The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:9-14

“There are, then, two myths that swirl around our heads, around the churches, around the TV studios, and around the editorial offices of newsmagazines. Let’s name them even more clearly and, to some extent, shame them, so we can be clear about the present confusions before we turn to the equally confusing world of the first century. First conservative Christianity. Here we find the classic Western Christian myth about Jesus, which is still believed by millions around the world. In this myth, a super-natural being called “God” has a super-natural “Son” whom he sends, virgin-born, into our world, despite the fact that it’s not his natural habitat, so that he can rescue people our of this world by dying in their place. As a sign of his otherwise secret divine identity, this “son” does all kinds of extraordinary and otherwise impossible “miracles,” crowning them all by rising from the dead and returning to “heaven,” where he waits to welcome his faithful followers after their deaths.

The second myth, prevalent in the skeptical “western wind” of our perfect storm, is the new classic modernist myth, which is widely believed in secular society and in several mainline churches too. In this new myth of Christian origins, Jesus was just an ordinary man, a good first-century Jew, conceived and born in the ordinary way. He was a remarkable preacher and teacher, but he probably didn’t do all those “miracles”. Some people seem to have felt better after meeting him, but that was about it.” (“Two Jesus Myths”, Simply Jesus,  N. T. Wright, p. 17-18)

Behind many of the questions that might swirl around Jesus, the question most asked by non-Christians is this: “Was Jesus the Son of G-d, or not?” Now, when people ask this question, are they wondering if he was the supernatural being of G-d, with the focus on the G-d part of “Son of G-d”: who revealed secret truths, did extraordinary miracles, and now is back in heaven to rule over the world and the heavenly realm? Or, do they want an answer that focuses more on the Son part of “Son of G-d”: where Jesus is more human than he ever could be divine, and as such most of the story of Jesus is just made up myths? They focus more on a Jesus who was a really good person, and we should model our lives after his goodness, but there was no resurrection and ascension.

How would you explain to a skeptic what Jesus means to you? How would you seek to convince them that Jesus was both “Son” and “G-d”? We need to ponder these kinds of questions if we are to help others find the Jesus who is the “Son of G-d”, and savior of the world. Yes, Jesus was a really good person, but he also died on a cross and was raised on the third day for the salvation of the world.

Pastor Dave

“If you are an American, you will guess that a lot of people…oversimplify complex problems. We bundle up very different social and political issues into two packages, and with a sigh of relief—we declare ourselves to be in favor of this package and against that one. And we make life uncomfortable for anyone who wants to see things differently. Jesus, as always, gets caught in the middle—along with a good number of his followers. Many people in America today were brought up in strict Christian homes and churches of one sort or another. There was a set package. Jesus, the Bible, family, strict morals, the Rapture, purgatory, and ultimately a straight choice between heaven and hell. Many of those who do remember it remember it with a shudder. That’s the small, narrow world from which the healthy skepticism of the modern world has rescued them. So, for many Americans today, and others elsewhere too, Jesus is part of the tight little world, closed and closed-minded, from which they have thankfully escaped.” (“The Distortions of Skepticism and Conservatism”, Simply Jesus,  N. T. Wright, p. 14-15)

In what kind of Christian household were you raised—the strict, bible-believing; the skeptical religion-questioning; or the non-existent beyond Sunday worshipping? In other words, was your religious upbringing on the more conservative, the skeptical, or the ultra-liberal view? While most “baby-boomers” were probably expected to attend church every Sunday, the church experience for most millenials and “generation Z” folks is something completely foreign to us.

For those raised in the church, it may have been a great experience, or it may have been a terrible, judgmental, or even abusive experience. Therefore many think the church is good, faithful, spiritual, and giving. And many think the church is bad, manipulative, and money-grubbing. Somewhere in the middle of those two experiences, we need to pause, and find Jesus – for if we can discover Jesus, as he truly was, we might be able to find a relevant Jesus for the world again. And, I believe, many people are searching for just such a presence in their lives today – because most of their waking life is without purpose, is devoid of foundational relevancy, and offers them no rest from their burdens. And my friends, as I have come to know Jesus, this is what he was about. My calling and your calling, if you are up to the challenge, is to tell people about the Jesus of love, mercy and Grace. I believe this is what all people need today – hope in a G-d who loves them.

Pastor Dave