Challenge

I want to challenge you today to do something dangerous.  I want you to lay aside all of your religious beliefs: everything you learned in your church, Sunday school, catechism, small group.  I want you to do this while you are reading your Bible.  I challenge you to read the gospels, Matthew through John, with a totally open mind.  While reading I want you to write in the margins of your Bible.  Preferably have a Bible, where the words of Jesus are in red.  Each time you see red, write in the margin what Jesus is talking about, to whom is He speaking and what is he doing.  Make categories such as: preaching, teaching, parable, instructions to disciples, instructions to followers, instructions to religious people, performing miracles, meeting peoples needs, healing, rebuking disciples, rebuking followers.  If you are not sure, don’t worry, just guess.

If you don’t read the Bible daily, start with reading one chapter a day or just a section of a chapter.  I would start with the gospel of Mark or John.  It’s OK if you don’t understand everything. 

Once you have finished one of the gospels, go back and read just the notes you have written.  Now write down what Jesus did the most often: preach, teach, rebuke, heal, perform miracles.  When He was talking to His disciples, what was he talking about the most often.  What was a typical day like for Jesus

Why is this dangerous?  I will venture to say that you will have a new picture of who Jesus was and is, a new picture of what His Father is like.  Ask yourself if your life bares any resemblance to what Jesus did! Are we following a man-made religion or following Jesus?  Are we imitating the Christ of the gospels or some man made "image" created from years of religious tradition?  Are we just playing church or becoming Jesus Christ's disciples?

Does Jesus "fit in" in your religion?  Is the Jesus of the gospels, the Jesus of your religion?  Would you have to change the order of worship in your church?  Would your service last more than an hour?  Would you have enough room to fit everybody in?

Be ready to be shocked!