Jesus Is Not Your Homeboy

We often want just enough Jesus to be free from sin, but not to change us for the better.   ~~~   The people in the text of 1 Samuel 6 were not so much different than the people of Jesus’ day. Remember when Jesus healed the man that roamed in the tombs of Gerasenes. He sent his demons into a flock of pigs. And the townspeople begged Jesus to depart from them. Why? They were more interested in their possessions than in the power that was just presented to them in Jesus. They wanted Jesus pushed to the margins.   They were unwilling to do any self-assessment, self-evaluation. They did not want to realize the mercy and the holiness that was before them. They just wanted their stuff and go on with life.   Sadly, we see that same sentiment far too often in our churches. Just enough of Jesus to be immunized from the bad, but not enough that makes any identifiable difference. The only problem with that is that is that is not how the gospel works. Plenty of people want Jesus as a friend, a neighbor, a divine shoulder to cry on. But he never offers himself in segmented pieces. Jesus is the LORD of all, and must be received on his terms, not yours or mine.