02/14/2024
I pray Jesus Gets Us cuz we apparently are too mad about a Christian commercial to Get the Unity He calls us to.
Once again we Christians are showing how bite and devour one another.
Once again we show that a 30 sec portion of someone’s life is all we need to see to judge them as Christian or not.
Once again we seek to be the persecuted instead of recognizing we are the persecutors.
Once again we speak without listening. We want our theology not His. We want our invitation not theirs.
Once again we are found closing a door that was just beginning to be cracked open to those that feel the door was shut long ago.
Once again we proved, “you’re not welcome here.”
Once again we are on the wrong side of the issue…instead of welcoming and having conversation we’d rather use the bullhorn to push possible seekers of Jesus away.
He gets us, but we don’t seem to get Him.
I’ve been the one that received the calls this organization gets from these ads. I’ve heard the stories of people that couldn’t go to their local pastor or did and was shut down because of their life issue. I’ve been the one that received the calls from those that had never been to the Church and only heard tidbits about Jesus, but there was something in the ad that spoke to their need and belief someone, maybe Jesus, did get them.
You see friends, the point of the ads…the first Christian ads ever played during a NFL Super Bowl… are about cracking the door open to the hurting, lost, and lonely who have felt the judgement and shame the Church is known for doling out. The purpose of the ads are not to teach salvation or theology. The purpose is simply to begin a conversation. Maybe, the person that person gets paired with will be the one God put together with them so that He could welcome them into His presence.
If you want to see what the organization is about, sign up to receive the calls and texts these 30 second ads garner. There are millions of people that won’t come into your church that are willing to seek and find out, “Does this Jesus really get me?” What will they find when they learn about the Jesus you follow when you talk to them? Will they find a Jesus that gets them, loves them, and tells them that what He offers is love and acceptance by them placing their lives into His hands? Will they find that the Church Jesus built is one that will include them as part of its body while they work through the issues they are battling with?
”John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us. If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.
“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck.“
Mark 9:38-42 NLT
