It enchains you.

It oppresses you.

It manipulates you.

It breathes fire upon you.

It is the dragon of religion.

That dragon called self-righteous religion is an enemy of the gospel of grace we find in Jesus.

The dragon controls us with fear.

The gospel compels us with love.

The dragon steals joy.

The gospel brings joy.

The dragon captures.

The gospel frees.

For far too long, we’ve allowed the dragon to dwell among us.

Some even claim the dragon is one of us.

Others say that if we ride the back of the dragon, it will lead us to paradise.

The dragon is sneaky.

Somehow this hideous creature can go unnoticed.

But it leaves a footprint.

It’s shaped like hopelessness or pride.

Some of us will hate ourselves when we don’t think we’re good enough. (Hopelessness)

Others of us will worship ourselves and think we’re better than the rest. (Pride)

Pride is what got the serpent known as satan booted from Heaven.

As recipients, bearers, and communicators of the gospel, we are to be on guard for the dragon.

When we come across that nasty dragon…

Slay it.

With grace.

After all, it’s not about what you’ve done.

It’s about what’s been done for you.

By the King of kings.

In the presence of the King…

Pride is replaced with humility.

Hopelessness is replaced with hope.

And the dragon of religion is replaced by the grace of God.

That’s good news.

The cushy island known as American Christianity can be a dangerous place.

Filled with pretentious trendiness, superficial authenticity, and plastic spirituality.

It’s the worst kind of prison because it’s one you never want to leave.

The artificial trees never need watering.

You’re always well fed.

And every one around you looks and acts like you.

Have we traded something real for something sanitized?

Perhaps its time for Stepford Christians to rage against the machine.

What if we escaped the island and swam to the shores of authentic Christianity?

What if we became refugees from the comfortable life…

and followers of the dangerous footprints that Jesus left behind?

Discovering we’re all diverse jewels within the treasure chest of God’s love.

Remembering the grace of God is not just a gift we are given, but one that we share.

Returning to the life less ordinary we find in Jesus.

What if we showed this broken world that Christ came to save jacked-up people like us?

Not hide our brokenness behind our well-crafted masks.

What if we left behind our religious creation and simply swam to Jesus?

The Founder and Perfecter of our faith.

Reading through the gospels, it occurred to me that Jesus wouldn’t be accepted by much of the Christian culture of today. Most churches wouldn’t hire him, conferences would overlook him, bloggers would take shots at him, evangelicals would be offended by him.  He would be criticized, rejected, or ignored by the establishment for being too much this or not enough that.

Surely we’ve evolved in the last two thousand years? But alas, it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Here are some things off the top of my head that would get Jesus in trouble today:

• His idea of leadership was to serve. (Matthew 20:20-28, John 13:1-17)
• He mocks and talks harshly to religious leaders in public. (Matthew 23)
• He was alone with a woman he was not married to. (John 4:1-42)
• He befriended and partied with hookers and drunks. (Luke 7:34)
• He was arrested. (Matthew 26:50)
• He wasn’t us vs. them.  (Matthew 5:13-16, John 17:15-18)
• His ministry didn’t launch large in a big city. (Mark 1:16-20, Luke 1:46)
• He let his feelings show. (John 11:35, Mark 14:32-36)
• His passion was more for the one who was lost than for many who were found. (Luke 15)
• He didn’t see politics as the primary way to create change. (John 18:28-40)
• He didn’t choose the best and brightest to be in his circle. (Luke 5:1-11)
• He was homeless. (Matthew 8:20)
• He cared about meeting the tangible needs of this world rather than escaping it. (Matthew 25:31-46)
• He elevated the status of women in society and ministry. (Luke 10:38-42)
• He wasn’t big on dressing up to look more sophisticated and impressive. (Mark 12:38)
• He was more shock jock than he was politically correct. (Matthew 21: 12-13, Mark 8:33, Luke 9:41)
• He didn’t have a five-year plan. (Matthew 6:34)
• His words weren’t always easy to understand. (Luke 18:34)
• He didn’t go to seminary. (Matthew 21:23-27)
• His measure for success was not popularity or attendance. (John 6:60-70, Matthew 25:23)
• He was controversial (Luke 6:1-11)

What do you think? Am I wrong? How do you think Jesus would be treated by the Christian community today? Could he be a pastor in your church? Is there anything to be learned by this?

Churches should be like bars and keep an endless supply of grace on tap.

To a parched world, this life often feels like you’ve been working atop a roof on a scorching, hot day.

Churches can either offer an ice cold drink of grace…

Some warm, sour milk of religion…

Or nothing at all.

Too many offer the latter options.

We need more who offer the first.

Churches are to be paragons of grace.

What is the church but a people united by the gospel of grace found in Jesus?

On the cross, the keg of God’s grace was tapped and is available to all.

Forever overflowing into the empty steins of our lives and churches for a reason:

To receive it and share with others.

People can find better products and services elsewhere.

But no one and nothing should outgrace us!

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” - John 20:24-29

This passage is infamous for revealing Thomas’ turn from doubt to belief.

However, there’s another implication that’s just as significant.

Hidden within this narrative is a profound nugget of truth, that if comprehended, could change the way we think about suffering.

The scene is of a post-crucified, risen Jesus who has returned in his glorified body but it contains something peculiar:

Scars.

This is a mind-blowing notion to entertain in our imaginations.

The victorious Messiah, Jesus, came back with a scar!

What?

Huh?

So?

Jesus was an opened wound on the cross.

He then died and was buried in a tomb.

Three days later, the tomb couldn’t contain him.

He rose again.

Jesus was a healed scar upon his return.

We all have scars, seen and unseen.

Often, we’re ashamed of them and feel disfigured because of them.

But here’s the profound truth:

There’s a big difference between a wound and a scar.

Wounds need healing.

Scars reveal healing.

There was nothing wrong with Jesus’ resurrected body.

Yet he left the scar.

I believe Jesus intentionally left the mark (scar) for our benefit.

His scar was a storybook of his pain…and his healing.

The same is true of us.

Our scars aren’t tales of tragedy; they are tales of triumph.

Because something has been healed.

So don’t waste your scars.

Embrace them.

And when you come across someone who has the wound you once had, show them your scar, and tell your story.

That might be just the thing they need in their story of healing.