Don't Let the Good Stuff Get in the Way of Jesus
My friend Carl Medearis tells an enlightening story about teaching at a large church in Texas. He asked the group “what is the gospel?” and then made a list of the students' answers on the chalkboard. They answered, "the free gift of God, freedom from sin, eternal life, grace, unconditional love, healing and deliverance, redemption, faith in God, new life."
Next he asked the class if they missed anything. The class sat silent for a minute. Then a girl raised her hand and asked, “How come none of us mentioned Jesus?” (Speaking of Jesus by Carl Medearis p. 22-23).
Notice that everything listed on the chalkboard was good. They described important aspects of the gospel. But notice the focus on theological propositions. Somehow the person, Jesus, got pushed to the fringes – almost left out. I think this reflects a tendency in many evangelical churches. I know this has been true of me.
So this is what I see happening:
- Jesus gets buried behind theological truths and debates (even important ones).
- Jesus gets lost in Christian rules, regulations, and rituals.
- Jesus gets marginalized, his teaching watered down and privatized.
- Jesus becomes a “meet-all-my-needs” personal savior rather than the savior of the world, the one who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
- Jesus’ story (Mathew, Mark, Luke and John) plays second string behind the theological principles and propositions of the epistles (especially Paul’s).
Why does Jesus get pushed to the fringes? Three reasons.
First, let me state the obvious but not always popular truth. It’s hard to follow Jesus. He asks us to follow him (in real life, not on Twitter!), but he knew that he was asking a lot from us. He told us that three counter kingdom forces in the world would challenge us: the bent of our hearts towards harmful things, a real devil who does everything in his power to divert our attention away from Jesus, and the glitter and glamor of what we think the world has to offer us. Let’s face it. We crave power and control, affection and esteem, security and safety. We walk away from these things to follow Jesus only with real difficulty.
Second, Christianity is filled with traditions, some more helpful than others in keeping Jesus central. The Lord’s Supper and Baptism were given to keep us focused on Jesus, his death and resurrection. They help us keep the main things the main things. But there are other more subtle traditions that creep in to dethrone Jesus practically in our lives.
Here is one example that has been true of me (I'm sure you can think of other traditions that have kept you from being Jesus-centered). The Reformation called the church back to the great themes of the gospel. Yet these important, life-giving truths have led to a subtle but significant shift of focus on Paul, his letters and especially the doctrine of justification by faith. Important stuff to be sure. But far too many churches are functionally more centered on Paul’s letters than Jesus’ Story in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The doctrine of salvation in Paul trumps the gospel of the kingdom in the gospels. Theological propositions trump the person of Jesus (see my recent blogs on this, here and here).
Third, our faith expressions can get crusted by the barnacles of biblical minutae. The bible is a big book, a massive piece of literature covering thousands of years. It is not always easy to interpret. We can easily get so focused on the details that we miss the main point. And what’s the main point? Well, if Jesus and the bible are right, the main point is … well, Jesus. Let’s look at these verses.
The Bible itself is radically Jesus-centered!
You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you possess eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me (John 5:39).
He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself (Luke 24:25-27).
This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms …This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day (Luke 24:44-46).
Jesus himself is Jesus-centered! He emphatically and repeatedly teaches that he is at the center of the kingdom of God. He is the source of eternal life. Entrance to the kingdom depends on how people respond to him.
I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies (John 11:25).
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it… If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels" (Mark 8:34-38).
Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?" Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" (Matthew 7:21-23).
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matthew 28:18).
We need to be radically Jesus-centered to be true to the Bible and Jesus. We also need to be Jesus-centered to be effective communicators. As Carl Medearis wisely notes, “Jesus doesn’t come loaded with bias, prejudice, conflict, or war. Christianity often does” (Muslims, Christians and Jesus p. 51). Our religious and secular friends may be allergic to Christianity, but most find Jesus attractive. Many of them respect true followers of Jesus.
Jesus - not the religion of Christianity or Western civilization - is the gospel! The famous evangelist to India in the 20th century, E. Stanley Jones described this well:
When I go to India I have to apologize for many things – for Western civilization, for it is only partly Christianised; for the Christian Church, for it too is only partly Christianised; for myself, for I am only a Christian-in-the-making; but when it comes to Jesus, there are no apologies on my lips, for there are none in my heart. He is our one perfect possession (quoted in Glocalization by Bob Roberts Jr. p. 155).
Often the good is the enemy of the best. Let’s not let good stuff get in the way of living a Jesus-centered life!
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3 Comments
Rick Love on January 17th, 2012 at 5:03pm
Hi Ed. Thank you for reading my blog and for your wise comments and important concerns. I love your passion! I would say this: 1) You can't teach the whole counsel of God in one blog :-) 2) Jesus is the king of the kingdom and thus I do believe He is the gospel 3) I wrote a four part blog series addressing the kingdom of God (Nov 23, Dec 1,7,13) beginning with this one. Have you read it? I think you would like it. I think you will see that we are in basic agreement. Keep pressing on with your kingdom vision Ed! Shalom, Rick
Ed Richardson on January 14th, 2012 at 6:46pm
Rick, appreciate the good sound word, but you left out the other half of "the good news", though you mention it. The gospel is Jesus AND the Kingdom. Jesus is not the "answer" apart from the answer that He offered, proclaimed, explained, demonstrated, and died to make possible: a totally new, alternative, radical government WITHIN AND AMONG us. Fatal mistake: divorce Jesus from the Kingdom or the Kingdom from Jesus, and thus marginalize and reduce the gospel. Jesus talked more about His Kingdom than anything or anyone else, including himself. And what did he review with his disciples in Acts 1:3? And what did Paul teach and preach? See Acts 28:23, 31. What did Jesus say to seek FIRST? Matthew 6:33. And pray for? Matt. 6:10. What did he proclaim? Mark 1:14,15. What of the 7 Matthew 13 parables? The Kingdom! That's what he bears on his shoulders and what he offers to those who have been slaves under Satan's kingdom. He is the King. He offers his radical new government. They always go together. Shalom. Ed
keith on January 13th, 2012 at 11:11am
good stuff, rick!!! i like!