The Message of Jesus

I love reading Brian McLaren. I don't think he's the greatest author that ever lived, or that his ideas are all that earth shattering. But he knows how to put words together. And I'll pay 21 bucks for 15 chapters of someone who knows how to turn a phrase (it's helpful if the phrase is somehow relevant, too, of course...).

In The Secret Message of Jesus page 34 he writes:

Is it possible that the message of Jesus was less like an advertising slogan -- obvious and loud -- and more like a poem whose meaning only comes subtly and quietly to those who read slowly, think long and deeply, and refuse to give up?

McLaren's primary message in the book is that the Kingdom of God (or Kingdom of Heaven) isn't just someday, pie in the sky, when we get to heaven, but it's right here, right now. Not all that earth-shattering. I "discovered" that in seminary.

But what a great image. Jesus' true message like a poem...

We have way too much bumpersticker theology these days. Can you really reduce Jesus' message to 7 words or less? I'm not sure that you can.

Except this: I love you.

And while that is the core of Jesus' message - it doesn't say it all, does it? Like how much?

Okay: I love you completely.

And on and on I could go. There's way too much depth in the Bible as a whole and Jesus' message in particular to reduce to just a slogan. Jesus said, "Just don't do it." or some craziness...

Nah - Jesus' message was way more radical than that...