An Inoffensive Jesus

Why do people love manger scenes?

Many people love manger scenes, even people that do not call themselves Christians.

Every year around Christmas, people start celebrating the birth of the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ).  This is true, even by those who know when he was born, and that it was definitely not in December.

They love the entire idea of his birth happening on a silent night, when all was calm and all was bright.  They love to see the shepherds kneeling at the manger.  They love seeing wise men gathered around the manger presenting their gifts to the newborn king.

It does not seem to matter to them, that the wise men went to the house when he was a toddler (Matthew 2:9-11).  Nor does it phase them a bit, that the wise men indicated the Man of Truth was two years old when they came seeking him (Matthew 2:16).

Their motto seems to be, "never let the facts get in the way of a good story".

However, it is not the shepherds, or the wise men, or Joseph, or Mary, who are the star of the manger scene.  It is not even the star that often hangs over the manger, that is the star of the manger scene.  It is the baby Jesus, who is the star of the manger scene.  This is what people love most about manger scenes.

Most people love the baby Jesus.

The baby Jesus does not convict them of their sin.  The baby Jesus never said anything that might offend them.  The baby Jesus does not demand any change in how they live their lives.

The baby Jesus in the manger scene is an inoffensive Jesus!

However, the Man of Truth did not stay a baby, but grew up to become a man.  Even as a man, he was not really offensive as long as he fulfilled the role that others expected of him.  Everyone loved him as long as he remained an inoffensive Jesus (Luke 2:52).

However, this inoffensive Jesus only existed until the Man of Truth began to fulfill his purpose.

The Man of Truth came to cause division (Matthew 10:34-35).  The Man of Truth came to do the will of the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD) - not to please other people (John 6:38).

The Man of Truth came to be downright offensive to many.

The Man of Truth called the corrupt religious leaders a bunch of blind guides right in front of the people that they led (Matthew 23:16-22).  He called them a bunch of hypocrites out loud and in public (Matthew 23:23-28).  He let everyone know that their religious leaders were like their fathers who killed the Prophets of Truth (Matthew 23:29-32).  He exposed them for the snakes that they really were (Matthew 23:33).

The Man of Truth spoke parables against these religious leaders (Luke 20:9-19).  He accused them of not believing the words of Moses (John 5:45-47).

The Man of Truth was downright offensive to the religious leaders of his day.

The Man of Truth caused controversy by purposely ignoring the Sabbath rules of these religious leaders  (Matthew 12:1-8).  He caused controversy by purposely healing on the Sabbath in a meeting they ran (Matthew 12:9-14).  He caused controversy by commanding people to do things contrary to their teachings on the Sabbath (John 5:8-10).

The Man of Truth was downright offensive in his disregard for the expectations of others.

It did not stop there.

The Man of Truth told people that they would be judged by their intentions, not just their actions (Matthew 5:27-28).  He told those who were divorced and remarried, that they were in an adulterous relationship (Matthew 5:31-32).  He told people that they were going to Hell, because they did not repent (Matthew 11:23).  He told people that they were children of the Father of Lies (HaShatan aka Satan Aka The Devil) (John 8:44).

The Man of Truth brought up the sin of the woman at the well (John 4:16-18).  He healed a lame man and then told him to sin no more, so that something worse did not happen to him (John 5:13-15).  He delivered a woman caught in adultery from being stoned, and then told her that she had to sin no more (John 8:3-11).

The Man of Truth was downright offensive to the regular people of his day.

However, there was more!

He dined with tax collectors and sinners (Matthew 9:10-11).  He purposely had his followers break the traditions of his own people (Mark 7:2-4).  He spent the night with those that his own people despised (John 4:9-40).

The Man of Truth was downright offensive to the social norms of his day.

The Man of Truth would not recognize the authority of the religious leaders to put him on trial (John 18:19-23).  He refused to do as the King of Galilee desired (Luke 23:7-9).  He told the Roman governor that he had no real power to do anything to him (John 19:10-11).

The Man of Truth was downright offensive to those in positions of authority.

The Man of Truth is not an inoffensive Jesus!

The Man of Truth demands true repentance (Matthew 4:17).  He demands that his followers chose him over their families (Matthew 10:36-37).  He demands that his followers be willing to die on his behalf (Matthew 10:38-39).  He demands that his followers endure tribulation to follow him (Matthew 24:9-13).  He demands that his followers prove their love for him by obeying him (John 14:21).

So, the Good News about the Man of Truth is an offense to everyone who rejects these demands.

The Man of Truth is not an inoffensive Jesus!

In like manner, there are no inoffensive followers of the Man of Truth (Luke 6:22-23).  They will offend people if they follow him (John 15:18-20).

The truth is that there is not an inoffensive you!

The truth is you are either going to offend the Father of Truth or you are going to offend the world (James 4:4).

Do not offend the Father of Truth, who can kill you and then cast you into Hell (Luke 12:5).  It is better to offend people than to offend the Father of Truth (Acts 5:29). You can be certain that the Man of Truth will judge everyone who offends the Father of Truth, because the Father of Truth raised him from the dead (Acts 17:31).

So, follow the Man of Truth, not that inoffensive Jesus - who only lives in imaginary manger scenes at Christmas time.

Come into the House by committing to obeying the Man of Truth in everything, because you believe that his Father raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

Come into the House of Truth!