Jesus' Greatest Attribute

For some time now, I have been in pursuit of the real, authentic Jesus. The one I read about in the Bible.

I've tried to put my own notions aside and rediscover this incredible man.

I've compiled a list of some of my discoveries as I've tried to read the Bible a new way.

See, when you read an email, book, or newspaper, sometimes you miss the flavor of an incident or conversation. Without all the context, you can easily miss a grin, a playful jab, or a subtle undertone.

I've started listening to really great book by John Eldridge called Beautiful Outlaw. So far, as I listen, his book so captures the Jesus I have discovered myself when I remove the religious haze that so clouds the real Jesus.

Here are some of the characteristics of Jesus that make me love him so much;

Funny,

Fierce,

Playful,

Compassionate,

Understanding,

Unassuming,

Humble,

Imaginative,

Driven,

Intentional,

Cunning,

Patient,

Kind,

Wise,

Huggable,

Approachable,

Non-manipulative,

Creative,

Unintimidated,

Brave,

Powerful,

People Lover,

Passionate,

and most of all...very human.

But my favorite characteristic of Jesus; Knowable.

Jesus came to be one of us so he could know us and we could know him...intimately.

Not a Deity on some far away throne, but God with us.

Emmanuel. In every sense of the word.

Our church culture has put Jesus in a box called religion and has put him on such a high pedestal, no one can reach him.

That's not Jesus.

Jesus was and is totally approachable and knowable.

"We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. John 1:1-2

As we approach Christmas this year, embrace the humanity of Jesus. He walked, sweat, was dirty at times, smelly at times, got tired and hungry, shared laughter, pulled pranks, got angry (at the religious), cried, was moved... He felt every emotion as we do.

Yes, he is fully God, but he is also fully us.

RP

If Jesus Could Choose Me, Would He?

I remember in my formative years the trauma of picking teams. Somebody would be in charge of picking captains and the captains would gaze through the crowd of possible choices and carefully craft their team with one and only one ambition in mind. Win baby!

If you were one of the first picked, all was cool. If you were in the middle, you could at least find strength in the fact there were others worse than you. And as the crowd dwindled, the remaining choices were assessed on who would do the least harm.

First it was school, then on to Prime Time!

Church camp.

Tribe drafting at Sharon Bluff Bible Camp was the all important event on the first morning of the week and it was absolutely critical to one's self esteem... for years to come, I might add. Each of us, to this very day, remember with exacting clarity where we fell on judgement day.

I remember as a junior camper looking in awe as the 'big boys' were picked first. Wow! To be one of those lucky guys. I also remember the pain of being picked toward the bottom and the ache in my soul for the last one picked.

It was my senior year of camp. John McCrory had first selection. The boys and girls were lined and John had first choice. Who was going to be 'el numero uno'? Who was going to be considered the best choice to win the all important Sharon Bluff Camp tribe title? John made his choice. Randy Payne!

The crowd roared in excitement. And John etched his name in stone as my all time favorite tribe leader. (Actually John was that before the pick, he just iced it then.)

That was only time I can ever recall being chosen first.

For anything.

Now, I'm not a horrible athlete, but I'm certainly not elite. I was never great at Bible drills like Lyman, Tim or Becky, but I could hold my own. I guess John saw something in me that made him choose me first. It was a glorious moment, to be sure.

As I entered the work force, however, something was different. I discovered I could work circles around anyone around me and thus I found my way to earn big points.

Staying late.

Performing well.

Accepting responsibilities.

And that's the way it's been for me.

I work. And I work hard.

I have earned many accolades in my work.

But the problem is, I brought that 'work' into my relationship with Jesus.

I figured Jesus wouldn't choose me or want me on his team strictly on my own merit. I knew the real me and all my disgraceful acts. I needed an edge. Something that would get his attention so he would notice that I was worth the risk. Alas, I fell back on my old favorite and began working really hard for Jesus.

It's what I know. So it will work with him too, right? If I play guitar really well, or give to someone in need, or give way more than 10%, or say all the right words in church or...

It was a charade. The harder I worked, the more I felt I had to do.

It was so crippling.

It's what our enemy wants. He wants us consumed with doing for Jesus instead of being with Jesus. You know... that whole Martha thing.

But, this is not new. People for a long time have tried to find God through works. They even asked Jesus about it.

Then they asked him, What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this; to believe the one he has sent." John 6:28-29 NIV

Jesus made me uniquely and loves me uniquely. And his greatest desire for me is to be his friend. He delights in me for me. And no amount of good deeds has any effect on his love for me. What he requires is my faith. He does the rest.

"Draw close to God and God will draw close to you" James 4

RP

The Crazy Generosity of Jesus

Jesus was hanging out with some friends at a wedding party. And I do mean party. During the party, probably around midnight, the party hit a snag. No more wine.

Mary comes over to Jesus and explains the problem. Jesus' response was one of love yet with a touch of correction.

"Dear woman, that's not our problem. My time has not yet come."

I love His mother's response.

"Do whatever He tells you."

Apparently she had already seen Jesus do some crazy stuff. She already knew He could perform miracles. Why else would she say "Do whatever He tells you"?

And you can just hear the pride in her voice.

Oh how she loved her son.

So, Jesus being the generous person He is, began showing His incredible generosity.

Sitting close by were some jars used for ceremonial washing.

Did you get that? Ceremonial washing.

These were nearly sacred in the eyes of the Jews.

Watch what Jesus does with this 'sacred' items.

"Fill each with water."

They did.

"Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies."

They did.

Apparently Jesus knew a little something about making wine.

The MC said it was fantastic!

Let's give this story a little more understanding.

There were 6 jars each holding 20-30 gallons each.

So that's 120 to 180 gallons.

Now a bit more math.

A bottle of wine has about 25 ounces.

A gallon has 128 ounces. That's about 5 bottles per gallon.

So that's between 600 and 900 bottles of Premium Grade A hooch.

The party must have went on all night.

Think what you want, I'm just reading the facts.

And the fact is Jesus is wildly generous. Over-the-top so.

Let's recall an early encounter Jesus had with Simon (Peter), James and John.

Jesus was preaching and the crowds were so into it, and pressing Him so closely, He had to get into a boat to have a little elbow room. It was Simon's boat.

After Jesus was finished speaking he asked Simon how the fishing was.

"Lousy!"

"Ok. Let's go a little deeper and we'll catch some fish" (John 2)

I'm sure Simon was a little incredulous.

He was the resident authority.

After all, he was the fisherman and the only thing he knew about Jesus was He that gave a great speech. But Simon did as Jesus requested, if nothing else to prove a point.

And what happened? More fish than they'd seen in their lives!

Generous.

And what about the five loaves and two fishes?

All ate until stuffed... twelve baskets left over.

Generous.

And the times Jesus was exhausted, but He saw the crowds and had great compassion on them and healed and healed and healed....
Generous.

And after the resurrection when the boys were out fishing all night and caught nothing. Again.

Jesus told them the 'try the other side'.

153 LARGE fish.

Generous.

That's how they knew it was Jesus. His over-the-top generosity. It was His trademark.

The Bible tells us Jesus lived His life only doing what He saw His Father do and that Jesus is the exact representation of God.

If Jesus was crazy generous, what does that say about His Father...

And His Father is our Father.

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 NIV

RP

A Customer of Church?

So, I was in Walmart the other day buying some salad dressing for a salad my wife packed in my lunch.

When I got up to check out I was immediately annoyed by some lady talking on her cell phone during check-out.

You know the types... you see 'em all the time.

Talking on their cell phones while driving...

ordering fast food...

at the grocery store...

The cashier said nothing to her, that is, while she was standing there. As soon as she was out of range she described in no uncertain terms how rude she was.

I, of course, agreed and piled on.

I said, "Yeah, in our society we worship the customer so the retailer won't say anything to 'those' kind of people."

See, businesses won't risk the potential loss of revenue by drawing lines in the sand when it comes to appropriate etiquette. They are so afraid the 'competition' will get the money instead.

Sound familiar?

After kinda mulling that whole event over in my mind, I came to a realization.

The American church treats people like customers rather than treat them like lost souls in desperate need of a Savior.

That's not the way it's supposed to work. Like my friend Tim York said after floating this realization past him. "We look at what we can get 'out' of them rather than what we can 'offer' them.

Think about how we have everything set up.

We want a great worship experience...

Cool decor with great atmosphere....

Awesome video and powerpoint...

Flow...

A warm greeting...

Programs, visions, strategies...

All for what? A bigger church.

To what end? uhmmmm I'm afraid to answer that one.

And where does it get us?

People leave one church, for whatever reason, in search of another like shopping for a new pair of shoes.

Paul said this.

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10 NIV

Ouch!

Makes me want to weep and repent in shame.

Of course I want to be "...all things to all men so that by all means some might be saved".

But where do we draw the lines?

I mean, c'mon. Enough already.

Jesus said "If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me."

Where is Jesus in all this?

Did I leave Him behind like his mom and dad did in Jerusalem thinking He was in our company?

Programs are great and all but they are just programs without the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sermons are just lectures without the power of the Holy Spirit.

Worship is just noise without the power of the Holy Spirit.

Elders are just leaders without the power of the Holy Spirit.

I need to decide who it is I'm serving...and to what end.

Do I seek to please Christ or do I try to please a 'consumer Christian'?

I know what I want.

I want to be a Spirit driven leader who desires to please Christ first.

Everything else will follow.

Priorities.

RP