Jesus Christ—Unassuming or Unsettling?
Jesus continually ranks at the top of the list. Even those who don’t call themselves Christians regard Jesus as a wise teacher, a loving leader, and great philosopher. But if this was all true, why did his contemporaries kill him? In this new series of blogs, “Jesus—Unassuming or Unsettling, I’ll look at how the life and ministry of Jesus dispel any cultural myths that he was some kind of tame, domesticated, politically correct, religiously pious and socially docile philosopher. Jesus was and is far more unsettling. He calls people to break away from the status quo and enter the Kingdom he created—an unsettling call!
JESUS POLARIZES
If you did a quick google search of The 100 Most Significant Figures in History, you would see that at the top of the list is Jesus Christ. He’s been at the top…like…forever. Even those who don’t call themselves Christians regard Jesus as one of the wisest teachers and most loving leaders the world has ever known. He’s still being talked about in homes, workplaces, park benches and coffee shops all over the world. Jesus is still esteemed and regarded as no other person who has ever lived. However, this is the same Jesus who was viciously put to death by his contemporaries. What was it about Jesus that was so infuriating, so maddening, that religious and secular leaders 2000 years ago, wanted to see him dead? And though Jesus is thought of as a significant figure today, what is it about Jesus that still polarizes?
And for that matter, what is it about Jesus that causes his contemporary followers to stop short of full devotion to him and life within his Kingdom? There’s only one explanation: Jesus was and is much more than meek and mild; much more than a poetic philosopher; more than a good teacher; more than a miracle worker, Jesus was and is the Light of Heaven penetrating a darkened, sin-stained earth like a laser blast. He’s not only Savior, but Lord and King and he calls people to unequivocally follow him. Jesus was not religiously pious or socially tame, he was an unsettling force and still is today. Jesus said in Matthew 10:34, “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth…but a sword.” Jesus isn’t domesticated, he’s disconcerting! He made the exclusive claim of being the only way to God. He didn’t call for passive adherence but full devotion.
The question I have is this: Do you know this Jesus or has he become so unassuming as Savior and Lord that he’s no longer unsettling to you and your way of life? Is his message, his truth and his call upon your life no longer disconcerting? Is Jesus disruptive to your pop-cultural saturated life? What are you doing with the Jesus who says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life?”
MIRRORING OUR CULTURE
Our pop-culture wants to pick and choose a human-made morality and a self-directed life with truth and values that are ever changing. Jesus says “No one can serve two masters.” What do you do with this Jesus who declares: “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” I want to look at one event in the life of Jesus that shows how unsettling he was and is in this option driven culture. Take a moment and read Matthew 12:22–32.
Here’s the thing: for many in today’s cultural climate, it’s hard to face a Jesus like this—a Jesus who takes on demons and wins; who wields serious miraculous power; who acts with the authority of God; who calls people everywhere to undivided devotion. That kind of Jesus is disconcerting to the status quo of a waffling and fickle culture who has elevated “self” to the place of God.
People have grown comfortable with their own brand of God, where partial commitment to him and keeping their options open to serve self is their religion; where God is only love and never judge; where God only blesses and never tests faith; where God gives and never takes; where God’s grace is freely given but our obedience is optional.
Even Christ-followers are being sucked into this—they want to feel part of the game, without the commitment of being on a team. More and more Christ-followers want a domesticated Jesus. We like the safety of sitting in the stands. Yes, Christ-followers can mirror a culture that desires a well-balanced, healthy life, but cling to the material and positional abundance of the world to bring fulfillment. Christians waffle between the world and the Kingdom of God. But Jesus didn’t leave room for waffling.
In the Matthew text, Jesus was chastised by the moral police of his day for casting out demons from tormented people. In fact they said Jesus was himself a demon. Jesus unequivocally denied that his power came from Satan and instead claimed he had greater authority and power. He said in vv. 28-29…
“But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger…”
Jesus was introducing and calling people to a new way of living—life within the Kingdom of God.
There’s a story about a man named Homer who finally worked up the courage to propose marriage to the girl of his dreams. Dropping to one knee, he looked his beloved in the eye and said: “Sue, I know I'm not wealthy like Tom. I recognize that I'm not handsome like Tom. I may not be as well-educated as Tom. But I love you, Sue.” Sue, who was obviously flattered, responded sincerely: “Why, I love you too, Homer. But tell me a little more about this Tom!”
Jesus offers the abundance of his Kingdom but the waffling follower of Jesus doesn’t take the call seriously. The unassuming, domesticated Jesus is just fine with you and me when we say, “Aww Jesus, I love you too, but tell me more about this good looking world with all it offers!” Whatever has your passions, your undivided attention and is dominating your time and energy is your kingdom. Many followers of Jesus today want the benefits of eternal life without the cost of living as a devoted follower of Jesus. But Jesus isn’t some unassuming Savior. He's King! He says something in v. 30 that’s enormously unsettling…
“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.”
WORKING FOR OR AGAINST JESUS?
A few years back a Virginia college sophomore by the name of Danny Foley wanted to be part of the men’s basketball team—even if it meant faking his way in. Danny noticed that all of the assistant coaches wore the same suit with a bright orange tie. So before Virginia’s conference championship game against Duke in March of 2014, he shopped for some cheap knockoffs. He bought a cheap suit jacket, slacks, shoes, socks, white shirt, and an orange tie. The next morning, he bought nosebleed tickets just to get in the arena doors. During a TV timeout, Danny confidently marched past an usher, walked behind the cheerleaders onto the court and joined the team’s huddle. And then when the game’s final buzzer sounded with Virginia defeating Duke, Danny joined the team in the handshake line. As the confetti fell around him, and the crowd cheered, Danny got to shake hands with "Coach K," the legendary coach for Duke. Photos from the end of the game showed Danny wearing a championship t-shirt over his suit and smiling in the middle of the confetti-covered arena. After celebrating with coaches and players, Danny quickly climbed the railings and disappeared into the stands. He took part in the celebration without the sacrifice and discipline it took to win a championship.
I wonder if it’s possible to fake a genuine relationship with Jesus. Do you belong to Jesus Christ and pursue life within the Kingdom of God, or the same old person dressed up in a new tie? Do you desire to take part in the celebration of eternal life without the sacrifice and discipline of living for Jesus each day? Over and over the Bible teaches that God isn’t interested in partial investment or divided loyalties. In James 1, we read...
“…be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable…”
God isn’t into any kind of indecisiveness or nibbling around the edges of his Kingdom. He wants us fully in and fully invested. And that’s what Jesus was getting at in Matthew 12:30, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is working against me.” Jesus wants us fully on his team; he wants us fully involved in serving him and bringing others to him.
Jesus says, “Hear these words of mine and put them into practice.” He says John 15:11, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” When Jesus calls you, if you want his joy, you can’t keep waffling. You must step away from spiritual wavering and ground yourself in Jesus so that you are effectively representing him to others—that’s what brings joy!
NEXT STEP
1. Take a moment and be honest with yourself: Who am I? And who, with Christ’s help, can I be? If you’re struggling with waffling as a child of God, ask Jesus to forgive and he will every time. But, also, allow Jesus to unsettle your life by committing to living within his Kingdom.
2. Identify the area of areas of your life where our culture is winning over God’s call of Kingdom living. Pursue a daily love for, a growing knowledge of, and an unwavering obedience to Jesus.
