - that claimed to 'follow Jesus', acted like Jesus. Not through their moral convictions (which I am not saying are wrong or 'bad')... but through the way they treat, love, and speak about and to other people.

Do you realize how much we - you and I - formulate our own opinions and beliefs based on political stances (which, of course, impacts our words, actions, and how we treat other people) versus the teachings of Jesus and through allowing the fruit of the Holy Spirit - which we should have as Christians, right???? - to work in us and through us?

Can you imagine the failure of Jesus here on earth had he acted like us?

After all, if you are marching to some kind of victory over people, you are not marching in the Jesus-march... whether you are a politician or a pastor... or some measly blogger like me.