So the last will be first, and the first last. Matthew 20:16 ESV
Jesus, the Great Disturber (part 2)
Scientists tell us that mammals that live in social groups (dogs, chimps, et al) spend an appreciable portion of their time and energy deciding how each individual fits into their social hierarchy. Who’s on top is a big deal, and the struggle to decide who gets to occupy that spot is constant.
Sounds a lot like our political and socials processes, doesn’t it? More often than not, we humans don’t fight, scratch and claw our way to the top. We consider ourselves more sophisticated than that; we normally use non-lethal methods to accomplish the same goal: gossip, how much money we have in the bank, social media exposure and how well we dress. So perhaps we’re not all that different than our canine friends.
Jesus biographers in the New Testament tell us that that Jesus was often a disrupter of the political, social and religious status quo in first century Palestine. He cleansed the Temple, called the religious left (the Sadducees) harsh names, regarded the religious fundamentalists (the Pharisees) in even harsher terms, and tripped up the scribes and lawyers with ideas that blew their comfort zones out of the water.
This weekend at Trinity Downtown we’ll be discussing another example of how Jesus’ values turned the world’s assumptions on their head. The Beatitudes tells us that in His Kingdom, the “sat upon, spat upon, ratted on” (quoting Simon and Garfunkel) find loving acceptance; the unblessed and the unblessable can find His acceptance. To the politically or economically powerful in Jesus’ time, His ideas were truly world-upending.
And Jesus continues disrupting our status quo today. He reminds us that it’s not necessarily the smart, beautiful or powerful people that are nearest to His heart. He invites us to come experience what it is like to follow Him. Being a Christian isn’t just a sterile exercise in following certain rules, engaging in certain rituals, or believing certain creeds. Following Jesus sometimes entails abandoning our assumptions and our social positioning so we can engage in a life-long relationship-building journey with Him. Along the way with Jesus we’ll experience joys we never anticipated and fight important battles and achieve victories which we might have otherwise sidestepped.
On Sunday at Trinity Downtown come and hear what Jesus wants to say to you about the areas in your soul that are poverty-stricken, the parts of your heart that mourn or the parts of your behavior that are meek and misunderstood. Your kids won’t want to miss our “Kingdom Quest” pre-school and student gatherings, and you’ll enjoy making new friends and learning more about your faith in our expanded array of adult bible study classes, all held at 9:30 am on Sunday.
This weekend come learn how placing our faith and fears in the hands of Jesus can lessen our stress load and bring deep transformation in our hearts. Celebrate with us the depth of Jesus’ love for us and find out how you can live a life of significance, filled with meaning. Discover how following Jesus can help you and your family navigate around the minefields of life.
Come get a fresh jolt of spiritual energy at Trinity Downtown. It will make a tremendous difference in your life.