Lately I’ve been doing some reflecting on the gospel of John – just looking afresh at Jesus and trying to remove some of the cultural conditioning we place around him to be a certain kind of person.
If you look at Jesus in John then he really is quite a disturbing person. He just doesn’t fit in like he is supposed to, hangs out with all the wrong people, doesn’t pander to the ones who hold the power and is a very bad example of a Christian…
I really don’t think Jesus would get a gig as a local church pastor – or if he did he wouldn’t last long.
He picks fights with powerful people, hangs out with losers (I’m told ‘you can’t build a church out of losers’) and doesn’t seem to be able to be diplomatic with his words. He confounds his own disciples and regularly behaves in a way most unbefitting for a Rabbi.
Gotta say… I like him.
He’d make a bloody good Aussie!
Bloody good Aussie or Brightonite 🙂
I wonder if He rocked up on a Sunday morning would we reconise Him? Would He say to Himself, Yeah this is the kind of movement I was talking about ….
Come on Mark – we all know the answer to that 🙂
I see what you’re saying Hamo… but where do you reckon the line between nationalism and comparing Jesus with Aussie’s is? I fully understand your intent and realise it’s light hearted. But I think you’ve raised a point worth some discussion and something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately – the idea of nationalism and following Jesus is an interesting one (a quick look at modern history shows a tangled web of religion/nationalism/war).
There’s no doubt Jesus smashes to pieces our ideas of what we should look like but I’m always wary of comparing him with my favoured people (Aussies!). It’s a bit like saying that Jesus would vote for Howard vs Rudd or Bush vs Obama or vice versa. He’d probably vote for neither!
Shane Claibourne had a cool sticker as part of his recent Jesus for President book that proclaimed: “Jesus is my President” – or Prime Minister in our case!
As much as I like to think that Jesus was a good Aussie, if an american told me that Jesus looked like an American I’d probably tell them to get stuffed – and they’d have just as much right to return the comment!!
Hi Dave
You are correct on all counts mate!
I was being lighthearted – but I would equally be very unimpressed if an American claimed Jesus – or even worse a POM 🙂
Going beyond the light-hearted I definitely agree that there is a real danger of a patriotic Jesus.
Point taken mate – a good one
Maybe better to just say ‘Jesus made a very bad Jew’
Hamo
Brian Harris said once in a sermon that his opinion that in the context of worship, God was more like an Italian, expressive, creative, exuberant….whereas we have thought of Him as more proper English, stuff upper lip…etc…
he was being semi serious, but has a point I think.
Perhaps all the cultures of the world, in all their best, creative and beautiful aspects, have something to say about the character of God.
I have a good mate who is a muslim Iraq refugee, and he is the most hospitable, gracious person I have ever met, generous! while he is not a Christian yet, he puts some of us to shame in his reflection of God’s character.
….as a pommie, I’d say he would be a pommie!
Top insight though…. I wonder…. and I wonder if those of us who consider ourselves right on, loose and missional would recognise him or feel comfy around him?
Have to say, the longer I’m a Christian Jesus bugs me!
You mean, he’s not a Californian blue-eyed hippie? But that’s what all the pictures show…
Wow… strong insight!
Now – do we get to argue about metro or regional?
WA, QL or Tasweigen?
Don’t try and tell me he’s from Vic, NSW or SA. I’m not buying it!
🙂