The Bible tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. When I am invited to speak at churches I always start out by asking the congregation if they believe this statement and I've never had anyone say they disagreed with that. In fact they all nod in unison, and some even shout Amen.
I remind them how people of all ages followed Jesus for days on end, thousands of people. Men, woman, children. and yes believe it or not even teenagers. They laugh at this, only because they don't know what's coming. I tell them how these very same, massive crowds, followed him for days on end, forsaking food, shelter, the comforts of home and maybe even water. These crowds hung on His every word. I ask them if this is true. Once again they affirm, this is true. Here's where things start to get uncomfortable. Here's where I'm sure, and this is just speculation, that they start to wonder why they invited me to speak at their church.
No I don't start ranting and raving like a deranged lunitic, I simply ask them this. If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever and 2000 years ago people followed him for days on end, forsaking food, shelter, water and their big screen TV's just to hang breathlessly on His every word, how come 2000 years later we can't even get a teenager to come to church for one hour a week. We barely want to come ourselves let alone invite our friends and neighbors. Jesus was a box office hit. He could draw an audience. If He was in a movie it was a blockbuster success. Why can't Jesus draw a crowd today? We already agree He is the same yesterday. today. and forever. The problem must be us, the church, the body of Christ. It's how we represent Jesus or should I say misrepresent Him. What will it take to for the church to show the world the real Jesus, not the counterfeit that we've created?
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