Like Jesus
I was reading in Luke this morning: Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people--even eating with them! (Luke 15:11-2)
I want to be like Jesus. I want notorious sinners to come hear me teach His words. I want self-righteous Christians to be upset with me because I hang out with sinful people. I want to be like Jesus.
I want to be like Jesus. I want notorious sinners to come hear me teach His words. I want self-righteous Christians to be upset with me because I hang out with sinful people. I want to be like Jesus.
posted by Greg Nettle at 7:38 AM
7 Comments:
Amen! We are called to relationship, not relegion! We are called to love as we have been loved, not as suits our need, status, or comfort zone. Jesus called me out deadness when I deserved to remain in my chosen state, "DEAD"! And for what purpose? Because He wants to be with me! Astonishing! How can I, knowing & understanding this, do anything but seek, and beg, and pray, and try to love my fellow men unconditionally? And while I fail at it so much, I know God is moving me to it, molding me into that shining image He sees in me. I am chatting too much, so..., let me just finish by saying:
I really appreciate your BLOG today. My family and I are recent FL transplants to Ohio (I know..., we are going the wrong direction.) and we are in the midst of a "church search" and your BLOG, profile, and the RiverTree website have been encouraging. Perhaps we will meet you this Sunday!
I love what the Spirit is doing in your heart Greg.
I'm setting up a rescue shop a yard away from hell and using you as a reference.
Hey Greg,
I just e-mailed your post to my friend. My friend and I had this conversation yesterday. It began with comments made to my friend by someone who saw the press on the patheticsexlife billboard. This person commented that not only are you talking about sex at church but you also went on Howard Stern...
I asked my friend to consider that the way Jesus dealt with people who were not holy and not righteous was to sit and actually share life. If Christ walked the earth today would He be standing around in a group of holy people with no problems, no sins, no faults, no failures, no emotional scars? Or would he be sitting beside real life flawed, unperfect, unholy people sharing a meal and telling them that He loves them enough to give them life, hope, eternity and forgive each sin.
I agree. I want to be a real Christ-Follower. I want the world to see Jesus in me. I want to live with my words and actions shouting compassion and grace, not judgement and condemnation. Somebody please get the message out to the self-righteous Christians of the world. Their condemnation does not show Jesus to the world in a way that makes people say "Sign me up."
Have you heard that song "My Jesus" by Todd Agnew? It's just like what you said here...funny how people think alike...I don't believe in coincidence.
I like the end where it says, "I wanna be like You Jesus. Can I be like you Jesus? But I'm not sure what that means cuz you said to live like You, love like You, and then You died for me."
Very good blog topic. =D
Which also means... expect a crucifixion in your future.
And possibly a resurrection.
right on!!
Well, with this latest series you certainly got some self-righteous Christians upset with you. It was a wonderful series and one I wish I had seen as a teen. I don't have children, but I'll be saving those MP3s until I do.
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