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Tiny Tim was rightFriday, April 30, 1999
John 14:6 With these words Jesus challenged the establishments of his day. They did not know as much as they thought they knew. They were not as strong as they thought they were. Of course this is just as true today. Religious institutions define themselves by their doctrines, what they call truth. Staunch Jews, Christians, Moslems are all tempted to stay in their "truth" boxes. Jesus just won't let his disciples settle down in those comfortable little boxes. No religion has the truth which saves us. He is determined to show us the way, teach us truth, and give us life as our Father gave it to him. He wants us to learn the details of our box, get to know it well, and then get to know him. He will show us how to move into whatever larger place God wants us to go (maybe a world instead of a box). Jesus is the Lord of the dance. He wants us to learn the steps, and then to move out and be creative just as he is. He says that is our Father's desire for his children. All of us. Jesus has not been appropriated by Christianity for itself. He is for us all. God bless us and keep us and make his face shine upon us ... every one. |
For followers of Jesus, this is not a "hard saying." But for people of religion, both Christian and non-Christian, these words of Jesus do not at first glance seem accurate, because they feel close to God "without" Jesus. And to tolerant Western humanists of the late 20th century, Jesus with this kind of exclusionary statement demonstrates that he is eternally politically incorrect.