He is Made in Our Image

There were many prophetic glimpses and many shadows and even ceremonies that pointed to something and Someone to come. The religious leaders thought they knew and Israel as a whole became deceived and even indifferent. But after all the laws, all the violence, all the hatred, and all the amplified ceremonial structures, look Who “emerged”.
He was a liberal in today’s parlance. He came against the orthodox crowd and taught things that surely seemed contrary to the generally accepted understandings of that day. He even ignored certain observances and rubbed shoulders with sinners both men and women. He was in every sense a religious and cultural liberal, at least as men bestow these monikers upon whom they desire. He would be considered a rebel today.
He was far from being a capitalist, and in fact He was a socialist in the general sense of our definition. What conservative capitalist encourages men to give both coats to one who asks of them? What capitalist glories in a fox hole as His home? What capitalist insists that the love of money is the root of all evil, and what economist demands that people do not save up money for themselves? To be more accurate He was neither a socialist or a capitalist. He was the ultimate Giver.
He taught pacifism unless you strip His teachings to mean something else. Those who take some obscure verse and make that their foundation are many times those who claim proper context. No one can read the New Testament and claim that God approves of killing of any sort after He allowed the sacrificial murder of His only Son. Jesus was the Prince of Peace and had no allegiance to any nation.
He was the exact image in human form of God Almighty. He was the Creator, and yet He allowed the spit of wicked men to adorn His face. Such humility is both alien and horrific to our sensibilities, but His followers today retaliate when disrespected. Humbly and silently taking castigation is a sign of weakness in today’s evangelical atmosphere of carnal boldness. And as He was being crucified He asked for forgiveness to those who should have been where He was. We have made the cross a religious museum piece and a doctrine rather than a personal model.

We have lost the vision of who Jesus was and is, and in His place we have constructed a facsimile that bears a striking resemblance to…

well…

I am ashamed to say it…

us.