After thinking about yesterday’s conversations at Fuel, I suspect Jesus loves Billy Joel. OK, not that He’s going to concerts and tracking with his life style, but sort like in the same way I read on a T-shirt that said, “Jesus loves Porn Stars.†Its an awkward statement when you hear it, but its true.
The point is, Billy Joel wrote these lyrics “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with saints; sinners are much more fun…†And on many levels, I believe this thought resonated with Jesus back in the day, and still does.
I think if we were honest most people we consider to be “religious†are not really the people we often consider to be the most fun. I think Jesus knew that; and that’s part of the reason why he hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes, and Samaritans. And the funning thing is, THEY were drawn to Him. There was this mutual attraction. What was it about Jesus that caused people who did very little to think about God, or righteousness, or being good to be interested in Him?
Maybe perhaps God is not as interested in our behavior as we may have been led to believe. Maybe its something more.
Maybe they sensed something in Jesus that most people don’t sense from the church, or people claiming to be Christian.
Maybe it was a sense of acceptance, and an unconditional love—like one would receive from a Father…
Whatever it was and is, it had to be relevant. Like we discussed, Jesus wasn’t out there running a break-dance ministry or instructing people with a list of do’s and don’ts. Maybe He was just a little more understanding and compassionate. Maybe He listened more than He preached. Maybe He seemed more forgiving than condemning?
Whatever it is, something about Jesus is different than what most of us have been told to believe.
Is it possible that the real message of Jesus is relevant to your life? And are you open to that possibility?
And if you follow Jesus, do you attract the people who don’t follow Jesus? And what might you be able to do in order to be “more like Jesus†and change that?
Maybe Virginia SHOULD wait, and Christians could be much more fun, and Billy Joel hasn’t heard the real story either…
We’ll continue this conversation next Wednesday, and look into what God is really concerned about…because its not what you have been told. It’s a lot more…
Invest and invite,
Pat