Jesus the rebel

February 8, 2022 (Tuesday)

 

There is a song by Anne Wilson that declares Jesus is a bit of a rebel. How can that be? Jesus is God, how can He be a rebel? Well, it depends on perspective. We live in a fallen and cursed world. Jesus subverted the effects and culture of this world. Jesus did this in what He said, did, intended, and accomplished.

 

Let’s crack open some things Jesus said that disturbs the equilibrium of our fallen and cursed world.

 

In Mark 1:14 – 15 we read, “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” [ESV] This formula was used by the Romans as a declaration of conquest. It laid down the terms of surrender. It announced a change of government.

 

There are two conditions to surrender. The first is “repent.” This means changing the heart and life. When we repent, we understand our true nature and God’s true nature. When we repent, we agree that God is right and we are not. The second condition is “believe.” Unfortunately, in modern language “believe” has been reduce to intellectual agreement. However, in the Greek world, it was understood that what is believed guides behavior and loyalty.

 

Jesus also taught with authority. Matthew 7:28 – 29 informs us, “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” [ESV] Instead of appealing to others for authority, Jesus made Himself the point of reference. Think about it, the anchor of all truth is the truth Himself.

 

The head scratcher is when Jesus made it difficult for people to follow Him. Mark 4:10 – 12 tells us, “When they were alone, the people around Jesus, along with the Twelve, asked him about the parables. He said to them, “The secret of God’s kingdom has been given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables. This is so that they can look and see but have no insight, and they can hear but not understand. Otherwise, they might turn their lives around and be forgiven.” [CEB] Before this point, Jesus spoke plainly. Then He was accused of being a devil. At this critical moment Jesus shifted to hiding the meaning of His teaching with parables. Jesus quotes Isaiah as a reason for teaching in parables. The dark side of Isaiah’s call is it was to keep people from hearing, seeing, and understanding. (see Isaiah 6:10)

 

Think about how revolutionary the things Jesus said are in our world. Jesus demands surrender to His government, not our self-rule. Jesus insisted the He is truth. Any idea that proposes itself as truth must be reconciled with Jesus, the Word of God. Finally, following Jesus is not easy. There are things we will not understand, like, or desire.

 

Here’s the thing. You have a choice. You can choose your own road or you can take the path Jesus’ has set before you. Your path leads to eternal Hell. Jesus’ path gives eternal life and leads to eternal Heave. I have heard it stated, “Eternity is a long time to be in a place you don’t want to be.” Just saying.