Tuesday Morning Jesus

“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 11:1 NASB
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV

I was talking with my wife and she was telling me how they were planning a skit for the Tuesday morning women’s group that she leads at our church. She needed to find one of the women who were interested and bold enough to be in the skit. She also needed a man to be Jesus. I told her that I would think of someone who would be able to be their Tuesday morning Jesus. Of course, I was just thinking I was funny by proposing this Tuesday morning Jesus concept, but I was sincere about thinking of someone who may be interested, and available, to be involved. What I was missing were the hints my wife was trying to give me about hoping I would volunteer for the role, so she had to come right out and suggest I do it myself. Well, I certainly have had my share of skits and performance parts and am not a stranger to being in front of groups of people. So being in a small skit for a ladies group was no far stretch of the imagination. Out of the quick flashes in my mind, I voiced that in order to be able to be their Jesus, I would have to grow my beard out. Either because I was making far too much a deal over this, or my wife didn’t want me to think I needed to go above and beyond for what they had planned, she assured me I would be just fine without having to grow out a full beard.

Thinking back on my response, I was really disappointed in myself and the underlying thought process I had fallen into. I know we are just talking about a five minute skit for about 70 women on a Tuesday morning, but it revealed something that I was less than proud of. My response revealed my beliefs that I somehow needed to prepare to play the part of Jesus; that there was something more I needed to do than I already do in order for people to see me as Jesus, or rather, see Jesus in me.

We are called to be Jesus to this lost and hurting world. In fact, the term Christian was first used as an insult in the New Testament (Acts 11:26) as an insult to those who were following “the Way”. People were scoffing at the followers of Jesus calling them little Christ. “Look at those people being little Christ, trying to save the world,” you could almost hear the people taunt. So why is my every day walk, talk, attitude, behavior not reflective of the One who has taken up residence in my heart? Why do I not shine with the Light that is inside me? Why is the One who is within me not being allowed to show through and be seen as the One who is bigger than the one who is in the world? I already have the victory. I already have the promise. I already have the hope and the new life. I have what the world needs and He wants to use me in every aspect of this life that I am supposed to have died to.

So if you have already blown it today, already displayed less than the love, patience, kindness, and grace of Jesus, then remember this: God’s mercies are made new every day. Jesus came to make us new creations. He is making the old new and still desires to do just that in your life, even before the sun goes down. So starting now, make the choice. Lose the selfish desires and the entitlements. God knows what He is doing. He knows everything and wouldn’t tell you to do something unless He had a plan and purpose for it. It will go against your nature. Your flesh will tell you you’re stupid. It will taunt you as those early followers we taunted two thousand years ago. It will ask you who you think you are to be this little Christ. But that’s just means you’re doing something right.

Rejoice!

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” - Philippians 4:4 NIV

I was listening to Chris Tomlin’s worship anthem How Great Is Our God. Chris Tomlin is probably the most widely known song worship leader and worship song writer currently in the world. His songs have helped me reach new levels in my own worship. God has worked through Chris’ words and music to bring people to a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus. This to say, Chris Tomlin has my greatest respect for the faithful service he has been doing for Jesus.

One of the lines in the song is “let all the world rejoice. All the world rejoice.” This is an incredible command that was incorporated into the song as an appropriate response to God’s majesty. And not to say anything against the dynamics of how Chris had sung the verse, but it hit me that perhaps this softer reflective tone doesn’t quite do the command justice.

The point of this really has nothing to do with a song critique, it has everything to do with the way we respond to our God and His presence. We, His people, those who have been called [the] children of God (1 John 3:1 NIV), should respond to our great Heavenly Father in normally expected ways … just because of who God is. There should be awe and wonder, fear and reverence, praise and thanksgiving! Much rejoicing in the Lord! This is our privilege and pleasure of being before the King. There will be a day when we all will be before His eternal presence and will have no other desire but to respond in triumph, reverence, eternal worship and praise (Romans 14:11, Isaiah 45:23). There will be no greater joy we have ever known or has ever been created than what we have in store. Too often, we get caught up in the pushes and pulls of this world. We are buffeted along this crazy river of life being tossed in the currents and sometimes even thrown against the rocks. Since this becomes our main focus, we quickly lose perspective of what will truly bring us joy in this life.

I will say it again: Rejoice!

This is our act of defiance to the world and an act of reverence for our God who has created the universe. This God who spoke creation into being and yet still holds our hearts in His hand. Take back that which God has given to you which the world tries to steal away. The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). If we want to break out of the mundane, if we want to have more than this complacency that we have confused for contentment, then I challenge you: Rejoice! Laugh in the face of diversity. Stand against the current and remember that you are tired because you thought it would be better to go with the flow of the world and not take the narrow path given to us by our Father. God challenges us to trust His will and trust that His ways are better than our own. Borrowing another song reference, this time from Caedmon’s Call’s You Created (1999): “You created nothing that gives me more pleasure than You. And You won’t give me something that gives me more pleasure than You.”

Stand up and cheer. Give your Father His due for He is the only One worthy of our praise. Let that excited feeling deep inside your heart that dreams to be bold break out and have a voice. Let your heart be undignified in the eyes of the world and rejoice!!!