Everything That's On My Mind

I've been tagged and also chastised, deservedly so I suppose. For those of you new to reading blogs, a "tag" is a set of questions that one blogger answers and then "tags" their blogging friends to do the same. I've seen this one bouncing around different blogs, so this tagging wasn't entirely unexpected.

1. I dig that Jesus is deep. (Pun most sincerely intended.) When Jesus taught, he didn't wrap everything up into a nice, simple three point "how-to" sermon. He didn't over-simplify things just to grab people's attention. If something he taught was challenging, He allowed his audience to work at understanding. He wanted His disciples to wonder, to ask question, to develop their understanding gradually. Jesus didn't lower himself to the lowest common denominator, he raised the common denominator.
2. I dig that Jesus is common. I love that Jesus is a regular guy. God did not send him to earth to a family of privilege. He didn't attend the best schools and learn from all the best teachers. He didn't dwell in ivory towers teaching the elite. He was a common, working class guy who taught and served common people. He didn't seek to change the world through influencing the powerful and learned. He basically invented the grassroots campaign.
3. I dig that Jesus is direct. Jesus never pulls his punches. When something needed to be said, he said it. He was never intentionally antagonistic or abrasive, but he didn't soften what needed to be said. In every situation, he spoke the truth in just the right form and with just the right intensity. An amazing trait.
4. I dig that Jesus is patient. Even a cursory reading of the gospels reveals the disciples to be inconsistent, petty, short-sighted, and faithless. Yet through it all, Jesus never tossed them aside for a better bunch. He patiently allowed them to grow and develop into the men that would establish his church. Fortunately, he is still just as patient today. If he wasn't so patient I'd be in big, big trouble.
5. I dig that Jesus is alive. OK, so I'll end with the obvious one. Jesus isn't a hero, a philosopher, an icon, a revolutionary, or a martyr...he's God-made-flesh, crucified and raised to life eternal. He's not the ideal man to be emulated, he is the son of God who created us and, thank God, is re-creating us each day.

So now I'm supposed to tag five bloggers, but I don't think there are five other bloggers reading this. Bob and Corrine, consider yourselves tagged. Anyone else who's reading this but doesn't have a blog, feel free to leave your five in the comments.

If you grew up in the evangelical church during the '70s as I did, Brother Andrew's autobiography God's Smuggler was unofficial required reading. In case you've never read it, it tells the story of Brother Andrew's efforts smuggling bibles into communist countries during the Iron Curtain days of the '60s. Needless to say when it comes to passion for the Gospel and the courage to do something about it, his credentials are flawless. That's why when he talks about a Christian response to radical Islam in Christianity Today, I take notice. I highly recommend taking some time to meditate on this article. What should a true Christ-centered approach to radical Islam look like?

Ben Witherington seems to be on a pilgrimage of sorts this summer. His recent post about the city of Ephesus is excellent. It must be nice to have summers off.

Scot McKnight's series "Letters to Emerging Christians" has been full of interesting nuggets. The most recent letter addresses how to explain the Gospel simply and accurately.I like his Kingdom focus. Rick Meigs (the Blind Beggar) posted on a similar topic recently.

Earl Creps recently wrote a very convicting piece entitled Landfill Repentance.

Mark Roberts recently had the opportunity to debate Christopher Hitchens, author of the recent book god is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything on Hugh Hewitt's podcast. He's been elaborating in a series on his blog.

Finally, Angie sent me this link. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Probably both. Yikes!

Somebody suggested I put the video illustration from Sunday's message up on YouTube. I'm no lawyer but I think this qualifies under Fair Use copyright law, so here it is:

David Wayne's post this morning really struck me, I think I know how he feels.

Yes, I haven't been writing much on the blog recently. I have at least a half dozen half-written entries in Windows Live Writer at the moment, most of which are now too dated to be worth finishing. I do have a series in the works, hopefully I'll get it started soon.

Some people have far too much time on their hands. OK, so I actually did waste 10 minutes of my time watching this whole video, but I'm sure it took much longer than that to create. The scary thing is, I recognized most of these movies.

HT: FilmChat

Once again Scot McKnight simply knocks one out of the ballpark, this time in a post on Christianity Today's Out of Ur blog. Be sure to read the comments, too. Good stuff.

David Wayne, the Jolly Blogger, has written a few posts recently that tie in nicely to our current Sunday series, "Loving Like Jesus". I thought I'd pass them along.

Good Friday Christianity vs. A Christianity that Condemns

Why We Haven't Changed the World

David is one of the more thoughtful and gracious "Godbloggers" out there, yet he's not above stirring the pot every now and then. My kind of guy.