Some Teachings of Jesus (21st Century Texas Version)

In modern 21st century USA, it is common for people to use Christianity as a comfortable crutch, offering a convenient spiritual side to their lives.  But Christianity was never intended that way; Jesus never made the religious people feel comfortable but challenged them at every turn.  To make that point, let's take a few of his statements and simply move them into the 21st century American culture.

Matthew 23: 1 - 13, 23
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The religious leaders preach from their Sunday pulpits, with lots of helpful teachings on honesty and morality.  Do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

“Everything they do is done for people to see: They create large churches with choirs that praise their country.  They love the place of honor on talk shows and political campaigns. They love to be seen in the White House, in pictures praying with the president.  They love the title of Evangelical Leader....

 “Woe to you, religious leaders and evangelical pastors, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces....  You have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. 

Luke 9: 25 - 37
On one occasion a religious leader stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”...

“What does the Bible say?” Jesus asked. “How do you read it?”

The religious leader answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said, “A black family lived in an apartment in Houston's Fifth Ward when a terrible flood destroyed their home. Trapped and drowning in the rising flood waters, they called out for help. 

A large nearby church had water damage and said, 'We are not ready yet.' 

FEMA said, 'Shipments are on the way.' 

But two Dreamers, illegal immigrants, got out their fishing boat and rode the waves and waters into the apartment complex.  They pulled the family out, took them and their pets to dry land and found shelter for them. These two paid, out of their own small savings, for food and water for the family and prayed with them.

Which of these three, the church, the government, or the illegal immigrant, was their neighbor?"

The religious expert replied, “The one who had mercy on them.”

Jesus told him, “Yes. Go and do likewise.”

(Sadly, as I write this, a Dreamer has died helping others in the Houston flood waters. See this article.)

Conclusion

"Most people want Jesus as a consultant rather than a king". 

 (A quote of Tim Keller, passed on to me by a friend.)  

If we seek to have Jesus as king, instead of a comfortable consultant, we will struggle.  We will not fit into the current religious system. We will recognize that the religious system loves prestige and power and ignores the poor. But if Jesus is King, we have no choices here. He rejected prestige and power and he cared for the poor. We must have the same view.

I make no claims that this is easy or that I manage to accomplish this. But I must try.