SECRET #52 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

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God in a box! Humans seem to be bent on creating God in their own image. They have this need of making sure that God is on their side-that God is one of them. It's actually a subtle way of controlling God to work for them. By putting God in a box, He is limited of His power and localized so people can visit Him whenever they want to. Oh, and people can also not visit God, too.

The same kind of thing is continually done with Jesus. Everyone wants to put Jesus into his or her own image, religious system or cause. Jesus has become the brand for Christianity and within Christianity those who claim to be devoted to Jesus fight one another.

One of the most amazing tragedies in modern times occurred in Rwanda, Africa. The genocide was committed not only by the soldiers but also by civilians. Both the victims and the perpetrators were for the most part Christians-Hutu Christians and Tutsi Christians. Pastors blessed the murders. Church leaders sanctioned the Hutu policy against the Tutsi. Very few Christians refused to participate in the violence. They had conveniently placed Jesus in a box. He was not the Lord of Lords and King of Kings to them. He was fit into their tribal boxes, so they were driven by their tribal instincts rather than Jesus as Lord.

SECRET #52 is: The follower of Jesus knows his Master does not fit into any box. If you place Jesus in a box, He can be easily ignored and kept from the people who need Him most. There is no one who ever walked this earth who can compare with Jesus. He is incomparable, irresistible, the most unique person ever. More than any other, Jesus walked what He talked consistently! Jesus cannot be fit into anyone's box. He just is too awesome and amazing!

I want to share five ways Jesus proves He cannot be fit into a box of any kind: FIRST-He wasn't like any other kind of king ever. All of the kings of the earth have asked their subjects to die for them. Jesus is the only king who ever died for His followers. No king such as this can fit into any man-made box.

SECOND-He was unorthodox in His methods of operation. The most unique method was His way of launching a movement. Most would do everything possible to find ways to persuade the masses to change their ways. Jesus did just the opposite. He set out to launch a global movement by selecting 3 men to come and be with Him-to change the world. Although Jesus did some amazing things with extremely large groups, for the most part He chose to avoid the crowds.

THIRD-Jesus' teachings were revolutionary and unprecedented. He taught that it was better to give than to receive. He taught to pay more attention to your heart than to your actions. But the most revolutionary teaching of all was how to eliminate your enemies. He taught His followers to love their enemies, thereby eradicating their enemy status.

FOURTH-Jesus had a Kingdom strategy that would never fit into anyone's thinking-anyone's box. At the peak of His popularity Jesus announces His Kingdom strategy. It was to die to demonstrate sacrificial love. By dying on the Roman cross Jesus turned the Roman symbol of domination and power inside out and upside down into a symbol of sacrificial love. This is too magnanimous for any box!

FIFTH-He preferred the disenfranchised, the broken and the poor-not the religious, but the sinners-not the powerful, but the poor. His blueprint for global revolution rests with ordinary, uneducated people.

Jesus' teachings, methods, focus and actions are just too awesome-too God-like-to ever fit into anyone's box. You know what seems to make the most sense here? Don't even attempt to place Jesus in a box. He doesn't fit and will be sure to jump out or break down its walls. SECRET #52 is: The follower of Jesus knows his Master does not fit into any box.