Many years ago, I was a huge fan of the Star Wars series of movies. The toy companies came out with many of the characters in the films, even the ones who had bit parts. Since there were different scenes in the movies with the characters dressed differently, the toy companies would make characters in the different costumes as well. I had friends that seemed to have complete sets of them and would end up having 3 or 4 of the same character in just a different wardrobe set. We would get together and play with them and act out the movies. Luckily, I had friends that had most of the major pieces from the movies that I was unable to afford. This was a fun and carefree time and we would spend a good portion of our free time daydreaming about being one of our favorite characters. When one of us got a new Star Wars action figure, the inevitable question was, “which one did you get?”
As I go toy shopping with my grandson now, I see that the strategy has not changed. The toy companies will do this with every major motion picture that involves a superhero and their villains. There are still different outfits for the different scenes in the movies, complete with different weapons or with the figure performing a different function. From transforming robots to the comic book heroes, they still have that one thing in common. Because you can’t pretend to reenact a scene from the movies if the character is not dressed in the right attire. It just makes it more authentic if you have the right garb for the right scene that you are pretending is happening right in your own living room. The choice is tough, while you are in the store. “Which _________ do you want?” As he picks out one or two, depending on the price point, I try to make sure that he is getting the superhero that he REALLY wants to play with.
As I ponder all of this, I think about the spiritual life and how we sometimes project onto our Loving Father the characteristics that we like for him to have. Now that we have multiple movies that have been made about Jesus and His Life, I wonder if we are picking and choosing which Jesus we prefer. Many actors have portrayed Jesus and the movies have shown different aspects and events from His Life. But I wonder, if instead of reading the Scriptures for ourselves, if we are not just going by what we have been shown at the movies. Is Jesus Christ a Superstar, A healer, a rich grandfatherly figure who will give you all the money you need to satisfy every whim? One who will make you prosper, without asking you to prosper through Him? One who will not ask you to suffer for His Holy Name? One who allows harsh things into your life but never lets you in on why? One who just wants us to love Him, without asking us to lay down everything and follow Him? A Jesus who has not asked us to be willing to give up our religious traditions, in order to truly get to know Him?
A quick search of the Gospels will dispel any of these notions. A Jesus who wants you to trust in Him, but never ask anything from you is not in there. A Jesus of our own making, is not truly Jesus at all. Don’t get me wrong, Jesus is a Healer but He does not always Heal. He is a Savior, but we have to acknowledge that we have something to be saved from; namely our sin. He does want us to prosper, but this begins with Him and not us. Our ideas of what we want out of life can be totally contrary to what He wants for us. That’s why it is important to pick up our cross and Follow Him. This means to die to ourselves, our rights, and our wants. He knows our hearts and the desires we have and if they will bring about His ultimate purpose for us, then He may grant them. But if we think we can do whatever we want and He’s just going to be Ok with it, we need to rethink. We may need to take another look at the Jesus of the Word. A Hero, to be sure, but a Hero who suffered, bled and died for our own selfish desires.
So which Jesus do you prefer? How about Sea of Galilee Jesus, who walked on water, calmed the storms and healed and fed thousands of people? Or the Temple-Clearing Jesus, who drove out the money changers and seemed to have a dislike for the attitudes of the religious elite? Or the children-loving Jesus, who loved the children and seemed to scold His disciples for trying to keep them away? How about the Raising the Dead Jesus? I think we all like that one! One who promises that everyone is going to a better place and because our loved one was a good person, they get to go to Heaven? Sorry, that was a trick question. That one really isn’t in the Bible. Some off-brand company thought of that one. Baby Jesus is cool. I think we all like that one, too. He’s so small and innocent. Swaddling clothes and all. Everyone likes babies! Trouble is he didn’t stay that way, which is where the challenge lies for us. Because, if we read His Word, He grew up to challenge every one of us to a different life. A Kingdom-building life. Not our kingdom and our world, but His!
So with all this said, which Jesus did you get?
As I go toy shopping with my grandson now, I see that the strategy has not changed. The toy companies will do this with every major motion picture that involves a superhero and their villains. There are still different outfits for the different scenes in the movies, complete with different weapons or with the figure performing a different function. From transforming robots to the comic book heroes, they still have that one thing in common. Because you can’t pretend to reenact a scene from the movies if the character is not dressed in the right attire. It just makes it more authentic if you have the right garb for the right scene that you are pretending is happening right in your own living room. The choice is tough, while you are in the store. “Which _________ do you want?” As he picks out one or two, depending on the price point, I try to make sure that he is getting the superhero that he REALLY wants to play with.
As I ponder all of this, I think about the spiritual life and how we sometimes project onto our Loving Father the characteristics that we like for him to have. Now that we have multiple movies that have been made about Jesus and His Life, I wonder if we are picking and choosing which Jesus we prefer. Many actors have portrayed Jesus and the movies have shown different aspects and events from His Life. But I wonder, if instead of reading the Scriptures for ourselves, if we are not just going by what we have been shown at the movies. Is Jesus Christ a Superstar, A healer, a rich grandfatherly figure who will give you all the money you need to satisfy every whim? One who will make you prosper, without asking you to prosper through Him? One who will not ask you to suffer for His Holy Name? One who allows harsh things into your life but never lets you in on why? One who just wants us to love Him, without asking us to lay down everything and follow Him? A Jesus who has not asked us to be willing to give up our religious traditions, in order to truly get to know Him?
A quick search of the Gospels will dispel any of these notions. A Jesus who wants you to trust in Him, but never ask anything from you is not in there. A Jesus of our own making, is not truly Jesus at all. Don’t get me wrong, Jesus is a Healer but He does not always Heal. He is a Savior, but we have to acknowledge that we have something to be saved from; namely our sin. He does want us to prosper, but this begins with Him and not us. Our ideas of what we want out of life can be totally contrary to what He wants for us. That’s why it is important to pick up our cross and Follow Him. This means to die to ourselves, our rights, and our wants. He knows our hearts and the desires we have and if they will bring about His ultimate purpose for us, then He may grant them. But if we think we can do whatever we want and He’s just going to be Ok with it, we need to rethink. We may need to take another look at the Jesus of the Word. A Hero, to be sure, but a Hero who suffered, bled and died for our own selfish desires.
So which Jesus do you prefer? How about Sea of Galilee Jesus, who walked on water, calmed the storms and healed and fed thousands of people? Or the Temple-Clearing Jesus, who drove out the money changers and seemed to have a dislike for the attitudes of the religious elite? Or the children-loving Jesus, who loved the children and seemed to scold His disciples for trying to keep them away? How about the Raising the Dead Jesus? I think we all like that one! One who promises that everyone is going to a better place and because our loved one was a good person, they get to go to Heaven? Sorry, that was a trick question. That one really isn’t in the Bible. Some off-brand company thought of that one. Baby Jesus is cool. I think we all like that one, too. He’s so small and innocent. Swaddling clothes and all. Everyone likes babies! Trouble is he didn’t stay that way, which is where the challenge lies for us. Because, if we read His Word, He grew up to challenge every one of us to a different life. A Kingdom-building life. Not our kingdom and our world, but His!
So with all this said, which Jesus did you get?
RSS Feed
