| Jesus Follower |
| Jesus Follower |
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As a Christian, I often think about what is a 'good' Christian. I think it's natural ... that's how we do everything else in our lives. Try to be a good person, help others, attend church and pray. Not too fancy or anything. Of course, if you listen to most of the sermons, that is not quite good enough. And so follows a string of quotes from somewhere in the Bible, and another Sunday sermon moves on into ever more complexities. I look around at the other Christians, and they don't seem to be too concerned. Thinking about Sunday lunch? Christian living is somehow integrated into American middle-class life in the early spring, Sedona Arizona USA. I thumb through the gospels. They're easy to find and Jesus is the red writing. It would be interesting if the other writing were also color-coded. But I mosey through Jesus' words, not knowing if those are his 'exact' words or not. He didn't speak greek. His instructions seem uncomplicated and appealing. Something most people yearn for. His disciples questioned him on why he used examples and stories to teach with. He said that, for his disciples, he had more. Oh great. Don't tell me they didn't write it down. But I like the Jesus teachings. Personally I think they are the most difficult to achieve. One Thursday afternoon, I was 'teaching' class (more like traffic-control through the passages!). I was amazed at the 'reign of the heavens' in Matthew. I so easily imagined the new world Jesus was talking about and who would be there. Jesus was pretty picky. The list wasn't long but it wasn't easy either. After I finished going over the list, I asked the little 'class' what they thought. Jesus was divinity come down to earth. You just couldn't get closer to God than that. An older gentleman spoke up smiling and said 'Well, you know things changed after that. There was more.' I was truly shocked. Jesus is in competition with "the apostles"? Of course, Paul did say he chatted with Jesus. So maybe Jesus was just doing the 'introductory remarks'? I think as the early church consolidated, created 'bishops', and eventually 'popes', Paul was the teacher of choice. Marcion especially liked him. Paul kept the parish'ners 'in-line'. Plus Jesus was jewish. And it's hard to organize with Jesus sayings. Today, the western way of thinking favors Paul also. He thought like us. Or we think like him. And so the broad majority of sermons bounce between Paul and the Old Testament. What happened to Jesus? In Sedona, the little town 'shuts down early'. On Wednesday night Bible class, it becomes quiet outside as the sun slowly goes down. The red rocks first softly redden and then darken. We were studying Ephesians (apostle Paul). As we read the verses, my mind sort of twists and turns at the complicated words. What was he talking about? Why such strange words? Word pictures that probably the greeks and jews of the time loved. At the end of class, the pastor mentioned the idea of 'mature' Christians. They learn to 'go to Jesus' (instead of expecting everyone else to solve their problems). Go to Jesus? Like in the Gospels? No ... just pray to Jesus. Oh, that's easier. I really don't think middle-class Americans are prepared to 'follow Jesus'. Definitely not what you read in the gospels. What is even more mysterious, is that the gospels were likely written well after Paul. As if to remind people. I sometimes think about camels and then needles. Camels seem pretty big. I don't think one could even fit in my house. And for sure not through a tent making needle. But us well-off folks consider the possibility, hoping Jesus meant that being well-off 'might' get you to heaven. Yeh, right. I observe the muslims and their fanatical behavior. Why in the world do they act that way? Mohammad and the Quoran? Goodness. But at work, I also notice people toiling day after day to improve the profits of their companies. They work evenings when no one is there to be impressed. They work for the success of their team and their families. When they go home, their minds are 'still at work'. Is this fanaticism? In the military, the men say they 'fight for each other'. Death is a choice, when the unit is in danger. Fanatical? I sometimes surmise that Christians made a bargain long ago. They traded Jesus (the reign of the heavens, and a driven life) for 'normality'. I suppose, to be realistic, you couldn't build a church if everyone were too 'driven' and potentially 'fanatical'. And the Christians did observe jewish fanaticism and the complete destruction of their country by the romans. It was during the days of Paul. Lesson learned. But, it's just hard to believe divinity would be satisfied with rationalizing. Maybe I expect more of God than I should. We do know that some of the early Christians really got 'wound up' ... lived out in the desert and tried to live their beliefs. Of course their beliefs were a bit strange. And today, we find their remains in the dust of time. What was it good for? Truthfully, the gospels look a lot like a 'sect guidebook'. At least you'd have to be a member of a 'sect', to follow the instructions anyway. We all know about sects. We wouldn't want to be a 'sect', now would we?? It's possible that the life of a Christian is balancing the 'driven-ness' of Jesus with the practicality of Paul? It clearly sounds attractive (and easier too!). And you do have to eat lunch after a Sunday sermon. |
| Copyright ©, 2007, dmbarnhart |
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