Jesus > Religion // “If Jesus came to your church, would they actually let him in?”
Posts tagged Jesus
The last six years or so have felt kinda lost and wild if you know what I mean. No religious form, not much prayer, not much bible reading, not much fellowship (a Christianese word that means hangin’ out together), definitely no church.
Yet something is stirring…
Dry ground is beginning to break open. What I thought was a wasted span was actually a time when Grace was doing its thing; working through my failings, teaching me to serve those put in front of me, showing me that my profession and my vocation are not the same thing.
Today in our house we will read a passage from Jotham’s Journey - a kid’s book that is speaking to this child’s heart. Funny, because as a child I didn’t know there was a pre-Christmas celebration called Advent (which simply means “arrival” or “coming”). Now as an adult I am in full awe of the coming of Jesus into this world, into my heart and my life.
Jesus is a disrupter, His Spirit is present - preparing the way to invade your world. Take some time as you celebrate with tree and lights, paper and bows, carols and candy to prepare your heart for his Advent.
Peace.
Life’s complexity reveals my inadequacy to understand God.
God’s sovereignty assures me of His ability to transcend my understanding.
Jesus’ humanity and suffering shows me the depth of God’s sufficiency for all of my inadequacies.
“It may continue to shock people when I say I don’t believe in the god I used to believe in and when I encourage others to clean out the falsehoods and cultural garbage that has accumulated in their own ideas of God. It may still shake up a few Christians when I admit that following Jesus makes me feel like a beginner every day and a failure most days.”
“Behind the Jesus is Here (church) sign is an expanding moralistic, culture-war religion that doesn’t look or sound at all like Jesus’ new-covenant Kingdom.”
Michael Spencer, Mere Churchianity
On a follow up to my previous post of “Things I’m Not Buyin’” here are a few of the things that do capture my heart, attention, affection (note - buyin’ in this sense does not mean I believe all of these things can be bought:-)
Jesus (His life, his death, his resurrection and subsequent work)
My family (blessed to have been married to Christina for 15 years with 2 awesome boys)
My family (aka my mom, brothers & sisters, our three dads (yes three) and our life growing up together)
My friends (there are many that I consider friends, there are a few that are my inner circle)
Eating right & good food (Thai, Sushi, Indian, Greek, Mexican - my mouth is watering)
Travel (At home & abroad)
Good music (see my Pandora profile)
Apple
Good books
Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)
My Job (I work with some great people and have a boss that cares about people)
All Arizona Professional Sports Teams and the Arizona Wildcats
San Diego
Grey’s Anatomy
Chopped
The Colbert Report
The idea that people are not labels, but are image-bearers of a creative God.
Generosity
Grace, Forgiveness & Redemption
Trader Joe’s
There are many more, but I want to hear the things that you’re into…
Is Obama a Christian? Is Obama a Muslim? How do you know? Jesus said people will know His followers “by their fruit” and if they have “love for one another”. In a land where we are free to worship how/who we want, should we be guessing at other people’s beliefs? Why is there such a fascination over this and why do people keep claiming Obama is a Muslim when he contends he is not and has said he is a Christian?
What do you think?
