How We Perceive and Pursue Jesus

What makes up your perception of other people? Is it their words, appearance, or their actions strung out over the course of our everyday lives makeup how we view others?  It seems in this day and age we can manage how people perceive us on our Facebook profiles, twitter accounts, and in the few minutes of small talk that we throw on a fake smile for. Facebook seems to be the modern lens under which we publicize ourselves and perceive others.  Whether we size each other up through these means or not, how we perceive ourselves is generally the way we perceive other people.  But, even when our best judgment we generally have very small, and often skewed, perceptions of other people.  We have a tendency to fill in a lot of the holes in their lives ourselves.  The windows we have into their lives are too small to peel back the layers and know a person for who they are.  There are really few people we really get to know because of limited time, access, and limited people who we can actually stand to be around and get to know in a real way.  So, what does it take to get to know the real Jesus who doesn’t even have a Facebook profile?…  a legit profile at least.

Whether we’re ignorant of it or not we all have a perception of exactly who this Jesus is.  We’ve all filled in some holes ourselves to try to understand the person of Jesus Christ.  The question is, how do I know if we believe in, put our faith in, pray to, and trust the same Jesus?

In today’s media saturated pop culture, Jesus has also been portrayed in many diverse and often skewed ways.  The Jesus of pop culture is constantly making appearances on South Park, Mind of Mencia, and the Simpsons.  His picture can be seen hanging in your grandmother’s hallway… well if she was Swedish. “Jesus is my homeboy” shirts are sported by everyone from Madonna, to Ashton Kutcher, to Pamela Anderson.  Within the last 100 years over 150 films have been made about Jesus, and in the music industry everyone from U2, Carry Underwood, and Lady Gaga are singing about Jesus.

And while Jesus had, has, and will have more influence than any celebrity will, He’s not the superstar or the historic figure the world always makes Him out to be right?  When we’ve reduced being known to whatever the media throws at us, a face book profile, or a brief conversation, it’s not a shock how disenchanted so many people are with Jesus.

Knowing the person of Jesus Christ is different than knowing any other person we know today.  How can I be expected to understand and engage with a person I can’t really see?  Whose picture has been hijacked by Hollywood, quotes hijacked by whatever political campaign they serve, and meaning of relationship stripped by Facebook?

I guess first off, we can’t equate Jesus solely to a friend, or acquaintance.  Not simply because we can’t physically sit down with, look him in the eye or call him over the phone, but because He’s God.  Even though Jesus humbled himself by becoming a man, He’s not equal to man.  Also, our blindness of Him now is not a result of His absence but a result of the fall of man.  It says in Genesis before the fall Adam walked with God.  The fall blinded Adam and Eve to God’s truth and in response they hid from God.  Despite our rejection, God still pursued us through the life of His son Jesus.  Jesus was sent to earth, not for Him to know us, as if He didn’t already know everything He would need to know about us, but for us to know Him.  His presence was made known some two thousand years ago and recorded in a few books we know today as the Gospels.  The Gospels are the books of the Bible known as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John which are a testimony to the life of Jesus Christ.  This is our window into His life, and these books allow us to comprehend Jesus more than any Facebook profile, Hollywood movie, or one quote ever could.  This is because Jesus wasn’t simply characterized by what He looked like, or His profound status’… but what He did.

The Gospels, sourced by more than 5,300 manuscripts and copies in fragments in the original Greek, record the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  These are Jesus’ actions… words.  Not un-glorified by Hollywood or distorted by anyone else’s perception, but completely spirit influenced, historically accurate, account of Jesus’ life.  Not only does He give us a glimpse of what we were created to live like, but He is also the All Powerful God of the Universe who displays His immeasurable love and grace He has for His own.

So the question is then, how do you get to know Jesus?  Do we desire to know Jesus as He truly is in scripture, or is our mind bored with a skewed picture of Jesus?  A real quick way to tell if you have a skewed picture is if you’re bored.

If we desire to know, and the world to know and engage with the real Jesus of the Bible we’ve got to resist ignorance and laziness, open up your Bible and get to know the person of Jesus Christ.  To be ignorant of who Jesus really is, is to forfeit the greatest story, love, life, and eternity.

Another resource that has been extremely helpful in my life in getting to know and understand Jesus as He really is Vintage Jesus, by Pastor Mark Driscoll (http://relit.org/vintagejesus/)

Here are a few questions to answer individually and in your missional communities this week:

How do you get to know Jesus?

What do you think of when you pray to Jesus?

Do you ever get bored with a Jesus? How?

What do you expect to receive from knowing Jesus?  What is its worth in comparison to simply knowing Jesus?

How We Stand Up To Injustice:

The greatest cultural experience of my life has been studying abroad in South Africa during my Junior year of High School.  I could write novels from my experiences with the people and the culture.  Because I write a blog, not novels, I only want to share a piece of my experience.  Hopefully this will make us take a second look at the poor half way across the world, in America, Duluth, and even on our street.

To be honest, I really had no idea what was coming when I left rural Minnesota and boarded a plane heading half way across the world.  I had been planning this year long trip for the last two years and I thought I was pretty well prepared.  In reality, I didn’t even know who I’d be staying with.  I thought I had a good grasp on South African history, but at 16 I really didn’t even understand what culture was.  I was headed to the providence of Limpopo where the population was over 97% black, and less than 2.2% white.  I would become a minority for the first time in my life.  I thought for sure I’d be living with a black family, but despite the odds, when I stepped off the bus I was met by an upper middle class, white, Afrikaans family.  The Jordaans lived in Phalaborwa, population: 10,000.  The city of Phalaborwa looked similar to many american cities.  We had a strip mall, hospital, hotels, fitness center, cafes, and even a Kentucky Fried Chicken.  We lived in a gated home, with a pool, maid, gardener, and satellite TV.  I had no idea I’d be taking a step up in my living standards when I was planning to live in Africa.  Despite how similar the city of Phalaborwa to the western world, surrounding Phalaborwa were the ‘townships’, population: over 200,000.  Most of these people lived in cinderblock one or two room homes, mud huts, and tin shacks.  Public schools that couldn’t afford to charge tuition were run down and the classrooms were packed with students.   Only a quarter of those schools had running water and half had electricity.  The unemployment rate in the townships was and still is over 46%.  83% of children live in poverty, over one in five people are infected with HIV/Aids, one in twenty two children die before their first birthday joining the 2.2 million children who die annually in South Africa from preventable diseases.

I’ll admit that it was a privilege to have clean health bill, live in a home with running water, electricity, and internet.  But, how was it possible to live this close to the third world?   There should be more than three miles between the wealthy and the poor, between the affluent and the oppressed, and the sick and a cure.
I was fortunate to be a part of a family that wasn’t ignorant of those needs.  In fact, I was a part of a community where some even campaigned for Aids awareness and for volunteered in local schools.    To be honest though, campaigning never changed our standard of living.  Volunteering never really made us step out of our comfort zone.  We lived at a comfortable arms length.  There was no obligation we had to anyone else’s needs except our own.  The poor, the sick, and the hungry should be able to take care of themselves, just like we did.  Right?

The reality is I was born on third base.  I was born into a healthy, middle class, educated family who instilled work ethic and the gospel into my life.  All of this occurred outside of anything I did to earn it.  I was born into a socially acceptable cast system.

That year I watched our maid, Flora, endure through the death of her daughter and two grandchildren.  All three died of HIV/AIDS.  The mother contracted it from her husband who unknowingly gave it to her two children.  In no way did those children deserve to have AIDS.  And yet because of their father was sleeping around, they faced the harsh reality of his choices, a reality one in twenty children face in South Africa.

The devastating statistics can’t be blamed on single person, political group, virus, culture, or solely on the distribution of wealth.  It is the result of sin.   Sin, separation from God and his order, are to blame, and the effects of sin are twisted and complex.  Sin has consequences, but in this life those consequences are not just.  One day we will have justice, and we will face the weight of our sin against each other and against our creator.  Only when we identify with and rely solely on Jesus’ life, death, and conquer of death will we be freed from the eternal consequence of sin.

Witnessing some of the unjust earthly consequences of sin(extreme poverty,  social injustice) in South Africa wasn’t a huge shock.  What was a shock was to live comfortably and carelessly a few miles away.  I thought people would react differently.

Whether we’re ignorant of it or not, we’re living in one of the most comfortable societies in the world, and at the same time living amongst the same poverty and injustice here in Duluth.  The poverty rate in Duluth is just over 25%, over double the state average. 40% of African Americans and 49% of Native Americans fall below the state poverty line, and 82% of single mothers with children under 5 years old live below poverty line.  These statistics however, don’t even scratch the surface of what’s unseen.  Take a look at the people around you; family, friends, and neighbors.  How do we stand up to the realities of poverty and social injustice in our own city?

The solution is not simply social reform, volunteering, or a donation.  Here are just a few passages were scripture addresses poverty and can give us a glimpse of a solution…

Psalm 12:5 “‘Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,’ says the LORD. I will protect them from those who malign them.”
Luke 4:16-21 “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’”
Luke 6:20-21 “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours in the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.”
Luke 12:33 “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”

Here’s a few more in no particular order for your spare time…
Deuteronomy 15:7, Deuteronomy 26:12, Leviticus 19:9-10, Leviticus 19:15, Nehemiah 5, Proverbs 29:7, Proverbs 31:8, Proverbs 14:31, Proverbs 19:17, Proverbs 14:31, Proverbs 19:17, Proverbs 22:9, Isaiah 58:10, Isaiah 1:16-17, Isaiah 58:6, Isaiah 10:1-3, Jeremiah 5:28, Jeremiah 7:5-7, Ezekiel 16:49, Ezekiel 22:29, 31, Jeremiah 22:3, Jeremiah 22:13-17, Amos 5:12, Matthew 5:42, Matthew 6:2-4, Matthew 6:24 , Matthew 19:20, Luke 14:12-14, Luke 12:33-34, Luke 6:33-34, Luke 3:11, Luke 6:24, Luke16:19-25, Luke 7:22, James 2:5, Acts 2:44, Acts 4:32-35 , Galatians 2:9-10, Ephesians 4:28, James 5:1-6, James 2:5, 1 Timothy 6:10, 1 John 3:17…

God’s heart for the poor can be seen all through out scripture, from the Old Testament, to the life of Jesus, and in His Church.    I hope this makes Jesus’ pursuit of the poor is apparent.  His life wasn’t spent comfortably at an arms length campaigning or volunteering, but in relationship with the poor and the oppressed.  He healed the sick and feed the hungry, and ultimately His mission was to die on a cross and rise from the dead to save us into a life of following him, and into an eternity with him.  Our heart for the oppressed should be the same.  We are both called to be generous and provide physical needs, and to call people into repentance.  We are to go, and give freely, and at the same time desire them to give up their life to follow Jesus.

I’m not going to tie this post up neatly for you.  I can’t tell you exactly were God is calling you to go, but I can tell you what should not prevent you from going.  We can’t deny the need of Jesus at every level of the social pyramid.  In fact, we are freed to bring the gospel into every class, socioeconomic group, cultural, and neighborhood.  What will we be willing to give up to serve them?

Here are a few questions to answer individually and in your missional communities this week:
How are both socialism(only being concerned with the providing physical needs of the poor and oppressed) and fundamentalism(only calling people into repentance) incomplete?

Have you ever lost your comfort serving ‘the least of these’?

Do you try to help the poor at an arms length?  How so?

Who are ‘the least of these’ you may called to serve in your life and community?

Rock Hill College Students,

For those of you who haven’t been here before, this is the Rock Hill Blog.  Each week, after the sermon, we post articles and discussion questions that will help you make the scripture and sermon practical and applicable to your life.  For some this serves as a morning devotional, questions for missional community, or just a thought provoking read.  Whatever you make of it, the Rock Hill Blog is another way the Rock Hill community wants to serve and challenge you.  Read at your own risk.

This first post is for you college students from the seniors at Rock Hill.

Finals week is almost here and your life is probably about to get a whole lot more chaotic.  Hopefully you are already studying and not about to go mentally insane pulling all nighters to cram before your exams.  Whoever you are, here are a few words of wisdom and encouragement the post grads at Rock Hill have imparted upon you.  Hope you guys enjoy.

“Not a lot of wisdom but here’s what I have!

Make sure you study in groups with people who actually want to study and are at a similar level as you, otherwise it is a hang out session or a tutor session.

When you can’t think straight or are falling asleep, close the books and go to bed.  Sleep will be much better for you than trying to cram.

You can’t learn a whole semesters work of info in 1 night, so if you didn’t put the work in earlier, there’s not a whole lot you can do.  Studying is for review, not learning a whole class in one night!

From the resident dietitian, eat a good breakfast with a little protein, whole grains and healthy fat!!!!  (ie, eggs and whole grain toast with PB, oatmeal with a piece of fruit, breakfast burrito, greek yogurt with some granola…)”

Amy Johnson

“I would have to say that you need to remember that “Finals won’t make or break you….I don’t even remember my finals even though they seemed like such a big deal at the time.”  ”Don’t stress yourself out trying to study until the last minute.” Also, “pray for wisdom & recall on the tests.  It sounds simple, but take it from me, it works!”

Brandon Peterson

“In the midst of studying for finals, take periodic study breaks of 10-15 minutes to spend time in the word, prayer or worship.  You will be surprised at how much it will energize you.  Physically getting up and going for a walk and moving around getting the blood going will also help you study and stay alert.

Try not to pull any all nighters because that will just wreck your life and will be counter productive.  Get some good rest, eat healthy and continue to try to exercise throughout the week.  My personal exercise favorites to implement include but are not limited to fort building, nerf gun wars, pillow fights, jumping off of things, tennis matches, hitting up the gym, pick up game of basketball, running around outside, snowball fights, push up contests, and of course a little side order of dodgeball.  Have fun, play hard, live life to the fullest.  Oh yeah and study too.”

Luke Rickert

“YouTube kittens.”

Natalie Harkness

The Rich Young Ruler In All of Us

Howdy Rock Hill,

Sam here with another thought for you.  This week’s blog post is going to be fairly short, and involve more thinking on your end for a few reasons.  First, it’s finals week, and life is chaotic.  Rock Hill is going to be posting a pretty sweet post later this week just for the college students who are trying to keep their head above water during finals weeks.  Second, Matthew 19 and the rich young ruler brings up some great questions to ask, so it’s probably going to serve us better to get to the bottom of those questions instead of reading a novel of a blog post or reading the sermon.

 

The last two weeks Matthew 18 addressed conflict, and how it’s dealt with individually, and as a church body.  Next in Matthew 19, Jesus addresses the most hellish realities of conflict, first the separation of each other, divorce, and then the separation from Jesus.  What he root cause of all of this destructive conflict?  Unmet desires in our hearts.  Conflict arises when we buy into the lie that we cannot be satisfied unless we have something we want.  When this thing turns into something we need, we demand it, and we judge and punish those who get in our way.  Last week we discussed what is meant to forgive other people who’ve bought into that lie.  This week we’re asking ourselves if we’re buying into that lie.  In Matthew 19 the rich young ruler, we’ll call him Rob, doesn’t start a fight after he chooses not to follow Jesus.  Jesus simply revealed the state of Rob’s heart, revealed the truth that would set him free, and Rob rejected that truth and walked away.  Rob’s conflict of interest with his creator was eventually resolved when he stood before God and all he had to show were a few of the ten commandments and his net-worth.  As Pastor Kyle noted on Sunday, Rob’s not pathetic because he’s got money in the bank, but because he thought all that dough was more important than a person.  And not just any person, but the person who started and will end it all, Jesus.  But in Rob’s false reality, choosing not to follow Jesus is something he thought he could afford.  Jesus didn’t hold him in a chokehold until he gave him all his money.  He simply choose to walk away.  We face that same reality today.  We live in one of the most healthy, wealthy, and prosperous societies this world has seen.  Our society preaches that Jesus is a person we can all afford not to follow.  We have government, order, safety, shelter, jobs, food, vacations, retirement accounts, and a house full of stuff.  In our culture, we can easily afford not to follow Jesus with our time, hobbies, jobs, money, and even families.  Anyone could live a ‘comfortable’ lifestyle in our culture without following Jesus.  Anyone can walk away from Jesus in the temple. The solution isn’t to compromise our security or health, or asceticism (abstaining from all forms of indulgence).  The solution is a change in our desires, in our wants, and in our needs.  The solution isn’t wrapped up in our net-worth or how much stuff we have, but in what we’re willing to give up to follow Jesus.

As Christ-followers, we cannot afford to lose Jesus.  His life, death, and defeat of death is our only hope of salvation.  Simply a knowledge of His existence doesn’t guarantee eternal life, but requires following Him.  Following Jesus not only saves us from eternal damnation, but a reality of hell in this life: perpetual disappointment in people and our stuff for never satisfying us.  The forgiveness of Jesus not only saves us from this hell, but to a life satisfied by Christ.

Getting to the bottom of our desires, wants, and demands is a daily struggle. We’re all getting up, going to school, working, raising children, going out, and making a name for ourselves for a reason.  As Christ-followers we’re committed to fix our reasoning on one thing, Jesus.  Choose to fix ourselves upon Jesus is an everyday, every hour, and every minute decision.   A decision to not find our satisfaction in our stuff, status, career, or people, but in Jesus.   This is a reason we need community.  We’re eventually going to need someone to tell us nothing is going to fill the voids in our lives except Jesus.  The question is, are you walking away from that, or into a life of following Jesus?

Here are a few questions to answer individually and in your missional communities this week:

What is an idol?

In what ways do you ‘afford’ to walk away from Jesus?

What am I preoccupied with? What is the first thing on my mind in the morning

and the last thing on my mind at night?

Finish this sentence… “If only _____________, then I would be happy, fulfilled,

and secure”?

When a certain desire is not met, do I feel frustration, anxiety, resentment,

bitterness, anger, or depression?

Is there something I desire so much that I am willing to disappoint or hurt

others in order to have it?