I was going to do a talk today entitled “The things I hate about Christianity”. I changed my mind.
Then I got a text from a friend who is on holiday and had visited a world famous church that I shall not name. She was still a bit shaken up by the message which said that the gospel was good news for the rich and that if you were poor and could not afford your tithe, do not worry, just pay by credit card!!!!!! How did we get to this????!
I read Philip Yancey’s book, “What’s So Amazing About Grace” and his story of his friend iin the gay church having evangelical Christians shouting abuse and spitting at them for being gay. A friend at university told me that if he found out that someone was gay, then he would beat them up. He genuinely believed that this was what God would have him do. How did we get to this?!!
I heard recently that a guy I had known had told my friend that if someone was really a Christian, then God would not allow them to suffer at all. She was shocked and asked what if someone was raped or physically attacked. His response was that they could not really be “saved” then. How to we get to this????!
I love Jesus.
I really love the real Jesus.
I just don’t get how someone can read about that Jesus in the Bible. The one who loves the lonely, cares for those for whom no one else cares. The one who challenges the religious people again and again and again. The one who serves and serves. The one who removes burdens from people – and criticises the pharisees for doing the opposite. The one whom, we are told in 1 John, defines love.
Many commentators say that Jesus actually took the word “agape” and used it in a way that it had never been used. He redefined the word. It is not found in the same context iin any other Greek writings. The definition he gave it is shown by how he lived, served and died for us. That is agape.
That is the real Jesus.
I love this Jesus.
This Jesus doesn’t shout at people. This Jesus doesn’t abuse people. This Jesus doesn’t turn people away. This Jesus is good news for the poor. This Jesus does not need your money. This Jesus doesn’t beat people up beause they don’t agree with him. This Jesus does not point at the oppressed and say, “its your own fault for not trusting me”.
This Jesus defines love.
This Jesus is amazing.
So, I ask again, how did we get to this?!
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