Forgotten Jesus.  John 1.10-14

What did the first-century world do with Jesus’ arrival?

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.  

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John 1.10-14

what is the 21^st-century world ‘doing’ with Jesus? 

On my recent trip abroad, I picked up several magazines because of their headlines and feature stories on Christianity.  I really could not believe my eyes when I saw this one—“Forget the Church—FOLLOW JESUS”—the April 9^th Newsweek magazine cover article said.  ‘It is surely going to be some kind of mockery of Jesus—it has to be,’ I thought.  But it was not.  Andrew Sullivan begins by literally giving us a glimpse of the Bible that Thomas Jefferson cut up—cutting out everything except the teachings of Jesus.  He posits that ‘Christianity has been destroyed by politics, priests and get-rich evangelists.’  The cure then, is to ignore them, and embrace him.  Yes, Andrew, you are correct; let’s get our eyes on Jesus, and keep our eyes on him. 

“The issues that Christianity obsesses over today simply do not appear in either Jefferson’s Bible or the original New Testament.”  We are not going to see them here in John’s gospel.  Christians now embrace materialist self-help rather than ascetic self-denial … “Nor is it a shock that so many have turned away from organized Christianity and toward “spirituality,” co-opting or adapting the practices of meditation or yoga, or wandering as lapsed Catholics in an inquisitive spiritual desert.” 

The crisis of Christianity is perhaps best captured in the new meaning of the word “secular.”  It once meant belief in separating the spheres of faith and politics; it now means, for many, simply atheism—especially in our youth.  It is not a surprise that the fastest-growing segment of belief among the young is atheism, which has leapt in popularity in the new millennium.  True that, Mr. Sullivan.  Folks, I bump into this in the high school arena all the time!  It is much cooler to say you are an agnostic or atheist than a Christian; don’t you find that troubling? 

The thirst for God is still there.  How could it not be, when the profoundest human questions—Why does the universe exist rather than nothing?  How did humanity come to be on this remote blue speck of a planet?  What happens to us after death? –remain as pressing and mysterious as they’ve always been? 

There is a deep need for new questions of Christian institutions, and ideas and priorities.  There is a deep need for Christians to hit their knees and turn to God in prayer—to seek his solutions for our youth, for our country, for ourselves and our families. 

Second, there is a deep need for believers to do what you’re doing!  Be in the Word and of the Word—reading it and then putting it into practice.  No counterfeits … there is no time or excuse for spirituality, The Secret, Eckhart Tolle, or any other cheap imitations of the life and light that is Jesus Christ.

Verse 14 above says, The Word, [Jesus] became flesh and made his dwelling among us . . . came to live with us!  He was full of love and faithfulness.  Let’s emulate him.  Let us be people of love, people of faithfulness.  Ask God to fill you with his love—enough to overflow to other people—those you know, those you do not know.  Ask God to help you be a person who is faithful – that is, a person who is full of faith, and also, one who can be counted on, one who stays at her post. 

Then, people can forget about religion, and remember Jesus … because we will represent him.  They won’t be able to forget Jesus, because we will remind them of him. 

Grace to you,

Christine