Deeper Meaning

My mother-in-law is staying with us at the moment which gave me an opportunity to go out for coffee. Wahooo!

I went to my local coffeehouse and took a few minutes to look at the art work that was for sale on the walls. It's alright (just). A bit abstract. Some of the images made sense while others, perhaps, had a deeper meaning to the splashes of oil on canvass. I guess I just didn't get it.

Most people don't get Jesus either, according to Brian McLaren. I'm reading his latest book, The Secret Message of Jesus. I've read some of McLaren's other work and met him recently at a seminar. I like what he has to say. I think I'm going to enjoy this one as well.

For quite a while now I've felt like I wanted to know Jesus better. Discover new insights and learn what it really means to be a radical follower of this first century political, social and religious revolutionary.

The basic premise of the book is that for hundreds of years the Church has packaged Jesus in a particular way which is faithful to some aspects of his life, teaching and mission, but has fallen short on the fact that living life the Jesus way is about truly changing an individual's life - or even the life of a city, country or the world.

I like the way McLaren reminds the reader that Jesus didn't come to start a new religion (Christianity), but to tell people about the Kingdom of God - a way of experiencing fullness of life not just for eternity, but something that is within reach now. Today!

There is so much more to Jesus than the short glance we often give him.

"The time has come. The kingdom of God is near"
- Jesus (Mark 1:15)