From the archives: Jesus doesn’t want a middleman

From time to time, I find and post old stuff I’ve written. This is one such stuff.

Do you believe that there is one specific God-appointed spokesman in your life? Some people believe that. That’s the “car” they’re following, if you read my previous post. Some people believe that they don’t have to do the work of seeking Jesus because there is this person (many times it is “their pastor”, if they are of the Protestant persuasion) who is doing it for them. They don’t have to get real spiritual, because that’s the Pastor’s job. They talk about being fed, as though they were a little baby.

Do we really want to be treated like babies? When I am a spiritual baby, it is good to have someone more experienced to point me in the right direction. But very soon, it is time to grow up and become an adult. Babies are cute, but even a ten year old baby is grotesque. It’s just not right. But that is what “local churches” are churning out: perpetual infants who cannot walk or feed themselves or even grow properly because they do not know how to go to Jesus, hear directly from him, and apply his truth to their life.

Even our accounts of Jesus’ communication style show that he didn’t have one appointed spokesperson. Usually, he communicated directly with the person speaking to him. I’m not saying that he doesn’t use other people to deliver his message. Once, he spoke to Mary Magdalene and told her to go tell the disciples what he had said. I bet that was a shocker. He spoke through a lowly woman to the ones in Jesus’ inner circle. But no one, not Mary, not the disciples, no one, was Jesus’ designated spokesperson.

Jesus wanted us to follow Him directly. He said, “John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. … You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” You see, the people followed John, but when Jesus came, he told them to follow him. Do you think that we cannot follow Jesus now because he has gone to be with Father? Do you think that because he is not here in the flesh with you, you cannot speak with him, have a conversation, sit with him, be comforted by him, learn from him, hear him?

It is hard for us humans to see or understand anything that is not fleshly. But Jesus said that the flesh profits nothing. This is not a Gnostic teaching - these are the very words of Jesus! “The Spirit gives life,” he says. “The flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” Is all flesh evil? Absolutely not! Jesus came to us in the flesh. He certainly was not evil. God chooses to have each of us born in the flesh. It is not evil. But we are to put our eyes on the Spirit, not on the flesh. This is a lifelong process. Jesus was trying to convince his disciples to look beyond the flesh (the car right in front of you), and see the spiritual possibilities.

Keep crying out to him! It is possible for us to follow Jesus directly. Do we get it right most of the time? Probably not. Look at Peter - he was bold enough to get out on the water, but he messed up. He was bold enough to tell Jesus that he would never forsake him or deny him. He screwed that one up big time. Is God big enough to handle our mistakes and still keep control of the world? Absolutely! Does he want us to give up trying to see with spiritual eyes just because we make mistakes? What do you think? Should we give up and cede our access to Jesus to another person because we are scared we’ll get it wrong sometimes? Who deserves my trust more - another person, or Jesus himself? Nothing can snatch me away from Jesus. Nothing can separate us from his love.

Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to listen for Jesus and to do what you believe he is telling you to do! Don’t let your fear or lack of ambition keep you tied to a human teacher. Listen to those who are over you in the Lord (those who have been a believer longer than you and are more mature in their faith) but do not set them over you as rulers! Do not make them a substitute for the precious voice of Jesus and the relationship that he wants to cultivate with you.

Jesus said, “follow me.” Will we do that?

Tags: Church, discipleship, faith, following jesus, gnostic, Jesus, loving jesus, pastors, walking on water