Showcase: Assorted Treats

  • Soul of a Man by Blind Willie Johnson +

    Blind Willie Johnson ask in this song: Who am I? What does it mean to have a relationship with God? Read More
  • Christ is a Great Savior: a review of the movie Amazing Grace +

    Amazing Grace is a historical drama about William Wilberforce who was elected to British Parliament at the age of 21 Read More
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carl-medearisQuestion:  What was the message Jesus preached?  Answer:   The Kingdom of God is here.

Question:  What did Jesus consistently ask potential disciples to do?  Answer: Follow Me.

The language i grew up with was "I became a Christian in 1979 when I prayed to receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and now I'm saved."  While I believe each of the words in that sentence, it's an extremely unhelpful way of thinking about our relationship to God. Here's a more biblical, more relevant and more powerful paradigm.  To follow...

It's true that Jesus also asked the would-be followers to "believe" and "rethink" ("repent" would be the old English word).  But his most consistent words, from Matthew chapter 4 to John chapter 21, were - "follow me."

Yet somehow I get accused of watering down the "real gospel" by talking about "following Jesus" - both as a title and as a theology.  So what did Jesus mean my "follow me" and how might we interpret those words today?

1.  I've been asking the question on Facebook - what does it take to "follow" someone.  I think we've agree that it requires many things. Among them would be believing and trusting. It would require knowing where the person is going that you might follow. It might require a childlike (humble) faith. It would require commitment and dedication. it would require you leaving whatever you were doing and wherever you were going, to turn and follow the new direction this person was going.  It requires everything.

2. Jesus never asked his would-be followers to "sign up" or pray a prayer to begin following him.  And Paul never asked for that either. So why do we?

3.  Simply praying a prayer and "getting saved" is the easy way - not the watered down way.  It's static rather than dynamic.  It says "Such and such happened to me back then."  Whereas "following" is alive, current and active.

4.  Following rejects the clear lines of in or out thinking which is so harmful to our witness of who Jesus is.  It's easy to invite people along on a journey of following rather than invite them into a concrete belief system which requires doctrinal adherence as its entry point. Not that good doctrine is unimportant - it's vital. But it's not the requirement for beginning a journey.

The language of "following Jesus" has more not less Biblical integrity.  It has more power. More current dynamic.  It has an "ing" at the end of the word, suggesting movement forward.  And it's what Jesus asked the first followers to do - and he asks us today as well....

Will we follow?

http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2012/03/the-power-of-following/


Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

  • Jesus be the centre

    Center is a song that speaks of the essence of our life in Christ, and echoes the words the Christ Read More
  • I Lift My Hands

    A powerful hymn of adoration and praise Arkansas Gospel Mass Choir. This succinctly captures the joy of knowing our savior. Read More
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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Christ is a Great Savior: a review of the movie Amazing Grace +

    Amazing Grace is a historical drama about William Wilberforce who was elected to British Parliament at the age of 21 Read More
  • Wilberforce, Hollywood's Amazing Grace, Charlotte Allen +

    William Wilberforce's relentless campaign eventually led the British Parliament to ban the slave trade, in 1807, and to pass a Read More
  • Making Beauty out of Ugly Things: Grace by U2 +

    Grace, she takes the blame She covers the shame Removes the stain It could be her name Grace, she carries Read More
  • The True Nature of Grace and Love: a movie review of the Soloist +

    The 2009 movie The Soloist is based on a book by the same name, written by Los Angeles Times columnist Read More
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