2014 CHRONICLES: WHAT IF JESUS CAME TO TOWN?

June 21, 2017 /

This was first printed May 28, 2014
WHAT IF JESUS CAME TO TOWN?
(C)2014 Taveau D’Arcy all copyrights reserved

“Blessed are the pure in heart,
they shall see (far more accurately perceive) God.” Matthew 5:8

“I have met the enemy and he is us.” Ancient Cartoon Pogo

WHAT IF JESUS CAME TO TOWN?

Jesus got off at the bus stop
In the central part of town
And He carried only two cardboard suitcases
And His skin was sort of brown?

WHAT IF
Jesus got off the bus silently
Without warning, fanfare or hype?
And disembarked
With no disciples, handlers or entourage,
Simply to watch how humans react?

WHAT IF
Jesus’ picked up His luggage
And walked out into the street
And wondered to Himself (as He was arrival was unannounced)
“Will the locals show Me respect?”

WHAT IF
The Curious Christ wondered,
Will the locals hold a door open for a nobody?
Will they try to take advantage of a “stranger unawares?
Will they perceive Me by my outward appearance?
Or attempt to spiritually perceive Me based on from Whom I AM Sent?

THEN, WHAT IF
The Savior stepped out into the regional, area wide grass roots flow
And His Heavenly Father began to point out the spiritual mixture,
Descending down from the (leader) very highest to the (elder) very low.

WHAT IF
Jesus’ below average looks and olive skin caused many great consternation?
What if His facial features and broken English
Caused some to look down on Him with bigoted (often ministry) accusation?

WHAT IF
There were some who disdained Jesus accepting, soft spoken mature nature?
While some others severely noted
Jesus solemn international /even Hebrew appearance
Then mocked Him openly as
“Not one bit like us…”
And/or maybe
“Just one more of those Christ Killer Jews?”

WHAT IF
A whole lot of Nice Polite Christians took Jesus in for a day.
But then turned Him out deeming Jesus much too grass roots organizer, as in a non-institutional, non-organized system oriented, non religious (divine) way….
…. So many accused Him of being “too radical” or even subversive “Left wing”
Yet many also offered to accept Him (on their own terms) as “Right” ….
BUT ONLY IF He wrapped Himself up in their nation’s flag and signed on their one party line.

WHAT IF
Around the local area many others
Dimly regarded Jesus eclectic tribal look,
Along with his natural Middle Eastern “vibe,”
And hastened to categorize Jesus (from afar off)
And hastened to categorize Jesus (from afar off)
As “one of those suspicious Middle Eastern malevolent stereotypes.”

WHAT IF
Jesus arrived in the center of town
Not arrayed in the finest of clothes
What if He owned no designer suits
Or had no products or CDs to sell?
Would Jesus’ ministry be avoided
Simply because He didn’t model “upscale?”

WHAT IF
Jesus didn’t resemble your typical “Born Again Christian?”
Or act the Garden Variety Ministry Approved Type?
What if the Christ never used a title?
Or carried a business card?

AND WHAT IF
During Jesus first days in the city
(if He wasn’t an apparent Alpha Type Male)
Repeatedly encountered self proclaimed “ministry leaders”
Who informed Him that He ought to be “under” all of them?

WHAT IF
uddenly Jesus Christ recognized
The spiritual lay of the land?
And discerned that over many who were wretched and blind?
For they repeatedly attempted to twist Bible Scriptures
To rationalize and to cover their own________(s).
(Concerning the popular beliefs that they held)
In of their well fed, self satisfied, legalistic insensitive, many even reprobate, previously made up,
Ever
Oh, So Right, minds

.
WHAT IF
The same local reverends
Were afraid Jesus would “steal their turf”
And “sheep steal” their tithes and love offerings?
Would they avoid speaking with Him face to face?

WOULD THESE SAME “ministry elders”
Clannishly band together, remaining apart and aloof?
Would they habitually smile broadly (to Jesus’ face)
Then go self importantly (behind His back)
And spread rumors that “He’s a questionable leader GOOF!”

WHAT IF
Jesus avoided the area ministry Good Old Boys
But hung out with the “least of these?”
Would the local religious mentally Tough Customers
Be suspicious that He was planning to deceive?
Then would they then spread tales and rumors
That Pioneering Minister Jesus was “out of control!”
And that He was “contentious” “subversive” “self seeking”
And “divisive”
(Meaning: That Christ refused to yield to their spirit of control)

WHAT IF THESE SAME
Regarded the Christ as “proud, unloving and unrighteously angry”
After He upset the church’s money changers tables?

AND WHAT IF the local senior elders viewed Jesus as “dangerously way off balance”
(And surely another reason was that the Messiah’s Prize Possession was a simple cruel cross…
The One He was willing to carry.)

WHAT IF
Jesus realized that He would become well known
Among the hypocrites and the pretenders?
WHAT IF He leader discerned that His holy name would get dragged through the mud
Though He humbly, patiently prayed and healed
And “suffered the little children?”

WHAT IF
Jesus understood the lay of the land
And preferred the sinners to the In House Religious Party Clan?
WHAT IF Jesus, while on His Servant Leader Mission,
Preferred “selective fellowshipping”
With those whose hearts weren’t always “right”
But who maintained a childlike faith
And open heart condition.

RIGHT NOW
Would Christ be accepted?
Or a rejected ministry stereotype?
Would He feel peer pressured to become part of the System?
Would Jesus be avoided if He chose not to comply?
Would Jesus be happier in the midst of conforming religion
Or dining with the non churched
Even risking his reputation by being seen conversing with with notoriously sin laden women?*
* ( Mary Magdalene, the woman at the well)

SO WHAT IF
Jesus took his suitcases and walked out to your street… WOULD He would be accepted and respected?
Or withstood or stereotyped
…once again?
Would His own Church clearly perceive Him?
Or would He be seerishly spied upon
Via far away Levitical territorial superior pride
Who never leader confront just run, duck, cover and hide.

WHAT IF
Jesus felt forced to preach and work-plant
Over the World Wide Web?
What if He escaped to a modern leader internal Cave of Adullam?
To escape the narrow confines of accuser religion?

WHAT IF
The kindly Savior had His very own online prophetic Hillside
To proclaim His GOOD NEWS once again?
It would be free and open to ALL around the globe
Modeling Genuine Ministry Human Real Respect for
ALL economic strata, appearance, gender and skin.

YES, JESUS
Was/Is aware of what’s inside each “human’s heart”
And may just come again by surprise.
He repeatedly shows up dressed as ‘the least of these”
And in human persons who don’t role model our own pet stereotype.
But Jesus enjoys rankling the self satisfied and complacent
He comes ever rattling the norm
He “afflicts the comfortable and comforts the afflicted”
And may suddenly appear through innocent children
The elderly,the silent suffering and the lame.
Yet God is forever “confounding the worldly wise”
Thus He even comes in the pure hearted and upscale….
And in the single,the wayfarer, the apostolic elite
But most likely in the way way down.

WHAT IF
Jesus Mission was Mercy, mixed with trying human hearts to intentionally reveal:
WHO were truly ARE all by ourselves…. without HIM..
And WHO we can become…. because of…. with HIM …
and through HIM?
And WHO we can become…. because of…. with HIM …
and through HIM?
(And even in spite of ourselves….)

CONCLUSION:
“Blessed are the pure in heart…they shall see** God” (accurately perceive and discern Him, even as He works on their behalf…) Matthew 5:8

“Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” Titus 1:15

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