Finally, we arrive at practical theology or Christian ethics. Although, we could easily spend fifteen lectures together building up a full edifice of how God wants us to live, in this episode we’ll simply lay the foundation stones of following Jesus. What I mean by follow is to read his words and do them, especially when what he says conflicts with our sensibilities, comfort, or common sense. If we only “follow” Jesus when what he says agrees with us and then diverge when he disagrees, then we are not following, but merely walking in the same direction occasionally.
—— Notes ——
Two requirements of Christianity- believe the gospel (conversion/soteriology)
- follow Jesus (ethics)
Following Christ is worth it
- Jn 10.27-28 sheep hear voice and get eternal life
- Mt 19.27-30 what will we get for following you?
- those who follow Christ get eternal life!!! that’s worth it
Confess Jesus as Lord to be saved (Rm 10.9-10)
- Jesus says can’t call him “Lord” if you don’t do what he says (Lk 6.46)
- Jesus defines the word “Lord” as those who do what he says
- if you are a Christ-follower you do what he says even when it disagrees with what you think
Different Jesuses
- hippie Jesus (love is all that matters)
- one and done Jesus (salvation and then do what I want)…oh yeah, I prayed a prayer once
- American Jesus (patriotic, my country right or wrong), we forget Jesus was a middle-eastern Jewish rabbi who counseled against violent revolution against Rome
- prosperity Jesus (he wants me to be rich!, sow/reap blessings)
- poverty Jesus (unless I’m dirt poor I’m not a true follower)
- part-time Jesus (compartmentalized life, Sunday Christians, cafeteria Christianity)
- real Jesus
- average Semite was 5’1, weighing 110 pounds (meaning he DIDN’T look like this! [muscular Jesus])
- if Jesus worked outdoors as a carpenter, he probably would have weathered tan skin
- popular mechanics
- the real Jesus is the one we read about in Scripture
- but how do we know which Jesus is the REAL Jesus?
- we are not left without help here
- the bible tells us who Jesus is and what he wants us to do
“The Christ that Harnack sees, looking back through nineteen centuries of “Catholic darkness”, is only the reflection of a Liberal Protestant face, seen at the bottom of a deep well” –George Tyrrell[1]
Absolute Commitment
Mk 3.31-35 Those Who Do God’s Will Are Jesus’ Family
notice what Jesus doesn’t say
- he doesn’t say, the one who has an emotional connection to God
- he doesn’t say, the one who sings uplifting, positive, and encourage Christian music
- he doesn’t say, the one who prays or reads the Bible or goes to church
- he says, the one who does the will of God
here Jesus redefines the family!
- this might seem radical to you, but it is merely the first step
- your closest relatives, according to Jesus, are not truly your mother or brother or sister anymore, but those who are unrelated to you by blood but do the will of God are
- the Palestinian Christ-follower is more your family than the apple-pie eating American who shares your politics but doesn’t follow Jesus
- just look at what Jesus says about his own mother
Lk 11.27-28 Blessed Mary Becomes Blessed Obedient
27 While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed.” 28 But he said, “On the