JESUS CALLS US TO BE RADICALLY DIFFERENT. ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE ?

Have you ever come to the realization of just how Radical the message that Jesus brought to the world was in his time as a Rabbi in Galilee ? The Jewish people of that time period and before had endured SO MUCH PERSECUTION AND TYRANNY in their lives that they truly must have felt utterly hopeless. The harsh fist of the Roman Empire constantly crushing their lives with brutality and control. Their religious leaders pounding them with endless rules and regulations, while living themselves in a very hypocritical manner; bending God’s Commandments in any way they saw fit. As people struggled to make ends meet, the Government and Religious Institutions of the time spent most of their time self righteously judging the common people, while flexing their power and authority in every way they possibly could. People struggled even to exist with each other as their culture created mistrust, division and hatred. And yet, in the midst of this boiling caldron, Jesus came with a very Radical Message. He came with a Message that was for Everyone. He came with a message from GOD HIMSELF. It was a message that crossed all boundaries. Ethnic Group, Beliefs, Financial Status, Skin Color, Birthplace, Education, Neighborhood, Social Status and any other “differences” had no power or control over this Message. THAT IS WHY THIS RADICAL MESSAGE STILL RESONATES WITH PEOPLE EVERYWHERE EVEN TODAY !

AND ONE OF THE SCRIBES CAME UP AND HEARD THEM DISPUTING WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND SEEING THAT HE ANSWERED THEM WELL, ASKED HIM, “WHICH COMMANDMENT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL ?” JESUS ANSWERED, “THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT IS’ HEAR O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE. AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH. THE SECOND IS THIS: YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. THERE IS NO OTHER COMMANDMENT GREATER THAN THESE. Mark 12:28-34

YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID, ‘ YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AND HATE YOUR ENEMY. BUT I SAY TO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU, SO THAT YOU MAY BE SONS OF YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. FOR HE MAKES HIS SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND ON THE GOOD, AND SENDS RAIN ON THE JUST AND ON THE UNJUST. FOR IF YOU LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE YOU, WHAT REWARD DO YOU HAVE ? DO NOT EVEN THE TAX COLLECTORS DO THE SAME ? AND IF YOU GREET ONLY YOUR BROTHERS, WHAT MORE ARE YOU DOING THAN THE OTHERS ? Matthew 5: 43-48

BUT I SAY TO YOU WHO HEAR, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, DO GOOD TO ALL THOSE WHO HATE YOU. Luke 6:27

Think about what Jesus was telling the people at those times, and is also telling us as Christians who follow Him today. Love God BEFORE everything and everyone, with all your heart, mind soul and strength. OK….Love your neighbor as yourself. OK….Love My Enemies? Love people who hate me? I Don’t Know ! THAT IS ONE BIG ASK ! How in the world can ALL these people do that? Jews, Gentiles, Pagans, Samaritans, Romans, Pharisees, Sadducees, Tax Collectors, Common Everyday People? Educated and Uneducated? Rich, Poor, Black, Brown, Yellow, White. All sitting in one Big group, Trying to fathom what He was Saying and Asking. Putting God First, before my desires, my pleasures, my comforts, my plans and goals ? Helping other people before I accumulate things for myself ? And sharing what I have with those that do not ! Being willing to reach out and talk to people that hate me; people that I hate. Finding a way to love them and Pray for them. WHO COULD ASK THAT OF ME ??? JESUS COULD! I imagine even in those times, and for sure today, that was ONE RADICAL MESSAGE! TRULY, HAS ANYTHING CHAGED FOR US TODAY SICE THEN ? All the things that the people at Jesus’ time were experiencing we are experiencing today. Corrupt and Tyrannical Leadership. Hypocritical Religious Leadership. Ethnic Hatred. Prosperity versus Poverty. Division, Tribalism and Despair. It is ONE BIG MESS to dig our way out of, but the one thing that never changes is OUR NEED FOR GOD AND HIS LOVE FOR US. It binds us all no matter where we were born, no matter our circumstances, no matter our path and purpose. It is our Faith, Love and Desire for Christ that SETS US APART FROM THE WORLD. Make no mistake that as followers of Jesus, WE ARE CALLED TO BE DIFFERENT ! We must be the salt and the light that proclaims this Message to the World. Only through the Love Of Christ will we ever come together as the people God created us to be. A people purposed by God Himself. We are His People, made for Eternal Life with Him and in Him. We must understand this and strive for this each and every day. In a World Of Hatred, we must be Radically Different.. The only way we can achieve it is by being incredibly CLOSE TO GOD IN EVERY WAY.

DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND, THAT BY TESTING YOU MAY DISCERN WHAT IS THE WIL OF GOD, WHAT IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT. Romans 12:12

BUT YOU AREA CHOSEN GENERATION, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE, THAT YOU MIGHT PROCLAIM THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF THE DARKNESS AND INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT. 1Peter 2:9

Today in this very moment is when we need to make a difference. The World seems to devolve on a daily basis into a darkness that is further and further away from God. Countries threaten each other and go to war. Culture promotes hate for each other and divides us along a myriad of differences. Churches openly question God’s Word, and promote Sin, couching it in False Truth and Teaching. Hoping to be Politically Correct and Sensitive while making a Mockery of God and His Commandments and Character. Respect for each other and honest discourse is rejected and discouraged at best. IT IS TIME FOR US TO WAKE UP AND CHANGE THIS COURSE FOR HUMANITY ! Jesus Christ came to give us Salvation and a Kingdom. A Kingdom where Truth and Righteousness and Love would be the Foundation of our lives unto Eternity. Best of all, Jesus Himself is our King, and we have the honor and pleasure of BEING IN HIS PRESENCE EVERY SINGLE MOMENT. So, we can either isolate ourselves in our own little world of safety and apathy, or we can STAND UP AND SHARE THE MESSAGE THAT JESUS BROUGHT TO EVERYONE HE ENCOUNTERED. It is our joy and duty to proclaim the good news of the Gospel. It is also our joy and duty to LIVE IT OUT IN OUR BEHAVIOR AND IDENTITY. GOD”S LIGHT will always overcome darkness and evil….and WE ARE CALLED for such a time and place as this TO SHARE CHRIST AND HIS WORD. ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE ? BE RADICAL/JAA

FEAR NOT, FOR I HAVE REDEEMED YOU; I HAVE CALLED YOU BY NAME, YOU ARE MINE. Isaiah 43:1