I always get a kick out of hearing kids perceptions of what the
Bible teaches. Let me share a few:
– Noah’s wife was called Joan of Ark.
– Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire by
night.
I always get a kick out of hearing kids perceptions of what the Bible teaches. Let me share a few:
– Noah’s wife was called Joan of Ark.
– Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire by night.
– The first of the Ten Commandments was when Eve told Adam to eat the apple.
– Moses died before he ever reached Canada. Then Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.
– The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him.
– Solomon, one of David’s sons, had 300 wives and 700 porcupines.
– Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption.
– Jesus enunciated the Golden Rule, which says to “do one to others before they do one to you.”
– The epistles were the wives of the apostles.
– One of the opossums was St. Matthew, who was also a taximan.
– Paul preached holy acrimony, which is another name for marriage.
We smile at these misconceptions, but how many of us struggle with similar ones? For example, if you were asked to concisely state what Christianity is all about, how would you describe it? Personally, I don’t think it is overly simplistic to say it this way: “Christianity is following Jesus.”
When we boil down all the fancy theological explanations of how we should live as Christians, one truth remains: we follow Jesus Christ. Jesus’ most common invitation to discipleship recorded in Bible, found in the calling of Peter, Andrew, Matthew, John, James and many others, consisted of three simple words: “Come, follow me.”
Christians are to seek to understand and emulate the values and behavior of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the words of Jesus after he had washed the feet of the disciples have a direct application to us. In John 13:13, Jesus said, “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right … And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master. Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them. You know these things – now do them!”               Â
When the Bible tells us about Jesus, it isn’t just to give us biographical insights … it is to teach us how we are to become more like Christ! The invitation of Jesus to his very first disciples still calls out to us. Jesus says, “Come, follow me.”
Perhaps you are like the man who heard a sermon about the importance of Christians following Christ and got confused. He came up to the pastor and asked, “Do you mean to tell me that some of the people in this church haven’t even decided whether they are going to follow Jesus or not?”
Well, that is a good question. Do some of us call ourselves Christians even though we have never really made the commitment to give our lives to Christ? Do some of us go to church just out of habit? Do some of us call ourselves Christians because it is socially expedient? Do some of us claim to be Christians simply because it helps us soothe a troubled or guilty conscience?
I hope we are all aware of the fact that Jesus Christ isn’t just the Savior who died as a sacrifice for our sins, as important as that is. In addition to being your Savior, he is to be your Lord, your master, your boss. In other words, the one who calls the shots in your life. That’s what it means to be a Christian.
