Often our Christian walk can boil down to church service attendance, Bible studies, and watching inspirational videos. While none of these are wrong, I encourage Bible reading and watching of uplifting videos, but so often we tend to make our faith rote or religious going through the motions. Quickly, our relationship with Christ can become like a set of chores or in the very least a list that needs to be checked off. This was never the intent, Christ wants to spend time with us, in private prayer (Matthew 6:6), and while we play. Our God is not some dull and grey bearded diety whose goal is to slay our fun, on the contrary He made all things (John 1:6, Colossians 1:16), and so he made the wonderful waves of the sea, the animated creatures of the earth, and even us, who by design enjoy the breeze, swimming, sailing, driving, watching movies, reading, hiking, and etc.
I was recently moved by a scene from the very controversial movie, "Jesus Christ Superstar." In a scene Jesus is being surrounded by lepers, lame, and ill people who want healing, they crowd around Him and He wants to touch them, but in time they press upon Him, in similar fashion to the Scripture, "Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him." (Mark 3:9). In this scene of Superstar I was moved by Christ's response, "There is too many.." Now many scoff at Jesus Christ Superstar, and there certainly is a touch of Arianism and unbelief in some of the songs, but just as there serpents in the film, there are some golden cords worth examining. I was moved by Jesus response to lepers, and I wondered, do we do that? Are we so concerned with Christ providing our healing, food, and dreams, that we actually treat Him like a dispenser and conduit of our blessings? Do we denigrate our relationship with Jesus to a "ask and you will receive" and treat the Alpha and Omega like an app on our Apple or Android Phones? It moved me, and made me consider my own attitude. Would we grab hold of Jesus simply because we love Him and he Loves us, and that He is our Creator, Savior, and God, or are we guilty of saying, "give me, give me! I want! I want! I need! I need!" and so we don't see past Jehovah Jiri (Lord My Provider) and enjoy Eishe (Husband)?
I am not shaming anyone who asks the Lord. For it is written that in heaven our requests are in bowels of incense, "And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people," (Revelation 5:8) and Christ himself told us that "whatever you ask for in my name shall be done." (John 14:13). I am not saying to not ask, I am poking at the problem of us turning Christus into our Provider, and not seeing the other parts of His nature and our relationship with Him. Just as each of us is complex collage of justice, mercy, love, provider, feeler, thinker, receiver, and etc; how much more so our God who made us? I am asking, can we sometimes shoot the breeze and enjoy fishing with Jesus, and in same way spend time in our prayer corner, and fellowship with other believers at a house meeting? Can we not let Jesus permeate more than our Sundays, Wednesdays, and conventional parts of our walk with him: Bible Study, Prayer, and Worship, and allow Jesus to show Himself to us watching movies, biking, and etc? Can we look beyond the Provider, and love Jesus for who He is, certainly providing is part of His nature, but its not all He is. Just as you are not simply a student, coworker, bread winner, parent, and etc; but more. Can we look further, and instead of being like lepers of Jesus Christ Superstar, be like John and the Women of Galilee who were there at Jesus' Crucifixion, willing to love Jesus even when it doesn't make sense, when the providing turns to perseverance, and when love is tested beyond wonderful emotion and zeal, and become commitment and a choice to stay and stand firm no matter how uncomfortable it gets. Are we ready to love Jesus if he doesn't bless us, provide, and give us all our dreams and desires? Will we bear our cross, deny ourselves, and follow Him?, "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24) or has the prosperity doctrine made suffering a bad dream and cross bearing scornful to us? May it not be! For as the Apostle said, "And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ--if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him." (Romans 8:17).
Anyone who knows true love, is aware its not a romantic vision of Romeo and Juliet, or Prince Charming and Cinderella, nay, love is sacrifice, staying in the heart ache, steadfastness, and loving even if you don't get gratified, get good feelings, or even get love in return. Jesus loved many from cross who spit on Him, speared Him, and hated Him. Jesus loved all mankind and died for all of us, even though we had condition, sin, that makes enmity between God and humankind. Jesus covered this sin with His Blood, so that we could be close to Him and dwell with Him forever. But He promised no pleasure cruise, but a boat that will have storms and be battered by waves, and there will be times when you have to get out and walk on the water with Him (step out in faith). The question is, will you let Jesus take you deeper in a relationship with Him or simply stay at superficial provider relationship that actually leads to the inevitable, "Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. 12 After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” 13 So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves. When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”15 When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself. The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. 23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. 24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. 25 They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” 29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? 31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. 37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” 41 Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” 43 But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. 44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. 45 As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.) “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48 Yes, I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 50 Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” 52 Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked. 53 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54 But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” 59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. 60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” 61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.” 66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”70 Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” 71 He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him." (John 6:10-15, 22-71). Jesus directly tells these provision focused disciples that they simply want to be with him for more bread (John 6:26), and when He says drink His blood and eat His flesh is later explained to mean Jesus' sacrifice, and New Covenant (Last Supper is about Crucifixion), and yet there is message here, Jesus is saying the poser followers want literal bread (earthly stuff), true disciples are willing to drink His blood (suffer), and let their bodies be broken as His was for our sins. Here is juxtaposition, those who see Jesus as simply an eathern provider, and those who chose to follow Emmanuel in a true loving relationship that has suffering and hard choices to keep the relationship whole.
I am not promising all suffering, but I am saying, when you love someone you don't just get the Provider and Fun times, you get the sufferings, the hardships together, and you work out the problems. It is same with Jesus our God and Savior. Are you ready to step out of the boat? Are you ready to love Jesus without conditions of expecting Him to fix everything, provide you with mansions and possessions? Often you hear royals in various films say, "I didn't tell you I was prince or princess, because I wanted to know you loved me, and not just my crown, palaces, and money." Indeed, Jesus Christ is a King and he owns everything, the earth, the galaxies, and beyond; but can we love Him for His Sake, For Him alone? If you pay attention those who crowns caste them down, "the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying: You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist, and came to be," (Revelation 4:10-11), and those who had all learning and position in this life said, "We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!" (Philippians 3:3-11). What matters is Jesus, loving Him beyond what we get and how we are treated in this world, or wither our dreams and fortunes come true. Our love should be same Christ had for us, willing to die for Him, and willing to give up our throne and all we possess to possess Him as He did for us, "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,[c] being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11). It's time for relationship with Christ to be reciprocal, to love Him back, certainly One Christ can save us and purges us of all sin, only He does that, but the love He has for us, we can return that love because He lives in us (Colossians 1:27) and we are His Wife. The Two Should become One (Mark 10:8) we should become One with our God, not letting relationship be about provision, but about a mutual deep seeded love, connection, and intimacy. Its not about crowns, thrones, power, money, fame, or pleasure, its about Jesus and our love for Him and His for us. That you want Him and to be with Him no matter what and forever. So often we see in films people willing to do anything to be with their lover, how much more so our loving God who made us and who is love (1 John 4:8). Amen.
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