They Wondered About Jesus, Why Don't They Wonder About Me
I don't even know where to start with Mark 2, as there is so much of value in it. As I read, in the back of my mind I have the words from Jesus out of John, "Just as I came into the world so am I sending you." So Jesus is our model . . . here is what his chapter has taught me.
1) holistic ministry. Jesus heals a paralytic (meets the deepest felt need of this person), he also offers forgiveness (meeting the deepest real need). We must come into the world in a way that brings both physical and spiritual life.
2) If people aren't questioning your santification, something might be wrong. The pharasees questioned Jesus because he spend all his time with sinner, and tax collecter . . . hung out with them at parties, etc. If I am truly living as Jesus I should be haning out with drunks, people of different sexual orientation, the least, etc. so much so that people wonder about me . . . "I haven't seen much of Jon around church, but I keep seeing him coming out of bars, what happened to him." I have never been close to even receiving one of these comments in my life. They wondered about Jesus, why don't they wonder about me?
3) Jesus in verse 17 says he came not for the healthy and the righteous, but the sick and the sinner. (Remember just as I came into the world so am I sending you)
I guess I am just being challened in my Christianity. It is easy to talk about becoming more like Jesus and less like me, until you spend hours in the Gospels studying Jesus life. That is a harder prayer to pray the more I really learn Jesus. But I continue.
1) holistic ministry. Jesus heals a paralytic (meets the deepest felt need of this person), he also offers forgiveness (meeting the deepest real need). We must come into the world in a way that brings both physical and spiritual life.
2) If people aren't questioning your santification, something might be wrong. The pharasees questioned Jesus because he spend all his time with sinner, and tax collecter . . . hung out with them at parties, etc. If I am truly living as Jesus I should be haning out with drunks, people of different sexual orientation, the least, etc. so much so that people wonder about me . . . "I haven't seen much of Jon around church, but I keep seeing him coming out of bars, what happened to him." I have never been close to even receiving one of these comments in my life. They wondered about Jesus, why don't they wonder about me?
3) Jesus in verse 17 says he came not for the healthy and the righteous, but the sick and the sinner. (Remember just as I came into the world so am I sending you)
I guess I am just being challened in my Christianity. It is easy to talk about becoming more like Jesus and less like me, until you spend hours in the Gospels studying Jesus life. That is a harder prayer to pray the more I really learn Jesus. But I continue.
posted by Jon Knapp at
8:03 AM
3 Comments:
Great post Jon, I guess my question would be, when did our view of what it means to live a holy life diverge from Jesus' view? When did we begin to feel the need to seperate from the world?
Thanks for your posts offering an honest view into your heart, Jon. I too feel convicted by the things you just blogged about.
You said
"I haven't seen much of Jon around church, but I keep seeing him coming out of bars, what happened to him." I have never been close to even receiving one of these comments in my life. They wondered about Jesus, why don't they wonder about me?
Funny...One of my bus drivers and I had a similar conversation this week. We would be damned to hell in my little town (especially by the religous community) if we ever did this. Oh wait...so was Jesus.
But we expect those Drunks to come to our church so we can talk to them...oh wait...but only after they've sobbered up.
Great thought
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