Jesus For Sale

Not only is Jesus For sale, he's On sale.

I would like to start this by saying I don't mean to offend anyone with the last post. I do realize it was a little rough on "Left Behind" without much backing of why. I'm not trying to justify my immaturity, but I do think Left Behind stands in line with some problematic issues in our current era.

Is there much of a difference between our Christian stores and regular stores? Is their goal to make money? I don't know if Christian bookstores would mark profit as their primary goal, but it certainly isn't their last. Whether it's the store or the producer that is charging so much, it appears that something is off.

Everything seems more expensive at a Family Bookstore. I can go on Amazon at any time and beat their price with a 25% off everything coupon on almost everything. Whatever their corporate priority sheet is, I feel like they should be making Christianity less expensive. Also note, that I am aware of a faulty thought in the previous sentence. Are they making a lot of money off us, or is it that they can't be competitive?

The worst part is their selection. They have provided a market for Jesus. Everything becomes unique and Christian when you add a cross, praying hands, a Jesus etching, or a Bible verse to it.

Get a kid a toy toolbox, but wait, add Ephesians 2:10 and you've got a Faith Works tool set!

Want a holy ambiance to the room? Well lighting some candles is sure to usher you into the Holy of Holies, but make sure they know what God you're serving here with a Christ Tealight Holder.

Finally, if your pre-teen daughter loves the movie Mean Girls anyway, might as well influence her with some pop-culture, teen idol, trying to be older than I am, with stylish clothes and makeup before I should really be wearing it CHRISTIAN influence. We need to get rid of the secular world's hold on this market with The Rubyz! Give them a few years and these girls will surely be skankin' it up for Christ!

I know I'm probably not doing much to help with those whom I offend. But seriously, it's like I don't know which side Christians are rooting for. As far as I can tell we're getting sucked into the industry and we're not even realizing it. We are majorly compromising the message of Christ for something much more tame and financially stimulating.

It's not the money being made that is the problem, but it is the excess and apparent focus of making more and more money that is. One can't be consumed with profits and prices and with the work of God at the same time. You may say how important it is for a business to concern itself with profits, but my response would be, do your work and don't worry.

With the marketing of Jesus, and the misnomer of Jesus via the often times direct contradiction by the product's promotion or the indirect contradiction professed by a focus on money/success (mammon), we strip Jesus of his majesty and shove him into our pocket or mount him above our mantel. When reading the book A Generous Orthodoxy, by Brian McLaren, I was punched in the gut by a realization he spoke oh so well.

...the more one respects Jesus, the more one must be brokenhearted, embarrassed, furious, or some combination thereof when one considers what we Christians have done with Jesus. That's certainly true when it comes to calling Jesus Lord, something we Christians do a lot, often without the foggiest idea of what we mean. Has he become (I shudder to ask this) less our Lord and more our Mascot?

- A Generous Orthodoxy, McLaren (p88)

Mascot. Is Jesus our mascot? Do we cheer at Jesus because he represents our side? Do we raise him up on our shoulders when we feel we have "won" a victory over another belief or world view? Would Jesus want any part of this?

It's sobering to realize how many times I have celebrated a mascot, who I inadvertently and unknowingly consider smaller than myself, or a servant of my will. I have stolen my King's crown and turned him into a jester. I must repent now, because soon God will answer.

The LORD said to Job:
"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!"

Then Job answered the LORD:
"I am unworthy--how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.
I spoke once, but I have no answer--twice, but I will say no more."

The the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm:
"Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?"

- Job 40

Jesus was angered when he saw all of the financial exploitation that was outside the temple. It was all happening in the name of God. To sacrifice this animal you must pay me an unfair price for the animal. To be a Christian you must conform to social form. You must wear this T-shirt, listen to this music, watch only these kinds of movies, and read these books, which will supplement what you learn in these Bibles. It's extortion.

Extortion: The crime of obtaining money or some other thing of value by the abuse of one's office or authority.

The only thing is, they aren't using their authority. It's a bastardizing union between the authority of pop-culture and God/Jesus. This partnership combines the inherent importance of the name of God, and the feeling of safety that comes when one is joined to it, with the high desire for societal acceptance and the feeling of ease that comes when one is joined to it.

We need to be aware of this issue creeping into Christian culture, or maybe it's already here like an grossly overweight, unwanted cousin, planted securely on your couch. I'm not telling you to boycott stores with overpriced Christian merchandise, but I'm not telling you not to. I'm telling you to do whatever God leads. But ultimately we need to bring some distinction between God's Kingdom and the world's kingdom, because they are very different places. You cannot be serving both God's Kingdom and the world's.

Most of all, in everything you do, ask if you are allowing the Lord the honor, power, and majesty He deserves, or if you're belittling Him, turning Him into a mascot.