Friday, October 2, 2015

Not Your Homeboy

"And who do you say that I am?"
—Jesus

A few years ago I used to see t-shirts or bumper stickers that said, "Jesus is my homeboy."

No, He isn't.

He is not your homeboy, your homie, your dawg, your co-pilot, your boyfriend, or your cool buddy. He is not your private genie in a bottle, who will give you your every wish. He is not your divine Santa Claus.

Jesus Christ is the Lord God Almighty!

He is the Lamb of God. He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings. He is the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, and the Savior of the world. He is the Righteous Judge. He spoke the entire creation into existence. He holds all things together by the Word of His power. He is seated on His Heavenly throne and is coming back to earth on the clouds of Heaven, in power and great glory, to judge a Christ-rejecting, sinful world, and to put down all evil, perversion, and corruption.

But today so many portray Him as some kind of laid-back, limp-wristed, surfer dude, who will excuse and wink at all their evil doings, giving them anything they want. I've heard people say he is "a cool guy to hang out with."

Not long ago I heard a Seattle pastor say of Jesus; "You have no idea who you're dealing with!"

What message did Jesus began His ministry with?

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)

Jesus commanded His disciples to go make disciples. He didn't send His followers out to try and make Him "cool" to the world.

Study the entire New Testamentthrough the end of the Book of Revelation. Look at all the sayings of Jesus. What He taught. Who He said He was. What He did for us. And what He is coming back to earth to do at His Second Coming. Jesus is revealed from Genesis through Revelation. 

Get to know the authentic Jesus.

When you represent Jesus to the world, make sure you represent Him as He is, as His Word says He is. Not according to the whims, slogans, or feelings of this twisted, corrupt and perverse culture. 

I am especially appealing to all young followers of Christ today: Preach the real Jesus, and the entire message that Jesus and His disciples preached. Not the watered-down, false message of this fallen world. Jesus does not need you to try and make Him "cool" to the world. He needs you to make Him known.

Amen.

“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen!” (Revelation 1:7)



God is Love and Love Never Fails.