SeanDietrich.com

DISCIPLINED LOVE
By Sean Dietrich

There was quite an upset in the Jewish religious system after Jesus died. The religious leaders thought they had extinguished the fire Jesus started by killing him, but they had only made things worse. People were claiming Jesus was alive again! Jesus, the great anti-religionist, had cut through many sacred Jewish traditions, and led the people straight to the God himself. He even taught his followers to call God their Father! What nerve!

The Jesus group in Jerusalem was gaining quite a following too. There were thousands of Jewish tourists visiting Jerusalem for the religious holiday, and instead tons of them were being turned on to Jesus! They left their homes, land, possessions, and began living together. They were sharing everything they owned with each other. A new “Jesus people” community was being born! They were calling it the “church!”

PHARISEES HAD A COW

The religious leaders of the day weren’t happy over the new Jesus following one bit. They considered Jesus’ followers to be nothing but hippies. They accused them of being a cult! These “Jesus hippies” were doing everything together. One ancient author described these Jesus followers as people who shared everything but their wives! They shared their homes, their time, meals, and possessions. Sometimes it seemed as if they loved each other more than their own family members. These Jesus followers were crazy!

What really drove the religious leaders crazy was the “Jesus people’s” lack of formal leadership. The religious leaders couldn’t attack any one person in charge of this new Jesus movement, because there was no earthly leader of it. The only leader these hippies claimed to have was Jesus himself, and the Jewish Clergy had already killed him once! In today’s business minded world, it’s hard to comprehend a group of people flourishing without an earthly manager. But Jesus had indeed given these people his Holy Spirit as a guide. How exciting! Jesus was their shepherd!

HIPPIES ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT LOVE

These Jesus hippies were entirely full of real love too. They shared dinner together every night in their Jesus community, and they called it a “love feast.” These Jesus people always looked forward to their time with each other in which they could simply hang out. Other people who would occasionally visit these “love feasts” were greeted with the warmest and most welcoming hearts the world has ever seen. Jesus’ following continued to grow. Love was the glue that held them together.

KILLING THE JESUS PEOPLE

Well, the religious leaders finally had enough. They decided to violently attack these Jesus hippies. They beat some, killed some, and put some in prison. They expected this Jesus movement to finally come to an end. Instead, it began to spread even faster. The more persecution these Jesus people received, the faster and stronger they grew! This usually happens when Jesus’ people are beaten down! Their faith and love grows and grows until they begin to infect other people around them like a virus.

These Jesus hippies were quite amazing people! It would be so wonderful if Jesus’ people would again embrace his very simple good news. It’s hard to imagine that Jesus’ followers were at one time simple and powerful, when today all we see is denominations full of nothing but doctrine.

Early Jesus followers owned nothing, and shared everything. However, most of today’s modern Christians have a hard time letting go of 10 dollars! Early believers gave themselves entirely to one another. However, modern Christians are content with Sunday relationships only. What a tragedy this is!

Sometimes I wonder: How did Jesus’ people end up like this today? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if things were like the early church? I’m ready to be a simple Jesus person and nothing more! Let’s turn away from the mountains of religious clutter, and become a community of people who love Jesus, and really love each other. The world is tired of hearing about Jesus; they want to see him.