Hunky Jesus syndrome

       As a gay man, who wouldn't love the Hunky Jesus Contest in San Francisco?  Blue eyed, blond hair, ripped, gorgeous. Steamy Jesus, right? Perhaps in Hollywood but in reality - not so much. In fact, not at all.

       Let's try to imagine the most typical Jew or Palestinian that we can, that person is more like Jesus than anyone we might think of off the cuff. Short, oily skinned, dark, Arabesque and dirty and dusty. Let's not forget that part. He walked in sandals in a toga in a awfully dirty dusty locale, what would we expect?  And - he was Jewish, devoutly so, raised in the law, taught Judaism and Holy Scripture in Synagogues. There was no New Testament yet. It was 'the Law'  and himself. That is all.  If you take scripture and compare it to what we believe as Christians, about Justice, forgiveness and compassion, we are probably in for yet another bam! We have such erroneous images of Jesus. We need to do our research, and get over and on with it.

         Paul is also a Jew, again, devoutly so. Christianity was a sect of Judaism for as long as anyone could remember.  Gentiles? We are the Johnny comes lately ones. 

          What is the message? How can we so easily screw up a picture because it is comfortable or makes our faith more cozy and comfy? Yeah, that's it. Don't bore me with facts, Jesus was a white, blond, blue eyed savior. Except - He is not. At all. Not. at. all.

            If we are having trouble seeing such an important thing as Jesus, how are we going to handle seeing Jesus in others?  There is your starting point. Acceptance of the problem and trying as hard as we can to see God in everyone. Now think of all those people who are not the favoured, blue eyed blond type and see that those are the ones we are to love.

          Challenge accepted? 

Acts 28:17-31

 Three days later he called together the local leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, ‘Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, yet I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. When they had examined me, the Romans wanted to release me, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to the emperor—even though I had no charge to bring against my nation. For this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is for the sake of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.’ They replied, ‘We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken anything evil about you. But we would like to hear from you what you think, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.’

 After they had fixed a day to meet him, they came to him at his lodgings in great numbers. From morning until evening he explained the matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. Some were convinced by what he had said, while others refused to believe. So they disagreed with each other; and as they were leaving, Paul made one further statement: ‘The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah, 
“Go to this people and say,
You will indeed listen, but never understand,
   and you will indeed look, but never perceive. 
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
   and their ears are hard of hearing,
     and they have shut their eyes;
     so that they might not look with their eyes,
   and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn—
   and I would heal them.” 
Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.’

 He lived there for two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.