Browns Bridge Church

If you were raised on a version of Christianity that relied on the Bible as the foundation of faith, a version that was eventually dismantled by academia or the realites of life, maybe it’s time for you to change your mind about Jesus. Maybe it’s time for you to consider the version of Christianity that relies on the event of the resurrection of Jesus as its foundation. If you gave up your faith because of something about or in the Bible, maybe you gave up uneccesarily.

If you think Jesus was a great leader and teacher, but find it hard to believe in his resurrection, you’re in good company. Even his disciples were skeptical. But those same followers were the ones who would later become the spokesmen of a new movement: the church. They would maintain faith in the midst of incredible suffering. Many died still claiming that Jesus was their Savior. So what do we make of this defining event—the one that became the foundation of their faith . . . and of ours?

At Passover, Jesus gathered his followers and spelled out a new relational arrangement between God and mankind: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” But Jesus wasn’t celebratory. He seemed troubled. Initiating this new covenant with God would require sacrifice. What came next would confuse his followers and send them scattering.

Jesus didn’t come to initiate Judaism 2.0. He came came to offer something entirely new to the world: a new covenant that would forever change humankind’s relationship to God. And with that new covenant came a new ethic—one that insisted the greatest choose the back of the line.

The words unlimited and unconditional make us suspicious. Whether those words describe an insurance policy, cellphone agreement, or meal plan for a college student, we assume unlimited is really limited and unconditional has some conditions. That suspicion extends to our relationship with God. Unconditional love? Unlimited forgiveness? There must be a catch. But what if there isn’t?

Jesus introduced the most powerful, transformational, and inspirational leadership principle on the planet. Every leader you respect practices it. The leaders you don’t repect, don’t practice it. You can lead without it, but you won’t be a leader worth following unless you embrace it.

In one interaction, Jesus demonstrates that when we notice any kind of hesitation to help someone or love someone, there is often something at play that we’re all guilty of but rarely aware of.

Jesus claimed to be greater than the temple. He made the temple obsolete. Most of his followers assumed his end game was to declare himself king. The more discerning among them sensed something else was going on. Jesus spoke with authority but refused to take charge. He wielded extraordinary power, but never for himself. What was he up to?

All of us have a mess somewhere in our lives. And for most of us our default is to hide it, cover it up, or act like it’s not there. This is especially true when we think about God. We assume that our mess needs to be addressed before God can be with us. But Jesus introduced a new idea that changes the game for all of us.

Something in us is tempted to believe God loves his Law more than his people. We’re tempted to prioritize rules over people. Maybe you left church because somebody prioritized the Bible over your divorced mother or gay brother. But Jesus came to offer us a life greater than keeping religious rules.