| Be Like Jesus |
| Tuesday, 06 February 2007 | |
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1. Get baptized by the craziest guy in town. 2. Say and do things that are guaranteed to make religious people want to kill you. Repeat again, and again, and again, and again, and again and don't stop unless forced. 3. Do amazing things for people and ask them to not tell anyone. 4. Hang out with the most despised, marginalized, looked down upon, and shunned people you can find. 5. When possible, forgive and restore people, even if they betrayed you. 6. Live in a way that provokes gossip. 7. Win the most grace competition. 8. Keep the party going.9. Serve people (note: nose plugs may be required). 10. If you're sad cry. 11. Empower people to do the extraordinary. 12. Act like a rock star in a 13. Radically simplify theology. 14.Break human-made religious laws. Repeat consistently. 15.Prioritize the most important over the important. 16. Let women with questionable backgrounds pay your bills. Set as favorite Bookmark
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Comments (55)
 
A good reminder that the search for respectability might actually be at odds with the call of Jesus upon our lives.
Another possibility: Answer tricky questions with even harder ones...Matt 22:17-21 (http://www.biblegateway.com/pa...ersion=51;) Mark 11:27-33 (for example) http://www.biblegateway.com/pa...ersion=51; 1 report abuse
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February 06, 2007
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Gary,
Very true. Thanks for your additions. 2 report abuse
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February 06, 2007
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Wonderful stuff John- I'll be sending folk over here to take a look....
Love the last one!  - those teeth again!3 report abuse
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February 06, 2007
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Sally,
Thanks for sending people over. Glad you liked the last one  4 report abuse
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February 06, 2007
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John - I guess I'm not as like Jesus as I'd like to think! Challenging stuff and a reminder that we need boths words and action and not just words.
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February 07, 2007
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Wow! Will definitely refer back to this at times when I feel self-righteous!! (or down, or "sorry" for myself . . etc.) Good stuff, John.
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February 07, 2007
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What's not to love about Him?
 Thanks for the perspective and the reminder. Once again, I feel vindicated...and like I've got a great friend in high places.  7 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Excellent!
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February 07, 2007
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Great list!
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February 07, 2007
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John,
I absolutely love this! You have described him so well. Be like Jesus: * Actually care more about what is true and right and good than you do about what the self-proclaimed experts say. * Have a beer, then a second one. * Be normal, not religous. * Be courageously willing to demonstrate your love for others. * So trust God to rescue people that you don't feel compelled to run around spouting off predictable relgious language. * Accept that God can be at work in the lives of those who do not know the lingo and have not followed the prescribed methods (note: most of the time, Jesus did not say, "Hey, just believe in me!" Rather, he spent time with them, almost expecting that they would be drawn to faith . . . whether they knew it or not!). Great thoughts, John! Carmen 10 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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John,
More random thoughts on . . . Being like Jesus: * Oppose the status quo. * Point out the harmful tendencies of the religious (but do so in a way that demonstrates that you are not bitter but rather angry at those whose ways misrepresent God and hurt people). * Expect, as Jesus did, that living in a fallen world will always make you susceptible to hypocrisy. (What makes him amazing is that he never succumbed to this, but others often did, which is why he warned them/us.) * Do most of your teaching/leading/caring outside of the prescribed environments (synagogue, church, etc.). * Reject the secular-religious dichotomy by treating all of life as the place where God works and spiritual things occur. * Allow everyday experiences to guide your approach to ministry–tell stories, draw from your environment and culture, etc. * Be bold on things that matter, but always be driven by genuine love for God and others. * Allow truth to shape you instead of treating it as an easily understood commodity that you shape. Remember, even Jesus grew in wisdom and stature. Obviously, so can we! * Honor Scripture by allowing it (and not necessarily our formulations of it) to be God’s voice in your life. * Be cognizant that God is and that he is here! * Join Scripture to life and life to Scripture, allowing both what God has said with what he is saying to permeate your thoughts and life. Carmen 11 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Brodie,
Yeah words and actions. I sometimes think personality-wise we tend to major on one and minor on the other. 12 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Georgia,
Thanks for stopping by and for your comment 13 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Webb,
What's not to love about him indeed  14 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Jamie,
Thanks! 15 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Adam,
Appreciate it 16 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Carmen,
Love your thoughts as well. Thanks for adding to this! 17 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Carmen,
Wow! I love your second list even more. Don't be bitter--be angry--ha! Oppose the status quo--that's one of the things that most inspires me about Jesus. At risk of falling into the trap you mentioned with "emerging types" in your comments on my last post--I think the emerging missional church is seeking to do this. 18 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Nice, now let the clergy know this! LOL
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February 07, 2007
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Steve,
Only if you help me out I'll start with myself. I like the drawings on your site. 20 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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I really enjoy the way Jesus lived His life. It gives me hope that when everyone that "matters" is having little secret meetings about me and my actions of love and grace, that I am actually accomplishing the purpose of my journey! Well, Slowly but surely anyway. I often have to take a Guinness Pit Stop every now and then to rehydrate!!
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February 07, 2007
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John, Your words are like a lightening bolt to me that reveals the immense chasm between conventional Christianity (being a good church member) and the life that Jesus lived (and calls us to live.) How can we begin to close the gap as individuals and as church leaders?
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February 07, 2007
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Michael,
I'm sorry to hear that your having to deal with that kind of stuff. Keep living like Jesus and have a Guinness for me 23 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Glenn,
How to close the gap? Geez, that is the million dollar question. Two main things that come to mind: 1. Don't look back waiting for others to come along. Start moving forward. 2. Don't play the expectation game, even if it causes great personal sacrifice. 24 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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What does it mean to be committed to living life like Jesus?
It means confronting manipulation, deception, injustice, cruelty, distortion and lies whenever and wherever, just as he did. It means confronting the kingdoms of this world, the realms of oppression, of bloodshed, of corruption, of death, just as he did. It means hurling into breaches, stirring up winds of change and storms of protest. It means being prepared to die for a principle. It's not about 'going to heaven' or having a warm and fuzzy, monastic-style 'relationship' with Jesus. It's not about retreating into a cosy, introspective gnosticism. And it's not exactly easy... 25 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Vynette,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It's definitely not easy. 26 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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John,
Great post! Think I have to read it a few times... 27 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Rainer,
Thanks for the encouraging feedback 28 report abuse
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February 07, 2007
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Blessings John,
I was moved by this post and have shared it on my blog page for my readership. I hope you don't mind. It is timely for me also, since I am attending an Alpha course at my church on Christian Living based on the Jesus's "Sermon on the Mount". 29 report abuse
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February 08, 2007
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Asabagna,
Thank you for your encouragement, and for mentioning this on your very interesting blog. I love the Sermon on the Mount. How's the course? 30 report abuse
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February 08, 2007
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To be like Jesus means . . .
1. Being misunderstood by the people you thought would understand you most. 2. Connecting with those who, according to the religious gatekeepers, are “outsiders.†3. Taking your cues from an authority that often goes unnoticed by the religious elite. 4. Being so intertwined with truth that it oozes out of you. 5. Realizing that sometimes the things that matter most to the people matter least to the big shots. 6. Recognizing that sometimes orthodoxy will appear in orthodox garb, while heterodoxy will ironically appear in orthodox clothing. 7. Running up against dark forces. 8. Experiencing power that is greater than dark forces. 9. Doing and saying things that attract normal folk but frustrate the abnormality of Phariseeism. 10. Knowing that, whatever the current struggle, God is in it with and through you. 11. Being able to look through Golgotha to glory. 31 report abuse
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February 08, 2007
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Oops . . .
With # 6 above, I intended this: 6. Recognizing that sometimes orthodoxy will appear in UNorthodox garb, while heterodoxy will ironically appear in orthodox clothing. 32 report abuse
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February 08, 2007
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Born to be w-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ld! Very good post.
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February 08, 2007
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Carmen,
I take it this one has opened your imagination Really like your thoughts here. 34 report abuse
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February 08, 2007
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Bryan,
Thanks 35 report abuse
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February 08, 2007
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I like you blog ... good stuff. Thanks for letting me drop by.
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February 09, 2007
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Thanks John - this is a fun post, highlighting things about Jesus which don't always make it into sermons!
Yet as you showed, they're all there in the Bible. I kind of think there are a few things Jesus did which it's best if I don't do. Like call my friends "Satan", my Mom "Woman" and turn over tables at church. But I probably won't get to them if I'm busy concentrating on the things which it seems like a good idea to do. 37 report abuse
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February 10, 2007
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There is a lot to ponder here. As a "how to" manual this will only get us into more unnecessary trouble. Jesus is not a paradigm that we follow. Rather, He represents the very air that we breathe. If these characteristics are simply natural outcomes of the Spirit's work in our lives, then, let's go!!!
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February 10, 2007
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Really good way of challenging people's pre-conceived ideas of Jesus.
One thing that always interests me is when Jesus preached on the 7 woes... because in my experience the behaviour he is describing as wrong is very typical of priests and clergy. (Matthew 23) God bless N 39 report abuse
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February 10, 2007
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Hi Trey,
Thanks a lot for stopping by, and for your encouragement! 40 report abuse
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February 10, 2007
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Helen,
Yeah, it probably isn't a great idea to call friends 'satan' or Mom 'woman'. But do I have to give up the table turning thing too? 41 report abuse
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February 10, 2007
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Colin,
I see it as an observational/relational look at Jesus. These are the things that the Twelve observed--and much more. At the least I think they should shape us. 42 report abuse
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February 10, 2007
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Nick,
Yeah, what to do when we see ourselves reflected in Jesus' woes. Ouch. 43 report abuse
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February 10, 2007
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John, if God tells you to turn over tables far be it from me to tell you not to ;-)
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February 10, 2007
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Helen,
Thanks 45 report abuse
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February 10, 2007
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Very "inspirational" - if only "Christians" would actually take the "revelation" of your profound words and "apply" it to their daily lives. (Me included.) Think how we could change this world of ours.
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June 22, 2007
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Paul,
Thank you very much for your encouragement. We could truly change the world if we were more like Jesus. By the way, can I encourage you to blog more? Just spent a little time reading and you have great stuff there! I thought your latest post http://peej0e.blogspot.com/200...-part.html was excellent. 47 report abuse
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June 22, 2007
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WOW! This rocks my world. Thanks!
yours in the struggle, max 48 report abuse
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July 05, 2007
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John this is wonderful...I linked to it on my blog today...
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August 09, 2007
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Max,
Thanks for the encouragement 50 report abuse
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August 09, 2007
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Carrie,
Thanks! I appreciate the link 51 report abuse
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August 09, 2007
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How about Step away from Temple and onto the street for ministry...and not stand seperate from the needy, the destitute, the prostitute and the beggar..go TO them and touch them and show them they are loved...
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August 10, 2007
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Carrie,
Great thoughts. Thanks for sharing 53 report abuse
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August 10, 2007
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hey john just checking out your blog. LOVE this post! i am going to link to it on the refuge blog, if that's okay.
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November 06, 2007
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Hi Kathy!
Thanks for dropping by, and sorry about getting the wrong guy as your husband in the other post! Thanks for the encouraging feedback on this post. I'd love if you linked to it on the refuge blog. 55 report abuse
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November 06, 2007
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