Tuesday, March 13, 2007


Sweet Jesus!
What have they done
with my Lord?


Forgive me, but I've been living in Africa for the past couple of years, and they don't do "Chocolate Jesus" in Africa. By the way, it has nothing to do with the weather. Many of us who live on this side of the ocean have accepted a parody of Jesus that looks nothing like the Jesus of the gospels. Regrettably, the sugary sweet Jesus we've grown fond of in western culture is as likely to melt under the heat of our everyday demands as a chocolate Jesus would be to melt in the heat of the hot African sun. This diatribe was brought on by the sight of two things that I never saw while living in African. One is the Easter candy display I saw at the grocery store this morning. I had completely forgotten about chocolate crosses and marshmallow peeps. I think the absence of sugary sweet Easter candy made it easier to savor the bitter/sweet flavor of Christ's painful execution followed by his glorious resurrection. Another thing I forgot about while living in Africa is the huge difference in the demographics of the church there and here. All of the African churches I attended had a large number of young men. Many of our North American congregations have a growing number of older women and few young men. I haven't given a lot of thought to why there is such a difference in the church demographics of Africa and America, but I think it has something to do with our view of Jesus. In Africa, Jesus seems to be more masculine. He is the Lion of Judah, the King of kings and Lord of lords. In America, Jesus has become more and more emasculated. He is the Lamb of God, sweet gentle Jesus who holds our hands and sooths our fears. Of course, Jesus is both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God. He both reigns as our King and walks beside us like a loving friend. The gospels portray Jesus as both gentle and mighty. Through the ages courageous elderly women, wise old men, strong young women and daring young men have courageously and faithfully followed him. -- Bob

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