Jump Start # 3622

1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”

Every July and August, for the past several years, our congregation runs a summer series on Wednesday evenings. We bring in preachers from all across the country to come and speak on a themed topic. We pick out a hymn and use the various lines within the hymn to be the topics preached on. Every Wednesday, we sing that hymn. By the end of the summer, that hymn has become special to us and more meaningful since we have worked through the sentences in it.

This year we’ve chosen “Exalted,” by Matt Basford. We are a third of the way into our series and it has been great. It is amazing to see how the different preachers approach their topics. They have brought great insight and depth to these series. Each year, many will say, “this has been the best yet.”

In one of our recent lessons, “Seen in future days,” Josh Welch took us through how we see Jesus now through faith and how we will see Him literally in Heaven. Powerful lesson. One of his thoughts really stuck with me. He said we see Jesus in the lives of His followers.

This is what our verse today is expressing. There were many, especially in the far reaches of that first century world, that never saw Jesus. I doubt many in Corinth, the city our verse is addressed to, ever saw Jesus. Paul did. The apostles did. And, as Paul walked those Roman streets in those Gentile cities, he was leaving footprints of Jesus.

In a very real sense, I have seen Jesus. I have seen Him in the kindness of His disciples. I have seen Jesus in the love others have shown. I have seen Jesus in the grace, forgiveness and second chances that others have been given. I have seen Jesus in the generosity of others.  I have seen Jesus in the way some have remained calm in heated discussions. I have seen Jesus in how some have responded to mean and hurtful things said about them. I have seen Jesus. And, you have, too. You’ve seen Jesus in a smile. You’ve seen Jesus in a heartfelt discussion. You have seen Jesus in the open doors some have offered you. You have seen Jesus by the way some have gone above and beyond the call of duty for you. You have seen Jesus in the way some have hugged you, with tears in their eyes, as you apologized for wrongs that you have done.

I watched a movie the other day called “The Jesus Revolution.” It’s a true story about a dying California church in the 1960s. The minister met a hippie and allowed him to come and worship. Before long, the place was packed with hippies. Some old timers couldn’t take it and left. Now, there are layers of theological, doctrinal, social and even psychological issues with what took place, but it illustrated how closed doors to people who were different were opened. It was something to think about.

I have seen Jesus…

First, people who see you make three judgments. Right or wrong, they do that. First, they make a judgment about your faith. Are you honest? Are you kind? Are you cruel? Are you selfish? By the way you conduct yourself, people make a determination. Second, because of you, they make a judgment about the congregation you are a part of. Again, right or wrong, people tend to lump everyone into the same basket and generalize. This is why hypocrites do more damage than they realize. Seeing you, people assume that everyone in the church is like you. That can be very positive or it can be extremely negative. How often have we heard, “I worked with a guy that went to your church…” And, what follows is some sad story about someone who was nothing like Jesus. Thirdly, through you, people will make a judgment about Jesus, the Bible and the whole system of Christianity. Where do people get the idea that “Christians are judgmental”? That comes from interaction with judgmental Christians.

Do people see Jesus because of you?

Second, although we will never be perfect, we can give a good impression of Jesus. People have seen hatred. They need to see forgiveness. They have seen abusive and dysfunctional marriages. They need to see marriages that thrive. They have seen successful people who were corrupt and dishonest. They need to see successful people who are generous, kind and honest. People know lying. They need to see people who have integrity and truthfulness at their core.

Getting the verses off the pages and into our lives is what we are supposed to do. People have seen churches that closed the door to prodigals and rolled their eyes at those who looked different. They need to see open doors that welcome all to worship God. Stop the thirty questions that makes someone uncomfortable, and begin inviting them out to lunch after services. And, by the way, since you invited, pay their bill. Put down the radar gun and put on a smile.

Third, once you have seen Jesus in the lives of others, it elevates you and inspires you to do better. Someone has shared with you, so you want to share with others. Someone has been generous with you so you want to be generous with others. Seeing Jesus, just makes us want to do better.

I have seen Jesus…have you?

Roger