"Man, it was good. The head pastor, he's pretty passionate huh?"
He seemed a little surprised. Kind of taken aback. The only thing I could come up with was "Yeah, isn't it refreshing?" I'm not sure exactly what he was thinking, but it got me thinking. About this blog. About Writing. About what it looks like to be a Christian.
All I could think of was when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem where crowds of people were swarming the market places and temple courts shouting "Hosanna in the highest heaven!" But as Jesus arrived at the temple courts the people were buying and selling all kinds of things. Tables were set up where all the money was being taken. Jesus became enraged and overturned tables of money changers and benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them, "My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers." (Matthew 21: 12-13)
I wonder what all of those witnesses and townspeople were thinking? Maybe they were confused? Taken aback? Shocked? I don't know for sure. But there's one thing I'm positive they were thinking, "he's pretty passionate huh." After Jesus dominated the temple he called for the blind and lame and he healed them immediately. I often wonder why Jesus was so outrageous in this moment. I mean, he heals blind and crippled people...I'm pretty sure he could get these dudes to leave the temple without the dramatics. The only thing I can come up with is that Jesus knew what was on the line. Salvation. Eternity. Heaven vs. Hell.
I don't think Jesus was angry in this moment. I think he was passionate. Jesus came into Jerusalem and overturned tables and healed the blind and crippled in the wreckage without an ounce of regard for the pharisees and sadducees looking on. He was passionate about joy and hope and healing. He was passionate about doing whatever it took for people to understand what's hanging in the balance.
Our head pastor was created to preach. And he's doing it passionately. He doesn't hold back. He says what needs to be said. It doesn't always tweet well and it's often more challenging than people are up for on a Sunday morning. I look around and see people with these blank stares on their faces because they've never seen someone bring the word with such urgency. Sometimes I wonder if our pastor ever steps off the platform on a Sunday and is self conscious about how passionate he was. Like maybe just bring it down a notch broski. Maybe there's a message that won't be soooo, uhhh intense. Can't you just get on stage and pet a lamb or something. But then I remember he doesn't care. He has no regard for the pharisees and sadducees of today. He comes busting into Jerusalem and rips the tables over. He knows what's on the line.
I was created to write and I want to write like he preaches and like Jesus preached before him. More than I want to publish a book or post a blog on a popular website. I want to write without regard for anything but proclaiming Jesus. This is one place I do a lot of table turning. I may seem overly zealous and much too intense for your mid day Facebook scroll. But with every passing day it becomes more clear what's on the line, so forgive me not.
You're no different. You were created for something incredible. Probably a lot of things.What are they? Really, stop and acknowledge what makes you come alive more than anything else. Now go turn some tables over. The world needs much more passion.
All I could think of was when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem where crowds of people were swarming the market places and temple courts shouting "Hosanna in the highest heaven!" But as Jesus arrived at the temple courts the people were buying and selling all kinds of things. Tables were set up where all the money was being taken. Jesus became enraged and overturned tables of money changers and benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them, "My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers." (Matthew 21: 12-13)
I wonder what all of those witnesses and townspeople were thinking? Maybe they were confused? Taken aback? Shocked? I don't know for sure. But there's one thing I'm positive they were thinking, "he's pretty passionate huh." After Jesus dominated the temple he called for the blind and lame and he healed them immediately. I often wonder why Jesus was so outrageous in this moment. I mean, he heals blind and crippled people...I'm pretty sure he could get these dudes to leave the temple without the dramatics. The only thing I can come up with is that Jesus knew what was on the line. Salvation. Eternity. Heaven vs. Hell.
I don't think Jesus was angry in this moment. I think he was passionate. Jesus came into Jerusalem and overturned tables and healed the blind and crippled in the wreckage without an ounce of regard for the pharisees and sadducees looking on. He was passionate about joy and hope and healing. He was passionate about doing whatever it took for people to understand what's hanging in the balance.
Our head pastor was created to preach. And he's doing it passionately. He doesn't hold back. He says what needs to be said. It doesn't always tweet well and it's often more challenging than people are up for on a Sunday morning. I look around and see people with these blank stares on their faces because they've never seen someone bring the word with such urgency. Sometimes I wonder if our pastor ever steps off the platform on a Sunday and is self conscious about how passionate he was. Like maybe just bring it down a notch broski. Maybe there's a message that won't be soooo, uhhh intense. Can't you just get on stage and pet a lamb or something. But then I remember he doesn't care. He has no regard for the pharisees and sadducees of today. He comes busting into Jerusalem and rips the tables over. He knows what's on the line.
I was created to write and I want to write like he preaches and like Jesus preached before him. More than I want to publish a book or post a blog on a popular website. I want to write without regard for anything but proclaiming Jesus. This is one place I do a lot of table turning. I may seem overly zealous and much too intense for your mid day Facebook scroll. But with every passing day it becomes more clear what's on the line, so forgive me not.
You're no different. You were created for something incredible. Probably a lot of things.What are they? Really, stop and acknowledge what makes you come alive more than anything else. Now go turn some tables over. The world needs much more passion.
