Here's something I bet you didn't know. According to John Piper's book, What Jesus Demands from the World, there are over 500 commands in the New Testament from Jesus. I bet you didn't see that coming. In the book, Piper has gathered all of Jesus's commands, eliminated the ones that don't apply (like "Take up your bed and walk"), then broken them down into categories. The book has 50 categories -- basic commands that Jesus has given.
Now, we like to think that Jesus is our friend. We like to think that the Father is the demanding one, but Jesus is our pal. He loves us. He wouldn't make any demands on us. You know ... friends don't do that.
We are, of course, victims (again) of a lie, or even a group of lies. Friends don't make rules. Yeah, that's right. In what universe? Jesus has a different set of values than the Father. Ummm ... not according to Jesus. Telling us what to do isn't kind. Tell that to the parent that tells their children not to run out in the street.
But here's what really struck me. We call ourselves "Christians" -- followers of Christ. Jesus even said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15). So ... why would we balk at any commands He might give? Why would we even consider taking issue with Him for laying down so many commands? Wouldn't we be wiser to just step up and say, "Yes, Lord ... and is there anything else I can do?" Do we really want to make our relationship with our Savior a minimalist thing?
3 comments:
We forget that "Friend" is only one way to describe the relationship. He is also Redeemer. Savior. Lion of Judah. Lamb of God. We want to make a cheap and easy relationship out of something costly and glorious. Our love for Him comes because of His love for us first. Our obedience follows from this love. That is a deeper relationship that a sinful human deserves or would know how to find on his own.
True. When we narrow Christ to "friend", we omit a vast array of characteristics of who He is and His relationship with us.
Even so, it is a mistake on our part to think "friends don't make rules." Sure we do! "Call before you come." "Ask before you borrow." Friends do it all the time ... let alone Sovereigns.
Amen.
Sometimes, it seems we (the church) have much more to do with our traditions and much less to do with Jesus' actual teachings.
"Turn the other cheek," "Sell your belongings and give to the poor," "Don't worry about tomorrow," "Why do you build bigger barns?"
Hard teachings, these.
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