Wherefore , also, God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue should be proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, the Father.
Philippians 2: 9-11, Concordant New Testament
Have you ever met someone who was so on fire for Jesus that it could best be described as an obsession? Their only thoughts are centered around Gods one and only Son and how they can know Him better. Not only that, but these so called Jesus Freaks go to any length to tell the world around them about the joy of knowing Jesus. They've heard of all the wonderful things Jesus has done, and they are all in for following Him. I feel that were these people alive during the ministry of Jesus that perhaps they would have perhaps been disciples of His as well. The era of the Jesus freaks as I recall was back in the 60's and 70's. I recall watching tv shows featuring multi colored vans of Jesus freaks traveling around the country. Of course, this was the public image of someone who followed Jesus back then. The recent film release Jesus Revolution attempts to capture the spirit of those to whom following Jesus was an obsession. Not having yet seen the movie, I can only go off what I have seen from the films trailers. However, I do feel that it is a film worth seeing. In my time in the mainstream church I would at times encounter someone who came across as being a Jesus freak. Someone who lived and breathed knowing Jesus. The interesting thing is, instead of accepting one who desired to know Jesus, those in the churches I attended tended to ignore these admirers of Jesus. So much so, that in many cases the once proud seeker of Jesus became just another regular member of the congregation...minus the desire to know Jesus. That fire had been squashed by those who for one reason or another did not want to hear of their form of Jesus. But has anyone ever realized the Jesus who these Jesus freaks were celebrating? This is a Jesus of love and kindness and mercy for the downtrodden. Why would Christians who claim to worship Christ want to silence this message about Jesus?
He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love
1 John 4: 8, Concordant New Testament
The only reason I see that those in the church would dismiss the excitement of the Jesus freaks is that their zeal went against the narrative of the mainstream church. It is well known that Jesus was crucified and buried and that He rose again on the third day. This is basic Christian knowledge 101. But the story of Jesus does not end there. I prefer to view the cross as the starting line for Jesus and not the end of the race. As He claimed to His followers, He will be with us always {Matthew 28:20}. I prefer not to think of Jesus as a liar, so I take Him at His word. One of the most encouraging scriptures I have found was penned by the apostle Paul and it concerns the reality of Jesus in our world today. Paul writes that it is Christ Jesus who lives in him {Galatians 2:20}. I feel that a lot of believers get lost in the reality of Jesus, and it all depends on which message you are receiving. For most of my life, the church version of Jesus was spoken to me. This is the Jesus who died for me, was buried, rose again and ascended into heaven where He now resides. This, of course, flies in the face of the Jesus Paul was speaking to. Imagine my own confusion as I was introduced to the reality of Jesus indwelling in me. I no longer needed to strive to "be like" Jesus in order to be successful. Jesus put to death the man I once was, clearing the way for His life in me {Romans 6:6-11}. This is the message of the truth of Jesus. It is rarely preached in the pews of Christianity, so this may be your first time reading what some might consider to be heresy. Thinking back, this was the message that the Jesus freaks were attempting to give us. Jesus is alive!
With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ. Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, who loves me, and gives Himself up for me.
Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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