And coming in at number...
21 New Spring Church
Anderson, S.C.
Perry Noble
A simply delightful and charming young pastor, surely.
Posted on 08/30/2007 5:52:30 PM PDT by Terriergal
One of THE most overused phrases among Christians today is, “I just want to be more and more like Jesus.” HOLD ON–I am NOT saying that is something bad…it’s just that I don’t think that some people have a CLUE what they are talking about when they say those words!
People from a churched culture grow up with a “safe” picture of Jesus–he had feathered hair, wore a white robe with a purple sash, was a constant giver of hugs and carried a lamb where ever He went.
However, in reading Scripture that is NOT the Jesus I am seeing. I am discovering that if I want to become more and more like Jesus that I am going to have to drop my Sunday school perceptions and embrace the following…
#1 - Jesus Is A Warrior King!
Check out Revelation 19:11-16…never seen a picture of THAT in a Christian bookstore. One of my favorite stories is found in Matthew 21:12-16 where His passion is demonstrated by the fact that He whipped some tail! I am sick and tired of people saying that a Christian is always nice…a Christian is someone who is passionate for the things of God–which requires some table turning from time to time.
#2 - Jesus Purposefully Offended The Religious!
Keep something in mind–it wasn’t the atheists, agnostics or even the devil worshipers that murdered Jesus…but rather THE most religious people in that time period. Why? Because He was nice? NO! Because He…
Jesus was NOT concerned with making the religious happy–He was dangerous, on the edge–that’s who Jesus was!!!
#3 - Jesus Did Not Get Inward Focused!
Like it or not–Jesus didn’t go to a bookstore, get a theology book by a dead white guy, get a group of guys together that were just like Him and give the world the middle finger because He was obsessed with “going deep!”
If I meet one more group of guys who think they are becoming more like Jesus because they are theological superior to people (which, by the way, is PRIDE!) but do not know a lost person by name or refuse to exercise their spiritual gift…and yet claim to be godly…I am going to punch them in the throat! (For everyone who just got mad about that–please refer to #2!)
#4 - Jesus Offered Forgiveness, Not Condemnation!
Check this out…the people Jesus WAS nice to were the broken, the poor, the outcasts, the prostitutes…those whom society had thrown away! He didn’t yell at them! He didn’t look down His nose at them. He didn’t sit in a church pew and wonder, “Why are they here?” He offered them forgiveness–something that MANY churches today simply do not do!
You know what I mean…someone goes through a painful divorce and they are pushed out. A teenage girl gets pregnant and the other mothers in the church forbid their “angels” to hang out with her. I’ve seen it…so have you…and it ticks me off! Jesus NEVER told them their behavior was ok; in fact, He preached repentance…but He did not condemn them!
# 5 - Jesus Was Passionate About Obeying His Father!
Jesus had a passionate desire to obey God…He recognized His Father as the absolute authority on this planet…and went to the cross and gave His life as an act of obedience and worship.
Pastors will say that God reigns and is sovereign…and then they will back down before a board of deacons or elders because they fear them more that God. If you are going to be like Christ–obedience, not prostitution (being paid to perform a service) is required.
#6 - Jesus Had A Vision To Reach People!
I read on a website once that a vision could not be numeric…and I will have to say that I about threw up! Jesus had a desire to reach the NATIONS! (Matthew 28:18-20) Now I am not the smartest man on the planet…but that’s a lot of people.
Jesus said in Acts 1:8 to reach the ends of the earth–that’s a lot of people!
Jesus told three parables in Luke 15 about something lost being found…and then said the angels in heaven rejoice when people cross over the line of faith.
If Luke 19:10 is true…and there is a church out there that does not care about reaching people…I simply say you need to check your heart because hell is hot! Seriously–HOW could someone NOT care about people stepping over from death to life?
#7 - Jesus Was Not Normal!
Jesus, in His teaching and mentoring tactics, was different!
He taught with authority…He told stories…He didn’t go line by line, verse by verse through the OT…He used modern day illustrations…He connected with the hearts of the people…and they GOT IT!
He was not normal in who He surrounded Himself with–He didn’t go for the religious professionals but rather men who were crazy enough to believe and follow Him. He didn’t fit in with the religious system of the day…and they killed Him for it! (But He had the last laugh!!!)
Interesting. Feeling a little theologically superior, there, Mr Noble?
And coming in at number...
21 New Spring Church
Anderson, S.C.
Perry Noble
I have a hard time reading when there are 35 of these “!” in about 50-60 sentences.
No, that’s “theological superior.”
He does actually make some good points. If we get into the Gospels and meditate on what “being Christlike” really entails, it’s a real challenge to our sittin’-in-the-suburbs status quo.
I want to be exactly like Jesus, because then I will not have a sinful nature, and a aging body of death to deal with every day. Now that is being “born again”!
1 Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1 John 3:9
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1 John 5:18
We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think this statement is irreverent? I don't see anything about the death, buriel, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as being laughable by us or Him.
Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 
Good read thanks.
This guy leading his whole flock astray. He is disrespectful and brash. Disgusting to read, it almost reads like some left-wing garbage.
This guy is psycho. You hit the nail on the head with the “left-wing” supposition; the “dead white guy” comment gives it away.
Actually the Lord was speaking of himself, and the word is better translated ‘among.’ Nice prooftext there.
I concur.
I agree. But that doesn’t mean we go out and act like the world. To be a good Christian witness is to be offensive to the world. To be considered offensive doesn’t make certain behavior a good Christian witness.
The ESV and NASB also (which are in places more accurately translated than the KJV - gasp! No I’m not a KJV only person) render it “in the midst of.”.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/versions.pl?book=Luk&chapter=17&verse=21&version=KJV#21
If the kingdom of God was in the Pharisees, why did he spend so much time rebuking them?
I would agree if by 'observation' you mean "by observing the law."
By the way this was not a condemnation of observing the law, or knowing the Scriptures.
The Kingdom does come by observing/hearing/heeding the Truth (e.g God's Word) and rejecting what is false (e.g. including half-truths). Jesus IS the Truth.
What?!!! You don’t like the abuse of the !!!! key?!!!! ;-)
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