This is more of a pointer to an awesome article by the Internet Monk, What was Jesus-Like.

What strikes me in the article, in particular, is how the blogger clearly states out the revolutionary presence that was Jesus in those times, and the things he did that defied the norm. Ah, but human beings, we love our norms, our mini organizations, its what keeps us moving, keeps us existing, keeps us wholesome. Anything out of the ordinary and we would all be shaken and thrown apart, so suspicious we are of the real thing that when the real thing presents itself among us, we wouldn't even recognize it.

I have a feeling that none of us right now would be able to recognize and accept Jesus, if he appeared among us, right now. Because all of us, each one of us, we all have a 'version', an idealized idea of who Jesus is, what He likes and what He doesn't like (and very likely, these things would be ridiculously close to what we like and what we don't like). So if you're the type of Christian who religiously tithes and attends church in your Sunday best every single week, your Jesus is the type who hates people who cheat on their tithes and wears sports jerseys with dragon motifs and appear in church half an hour late. If you're the Christian who will only believe in the gift of the spirit as evident in the sign of tongues, your Jesus will frown upon those who are unable to babble when they pray. If you belief that the traditional liturgies of the church institution are closest to the what Jesus wants, then probably you wouldn't trust those detractors who are anti liturgy, since they claim that that practice is far too ritualistic.

And if you're the Christian who believes that Christ only saves those who have professed to believe in him, you'll find it hard to believe that your Buddhist / Hindu / Muslim friend will meet you in Heaven when the time comes.

Isn't it true then? Our God exists to serve our personal needs, personal beliefs, personal ideals of what heaven is like (and very likely, that personal heaven will definitely not have the kind of person that you personally do not like very much, aye?).

So yah, it kinda hits you right there, when you think about it. And quoting the Internet Monk

Jesus didn’t waste his time with religious and doctrinal debates. He always moves to the heart of the matter. Love God, Love Neighbor, Live the Kingdom.

That's why I take a lot of time to read what church websites have to say. When a church spends too much webspace outlining the minute details of their beliefs, it makes me worry. It makes me worry that gatherings there will consist of conversations emphasizing who gets to heaven and who will not. I fear the meetings of people who sit together and talk about how many people we have brought to Christ. I have attended services where photos of people prayng in other places of faith are put on screen, and we pray that they learn about Jesus soon, and where we ask the Lord to forgive them for praying to the devil. I have a problem with churches like this, because I feel that they practice an 'us vs them' kind of mentality.

Because the Jesus of my faith is encompassing, loving, bringing salvation by grace, and ushering in Kingdom Come, ON EARTH as in heaven. Kingdom is already in Heaven, but it eludes us living on Earth because, it seems that we really don't want it at all. We don't want a Kingdom Come that loves our enemies, loves the people we don't love. We only want a Kingdom come in a certain format that is ideal to us, not the kingdom come that Jesus was praying for in the Lord's Prayer.

So when will it ever come?

I thank the Internet Monk for igniting that flame in me, once again.