Life goes better with the right-here/right-now Jesus!

Churches tend to teach through theological & theoretical talks about the not-here-now Jesus — the historical Jesus (and sometimes the Second-Coming Jesus).  However, we often miss out on the reality of the right-here/right-now Jesus!

Paul of Tarsus put it this way:  “If someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” –2 Corinthians 11:4

So what was Paul’s message?  “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.”  –1 Corinthians 2:4

The Jesus of the first Christ-followers was a right-here/right-now Jesus — the living, resurrected Jesus.  Paul put it this way:  “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  –Colossians 1:27

When we present Jesus in a theological and/or theoretical way, we are presenting a different Jesus than the first Christians did.  Their Jesus was risen, living, present and active, right-here/right-now. Their Jesus showed His power and presence through actual “demonstrations of the Spirit’s power.”

Perhaps we need to move beyond giving talks in church and starting giving the living Jesus the opportunity to actually demonstrate His power and presence in our midst through the workings of the Holy Spirit like He did in the early church.

My heart cries out with the prophet Habakkuk’s prayer:  “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.” –Habakkuk 3:2