Letting Jesus Speak.


In Luke 12, when Jesus says what the master will do to the wicked servant — “He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers” — I can’t turn this around by saying, “Jesus is really saying, I will never stop loving you.”

In John 6, Jesus preaches a sermon so hardcore that every single follower except the appointed twelve end up leaving him. Jesus asks the remaining dozen, “Do you want to leave too?” I don’t see this in any church growth books or discipleship workshops.

In Matthew 10, Jesus says plainly with zero disclaimers: “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law — a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.” I don’t see a hidden meaning in this passage. He said what he meant; he meant what he said.

If you’ve ever really read the Sermon on the Mount, it’s absolutely horrifying. Whether you believe Jesus was real or not, it completely clashes against all our notions of a sheep-petting, halo-wearing, perfect-teeth Jesus.

Can we try to let Jesus speak for himself?


— J.S. from What the Church Won’t Talk About


5 thoughts on “Letting Jesus Speak.

    1. Yes. Jesus will eventually offend every culture at some point, whether it’s with the concept of a personal loving God or the idea of a vengeful God of justice.

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  1. Such radical thinking, let Jesus speak instead of covering Christ with a thick blanket of doctrine! Just my personal opinion, but Jesus is worth listening to. Theology not so much…
    Peace

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