What Jesus Didn't Do _ William Guice

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What Jesus Didn’t Do(And So Maybe We Shouldn’t Either)

September 25, 2009

Submitted By

William A. Guice1462 Bern Drive

Spring Hill, TN 37174

Office: 615.719.8812Home: 615.517.2480

E-Mail: [email protected]



Chapter 1 - Say Anything..................................................................3

Chapter 2 – What Are We Aiming For?...............................................8

Chapter 3 - You and Me – Healers....................................................26

Chapter 4 – Today is The Day..........................................................32

Chapter 5 – Hi, My Name Is…..........................................................36

Chapter 1 – Say Anything (1276 Word Version)................................51

Chapter 4 – Today is the Day (1217 word version)............................56



Chapter 1 - Say Anything

“Bolt it!” Jesus shouted.

Peter slammed the heavy wooden door. All at once ten men moved

against one of their own. There was a struggle. They had him. The clamor of

the Passover crowds outside easily hid the commotion in the upper room. The

target fought back but there were too many of them; they came at him too

fast…unexpectedly. He felt his whole body slam against the stone floor.

Strangely and for what seemed no reason at all one of them, Andrew, grabbed

an earthen pitcher of water and another, John, grabbed a melon sized dark

cloth bag that usually held the group’s money.

Peter, the leader of the disciples, had been tipped off only minutes earlier

by a temple servant that there was a traitor in Jesus’ midst. Judas one of the

trusted twelve had betrayed them. For thirty pieces of silver he would give

Jesus over to the priests but he had been found out. Jesus weary from the

journey and scared of what the coming hours would bring had given in to his

primal human desires. He would fight back.

“Over his head!” Peter screamed. John struggled to place the bag he had

been holding over the head of Judas. The others moved him onto the room’s

solid wooden table. They held him down to it - face up. Thomas lifted the end

of the table that held Judas’ feet while Philip quickly placed a stone block under



each table leg. Judas was tilted down. His feet were now higher than his head.

The disciple’s hands clamped him down.

Judas could not see. Terror gripped him. He tried to process it all. “What

would come next? Jesus had flipped. He was not the man who had taught love

and forgiveness, healed the sick and fed the thousands. All of this raced

through Judas’ mind.

He longed for the familiar voice but it didn’t come. The voice now fueled

his terror. This was not the voice of the shepherd. The voice held a sharp tone

that broke through the haze of disorientation.

“What is their plan? What are they going to try? Who else has betrayed

me?” Jesus fired question after question. Judas didn’t know. His fear caused

him to nearly hyperventilate. Gasping for air he shuttered, “I don’t know. I

don’t know. Please master…I don’t know.”

“You’re lying! You must know.” Jesus screamed.. Judas continued to

struggle. If he could just get his legs free, maybe he could kick his way out and

jump for the roof below the window at his back.

The punch in the ribs was a surprise. He gasped. A flash of pain blurred

his thought as be felt the blow to his cheek just below the ear. He was surely

bleeding. “We want to know what they plan to do. How many men are coming

after me? Are the Romans coming with them?” Again Judas pleaded, “I don’t

know. I don’t know. Please let me go. Please. Jesus.”

Jesus, frustrated from the lack of response grabbed the water from

Andrew. He motioned to John who took the bag and pulled it tight to the face

of Judas by squeezing it together in the back. The outline of his eyes, nose and



mouth were now clearly visible below the black fabric. Judas, now afraid that

he was about to be smothered, fought lack of air that his lungs seemed to be

providing. His heart felt like it would explode. Jesus took the pitcher and

holding it over the head of Judas spoke almost at a whisper. “I know you know.

In a moment I believe you’ll tell me what I want to hear.”

Jesus then with an eerie coldness never seen before took the pitcher of

water and began to pour it over the face of Judas. The pouring water was

focused on Judas’ mouth. Judas resisted but in time it became clear that the

water would keep coming. How would he breathe? Was it possible to drown

this way?

His heartbeat accelerated even more. He struggled to breathe. The water

seemed to be trickling down into his nose. “The air…the air where is it? Judas

thought. “I am drowning! Is this how it will all end?” He writhed in fear and

chilling moans somehow came from his body while the disciples continued to

hold him.

From the faces of the disciples came wry smiles. Jesus was now finally

stepping up and taking charge. Now He got it. He would respond to his

enemies with the same tactics that they used or maybe even more extreme

ones. Jesus looked at Judas. The rage within him grew. He surveyed the room

and felt a sense of encouragement from the faces of his loyal disciples. He

would beat the High Priests and the armies from Rome. It had begun in this

upper room.

Jesus peered down at the struggling Judas and turned the pitcher up more.

The water now cascaded down even more quickly. The horrible gurgling sound



Judas was making increased. His back arched he tried to scream; there was

not enough air. This was the end. He had made such a terrible mistake.

He was sorry; in this moment, he would say or do whatever they wanted.

He just didn’t want to die, not like this. He wanted the drowning to end but he

was powerless. He wanted the old Jesus back. He teetered on the verge of what

felt like existence. “If they would just stop, “ He thought. I will say anything.”

Judas would not drown but every cell in his body believed that death was

certain.

…

I’m sorry. I may have stepped out of bounds with you, but I hope you will

give me a little grace just to make you think. Let me be very clear.

This story is ludicrous. I know that.

It never happened and from what I believe about the character of Jesus -

it never could.

And that is the point. Jesus wouldn’t water board.





Chapter 2 – What Are We Aiming For?

We know that we have come to know [Christ] if we obey his commands. The person that says, ‘I know [Christ],’ but does not do what [Christ]commands is a liar, and the truth is not in them. But if anyone obeys [Christ’s]word, God’s love is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are

in [Christ]: Whoever claims to live in [Christ] must walk as Jesus did.”- 1 John 2:3-6

“If you have no target, you’ll hit it every time.”

- Zig Ziglar

The Goal

In soccer it’s the goal

In football it’s the goal line.

In baseball it’s getting runners across the plate.

In business it is making the sell.

In marriage it is loving sacrificially and completely.

In most everything that we do there is a goal or a target. Our lives seem to

be built around moving from one accomplishment to the next with a certain

goal in mind. As a teenager growing up in north Louisiana, I was consumed

with football. All I wanted to do was to be a really good kicker. I played other

positions as well but I was obsessed with kicking. I worked at it daily. I kicked

at the school on the field. I kicked in my yard. I kicked over the house. I

kicked over power lines. I even went out once when a hurricane had blown in

just to see what it was like to kick in a crazy wind and rainstorm. I was



obsessed with a goal - to be the best. I had a goal and it was very clear.

The following statement seems almost silly for me to write and I am sure it

will sound simple to you, but the whole idea behind this book is wrapped up in

this next sentence.

The goal for the Christian is to look like Jesus.

It does not take rocket science to figure out but I wonder sometimes if we

really get that. Our language and posture on certain issues that face our world

seem to say otherwise. It’s like we are disconnected from our goal of Christ-

likeness; we don’t have a goal. We aren’t taught that we are living to look like

Jesus. We talk about Jesus and the Bible but not a lot about mirroring him and

as Ziglar reminded us, if we don’t have a target we’ll hit it every time.

Is it that we just don’t care anymore or is it we don’t even realize that we

don’t look much like Jesus? Maybe this goal is just to hard so we settle for

close versions that demand little and promise a lot. In America research shows

that Christianity is on the decline. Christianity to many is unattractive and

irrelevant. Non-Christians see us as hypocritical, judgmental and arrogant. We

are saying one thing but delivering another.

Our country was built on Judeo-Christian principles and this is a blessing.

We have freedoms that few in history have ever experienced, but Christianity

in America has developed over the past 230 years into a civil and social system

of belief. We are easily able to take on the label of being a Christian just like

we are able to be a democrat or a republican, a Titans fan or a Saints fan, a

coffee drinker or a tea person.

Our gatherings as well have their place in society. The church and its



activities seem to be something we choose to be a part of whenever it is

comfortable for us. The church - a social club that demands little, promises a

lot & should always be there to meet my families needs. This has been a

struggle for believers for over 1700 years now. At the point that Christianity

became legal and eventually became the official religion of Rome, it was given

its place just like every other social function in life. Lost is the notion that we

are overwhelmed by God’s love and invited into a new life that is to permeate

all of who we are. Lost is the identity of a pilgrimage people who are both for

and against the world.

We have become Americans who choose to be Christians and don’t appear

to be Christians who happen to live in America. We must be followers of Jesus

first; everything else comes second. Jesus once told his disciples that they

were to take up their crosses and follow him. (Luke 9:23) The cross in the

Roman world was for one thing: crucifixion. When your friends saw you walking

with a cross, you weren’t coming back. To take up your cross and follow him

requires an absolute surrender that we seem to be missing in American

Christianity. We have crosses on our necks but not on our backs.

Bring in the Clones

Most of us have grown up in Western cultures that are very much

classroom oriented. We are unfamiliar with the rabbi - student model of Jesus.

Because of our backgrounds we automatically default to the disciples being

basically students, but this is far from what it meant to those who followed

after Jesus.



In Jesus day, a disciple, that thing that Jesus told us to go and make

(Matthew 28:19-20) was best understood from the Hebrew idea of a Talmid i -

not a student. A student wants to know what his teacher knows. A Talmid

wants to become what his teacher is. This is why the disciples followed Jesus

around everywhere. They wanted to catch his every move. They needed to

see how he handled every situation. Their goal was to one day go and look like

him to the world. In the same light this is why the rabbi would invest so much

in his students. All rabbis knew that their time on earth was limited and what

God had entrusted to them in knowledge must be passed on. The only way to

do this was to deeply ingrain it in a few who would then fully understand what

God had shown them and take it further.

Please stop here to take a moment to absorb the last paragraph. The

underlying theme may lie at part of our problem in America and lead to why

our church numbers are declining. As well, it very well may contribute to why

those who are not believers look at us with contempt and skepticism. It’s not

about what we know but what we are.

To be a follower, a disciple, a Talmid, is not just about knowing what the

rabbi knows but about becoming what he is. I’ve been in school now on and off

for about 34 years and I’ve had all kinds of teachers. I’ve known many that I

wanted to know what they knew. There are very few who I want to become

what they were. This is what made Jesus’ relationship with his disciples

special. We are not just called to a belief that just acknowledges with our

heads who Jesus is. The scriptures tell us that even the demons do that, but

we are called to acknowledge it with our lives. We are called away from



perceived paths of life to walk with a God who created us, knows us and has

plans for us.

At the risk redundancy, Jesus is the goal for us. The gospels don’t start

at the cross. The gospels show us a life lived and we are invited to take up the

way of Jesus if we are following him.

This all sounds so simple and trite but in reality it is often not lived. Our

lives are much more characterized by our commitments to have what we want

or to our nation. From my seat, even in most of our churches, we are drifting

away from the character of Christ toward characters of safety and nationalism.

We blindly support and take up positions that Christians throughout history

have stood against - even to the point of death.

Dreaming of Acts

I pastor a church community south of Nashville, TN. We are a young

church and don’t have offices. I pretty much office anywhere I can get Internet

and a cup of coffee. The county I am in is incredibly churched. If you don’t like

the church you are a part of, then just turn around and pick one of the four you

now see. Churches are everywhere. Representatives of these churches find

their way into my office space and I often hear their conversations and their

Bible studies or book discussions. I so often want to jump into them but most

of the time I don’t but they do give me hope. In many of the conversations that

I overhear there seems to be a consistent hunger for the passion of the early

church. It’s as if there is and has been for several years a passion for a return

to an Acts 2 (early church) feel to our gatherings.



From one angle this is incredibly refreshing and encouraging. I mean,

come on, what arm chair theologian doesn’t enjoy bantering about the early

church and our version of how it should translate to what today’s churches and

disciples should look like? But to be honest from another perspective the

conversations are still lacking. We seem to want Acts 2 results without Acts 2

sacrifice.

Rodney Stark has done some incredible work on the growth of Christianity

in the early years. His work reveals some breathtaking numbers.

In 100 AD there were as few as 25,000 followers of Jesus.

In 310 AD there were up to 20,000,000 followers of Jesus.

Alan Hirsch in The Forgotten Ways asks a profoundly simple question:

“How did they do this?” He points out some interesting characteristics that

may shock you when you consider what we think a church is to look like and

more practically what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

They were an illegal religion throughout this period.

They didn’t have any church buildings, as we know them.

They didn’t have the scriptures, as we know them.

They didn’t have an institution or the professional form of leadership

normally associated with it.

They didn’t have seeker sensitive services, youth groups, worship bands,

seminaries, commentaries, etc.

They actually made it hard to join the churchii.

Stark’s and Hirsch’s writings and research give us a glimpse into the

exponential growth of the church in its earliest days and the methods that got



them there. It seems to me that many of us have landed on a version of Acts

and the early church that see nothing but miraculous moments of the Spirit

working. I am not diminishing this at all. It was utterly breathtaking what

Yahweh did through the Spirit in the early days but my argument is this: the

church grew not only because of miraculous moves of the spirit but more often

than not it grew because of the radical commitment of the people.

Those early followers of Jesus radically redirected their lives. They stood in

the face of Judaism and the Roman Empire and stated with not only their words

but also their lives that something had changed. God had come in the person

of Jesus and what he did and taught was far different than the religion and

politics of the day. They redirected their allegiances from the Temple, the

Torah and even the Caesar to say that Jesus is Lord! This declaration cost

them family, friends and for many their lives.

One of the dangers of the American experience is that we are very used to

getting what we want. We seem to always win. Most things come pretty easily

to us as compared to the rest of the world. We have been blessed to be able to

live here. Does this cultural programming push us toward a posture of

entitlement? Do we wait on God to do the big things instead of us pursuing

right living and pro-actively being peacemakers? I wonder how often when we

pray and ask God to do things, he thinks…you’re there. Why don’t you do it?

Why don’t you go and look like me? I gave you Jesus to show you what it is

supposed to look like.

The goal for me as a follower of Jesus and for you, if you are a Christian

too, is to look like Jesus - nothing more, nothing less. In Jesus we see all that



God wants us to know about him and all that we can or will be all wrapped up

in one person. If anything that we do, say, support or believe is out of line with

his character, then we need to repent (to rethink our ways). The early

Christians wrestled with this. They made tough decisions to look like Jesus.

Many died but the kingdom grew, eventually permeating the world’s largest

empire.

The Knot in My Stomach

I have been teaching on a weekly basis for pretty much the last nine years

in church settings. There are times when I have to deliver messages that are

hard. Sometimes you know that in your role as a leader you have to talk about

situations where we as a group or as individuals maybe trailing away from

Yahweh’s best for us. We have sin in our midst. When those times come I

often find that I am nervous almost agitated in the moments leading up to the

delivery. When it is over, I feel like a giant weight has been lifted off of me. I

feel as though I am in the middle of that process even as I write these pages.

I am afraid that we are missing the mark of what it means to follow Christ.

We seem to support things that Jesus would never do or support. It is hard for

us to say that we are a religion of love when we approach each other from a

postures of judgment and violence. Sadly, historically the church has used the

scriptures to support numerous actions that Jesus seemed to speak against.

Maybe it is time for us to re-evaluate our stances and programs as a church

and maybe even take a posture of repentance as we examine how well we

reflect and or distort the image of Christ.



The Big 4 + 1

I want to advance to you four ideas that may help us in our journey toward

looking like Jesus. I find over and over again that one of the biggest problems

we face is that we simply don’t know his ways very well. In our teaching,

study, curriculums and sermons we talk a lot about people who talk about Jesus

or we talk about topics and look for ways to bring Jesus in to give our ideas

legitimacy, but we don’t look at Jesus very much. Why is this so? How is this

even possible if He is the one that we are supposed to be modeling our lives

after?

I use these ideas to guide my understanding of what the scriptures are

saying and what it means for me as I live to be conformed into the image of

Christ. We will come back to them over and over in this book as we work

through some tough topics.

I /// Jesus is everything that God wants us to know about Him and

everything that we can be or will one day be.

John 146Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes

to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know myFather as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

8Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been

among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.

Colossians 115He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.



When you see Jesus, you see everything that God wants us to know

about Himself. When you see Jesus, you see God in the flesh and the life that

we are to imitate. We have an unreachable goal but as long as we are

reaching forward, we hopefully will always be improving. I think it’s safe to say

a few things.

If Jesus did, we should. If Jesus didn’t, we shouldn’t.

If Jesus would, we should too. If Jesus wouldn’t, we shouldn’t.

Now when I say this I don’t mean in his actions only. I’m leaning into his

character here. I’m not saying that because Jesus didn’t marry we shouldn’t or

that because Jesus didn’t eat waffles we should not rejoice when we can get

them at Roscoe’s on a trip to the Los Angeles area. What I’m saying is that the

character of Jesus is the plumb line. It is the light by which all of life is

measured or illuminated. We have to start with Jesus’ character to build our

ethics.

Maybe this is the reason that he made what seems like a harsh statement

when he says in John 15:23, “He who hates me hates my Father as well. Jesus

knew that when people were looking at him they were looking at the essential

force behind all of creation - Yahweh. In essence, if you don’t like what Jesus is

up to, then you don’t like God. An alarming trend is that we often see the

church not only lined up poorly but also lined up in opposition to the things

Jesus came to teach us. More alarming is that we don’t even know we are lined

up poorly or in opposition as we often make Jesus into our own image.



2 /// The Bible cannot mean what it never meant.

Gordon Fee gave us this phrase in his book How to Read the Bible for All

It’s Worth. We have a bad habit of asking questions like this: “What does this

passage mean to me?” This question is irrelevant. What matters is what it

meant to the writer and the receiver of the original correspondence. We then

as a reader work off of what the author’s intent was for the receiver. We

cannot with integrity read into a passage and make it something that it never

meant. A Bible that can mean anything means absolutely nothing at all.

We also have a tendency to pick verses out of the Bible and use them to

support ideas or themes that we have worked up on our own. Every verse

must be read in its context to really grasp what it means. In our microwave

have it now culture we tend to handle the scriptures poorly. We often pull

them out of the Bible and use them to build a case for a point that we are

making. Jesus’ words fall prey to this often. We come up with our three points

from a book or from our own thinking and grab a saying of Jesus as if this

stamps God’s approval on the matter. We desperately need to handle the

scriptures with more integrity than this.

This past week someone forwarded me a video of an older Christian leader

who I often disagree with but respect. He was in a discussion with two other

Christian leaders on the topic of Christians being involved in the military. His

key verse for supporting his position is that Jesus said we should render unto

Caesar what is Caesar’s. This really hurt me as anyone who does just a little bit

of study on this passage would know that this passage is about something

completely different. I became a little frustrated because I know this man has



influence over many people and he handled the scriptures so poorly. We must

as Talmid (followers) of Jesus be committed to reading the scriptures for what

they are saying, not for what we are saying. The scriptures cannot mean what

they never meant.

It is my job as a believer to study the scriptures of my faith, to learn our

story and ask God through the Spirit to reveal to me what is there as I learn

what the conversation of the original principals was about. It’s your job to walk

in the light that you have from your study of the scriptures and the Spirit’s

illumination. But this takes work. We have to make it a priority to know our

story and teach it to our children. Are we willing to do that?

Our problem just maybe is that we have become so used to getting

injections and quick fixes or three points and a video that we are not students

of the story - our story. We don’t know the scriptures so when we are forced to

build an ethic we don’t know where or how to start because we don’t know the

text. We vaguely remember the cleverly communicated lines that the guy on

the stage or screen gave us, but we haven’t owned it. We haven’t taken it to

heart and our ethics show it.

3 /// There are times when events in the Bible or writings from

sincere men seem to contradict the character or actions of Jesus.

There are times when horrible moments take place in our story and they

are simply not lining up with Jesus. We need to own this as well, but even with

that being said,

Jesus is the starting point.



He is the goal.

When all else fails when other things don’t make sense, revert to Jesus.

When events or teachings occur that seem to license ideas or actions that

are contradictory with the character of Jesus there often contextual issue that

are preventing us from grasping the full meaning of the text. Here we as

disciples, talmidim (plural of talmid), must study harder, dig deeper, own what

is really there. We may even for the first time need to seek out someone to

mentor or disciple us, but we cannot let fear, laziness or our contentment force

us to compromise what Jesus has called us to be.

Remember, Jesus is the goal - Not supporting our platform. So when you

read a passage, don’t use the text to say what you want to say. Maybe we

could say it this way: We should read the scriptures to see what they want to

say and not to get what we want to hear. Our hearts should be open. Our

motivations should be pure and as Rick Warren reminded us on page one of

The Purpose Driven Life: “It’s not about you.”

4 /// There will be some things that we just simply don’t

understand.

(Gulp) This is where trust comes in to play. Some times we have to be

okay with saying, “I don’t know.” This is huge because it is here that we have

the chance to really show what we believe as we walk along with those who are

in doubt. We prove that we are saved by grace through faith not by grace

through emotion or understanding. Remember, our words show what we know

or want people to think we know; our posture shows who we are.



4a /// When we aren’t sure, focus on idea #1

Gandhi and the Primitive Baptists

A month or so back I almost wrecked my jeep driving to get my oil

changed. Between my house and the oil change spot there are numerous

churches and a few have those signs with messages created to condemn or

inspire depending on the week. On this particular day I noticed the sign of one

of the more particular conservative and fundamentalist flavors of our faith, a

Primitive Baptist Church. Their sign read, “Be the change you want to see in

the world.” This quote made me laugh. It is an amazing saying but it is crazy

to think that this group, who probably protested plastic communion cups,

quoted Gandhi on their sign and I would guess that they didn’t even know it.

At another point Gandhi made a statement that doesn’t make many

church signs. He once pointed out a glaring blind spot in our game. Once he

was asked about why he quoted Christ so much but rejected his Lordship. He

replied, “Oh, I do not reject your Christ. I like your Christ; I do not like your

Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." To fix this, we have to re-

evaluate our images of Jesus, our decision-making, and how we carry ourselves

into the world.

In the pages that follow we are going to look at some tough topics. My

goal is to make you think about why you believe what you believe and whether

your beliefs lead you to look like Jesus. To be honest if nothing else comes from

this book but you thinking for just a few minutes, then I have succeeded. There



will be the urge to shut down. I’m sure there will be a voice telling you that this

is crazy. God wouldn’t demand that of me. I hope you go forward with pure

motivations and really examine who Jesus was and who he calls us to be.

So, What About the Water Boarding?

This week a survey came out that correlated church attendance with

approval of torture in America. While I really believe that there is not a one of

us who would believe that Jesus would torture any one apparently we believe

that it is okay for us to do it or our governments to. Something is wrong with

that perspective. Our picture of who Jesus is and who we should be are not

lined up. Our fear is overcoming our call to be like Jesus. This misalignment

sparked a series of thoughts that led me to imagine a Jesus who knows the will

of the Father but acts as we do. In the following pages, you’ll see that play out.

Up front, approaching some of the topics in this book could be rough. They

could force us to think about why we believe certain things are okay and

certain things aren’t. It may make us realize that much of what we’ve been

taught is wrong. A commitment to looking like Jesus may demand that we give

up some of our sense of security but be reminded that Jesus never promised us

security. He promised us presence, peace and victory in the end. As a matter

of fact the victory is already won. John even quoted him as saying “in this

world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome this world.” He

didn’t say might have trouble but will, but be at rest. The real King who came

to earth in a cave as a powerless baby walked out of a cave as a conqueror



king. Death and fear and the doubt that come with them were left in the tomb.

You are invited to leave them behind as well.

I believe that the early church expanded crazily because they got this.

Believers like Paul took up in their bodies what was lacking in the afflictions of

Christ - Paul’s goal in Colossians 1:24. They were in their present tense

manifesting his presence through their character. I love Acts 2:42, “and they

had the favor of all the people.” They were so radically different that everyone

loved them. You know these people; people who are so committed to an idea

that every small earthly care seems to just bounce off of them. What is it

about them that pulls us to them like a magnet? This is what was happening

with the early church in Jerusalem. People radically re-oriented around a new

bigger story that would change human history - and everyone who saw it

wanted in. It wasn’t easy; but it was beautiful. And with an unchanging

empowering God, it can be again, and again, and again.

So from here, we’ll take a look at cultural pressure points of our day but

we’ll place them in the Biblical world and we’ll see a Jesus who handles them as

we would. Beginning with chapter 4, each chapter will begin with a familiar

story from the Gospels with a twist added. Jesus often used this method.

Numbers of his parables, many of which are familiar to you, were older rabbinic

stories. Jesus would tweak a character or a punch line so that when people

were expecting one thing he gave them something different. We’re going to

try it. My hope is that the narratives will expose the absurdity of a number of

our actions. Following the narratives we’ll see what Jesus did say and deal with

the underlying tension with eyes on how we can become more like Jesus.



If he wouldn’t should we?

If he would, shouldn’t we?

Jesus is the goal.

// P.S. … We’ll come back to torture and water boarding later in the book,

but for now, What Jesus Didn’t Do.





Chapter 3 - You and Me – Healers

Before we look at another Biblical story, I want to advance one more idea

to you that can help serve as underlying guide to our discussion. This idea

doesn’t deal with Biblical study but of our view of what we are a part of. It’s an

underlying pillar of who we are that maybe has been lost in our version of

Christianity. Let me explain.

From my own reading of the scriptures, I know that Jesus is hard. His ways

and his teachings are simple but not easy. The reality is that Christianity is not

rocket science. It is summed up in loving Yahweh and loving people and as a

matter I will argue later in this book that what Jesus is really teaching us when

he approaches this passage is that the way that we love Yahweh is by loving

people.

I have some very dark moments when I am deeply afraid that we have

totally missed what God had in mind. Our churches and organizations do some

great things but we are not close to looking like those earliest followers of

Jesus. They saw him, knew him, passed along stories about him, and how they

lived and carried the faith out is incredibly important.

This is not the beginning of a rant on organizations or methodologies. My

concerns are really far different. My concerns lie in that we have become okay

with dual allegiances and idolatry which to be honest we may not even realize

is out of bounds. I carry with me daily the idea that teachers of the scriptures

will face a more harsh judgment. I am so afraid that as a church we have not

taught and served our people well. From the pulpit to the pew, from the stage



to the stadium seat we need people who look like Jesus.

Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t just beam us out of here when

we become believers? Romans chapter eight tells us that all that takes place

in and for us is to conform us into the likeness of Jesus. Not some day but on

the journey. Early in that passage Paul acknowledges that the creation is

actually groaning…waiting for the sons & daughters of God to step up and

embrace our roles as Jesus figures to the world. But sadly this role has been

abandoned for a simple faith that is about securing a place “not in hell” and for

helping me through my problems.

Life is all about me, me, me and our selfishness is killing us; it is killing our

families, our neighborhoods, and our world - sadly we often don’t even know it.

A recent TED presenter pointed out that if all the insects on planet earth were

gone, humans would be dead within fifty years. Sadly if all the humans were

gone from creation, the rest of the creation would thrive and grow. We have

abandoned our stewardship and healing roles for roles of self-interest and self-

destruction. As disciples we are here to bring healing and hope not selfishness

and self-destruction.

On a group level the journey is also not about founding organizations, or

ruling nations, or speaking in tongues, or having wealth it is about looking like

Jesus. It’s not about being Paul or Peter, Luther or Calvin, Joel Osteen or Rick

Warren, Rob Bell or Mother Theresa. It’s about looking like Jesus “period”.

Everything else is added earthly fluff and discussion but more often than

not, the “everything else” becomes the main thing. This leaves those who take

the radical action to look like Jesus set a part as freaks or as heroes…just



depending on what circles you run in. It is no doubt scary to entrust yourself

fully to the God of the Bible and this Jesus who asks us to lay down our lives. In

Mark 10, Jesus has a conversation with a young man who gives us insight to

what following him may cost.

Mark 10

17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he

asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. 19You know the

commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not

defraud, honor your father and mother.'"

20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."21Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to

the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

Jesus saw him. Jesus loved him. (This was a religious man.)

Jesus spoke the truth.

And the truth was too much to handle.

Maybe this is why we run from Jesus. To follow him demands not a tithe or

a night a week for a small group or a week here or there for a trip or camp.

Really following Jesus demands everything - vulnerability and availability. Jesus

demands everything but he reminds us in the teaching on a hillside that his

yoke (teachings) were light and the burden is easy. This is the paradox of faith

that many never get. We just can’t wrap our brain around how we can have

peace in the midst of giving up everything. So instead of stepping out of the

boat and trying it, we form groups to talk about what it would be like to step

out of the boat or what God is trying to accomplish in getting us out of the

boat. We even send money to those who have stepped out but God forbid that



I have to get out.

“The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming

swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand,

we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How

would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is

the Church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good

Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you?Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes, it is even dreadful to be alone with the New

Testament.” Soren Kierkergaard

Tikkun Olam

We are all probably familiar at some level with the bar mitzvah. A tradition

that goes back thousands of years, Every Jewish young person upon reaching

maturity is invited around thirteen years of age to enter worship as an adult.

This ceremony involves reading from the Torah and in many communities the

young adult is invited to take on a mitzvot. Upon entering into adulthood they

are invited to see their place in the Jewish sacred trust - “tikkun olam”; the

healing or repairing of the world. Many Jews have believed, since before Jesus,

that this was their purpose - to bring healing to the creation and its people.

Yahweh gave this sacred duty to His people and it was this role that they often

missed. History shows us a people of God who continually want the status but

really are disinterested in the mission.

We as believers grafted into the renewed family of God through the work

of Jesus carry that trust with us as well. We are part of Abraham’s seed and

need to be reminded that in Genesis 12 we are called into an incredible role.

We are blessed to bless the world. The people of God who are called priests in



Exodus 19 are entrusted not with the conquering of creation and its people but

with its care, blessing and healing. Getting this idea will radically re-orient your

vision. Jesus takes up this mission. A mission birthed in a family in Genesis 12,

inaugurated in a nation at Mount Sinai, and moved toward fulfillment in a cave

in Bethlehem. Guess what? On the Mount of Olives at his ascension, he invites

us to be a part as well.

You and I are called to be healers. Jesus modeled it. The father

empowered it and you and I are called into it. May we not be Keirkergaard’s

swindlers but the savior’s followers. May we embrace our roles remembering

that as Emerson said, “What lies behind us and what lies before us is of little

comparison to what lies within us.”

Peace be with you as you embrace the journey to look like Jesus.





Chapter 4 – Today is The Day

People were everywhere. The hungry, the sick, the poor they wanted him.

From every direction they pressed up the hillside. On every rock and

spare piece of ground all the way from the lapping waters of the Sea of Galilee

to the top of the hill they looked at him waiting for what was next. He scanned

the crowd and realized there must be hundreds of them.

For days they had followed him. He taught them from the Torah in their

synagogues. He travelled their dusty roads. He healed their sick. From every

direction they now came to hear what he would say or what he would do next.

Many wondered if he could possibly be the one - the messiah who brings the

kingdom of God.

Since his run in with the accuser in the desert he too had thought a lot

about how he could bring his kingdom. He withstood the temptations on those

days. He had been insured of his identity by the voice from the sky and the

dove, but what had the accuser said? Something about all of the kingdoms of

the world being his? It had been easy to resist this. After the voice and the

dove he felt like he could have resisted anything, but there were so many

hurting people. They needed help not one day but here, now. The Romans

and the Herodians were so brutal.

Day after day as the crowds grew, he thought about what it would be like

to step up and be the king now. He held the power. He could end so much

brutality. Along with the questions was another emotion that was maybe the

most dangerous. He hated feeling out of control. It lent itself to a feeling of



helplessness.

Now visible among the crowds were Roman centurions. Any time a group

of this size gathered they were there. The Romans would not allow an uprising

and they watched the Jewish cult leaders very closely. Within the few years

that proceeded Jesus’ ministry they had already put down almost a half dozen

of these would be messiahs.

Closer to Jesus heart was the slaughter at Sephoris. When he was a young

boy living in Nazareth, the Romans had descended on the city and massacred

many who lived there. In one night they crucified thousands. They worked

hanging Jesus’ kinsman from wooden crosses until they ran out of wood. This

memory, the day the Romans cameiii, had been etched in Jesus’ mind from

boyhood. So many friends and family had been lost. As his mind teetered back

and forth between the Romans then and the Romans here on this hillside, the

angst within him grew.

Jesus looked at his disciples who seemed to notice his apprehension about

the centurions. They grew nervous. Jesus calmed them, “I will speak to the

crowd. It is the people who must respond to the message of God.” Jesus knew

that he could be their new Moses. No one in his family would ever feel helpless

again. He could take control.

After a deep breath and with clear intent, Jesus raised his hand. All around

knew that this meant he was about to speak. The silenced crowd leaned in to

hear what Jesus would say. He commanded their attentions and maybe their

lives. Jesus opened his sermon on the mountainside.

“ Asher .” He proclaimed. The word he had spoken was felt more than



heard. Asher , to be blessed, to be on the right track, what would he add to

this? A brief pause followed. He wanted the words to be exactly right. At this

moment, he knew that two roads emerged for him. One road marked the way

of suffering and service. The other road provided him with the chance to step

up and be the leader these people wanted - now.

He scanned the crowd and then continued. “ Asher. For the kingdom of

heaven is mine and if you follow me, today it and our Land can be ours again!”

With that sentence, the excitement of the people grew. Smiles crept onto

their faces. Could it be? Was Jesus claiming to be the Messiah? A clamor rose

among the crowd. He raised his hands for silence. He carried on.

“Your days are mourning are over, and never again will you mothers

need to be comforted.

Your days of meekness are over and you will very soon have back

your inheritance.

Like the people under David we will with God’s help take what is

rightfully ours and unite those who love peace and justice.

Your days of showing mercy are over; for those who have enslaved

us deserve no mercy.

Asher…Yes my people. You are on the right track.

Never again will you be persecuted. They persecuted those who

came before us, but not us. We are God’s warriors. We are

advancing his cause of freedom.

Rejoice! Be glad. Yes, our cause is righteous. It is holy. Peace

cannot be found by sitting back, by serving.



We are God’s people and the Kingdom of heaven, my kingdom, is at

hand and we shall reclaim all that is rightfully ours!”

The people already on their feet erupted with shouts. The day was

finally here! Out of Jesus’ mouth had not come words of shalom but a claim on

his kingdom. The end surely justified the means. The Roman centurions in

their midst were quickly swamped to the ground but the crowd turned mob.

They were trampled and brutally handled. It was over very quickly.

The good that Jesus had done was now forgotten. What mattered was

that he would lead them to what they wanted: control of their land and the

illusion of control over their future.

He would lead them by whatever means necessary to peace. Peace

through power that was the way of God. Where others had been defeated, He

the chosen of God would succeed. The world would know the character of

Yahweh through the power of the Son, the messiah. The world would know

what Yahweh was like. Jesus would show them.

…

Just like that, the Sermon on the Mount could have turned if Jesus looked

like us.

What if the idea of love and service seem just too hard to actually work?

What if it just takes too long?



Chapter 5 – Hi, My Name Is…

He stands, poised on the brink of two worlds:

One, land of eternal day,

the other, earth of mire and clay.

Behind Him, legions of heavenly host,

bright faces covered, praising,

all chanting, voices raising.

Before Him, chaos yawning, swift and deep,

known, yet unknown. Fear unfurling,

death and darkness churning, swirling.

He turns. one last look at golden glory.

The Three part; He is now One.

The Father’s voice says, “Go well, my Son.”

He leaps into the abyss.

His next memory will be a Mother’s kiss.

~ Denise Day Spencer, January 1999



Angels & Demons, the movie version of Dan Brown’s novel made its way to

the big screen in the summer of 2009. Brown’s storyline centers on a secret

organization that is working to punish the Catholic Church for its past crimes.

This secret group, the Illuminati, have surfaced after many years to take

retribution on the church for its crimes against its members, many of whom

were great thinkers and creators of modern history. Like Brown’s other well-

known work, The DaVinci Code, there are powerful parties vying for control of

information. In both works the church is the established behemoth that is

working hard to protect its interest and the smaller secret society wants its

view of the true story to surface. There belief is that if people just knew the

truth they would rebel and join their cause. Both works contain a war for who

will be in control of not only information but of the masses that they influence.

Information is Power

Daily we are blasted with reminders that information is power and those

that have it often use it to control others. A quick scan of any of the network

news channels shows a constant bombardment of all that we should be worried

about, change about ourselves or be afraid of. Many people live with this

constant fear of what we could be due to the endless flow of media that we

allow into our minds. This fear often leads to frustration and anger that has no

real outlet. We have enemies in our minds that we will probably never be able

to confront. This often leads people to become cynical and isolated. Everyone

is potentially an enemy.



Medgar Evers once told his wife that he didn’t carry anger toward those

who hated him for his civil rights stand. He pointed out that he had learned

that most of the time the people you were angry with either a) didn’t know or

b) didn’t care. The only one who is really hurt here is you. You are imprisoned

by your anger, not them.

Terrorists understand this process. They know that they don’t have to

attack all of the time. They just have to provoke a moment of terror that

triggers our self-defense mechanism and just do it enough that we change our

lifestyles and become more self-centered. We then begin to make decisions

under the guise of self-protection that often feed our natural inclination of self-

centeredness. This worldview will eventually only lead to self-destruction as “I”

am the most important thing in the world and I’ll do anything to protect “me”

and “mine”. The problem is there are billions of “I’s”. In the end, who wins?

When you carry fear or anger, everyone becomes suspect. Everyone at some

time or another becomes a target or an enemy. Paranoia can set in as

everyone is out to get you. Your kingdom becomes the most important thing

and you will do what you need to do to protect it.

I once heard a story of an elderly Amish couple who have just lain down to

go to sleep. The gentleman is agitated and stirring, unable to relax and go to

sleep. His wife of many years is unable to go to sleep because of his fidgeting.

She rolls over and asks him what the problem is. He responds, “The whole

world is in error and sometimes I worry about you.” The problem with feeding

our need to control others or our nature to label others as enemies is that once

we become consumed with the “me versus the world” we begin to build mental



models. We create pictures in our minds of the way other people are acting or

thinking. We imagine what they are really like.

You know what this is like. Think back to a time when you were angry with

someone and knew that you were going to have to have a tough conversation

with them. Did you play out in your head scenarios of the conversation? “Well,

when they say ____________. I am going to say ___________, and they are going

to bring up ___________, but when they do I’ll remind them that they _________.”

The funny thing to me has always been that when I have the tough

conversation, it never goes the way I played it out in my head. The people

were never who I thought they were. Anger, fear, paranoia leads us to wars

against imaginary enemies creating worry and frustration that aren’t even

necessary.

Feeding the Fire

Our addiction to media doesn’t help us at all. We forget that the people

that we trust for information about our world are part of a business, and their

first priority is not the betterment of mankind or spreading the kingdom of God

but telling stories that will keep you coming back. They use enough tension to

keep you watching. We don’t think about these things, they are just part of who

we are, what our world looks like. For some reason because they speak our

language and are on a screen or radio, we trust them. They play off of our

fears and often stir up more drama than what there actually is. Very little

thought is given to how much the bombardment of information controls our

thoughts and actions. Pop Star, Will I Am, voices this succinctly in the Black



Eyed Peas song, Where is the Love?

“What's wrong with the world, mamaPeople livin' like they ain't got no mamasI think the whole world addicted to the dramaOnly attracted to things that'll bring you trauma.”

- The Black Eyed Peas, Where is the Love?

So I wonder. If we were being observed from outer space, is this an

observation our observers would make? Are we drawn to the fight, to the

drama, to the conflict? This is an unsettling notion for the believer in Jesus

because of our call to be peacemakers.

Giving It Up

I have to be honest, friends who spend hours upon hours listening or

watching news channels and stay frustrated or scared actually really frustrate

me. They seem to be always mad at the government or certain leaders or

have something to fret over but have very little time to spend in the yard with

their kids. We need to unplug a little bit. The reality is that if we were more

invested in our homes and our neighborhoods then in time the culture would

change, but it takes time and effort. It is a lot easier to be mad and rant about

an unreachable opponent than it is to love your neighbor or even your family.

And what about the fear we are exhaling? Much of the fear and angst that we

are inhaling we are exhaling on our family and friends. It’s all just way too

much. Remember the most used phrase in the Bible: fear not.

A couple of years back I gave up watching TV news. It started with a

Lenten journey but after the period of abstaining was up and I returned to the



television, I noticed some things about what was coming through my TV. It all

seemed so dark, so angry, and so intent on keeping me on edge. According to

those little well dressed people on my screen there is always a threat of attack,

there is always a new disease out there, there is always a tax out there, there

is always a government leader who is lying, there was always someone who

looked better than me and on and on it went. I just needed to be nervous

(couched as alertness), to buy this product, to read this book, to listen to this

person, to stay away from those people or support violent activity against

these people. I watched for a few days and decided that it was all too much. I

walked away from it. It may be one of the best moves I’ve ever made.

For some of you, I know that this is a ludicrous thought but I have made a

decision. I can spend my time worrying about things I cannot control. I can live

afraid. I can chase luxury, image or security through how I look or where I live

or I can take that time and pour it into my wife and kids and neighbors. See I

am a control freak. I have determined that I can have some control over what I

can see and those that I can talk to and hug or pat on the back and from what I

see in the scriptures, they are to get my attention.

I have decided that for the time I have left I will work to love those in that

circle. I’m done with worrying about what is out on the periphery. I want to be

done with fear. It doesn’t mean that I don’t think about issues or pray about

them. At the appropriate times, I vote my conscious but it does mean that if it

comes down to being afraid or being angry because someone else thinks I

should be or kicking around the yard with the kids…you’ll find me out back, not

in front of the tube or listening to the latest propaganda.



A Good Trick

What if all of this worrying about the greater good of America is a subtle

trick of the enemy to keep us from engaging relationally. There will always be

things to worry about but you only get one shot at your family and maybe only

one shot at that conversation or at that chance to serve. Maybe just maybe we

need to examine where our energies lie and reinvest them in a way that looks

more like Jesus.

This is hard. We battle needing to know, needing to feel secure, needing to

be in control. As a Christian you are never promised security. You were never

promised a country. You were reborn into exile, into pilgrimage. When we look

around America there don’t seem to be a lot of exiles or pilgrims but a whole

lot of prospectors and homesteaders. Upon following Jesus you gave up home

and country. So, really think for a moment. Where do your allegiances lie?

Don’t be naive; there is a very really battle for your allegiance - a steady

battle for your heart and mind. As a follower of Christ when it comes to having,

getting or being in control or loving like Jesus did, you must choose Jesus.

There is a conflict. A battle for what it means to look like Jesus. We are in a

battle for who is really in control of our lives. We want to know and secure what

comes next but the reality is no matter what we do or what we buy, we will

never be in complete control of the future. We simply cannot control the

unknown. We have a choice. We can live in fear or doubt about ourselves or

we can take the posture of Jesus and do our best to steward a future that is

kinder to not only us but those around us.



A Scary Mass Identity

The words of Solomon may be a good guide for us. Solomon wrote, “As a

man thinketh in his heart, so he is.” (Proverbs 23:7) I am convinced that if we

don’t re-orient our thoughts around looking like Jesus and taking on a posture

of healing toward humanity and creation, we are in for a long tough road.

Even more scary is the idea that when people build community they take

on mass identity. So is it to safe to say, “That as a people thinketh, so they

are?” If we are all running around afraid of others, convinced we are not good

enough, trying to control everyone and everything what are we left with? We

are completely reverted to our base drive to take the fruit from the tree. We

must be in control - now! Are we listening to the voice of the shepherd or the

whisper of a snake?

By our very fear are we compromising our ability to be Jesus to those who

maybe need him the most - the terrorists, the foreigner, and the minority. It’s

hard to share the gospel with those you are bombing or with a culture that you

have compromised to be like. We have become what has been done to us all in

the chase of the illusion of control and our lack of faith in the way of Jesus is

exposed. When the world sees us it’s not just that we are hypocritical about

some issues. To a non-Christian reader of the scriptures much of what the

church does doesn’t look like Jesus. This not only makes us hypocrites in their

eyes but it also makes us look weak. We appear to not have faith in the one

we say we follow and if we don’t trust him, then why should they?

I have a couple of close friends who are closely acquainted with the 12-



step process and Alcoholics Anonymous. I talk with them regularly and often

find myself talking with them about what I think is one of the genius parts of

the AA journey. It is summed up in the words, “I am powerless” and like it or

not, I believe we all are. Some of just don’t admit it. We think by trying to stay

in control that we are showing strength. In reality our inability to understand

and govern our weaknesses leads to further instability and weakness, as we

become more fractured people. We seem to quickly forget that it is in our

weakness that God is strong and that we grow as we learn to depend on him -

not him on us. He holds the whole world in his hand - not you or me.

You and I are powerless over other people and events. So maybe just

maybe you could say it with me, “Hi my name is _______________. I am a control

freak and I am powerless over _______________.” I wonder if we will ever be

willing to acknowledge this drive within us so that we can be more open to the

possibilities around us to listen, love and serve. If we as an American church

are going to affect the future, I think we have to.

This concept is very hard for us as Americans. All of our lives we are told

that we can be or have everything that we want. From the beginning of our

nation we have been a people who have talked our way through moral

dilemmas, often using the scriptures, to fulfill manifest destiny or to be an

economic power or to secure our way of life. Think back over your life. You

can be an army of one or be all that you can be. You can have it your way and

now you can be an American Idol. The American experience is built around the

idea that if you work hard enough you can have what you want. We can

control our own destiny. You can succeed. Our churches have followed this



mindset as well. Our ideas of church are very formulaic and goal driven but

struggle when it comes to discipling people to look like Jesus daily.

I wonder if we would not be better served to really re-examine our posture

in light of what Paul taught us about Jesus in Philippians chapter two. In one of

the most beautiful sections of writing in the New Testament Paul challenges the

church at Philippi to live in a different way.

Philippians 2

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united withChrist, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by beinglike-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humilityvalue others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests buteach of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same attitudeof mind Christ Jesus had:6 Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to hisown advantage;7 rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a human being,he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death--even death on a cross!

As you may notice, the latter portion of the passage has been omitted.

Many of us have become familiar with this passage and know that it comes to a

rousing completion and that’s where our attention lands. For our purposes the

journey is the focus. The gospels do not start at the cross and end at the

resurrection. There is a picture of life before hand. Paul in this passage gives



us the “how” and the “why” of the Christian life. In chapter one of this letter, he

even calls his readers citizens of heaven, reminding them that they are part of

something much bigger. They are part of something eternal and supernatural

whose rules supersede the earthly.

At our Christmas Eve gathering this past year we read the Spencer poem

that opened up this chapter. We were reminded of what Jesus left behind in

relationships and power. We remembered the moment of an absolute switch in

existence. The scenario would be like me deciding by my own volition to

become an ant but to be honest that doesn’t really touch what Jesus did in

becoming human. One moment he was everything; he was the bright and

morning star. The next a poor child in a damp cave surrounded by unusual

faces and sounds. He was human.

The opening lines of chapter two of Philippians and of this hymn quoted by

Paul bring us to an often elusive part of what Jesus did in coming to planet

earth and what we are called to be. The most complete of which is verse 7. We

are told that Christ made himself nothing; he emptied himself. Reading this

verse in the Greek you find the word kenos which means to take away the

content or to deprive of power. Jesus gave up all that was heavenly to come

and walk life the way we do. He who had control gave up control. Now let’s

look for a moment at some key words & phrases from this passage. Maybe

take a moment and stop to meditate on these verses and thoughts.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

Value others above yourself.

Look after others interest and not your own.



In your relationships…

Have the attitude of Christ.

He emptied himself of power and the ability to control.

Even to the point of being submitted to the powers of this world

We will never completely understand the “Why’s?” of this life. But for

some reason God ordered planet earth in a certain way. I’ve once heard this

necessity of Jesus’ action explained in this way. On planet earth it appears that

control/manipulation exist on one end of a paradigm and love/compassion on

the other end. You have seen this. People who are generally controlling and

manipulative are often not very loving and compassionate. On the other hand

people who are loving and compassionate are not very controlling and

manipulative. So, if you are an all-controlling God who can manipulate anything

or anyone how do you truly love? To love, you must give up control and this is

what Jesus does for you and me. To love us well, to show us who God is, to

show us how we were created to live he emptied himself. To be his follower, to

be like-minded we must as well.

To truly love, you must give up control.

As believers in not only the power of the work of Jesus but also in the work

of Jesus we must learn to live by a different ethic. We must carry into our

relationships the attitude of Jesus - the attitude of a servant. This is difficult

because servants aren’t in control. We want to secure the future as best as we

can. Jesus gave his life to a world where some would say yes and some would

say no. He gave up control to submit to the will of the Father and we are called

as Christians to submit as well.



Remember, the goal is to look like Jesus. There is no other person; there is

no other model. This doesn’t mean that we completely give in and don’t stand

up for what is right. Jesus often challenged those around him. Remember the

“religious” people that he is speaking to are the chosen people of God. They

are off course and he tells them often not what they want to hear but they

need to hear.

Let us think through the Mark 10 story one more time.

Jesus saw the wealthy young man. Jesus loved him. Jesus spoke the truth

to him. The truth was too much for him to handle.

There was no coercion, no arm-twisting, and no five-step process of

revealing whom God was and why he needed to change. The young man was

drawn to Jesus. Who knows? The appeal may have been Jesus’ works or it may

have been Jesus’ teaching. What ever the appeal was, there was something

different that brought him to Jesus. The messiah saw him. He LOVED him and

he told him the truth. Beyond this you and I cannot control the actions of

others.

Even harder still is when we want more for people than they want for

themselves. But maybe the key is seeing and loving not in speaking and

controlling. Jesus saw and loved first and the emptied out love was the driving

force behind his words. The emptied out yet power filled loved was what led

him from the cross to ask his Father to forgive those who had murdered him.

You may be part of a situation right now where you are seeing and

speaking but love is missing. When you see Jesus, you see God control free

and as a follower you are called to love in that manner. Theologian Miraslov



Volf wrote on the idea of exclusion and embrace. While we are called to

exclude (speak to or speak out against) that which is not in line with the heart

of God, the goal in the end is embrace.

The twisted Sermon on the Mount at the beginning of this chapter didn’t

happen because Jesus chose to honor the heart of the Father. Jesus moving to

control the situation is to lower himself to the ways of the world. He would fall

into same old patterns that never work. The end for the believer never justifies

the means because every moment is divine and is an opportunity to model

Christ like love. Jesus’ earthly power resided in his purity, his holiness, his

difference from the world and his unwillingness to lower himself to earthly

pitfalls. Our power lies in loving like Jesus.

Greg Boyd in his book The Myth of a Christian Nation lays out the ideas of

power over and power under . In every interaction with people we have a

choice to use one of these methods.

Power Over = Manipulation, Control, Power, Coercion, Violence

Power Under = Serving, Healing, Loving, Listening, Giving

From Jesus we see consistent modeling of the power under mentality.

Jesus models this even to the point of giving his life as a ransom for creation

and its inhabitants. Our real power comes from living and loving like Jesus. We

will advance the kingdom and the principles of God not through force or

coercion (power over) but through love and service (power under). The Gospel

story is much easier to share when we are building or rebuilding someone’s

than it is after we have destroyed it.



The Beauty of the Kingdom

We are powerless yet powerful. We carry a message of beauty and hope

that the world doesn’t understand. Yes we are exiles here but the beauty of

the kingdom of God is it works. It does not matter who is in charge; it doesn’t

matter who is in control. You can be under a king, a president, a dictator or a

chief. You can be part of a democracy, a republic, a dictatorship, or a socialist

government. It simply doesn’t matter. Selfless love always works any time,

any place, anywhere.

So some thoughts to wrap up this chapter…

As long as you are in control, God can’t be.

To be what you were created to be you are going to have to give up

control and let the King of the Universe work in and through you.

Your families, neighbors, friends and co-workers need you to love - control

free.

If you don’t love, don’t speak.

Speech without love can be scary for everyone involved.

May you give up control so that you may truly love.



Chapter 1 – Say Anything (1276 Word Version)

“Bolt it!” Jesus shouted.

Peter slammed the heavy wooden door. All at once ten men moved

against one of their own. There was a struggle. They had him. The clamor of

the Passover crowds outside easily hid the commotion in the upper room. The

target fought back but there were too many of them; they came at him too

fast…unexpectedly. He felt his whole body slam against the stone floor.

Strangely and for what seemed no reason at all one of them, Andrew, grabbed

an earthen pitcher of water and another, John, grabbed a melon sized dark

cloth bag that usually held the groups money.

A short time earlier Peter had burst into this same dim stone room outside

of Jerusalem to warn Jesus of a threat against them. This threat stung deep.

Judas, one Jesus’ twelve most trusted followers, had offered Jesus up to the

priests. He agreed to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, a small price to

restore what the priests were losing from the conversion of the likes of

Zacchaeus and Levi.

Peter, the leader of the disciples, had been tipped off to Judas’ plan.

Incensed, he hurriedly pulled together Jesus, Andrew, James and John. They

hotly debated what their next move should be. Should they run? Were there

other traitors? Jesus in this moment saw two roads before him. He had

resisted human sinfulness so long. He remembered the offer years earlier when

the Accuser had tempted him. Would He now give in to his primal desires and



let his humanity finally take control?

In the few moments of heated discussion a plan was hatched. The four

men entered the room where the rest of the disciples gathered. Now even the

traitor Judas was there. How much time did they have? John quietly worked

the room giving the others the news. He told them what would happen next.

They would grab Judas and find out what he knew. All that was needed was for

them to keep the traitor hemmed in. Jesus would press him for information.

“Above all, don’t panic. Don’t let him escape. ” John instructed them.

Sundown was approaching and it was time to recline for dinner. The noise

in the streets grew louder as families began to trickle toward their homes to

assemble for the evening meal. The food was prepared and the tables were set

with herbs, charoset and matzo. The friends plus the traitor shuffled towards

their seats as Andrew, James and John hung loosely behind. Jesus moved first.

He stepped face to face with Judas. Peering into Judas’ nervous eyes, a rage

never seen before surfaced. “Bolt it!” Jesus shouted. On queue the disciples

jumped in and pinned a surprised kicking and screaming Judas to the floor.

“Over his head!” Peter screamed. John struggled to place the bag he had

been holding over the head of Judas. The others moved him onto the room’s

solid wooden table. They held him down to it - face up. Thomas lifted the end

of the table that held Judas’ feet while Philip quickly placed a stone block under

each table leg. Judas was tilted down. His feet were now higher than his head.

The disciples’ hands clamped him down.

Judas could not see. Terror gripped him. He tried to process it all. “What

would come next? Jesus had flipped. He was not the man who had taught love



and forgiveness, healed the sick and fed the thousands. All of this raced

through Judas’ mind.

He longed for the familiar voice but it didn’t come. The voice now fueled

his terror. This was not the voice of the shepherd. The voice held a sharp tone

that broke through the haze of disorientation.

“What is their plan? What are they going to try? Who else has betrayed

me?” Jesus fired question after question. Judas didn’t know. His fear caused

him to nearly hyperventilate. Gasping for air he shuttered, “I don’t know. I

don’t know. Please master…I don’t know.”

“You’re lying! You must know.” Jesus screamed. Judas continued to

struggle. If he could just get his legs free, maybe he could kick his way out and

jump for the roof below the window at his back.

The punch in the ribs was a surprise. He gasped. A flash of pain blurred

his thought as be felt the blow to his cheek just below the ear. He was surely

bleeding. “We want to know what they plan to do. How many men are coming

after me? Are the Romans coming with them?” Again Judas pleaded, “I don’t

know. I don’t know. Please let me go. Please. Jesus.”

Jesus, frustrated from the lack of response grabbed the water from

Andrew. He motioned to John who took the bag and pulled it tight to the face

of Judas by squeezing it together in the back. The outline of his eyes, nose and

mouth were now clearly visible below the black fabric. Judas, now afraid that

he was about to be smothered, fought lack of air that his lungs seemed to be

providing. His heart felt like it would explode. Jesus took the pitcher and

holding it over the head of Judas spoke almost at a whisper. “I know you know.



In a moment I believe you’ll tell me what I want to hear.”

Jesus then with an eerie coldness never seen before took the pitcher of

water and began to pour it over the face of Judas. The pouring water was

focused on Judas’ mouth. Judas resisted but in time it became clear that the

water would keep coming. How would he breathe? Was it possible to drown

this way?

His heartbeat accelerated even more. He struggled to breathe. The water

seemed to be trickling down into his nose. “The air…the air where is it? Judas

thought. “I am drowning! Is this how it will all end?” He writhed in fear and

chilling moans somehow came from his body while the disciples continued to

hold him.

From the faces of the disciples came wry smiles. Jesus was now finally

stepping up and taking charge. Now He got it. He would respond to his

enemies with the same tactics that they used or maybe even more extreme

ones. Jesus looked at Judas. The rage within him grew. He surveyed the room

and felt a sense of encouragement from the faces of his loyal disciples. He

would beat the High Priests and the armies from Rome. It had begun in this

upper room.

Jesus peered down at the struggling Judas and turned the pitcher up more.

The water now cascaded down even more quickly. The horrible gurgling sound

Judas was making increased. His back arched he tried to scream; there was

not enough air. This was the end. He had made such a terrible mistake.

He was sorry; in this moment, he would say or do whatever they wanted.

He just didn’t want to die, not like this. He wanted the drowning to end but he



was powerless. He wanted the old Jesus back. He teetered on the verge of what

felt like existence. “If they would just stop, “ He thought. I will say anything.”

Judas would not drown but every cell in his body believed that death was

certain.

…

I’m sorry. I may have stepped out of bounds with you, but I hope you will

give me a little grace just to make you think.

Let me be very very clear.

This story is ludicrous. I know that.

It never happened and from what I believe about the character of Jesus -

it never could.

And that is the point. Jesus wouldn’t water board.



Chapter 4 – Today is the Day (1217 word version)

People were everywhere. The hungry, the sick, the poor they wanted

him.

From every direction they pressed up the hillside. On every rock and

spare piece of ground all the way from the lapping waters of the Sea of Galilee

to the top of the hill they looked at him waiting for what was next. He scanned

the crowd and realized there must be hundreds of them.

For days they had followed him. He taught them from the Torah in their

synagogues. He travelled their dusty roads. He healed their sick. From every

direction they now came to hear what he would say or what he would do next.

Many wondered if he could possibly be the one, the messiah who brings the

kingdom of God.

Since his run in with the accuser in the desert he too had thought a lot

about how he could bring his kingdom. He withstood the temptations on those

days. To be honest the temptation for food was easier than he might have

expected and really why would anyone jump from a building just because

someone wanted him to? It reminded him of what his mother had asked him

numerous times as a kid. “If an Egyptian jumped from the top of a pyramid,

would you jump too? This question had so aggravated him as a kid. Now he

was older and facing more complex questions.

He had been insured of his identity by the voice from the sky and that

dove. Wow! It had meant so much. But those days were gone and the



questions still came and so did the people. What had the accuser said?

Something about all of the kingdoms of the world being mine. It had been easy

to resist this. After the voice and the dove he felt like he could have resisted

anything, but there were so many hurting people. They needed help not one

day but here, now. The Romans were so brutal. The Herodians depraved in

their taxation.

Day after day as the crowds grew, he thought about what it would be like

to step up and be the king now. He held the power. He could end so much

brutality. Along with the questions was another emotion that was maybe the

most dangerous. He hated feeling out of control. It lent itself to a feeling of

helplessness.

Now visible among the crowds were Roman centurions. Any time a group

of this size gathered they were there. The Romans would not allow an uprising

and they watched the Jewish cult leaders very closely. Within the few years

that proceeded Jesus’ ministry they had already put down almost a half dozen

of these would be messiahs.

Closer to Jesus heart was the slaughter at Sephoris. When he was a young

boy living in Nazareth, the Romans had descended on the city and massacred

many who lived there. In one night they crucified thousands. They worked

hanging Jesus’ kinsman from wooden crosses until they ran out of wood. This

memory, the day the Romans cameiv, had been etched in Jesus’ mind from

boyhood. So many friends and family had been lost. As his mind teetered back

and forth between the Romans then and the Romans here on this hillside, the

angst within him grew.



Jesus looked at his disciples who seemed to notice his apprehension about

the centurions. They grew nervous. Jesus calmed them, “I will speak to the

crowd. It is the people who must respond to the message of God.” Jesus knew

that he could be their new Moses. No one in his family would ever feel helpless

again. He could take control.

A beggar in the crowd caught his attention. Beside him a young boy

whose arms and back appeared to be covered with scars as from a whip drew

his gaze. After a deep breath and with clear intent , Jesus raised his hand. All

around knew that this meant he was about to speak. Taking another longer

breath he turned his eyes on what appeared to be a group of zealots who had

taken interest in him. They stood behind two of the Roman centurions down

the hill to his left just before a large white boulder that was covered with

onlookers.

The crowd leaned in to clearly hear what Jesus would say. He commanded

their attentions and maybe their lives. Jesus opened his sermon on the

mountainside.

“ Asher .” He proclaimed. The word he had spoken was felt more than

heard. A brief pause followed. He wanted the words to be exactly right. At

this moment, he knew that two roads emerged for him. One road marked the

way of suffering and service - the way of love. The other road provided him

with the chance to step up and be the leader these people wanted. Asher , to be

blessed, to be on the right track, what would he add to this?

He scanned the crowd and then continued. “ Asher. For the kingdom of

heaven is mine and if you follow me, today it and your land can be yours!”



With that sentence, the excitement of the people grew. Smiles crept onto

their faces. Could it be? Was Jesus claiming his role? A clamor rose among the

crowd. He raised his hands for silence. He carried on.

“Your days are mourning are over, and never again will you mothers

need to be comforted.

Your days of meekness are over and you will very soon have back

your inheritance.

Like the people under David we will with God’s help take what is

rightfully ours and unite those who love peace and justice.

Your days of showing mercy are over; for those who have enslaved

us deserve no mercy.

Asher….Yes you are on the right track.

Never again will you be persecuted. They persecuted those who

came before us, but not us. We are God’s warriors. We are

advancing his cause of freedom.

Rejoice! Be glad. Yes, our cause is righteous. It is holy. Peace

cannot be found by sitting back, by serving.

We are God’s people and the Kingdom of heaven, my kingdom, is at

hand!

The people already on their feet erupted with shouts. The day was

finally here! Out of Jesus’ mouth had not come words of shalom but a claim on

his kingdom. The end surely justified the means. The Roman centurions in

their midst were quickly swamped to the ground but the crowd turned mob.



They were trampled and brutally handled. It was over very quickly.

The good that Jesus had done was now forgotten. What mattered was

that he would lead them to what they wanted: control of their land; the illusion

of control over their future.

He would lead them by whatever means necessary to peace. Peace

through power that was the way of God. Where others had been defeated, He

the chosen of God would succeed. The world would know the character of

Yahweh through the power of the Son, the messiah. The world would know

what Yahweh was like. Jesus would show them.

…

Just like that, the Sermon on the Mount could have turned if Jesus looked

like us.

What if the idea of love and service seem just to hard to actually work?

What if it just takes too long?



i Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus. Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg. (GrandRapids: Zondervan. 2009) p. 53-65. In this work, Spangler and Tverberg layouthow the disciples of Jesus would not have just been concerned with learning databut would have sought to soak up the wisdom that comes from constantinteraction with their rabbi.ii The statistics come from Starks The Rise of Christianity (San Francisco:

HarperCollins. 1996) p. 6-13. This set of conclusions coupled with the research isfrom Alan Hirsch’s The Forgotten Ways (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press. 2008) p. 18-19. Hirsch using Starks research as a basis builds a case for what he callsApostolic Genius – the built-in life force and guiding mechanism of the church.Hirsch believes it was this Genius that made Christianity a counter culturalrevolution that changed the world.iii John Dominic Crossan speculates that the driving stories that Jesus would haveheard growing up would have been about the “the year that the Romans came.”God & Empire (San Francisco: HarperCollins. 2007) p. 110. Just like Americansremember marker events like the bombing of Pearl Harbor of the terror attacks of 9/11, those living in the Galilee would remember the day that the Romans came

to Sephoris. On that day they crucified thousands and destroyed this city whichwas only a few short miles from Nazareth.iv John Dominic Crossan speculates that the driving stories that Jesus would haveheard growing up would have been about the “the year that the Romans came.”God & Empire (San Francisco: HarperCollins. 2007) p. 110. Just like Americansremember marker events like the bombing of Pearl Harbor of the terror attacks of 9/11, those living in the Galilee would remember the day that the Romans cameto Sephoris. On that day they crucified thousands and destroyed this city whichwas only a few short miles from Nazareth.

Documents

What Jesus Didn't Do _ William Guice