What 21st Century Jesus Christ Would Do

If Jesus Christ was on earth today with us I believe He would do all of the following:

1. Service will still be His mantra. He would serve, serve and serve. The "I have come to serve" (Matthew 20:28) wouldn't change to I have served you enough and now is the time for you to serve me. And He would serve all not just a few.
2. He would welcome all. Jesus Christ would still welcome all no matter their background, status, age or colour. 
3. He would have relationships. Christ would develop relationships thereby sharing peoples thoughts and feelings. When the doors of the church are closed Christ would still be reaching out to people at all places.
4. He would seek holistic being. His events/programmes wouldn't be confined to the spiritual life. Christ would care about the social, economic and political well-being of a person. He would therefore have events/programmes aimed at uplifting the total well-being of a person.
5. Christ would be innovative. He would dismiss "this is the way we have always done it" notion. The fact that He once drove on a camel doesn't means He would always do that. If convenient and efficient means of doing things become available, He would adopt them.  
6. Christ would still evangelize. I don't mean encouraging those already in a church to move to another church.
7. Christ would be a firm disciplinary. He would ensure the right thing is done and would crack the whip if need be. 
8. Jesus would commute. He would travel to where the people are not sit in His comfortable office and expect people to come to him.
9. Christ would build a team.  He would always make sure He equips people who will take over when He isn't around. 
10. Christ will embrace the social media. Jesus wouldn't be flying frequently from Argentina to Zimbabwe when He knows He could do a live broadcast, or record and upload on you tube. He once boarded a boat so that many people could hear Him. He would take every opportunity that would enable Him to reach out to many people. He would know He can't speak to everyone before or after church so at home or on the move, He would engage people on the social media; blogging His last sermon,  checking peoples status on facebook and make comments, tweeting up-coming events and sharing useful links.

Are you a church, ministry, or fellowship leader? If Christ would do all of the above why ain't you doing them? 

I'm your Neighbour too, cries the Church

Jesus response to a question regarding the identity of the "neighbour" is very popular not only to the people in the Church, but also those outside it. A lot has been written or said about The Parable of the Good Samaritan.

                           The Forgotten Neighbour
We are often told to put ourselves in the shoes of the bruised man who needed help. My focus of imagination for this article is not about a person. It's about the Church. It is very easy to forget that the Church is also our neighbour which needs our help. I can imagine a church out there on the road which is "bruised" and needs urgent help. The help the church need is not always financial, but human capacity and all its attributes.

                          Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
 Like the Priest and the Levite who saw the man needed help and walked off, many people have come to the church, seen the need and done nothing and just walked off. I am sure the priest and the Levite have reasons for not staying to help. So are the people who are walking off their church. People come to church with lots of expectations seeking fulfilment. When their expectations aren't fulfilled they walk off. People are shopping church pretty the same way they shop for grocery. With little complaint or dissatisfaction and they hit the exit button. The church is supposed to be a place where people who are hurt could go and receive healing. However, we shouldn't be quick to hit the exit button any time we feel hurt. All what we care is getting our needs fulfilled. Does it always have to be us? What about the church? It has needs too. Surely, if we need something from the church we must first put in something.

                         When staying isn't enough
There are some who seem to be patting themselves at the back that unlike those who walked off, they have stayed. It's good you've stayed but doing nothing during your time of staying isn't enough. The Samaritan in the story didn't get mention in the scripture because he stayed and watched while the bruised man suffered. He also didn't go out to town and complained about seeing a man bruised and needing help. The Samaritan didn't just pity the man and walked off. We are told the Samaritan soothed the man's wounds with medicine and bandaged. He also took the man to an inn and took care of him. It's what the Samaritan did to the bruised man which Christ praised. We aren't just called to come and sit in the pews. We need to get up and do something. The church would be much healthier if we all do something. What would you offer your "bruised" church?

                        Others would do It. 
Don't make mistake thinking others would do it. Of all the three (Priest, Levite, Samaritan) who witnessed the man's desperate need for help who would you think should have helped? You might think the priests should have helped because of his position in Society. The Levite who's of the same tribute of the suffering man didn't help. None of the two helped. The help came from the odd one, the Samaritan.

                      Feeling Insignificant?
What's the excuse for your inaction? Because you are new, young, past experience, foreigner, background or just think you're so insignificant? The good news is that God has excellent record of using insignificant places and people to achieve great things. You remember Bethlehem? If a Saviour was born in a small populated city of Bethlehem, then God could do anything at any place and with any one. "But God chose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not to nullify the things that are" (1 Corinthians 1: 27-28) It was the despised Samaritan who saw the man's need; took pity and actually helped.

The church also has need needing attention. Would you just take pity and walk off? What have you got to soothe the "wounds" of your church? Would you offer advice, money, a singing voice, prayer, a smile, a kindness, a cuddle, phone call? Every little helps! When thinking of your neighbours, think of your church too. Whatever is good for your neighbour is good for your church too. The health of the church must concern all of us not just the few. 

What have you been arguing about?

Christ Jesus took his disciples for a walk through Galilee. He made sure nobody got to know about their presence in the vicinity because of the information he wanted to share with the disciples. He spoke to them about his impending death. Unfortunately, the disciples didn't get what Christ meant, and didn't want to ask any question. It appears the reason why they didn't want to ask questions was because their minds were preoccupied with something else- who is the greatest? Christ wanted to talk to them about something as important as his death but the disciples were busily arguing and debating about the greatest amongst them.

Later Christ asked the disciples what they were arguing about on the way. We shouldn't be surprised that Christ knows what we have been craving for- selfish ambition in our hearts. The disciples kept quiet about the question because they were ashamed of what they have been doing. Years down the line and the same debate rages on. Who's the greatest? Who has the greatest;  TV audience, membership, influence, power etc. Jealousy and bragging amongst Christians, churches, denominations has reached an alarming proportion. We have allowed the spirit of rivalry to take hold of our hearts. It is very common to hear churches, pastors arguing about trivial things. People are plotting to knock each other off the top spot.

The church is divided along the lines of many things. Precious time and resources is spent arguing and debating issues such as women in church leadership, homosexuality, and gay marriage. In many ways we have set aside what really is the important thing and are arguing about the unnecessary things. We have been making a case for ourselves instead of a case for Christ.

What have you been spending time arguing and debating at church meetings? Would you be proud or embarrassed if Christ inquire what have you been arguing about? Instead of knocking each other off, why don't we lift each up. Greatness is about humility and obedience and that is what we should crave for.