Gentle Jesus, Meek and Milk?

GENTLE JESUS, MEEK AND MILD?

Living for Jesus in India is very different than in the USA.  Christianity is rejected and Christians are often seen as enemies of the state.  To say you follow Jesus brings conflict among friends and in families.  People react, sometimes violently.  This shouldn’t surprise anyone, for that is exactly what Jesus Himself experienced.

Dorothy Sayers  “I believe it to be a great mistake to present Christianity as something charming and popular with no offense in it.…We cannot blink at the fact that gentle Jesus meek and mild was so stiff in his opinions and so inflammatory in his language that he was thrown out of church, stoned, hunted from place to place, and finally gibbeted as a firebrand and a public danger. Whatever his peace was, it was not the peace of an amiable indifference.”  Source: “Seeking Peace

Claiming to be a follower of Jesus is bringing more of an outspoken reaction here than it used to.  Christians have gone from admired to ignored to criticized.  Us, and our views about life and morals, are attracting more and more negative attention.  We are being attacked more than ever, and it will just keep getting worse.  We say we want to be like Jesus.  Well, this is the response He received.  His beliefs stirred things up and brought conflict and opposition as well.  We shouldn’t fear it happening or try to avoid it.  Jesus didn’t.  Neither should we. (March 19, 2018  Doylestown, PA)

Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.

Luke 6:27-31 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.  Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.  Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Are you surprised when your beliefs are not popular with others?  Do you think God should make it so others agree with Christians?  Are you disappointed when He doesn’t do that?

Are you willing to stand for your faith no matter what others may say or how they may react?

 

C t O Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
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