I Hate to be “That Guy”

I hate to be the spoiler, “Debbie Downer,” or rain on the parade, but it has to be said–does our “Westernized Christianity” really come to terms with what it means to be “more like Jesus” as in the songs, the sermons, the challenges of:  Are we being more and more like Jesus?  Specifically, that song that goes….” I wanna be more like you, Jeeesuuussss, I wanna be more like you….”  It seems to me we have made Jesus into our modern version of a celebrity who we want to be like.  What we miss in our “I wanna be more like you, Jesus” culture is Jesus already told us what he expects–He said, if you want to follow me then:  “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.”  Deny…take up…(A CROSS)…and follow.  It sounds hard, because it IS HARD.  Following Jesus isn’t supposed to be easy, attractive, or harmonic.  Following Jesus IS ESSENTIAL for one very important purpose and is fundamentally the evidence of actually being more “like Jesus”–that is:  Wait.  For.  It.  OBEDIENCE.  I hate to be “that guy” who rains on everyone’s party, but from time to time we need a reality check.  Following Jesus–being more like Jesus–requires us first to be obedient to Jesus’ teaching.  (Starting with:  Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him).

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