Jesus is very popular in America.
Most, if not all, Christians think Jesus was a great guy. So do most non-Christians. Even many atheists, while denying His divinity, will agree that He was an amazing teacher, a great moral man, and did a lot of good while He was here.
To be sure, Jesus was and is an amazing man. He is my personal hero. He embodies everything I want to be, and if I can live my life 1/100th of what He did, I will consider my life well-lived.
The problem is- Jesus wasn't popular.
In the gospel of John, chapter 7, Jesus says this, "The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil."
Jesus was not just talking about His words. His entire life was a testimony to the evil of this world- the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, the sexual immorality that was so prevalent, the lack of forgiveness, the selfish materialism that ran rampant in the culture, the political corruption, the lack of concern for the poor, and the denial of God in everyday life. The world could not stand Jesus because He was a mirror- when the people of the world saw Him and His life, it showed how evil and selfish they truly were.
Evil and selfish people don't like it when they see themselves for who they truly are.
Just as people who are facing bankruptcy hate the sight of a bank statement (because it is a reminder of their true position), this world hated the life Jesus led. The life Jesus led was a constant reminder of the depth of their sin and disbelief. He was a burr under the saddle, a pebble in the shoe, a grain of sand in the eyes to a world that wished it could just live however it wanted, anytime, anyplace.
That's why they killed Him. That's what the world does to people it hates.
The point is that if Jesus is popular today in America, it's because people don't know who Jesus is. The Jesus that is popular in America today is a Jesus that falls in line with what America values. However, just as Jesus refused to fall in line with the cultural values of His day, the true Biblical Jesus doesn't fall in line with the cultural values of this day either. He continues to command that we surrender our lives to Him. He continues to teach that all of our resources- our homes, our cars, our money, our possessions- are really His and therefore He determines how they are to be used. He continues to teach that you can't serve both God and money. He continues to teach that we care for the poor and invite the blind, the sick, the crippled, and the lame into our homes with no expectation of repayment. He continues to command that we go into all the world, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching everyone to obey everything He commands.
But the kicker is that He continues to teach that He is the only way to the Father.
I wonder if America really would like this Jesus. Looking at the list above, I really don't think that Jesus would be very popular here, because the things listed above certainly don't seem very popular in our culture today.
Jesus' testimony and life were powerful enough, and annoying and dangerous enough, to get Him killed. Jesus said that His followers could expect the same treatment. Christians, if our values and actions are being applauded by those that don't know Jesus, we probably aren't living as Jesus did.
Popularity is achieved by not offending people, by having a message that everyone likes, and by telling people what they want to hear. Jesus fulfilled none of those requirements. He offended people daily. His message was rejected by most. He refused to tell people what they wanted to hear- instead, He told the truth.
The myth of the popular Jesus needs to be exposed for what it is. A myth. Christians like me have to realize that Jesus was not popular, nor were His actions and beliefs popular. Therefore, mine won't be either. I have to realize that what I teach and preach, if I am being Biblical, will leave more people upset than happy. I have to realize that stands I take will be increasingly out of step with what is politically correct and easy. I have to realize that this world will hate me, just as it hated my hero.
That's tough. Like everyone, I want to be liked. I want to be approved of. I don't like to cause conflict. I'll bet Jesus, in His human nature, was that way too. However, He subordinated those to the will of His Father and to the truth. If you are a Christian, you have to as well. Whatever you do, don't buy into the myth of the popular Jesus anymore. Discover the Biblical Jesus and follow Him.
Most, if not all, Christians think Jesus was a great guy. So do most non-Christians. Even many atheists, while denying His divinity, will agree that He was an amazing teacher, a great moral man, and did a lot of good while He was here.
To be sure, Jesus was and is an amazing man. He is my personal hero. He embodies everything I want to be, and if I can live my life 1/100th of what He did, I will consider my life well-lived.
The problem is- Jesus wasn't popular.
In the gospel of John, chapter 7, Jesus says this, "The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil."
Jesus was not just talking about His words. His entire life was a testimony to the evil of this world- the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, the sexual immorality that was so prevalent, the lack of forgiveness, the selfish materialism that ran rampant in the culture, the political corruption, the lack of concern for the poor, and the denial of God in everyday life. The world could not stand Jesus because He was a mirror- when the people of the world saw Him and His life, it showed how evil and selfish they truly were.
Evil and selfish people don't like it when they see themselves for who they truly are.
Just as people who are facing bankruptcy hate the sight of a bank statement (because it is a reminder of their true position), this world hated the life Jesus led. The life Jesus led was a constant reminder of the depth of their sin and disbelief. He was a burr under the saddle, a pebble in the shoe, a grain of sand in the eyes to a world that wished it could just live however it wanted, anytime, anyplace.
That's why they killed Him. That's what the world does to people it hates.
The point is that if Jesus is popular today in America, it's because people don't know who Jesus is. The Jesus that is popular in America today is a Jesus that falls in line with what America values. However, just as Jesus refused to fall in line with the cultural values of His day, the true Biblical Jesus doesn't fall in line with the cultural values of this day either. He continues to command that we surrender our lives to Him. He continues to teach that all of our resources- our homes, our cars, our money, our possessions- are really His and therefore He determines how they are to be used. He continues to teach that you can't serve both God and money. He continues to teach that we care for the poor and invite the blind, the sick, the crippled, and the lame into our homes with no expectation of repayment. He continues to command that we go into all the world, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching everyone to obey everything He commands.
But the kicker is that He continues to teach that He is the only way to the Father.
I wonder if America really would like this Jesus. Looking at the list above, I really don't think that Jesus would be very popular here, because the things listed above certainly don't seem very popular in our culture today.
Jesus' testimony and life were powerful enough, and annoying and dangerous enough, to get Him killed. Jesus said that His followers could expect the same treatment. Christians, if our values and actions are being applauded by those that don't know Jesus, we probably aren't living as Jesus did.
Popularity is achieved by not offending people, by having a message that everyone likes, and by telling people what they want to hear. Jesus fulfilled none of those requirements. He offended people daily. His message was rejected by most. He refused to tell people what they wanted to hear- instead, He told the truth.
The myth of the popular Jesus needs to be exposed for what it is. A myth. Christians like me have to realize that Jesus was not popular, nor were His actions and beliefs popular. Therefore, mine won't be either. I have to realize that what I teach and preach, if I am being Biblical, will leave more people upset than happy. I have to realize that stands I take will be increasingly out of step with what is politically correct and easy. I have to realize that this world will hate me, just as it hated my hero.
That's tough. Like everyone, I want to be liked. I want to be approved of. I don't like to cause conflict. I'll bet Jesus, in His human nature, was that way too. However, He subordinated those to the will of His Father and to the truth. If you are a Christian, you have to as well. Whatever you do, don't buy into the myth of the popular Jesus anymore. Discover the Biblical Jesus and follow Him.
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