So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1: 27 NKJV
A few weeks ago I was struck by a comment from a friend of mine. In passing I wrote a email to him concerning the question, how could God be in someone like... (insert name of any one you dislike here)? It's a legit question, probably one that has been asked since the days when Jesus Himself chose those who would follow Him in His ministry. How could Jesus choose this tax collector...common fisherman or political zealot? Yet, each time I ask this question I arrive at the next obvious one...why would God choose me? The answer to my email from my friend was profound and yet amazingly simple. God has chosen to look like me, not the other way around. God, by His own choosing, has decided that I would resemble His very image. He, is me. Now, this may very well set off alarm bells in many well meaning Christians. How can a sinner claim to be God? It's the same argument Jesus had with the Pharisees back in the day. This argument would be a legitimate one...had our sin issue not been resolved by Jesus at the cross {Romans 6:11}. The fact that Jesus resolved the issue of sin is no big secret, in fact it's one of the foundations of our Christian beliefs. But how soon we forget. For despite knowing in our hearts that Jesus paved the way for our relief from sin, we continue to see our sin as a barrier between ourselves and God. Wayne Jacobsen made a excellent point in his blog this week, that those who are leaving our churches aren't rejecting Jesus...just those churches who represent him badly. Well said! Believe me, Jesus has been represented very badly by many a church. The apostle Paul must have run into some objections from the authorities of his day as well for speaking the truth of Christ Jesus in him {Galatians 2:20}. How could Jesus ever choose a hateful man such as Saul? Every Christian knows the damage Saul's purge did to the early church. Yet Jesus chose this man to represent Him. Again, God chose to reveal Himself in Paul, not the other way around.
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galatians 2: 20 NKJV
I've had the opportunity to watch a few episodes of the new series "The Chosen" in recent weeks. I enjoy how the interaction between Jesus and those He chose to follow Him is depicted. One scene in particular fits this discussion well. The scene finds Jesus and His followers walking through the city when suddenly Jesus comes across the booth of the tax collector Matthew. Now, Matthew served the hated Romans, and every Jew in the area did not look favorably on that. What did Jesus do? He called Matthew by name..."Matthew...son of Alpheus...follow Me" Immediately, Simon interrupts Jesus by saying, "Do you know what this man's done...do you even know him?" To which Jesus replies..."Yes." Jesus knew well who Matthew was. Better yet, He knew the man he could be. Jesus did not see Matthew as the tax collector everyone else despised. Perhaps this is part of the reason Jesus was seen as controversial back in His time. He did not follow the script which everyone expected of the promised messiah. As Jesus tells Simon when he objects to His calling of Matthew..."Get used to different." I've wondered at times just how many people have looked upon me and wondered to themselves...God how could you choose him? If they were to ask me, I'd lay some truth down on them. Yes, God has chosen to resemble me, the same way He chose to resemble you. We are all created in the Fathers image. Our only stumbling block comes when we refuse to accept that truth in our lives. It's a truth so different that you more than likely won't hear it from too many church pulpits. Get used to different.
~Scott~
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