Portraying Christ in our lives

Bruce Marchiano, the man who played Jesus in the Matthew movie, was speaking this Sunday morning. He said that when he got chosen to play the role of Jesus, he was overwhelmed. He felt the burden of representing Jesus in this film. And he cried out to God desperately asking God to make him like Jesus so that, who Christ is would come forth in the film.

He also talked about one scene where they used a real beggar. This man could be smelt before he even got close. Bruce had a hard time thinking about being touched by this man. But as the scene began, he was overwhelmed and kissed the man's hands. And when the scene ended, he grabbed the man in his arms and just began to weep.

We are ambassadors on behalf of God. We represent Jesus, not in a film but in something greater, the real world. This should cause us to desperately cry out to God and ask Him to make us like Jesus, so that Christ might come forth in our lives.

Someone made a good point about what I said earlier, so let me clarify. I talked earlier about running down the aisle for my bride. I think some might have got the picture of a foolish mad dash toward the bride. When I said this I did not mean a frantic blundering pursuit. Christ is waiting for the time His Father has set and He is strong in His trust of the Father. But I do think he longs for us. I do think His desires are set toward His Bride and He does long to come for us. And I don't think His desires are small. When I said this I was talking more about desire than action.

And I am not saying that I would run down the aisle. I was describing what I felt, not nessessarily what I would do. I think there is something amazingly beautiful about the father giving away his daughter. And I would not want to take anything away from that. I would not take her till her father has given her to me. But my desire and my love for her, will not be small, and I would not pretend that I don't desire and long for her.

Also there is some truth in this. One in Jewish tradition where the bridegroom did come for his wife after the father said it was time. And also in the fact that Christ will be coming for His bride. And the picture that I had when I wrote that was this, Christ coming for His bride.

I think what I am understanding is that Christ longs for us and that as His bride we can long for Him as well and cry out, "Come, Lord Jesus".

I went to a wedding October 13th. As I was thinking about the wedding and the groomsman standing there waiting for his bride, my heart stirred and cried out, "I don't know if I could stand there and wait for her to make it all the way down the aisle, I'd want to run passionately for her." That thought came and then the thought came of Christ coming for His bride.

fads

Written Thursday, September 6, 2007

There are many fads and methodologies in the church. There are fads on what a church is to look like, how it is to be run, what methods are to be used in ministry, how we are to witness, how we are to reach people in other countries, how we are to pray, how we are to worship, how we are to council others, and many more. I know I personally think many of these are good and wise and I plan on using them. But there is a great danger in these fads and methodologies. We are in danger of Idolatry and Pride. We don’t follow a methodology or fad. We follow a person, Jesus. Christ is the center, not a fad. And when we loose that center, we loose objectivity and soundness in the scriptures, in life and in ministry. Our site is skewed and we loose our focus and solid foundation. Our walk with God is God centered. It is about Him and being known by Him. We are not to follow fads, but are to walk with Him and to get to know Him through the scriptures and obedience. We are to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. Oh, what great joy it is to follow Christ! In Christ alone will I stand! “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”

"But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ."

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

" Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered,"