| Why Jesus? When people usually see the phrase "Jesus Saves", they usually think a fundamentalist, homophobic, backward-thinking, rightwinger. But I put this sign up as a lead in to why I believe in Jesus. I will not bore you with the usual fundamentalist remarks such as quoting select Bible verses and throwing them into your face. I don't ask that you will suddenly be converted, but at least you will read and think a bit. 1) Jesus Christ's Message is Love His message is one of hope, love and compassion. He seemed so harmless yet his message was radical. Jesus preached the dignity of all human beings and each deserving of his love. He expressed this by his kind words to those in sin such as the woman caught in adultery and the story of the Prodigal Son. He forgave sins by simply saying "Thy sins will be forgiven", never asking that the person have to go a ritualistic and religious voyage before receiving the love of God. Christ turned the vision of God into one of father, always forgiving, always welcoming the black sheep home. His message was radical in that the religious establishment, which refused to welcome the sinner, would be judged on the very thing that he was condemning to. 2) Jesus Christ's Message is one of Perfection Jesus was not a moral relativist though. However his morality was centred around love, rather than the stringent religious law as established by authority. Christ said "Love God with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself". This seemingly easy principle is hard to live up to. Indeed, one might rather just have a set of strict rules than this perfect law of love. But perhaps this is the challenge of Christ, that we would leave dogmatic and legal jargon and serve God with love, just love and serve others accordingly. 3) Jesus Christ's Message of Incarnation Christ is the Son of God and came down from heaven. His incarnation is itself a testament of the love for humanity that he shows. But the notion of the mystical incarnation in a lesson of love for all people. The high and mighty must come down and show love for the lowly poor. Christ calls those in authority to shed their notions of power and walk among the ordinary people. 4) The Message of the Atonement Jesus Christ died upon a cross. It seemed that his message was DOA: dead on arrival. The people was unimpressed with the revolution of love and wanted a message of war. But in a way Christ triumphed on the cross. His self-sacrifice was probably the greatest victory in the world. Through his love for all mankind, Christ defeated the chains of war and hatred. His message is to fight evil with love on the cross. The whole gospel is summed up this way: Love will triumph over hatred and in a way we are saved, becoming children of God 5) Resurrection Christ rosed on the third day. He did not appear as the same person, but rosed as his true role: ruler and prince over the world. He has won the war over evil and he is rewarded. Through his love, he is rightly crowned the Prince of Peace. Therefore I think that is the message of the Resurrection. When we love others and love God, we are transformed. We no longer are the selfish ones who lay in the world uncaring for others. We are now children of God, royal heirs, who through love lift Christ to the world and shout: Praise God! That is why I am a Christian. Call me crazy, deluded, stupid and a fanatic, but this is the Christ I love and who calls me his brother and joint heir. |