Saturday, June 3, 2017

People Not Objects

With compassion and love in His heart, Jesus asked "How long has he been like this?" "Since he was a boy," the desperate father replied.

Jesus asked this strange question as the boy was convulsing on the ground in front of them in Mark 9. I call it "strange" because it seems unnecessary.  Why does it matter? Doesn't Jesus already know the answer?  Why make the boy endure one more second of pain as Jesus and the father have a conversation?

Strange usually means good when it comes to Jesus' ministry, and this is no exception.  Jesus did not come to target people as mere objects of His mission.  He came to relationally love people.  He talked with and listened to people.  He got to know them.  He loved a long dinner together full of conversation.  Dinner parties, not evangelism crusades, were at the core of Jesus' ministry.

Religion objectifies people.  Jesus loves people.  There is a big difference.  The former spiritually bullies people while the latter spiritually builds people.  Jesus talked with this father, not to delay the boy's healing, but to build the spiritual transformation that would follow the miracle.  He connected with the father relationally because that was just as important to Him as healing the boy.  Divine healing brings immediate joy. Divine relationship brings eternal joy.  The first without the second makes Jesus' mission incomplete.

At Celebration we minister to people out of love and relationship because that is what Jesus did.  We are Different because Jesus was.  We never want the urgent need before us to create neglect in the person that comes with the need. That is religion not Jesus.  That is an organized machine not a personal touch.  Perhaps that is why so many are leery of the organized Church.

Let's love people as Jesus did.

Ex nihilo,


R.J. Rhoden

1 comment:

  1. Hello R.J. Rhoden. I am a Pastor from Mumbai, India. I am glad to stop by your profile on the blogger and the blog post. I am blessed and feel privileged and honored to get connected with you as well as know you and about your love for the Lord through your profile on the blogger and the blog post. I love getting connected with the people of God around the globe to be encouraged, strengthened and praying for one another. I have been in the Pastoral ministry for last 38 yrs in this great city of Mumbai a city with a great contrast where richest of rich and the poorest of poor live. We reach out to the poorest of poor with the love of Christ to bring healing to the brokenhearted. We also encourage young and the adults from the west to come to Mumbai to work with us during their vacation time. We would love to have young people from your connections who are interested in missions to work with us during their vacation time. I am sure they will have a life changing experience. Looking forward to hear from you very soon. God's richest blessings on you, your family and firends. My email id is: dhwankhede(at)gmail(dot)gmail.com and my name is Diwakar Wankhede

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