First week of 2010 - GOT DOUBTS

I'm taking some time over my lunch to share some thoughts on our sermon series for the first part of 2010..."GOT DOUBTS?" The idea is that folks from AFUMC might be empowered to answer for themselves fundamental questions about the faith through this series AND then also invite their friends who may not have a church home to join us in worship.

I'm responsible for the first message of the series at the Christian Life Center. The title/subject chosen for the message was "WHO IS JESUS". 2 of us (One of our lead Pastors and me) will be providing different messages (different sites) on this same subject on Sunday, January 3rd, 2010.

As I work to finish the message today, I am left with new questions, new revelations of my own on this topic. WHO IS JESUS? I'm dividing my message into biblical/historical/currently relevant sub-sections, and I am finding that some are MUCH EASIER to 'preach' about than others.

(I 'quote' the word preach, as I am still just a lay-person who is looking to answer God's call to serve...I still feel WEIRD saying preach and 'John' in the same breath!)

Back to topic! Specifically, the case for the religious "apologist" in our time is both difficult and concerning. As Christians, what do we make of the push in the last century, at least in terms of the volume of publications, stating that there IS NO PROOF historically of a man named Jesus who would match our Biblical description of said person? Holes have been, and continue to be poked in nearly all historical writings (non-canon/non-christian authored) which have been used by theologians in the past, at very least, to DATE/CORROBORATE Jesus' earthly existence.

I am still young in my study outside (and quite frankly inside) the Bible. What I know/believe is this...the gospels, letters of apostles/disciples collected in the New Testament point to a revolutionary man...a revolutionary God who had in mind a NEW commandment and a new way of being in relationship with God. After His life, (and I believe also His death and subsequent resurrection), disciples of His teachings were so moved that they were willing (according to the New Testament and even SOME outside historical texts) to be persecuted and die for their beliefs. What type of RADICAL influence must this God...this man have had? The movement to follow the teachings of said Man/God grew, and eventually became at least large enough that an EMPIRE would adopt the religion for its own, changing the religious landscape of the early civilized world. A tiny group of Jews, a small group of "gentiles" becomes millions of people across the world today? All this change/growth simply as a method of political/crowd control? A convienent side-plot to a fairy tale which has grown out of its own false clothing?

OR, the work of a God to bring about GOOD in humanity in whatever way He sees fit?

What to make of all this? I'm sure, even in my generalities stated above, there are holes to be viewed/reviewed/etc.

This week in my message, we'll reflect on these things, ultimately with the hope and prayer that God, through the Holy Spirit, will remind us that FAITH is essential to nearly ALL religious and historical accounts of ANYTHING/EVERYTHING! That history itself is like a puzzle, with missing pieces that ultimately take study, intuition, and FAITH to complete.

(that last quazi-analogy is not my own...this whole worship-leader/pastor gig has me feeling UBER-honest all the time...probably a good thing!) :)

Who is Jesus? He is my savior...my God...revealed to me through the Bible, and through a connection with God that I feel, and that I cannot describe to you as anything other than NECESSARY to my existance...my very being.

God Bless...see you Sunday.