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JESUS CROSSED THE LINES
By Sean Dietrich

The Jews were perhaps the most prejudiced people on the planet during the time Jesus lived with them. They didn’t just get that way overnight either. It took centuries of development from being tossed around, and beaten down by Gentiles (Non-Jews.)

Then along comes Jesus! He was rubbing elbows with crooked thieves, hanging out with hookers, drunks, terrorists and filthy Gentiles. As if that wasn’t enough, Jesus actually enjoyed spending time with these monsters. Jesus was their friend!

PARABLES THAT STIR THE POT

The story known as the “Good Samaritan” was a bizarre story to the Jews whom Jesus was speaking to. In modern terms, it would be a story called the “Good Homosexual,” or the “Good Iraqi.” Most American Christians view these people as dogs! In the same way, the Jewish people viewed all hookers, tax collectors and Samaritans as lowly scum.

Jesus was stuck on talking about loving others. More importantly, Jesus talked about loving people who were considered to be lowly scum by the rest of the crowd. His idea of loving these sinners flew in the face of modern religion! The religious leaders just couldn’t take it. To them, these people deserved death, not love.

CROSSING THE LINES

Jesus couldn’t see mankind’s social circles. Religious and racial barriers meant absolutely nothing to him! Jesus came with a giant eraser to erase the lines we draw around ourselves! He kindly stepped over cultural taboos, regardless of public opinion. He didn’t cross lines for shock value either. Jesus stepped over religious dividers only so he could really love the people on the “outside!”

Someone once told me about a trip he’d made to a big city. He said that on telephone poles there were flyers boldly reading, “JESUS HATES FAGS.” Most of us know already, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth! In reality, Jesus doesn’t like religion, especially if it separates us from lost people who Jesus loves so much.

Think about it: If Jesus came today, would we seem him hanging out with Pastors, deacons and Contemporary Christian Artists? Or would the Jesus we know frequently visit the “bad” part of town and eat dinner with homosexuals, prostitutes, Muslims and druggies?

THE GOOD SHEEP GUY

There was a man who owned 100 sheep. At the end of the day out in the pasture, he was guiding them into the barn. As he was counting, he noticed he was missing a sheep. Just to be sure, he counted the sheep again. Sure enough, a sheep was missing.

The sun was setting, and there was no telling where the missing young sheep might be. The man left the barn and went searching through the endless acres of wild pasture.

After hours of searching there was no sign of a sheep anywhere. But he was determined to find the lost young sheep so he kept on searching late into the night. All of the sudden, in the distance the man could hear the bleating of a young sheep. When he found the sheep, he could see that it was hopelessly stuck in a large patch of thorns and unable to move.

Without even hesitating, the man walked straight into the thorn bush. He winced as he was stabbed and cut by the thorns from every angle. After finally rescuing the sheep, the man’s clothes were drenched with his own blood from being pricked by the thorns. He carried the young sheep home in his arms that night and mended it’s wounds.

Jesus gladly seeks out the lost, no matter where they are. Do we?