When a person does not live consistent with societal norms, they are often labeled a rebel. Depending on the perspective, this can be either positive or negative. Jesus did not live up to the expectations of the religious establishment of his day -- and they labeled him.
11:19 The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ ...”
Matthew 11:19a NLT In this particular instance, the religious norms had distorted God's original intent. The focus of Christ while on earth and his desire for us is to extend his kingdom to bring God glory -- to reach the lost. The religious leaders had searched the scripture and held to the law but had missed the very purpose God had intended and the one he had sent (John 5:39-40). Yet, Jesus' focus was on those who were in need -- lost without him. 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Yet, he met resistance because he operated out of the norm. Scripture describes the resistance as violent:
11:12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. He described the reaction of that generation as being like children whining because no one would play with them: 11:16 “To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, 17 ‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t mourn.’ " Our purpose here on earth is not about our own agenda, traditions, or norms. Our purpose is to "be HIS witnesses," to go and "make disciples." And, sometimes, that requires us to do things out of the norm, to be creative ... to reach a changing world, culture, and people with an unchanging gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus did! |
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