No...I don't mean like that.
Have you ever watched one of those shows on TV of Christians who are just telling lies? Like buy this holy oil, try harder to be good, you better love Jesus or burn.
"I don't wanna be painted with the same paint brush as these guys. How did the greatest message in the world get hijacked by these fools? How did the most beautiful, most tender, most awesome message ever get hijacked by these fools?"
-Matt Chandler
I feel like so many things are being revealed to me lately about the true Gospel. Like, what Jesus truly had to say about things. Like relationships, marriage, and sex. God is the cosmic kill joy of pleasure right? At least that has always been what I was taught.
What if He is not.
What if He is the author of it.
What if He created such things for us to enjoy.
You know that story when the woman is caught in adultery and they drag her into the town square and throw her in front of Jesus. The Pharisees say that the Law of Moses says they should stone such a woman. What do you say Jesus? “He that is without sin cast the first stone.” That’s not even the best part. Then when everyone left Jesus bends down and asks the woman who is left to condemn her. She responds with no one. Then Jesus says I don’t condemn you either. You want to know what I never noticed about that until today?
She hadn’t even repented.
And He forgave her.
Jesus loved her right where she was at. Right in the middle of her sin. Jesus didn’t love a better, future version of her, but loved her as she was.
It’s almost like he bent down and said to her, “I haven’t cast you out, I’m right here with you. This valley of trouble has a purpose. I brought you out here, don’t lose heart. A better day is coming.”
So many of my friends that don’t know Jesus feel like they need to clean themselves up before they come to Jesus. If I had to clean myself up before I came to know the Lord, I’d be screwed. When I read this story about Jesus telling the religious leaders to basically piss off and stop judging her. I realize something. I am that woman. I am on the ground and I can’t seem to get this thing right. I mess up a lot, and Jesus is defending me. Jesus is meeting me where I’m at and loves me for the Becca right here right now. Not some future “better” version of Becca.
So God is not this cosmic kill joy, but the author and defender of it. Jesus wants joy, reconciliation, and to just love me right now in all my failures and shortcomings. That this faith and this gospel is not a check list that I must fulfill because I can’t. Most of the time I’m not in a very “churchy” mood. Like I said, I don’t wanna be painted with the same brush as those guys.
Maybe you’re the woman caught in adultery.
Maybe you’re a religious leader who has NO joy, just the law.
Maybe you’re not even a Christian, and honestly don’t want to be because all the church has done is hurt you and confused you.
Maybe you’re a Christian who has seen God for so long as the kill joy.
It kills me to think of my friends who don’t know the Lord and are so confused and hurt because of this false gospel Colorado Springs and the church overall seems to force on people. And I know if it hurts me, it has got be killing Jesus. That this is not what he had in mind.
Don’t get me wrong I don’t hate the church. I think that the church is a beautiful thing and is the Lord’s bride. Matt Chandler asks his church this; I really want to know when has it worked that you have said to a person outside of Christ, You know you really shouldn’t drink beer and they said, “You’re right. Can I go to church with you?” What does alcohol have to do with it?
It’s when we start to talk about God as our joy, delight, and pleasure and not duty and obligation, THAT is what people need to hear. I love that people can’t change themselves. No one can suddenly decide not to have a hard heart towards God. That is such good news.
Why that’s such good news is because you don’t have to fix your failures before you come to God. I should stop cussing, I really need to stop drinking, I need to quit lying to people and then maybe God will like me. No. You go to God and say please soften my heart.
What’s it like when no one else is around for you? Do you avoid thinking about what you’re doing with your life? Do you feel full and satisfied? All Christ asks is that we look up and say to him, Help me.
