"The Real Jesus Christ"
"The greatness of God is most clearly displayed in his Son. And the glory of the gospel is only made evident in his Son. That's why Jesus' question to his disciples [in Matthew 16] is so important: "Who do you say that I am?"
The question is doubly crucial in our day, because [no one is as popular in the U.S. as Jesus]—and not every Jesus is the real Jesus. …
There's the Republican Jesus—who is against tax increases and activist
judges, for family values and owning firearms.
There's Democrat Jesus—who is against Wall Street and Wal-Mart, for
reducing our carbon footprint and printing money.
There's Therapist Jesus—who helps us cope with life's problems, heals
our past, tells us how valuable we are and not to be so hard on ourselves.
There's Starbucks Jesus—who drinks fair trade coffee, loves spiritual
conversations, drives a hybrid, and goes to film festivals.
There's Open-minded Jesus—who loves everyone all the time no matter
what (except for people who are not as open-minded as you).
There's Touchdown Jesus—who helps athletes fun faster and jump higher
than non-Christians and determines the outcomes of Super Bowls.
There's Martyr Jesus—a good man who died a cruel death so we can feel
sorry for him.
There's Gentle Jesus—who was meek and mild, with high cheek bones,
flowing hair, and walks around barefoot, wearing a sash (while looking very
German).
There's Hippie Jesus—who teaches everyone to give peace a chance,
imagines a world without religion, and helps us remember that "all you
need is love."
There's Yuppie Jesus—who encourages us to reach our full potential,
reach for the stars, and buy a boat.
There's Spirituality Jesus—who hates religion, churches, pastors,
priests, and doctrine, and would rather have people out in nature, finding
"the god within" while listening to ambiguously spiritual music.
There's Platitude Jesus—good for Christmas specials, greeting cards,
and bad sermons, inspiring people to believe in themselves.
There's Revolutionary Jesus—who teaches us to rebel against the status
quo, stick it to the man, and blame things on "the system."
There's Guru Jesus—a wise, inspirational teacher who believes in you
and helps you find your center.
There's Boyfriend Jesus—who wraps his arms around us as we sing about
his intoxicating love in our secret place.
There's Good Example Jesus—who shows you how to help people, change the
planet, and become a better you.
And then there's Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Not just
another prophet. Not just another Rabbi. Not just another wonder-worker. He was
the one they had been waiting for: the Son of David and Abraham's chosen seed;
the one to deliver us from captivity; the goal of the Mosaic law; Yahweh in the
flesh; the one to establish God's reign and rule; the one to heal the sick,
give sight to the blind, freedom to the prisoners and proclaim Good News to the
poor; the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.
This Jesus was the Creator come to earth and the beginning of a New
Creation. He embodied the covenant, fulfilled the commandments, and reversed
the curse. This Jesus is the Christ that God spoke of to the Serpent; the
Christ prefigured to Noah in the flood; the Christ promised to Abraham; the
Christ prophesied through Balaam before the Moabites; the Christ guaranteed to
Moses before he died; the Christ promised to David when he was king; the Christ
revealed to Isaiah as a Suffering Servant; the Christ predicted through the
Prophets and prepared for through John the Baptist.
This Christ is not a reflection of the current mood or the projection
of our own desires. He is our Lord and God. He is the Father's Son, Savior of
the world, and substitute for our sins—more loving, more holy, and more
wonderfully terrifying than we ever thought possible."
Kevin DeYoung, "Who Do You Say That I Am?" from his DeYoung,
Restless, and Reformed blog (posted 6-10-09)
Now my question for all of this week is, "Do I see Jesus for who I want him to be or for who he really is? We will start with that question on Sunday.
For the journey...
Tim