Jesus is My Homeboy?

I got a call this morning from someone who asked, "What was the point of the whole "Jesus is my Homeboy" shirt in the welcome yesterday?" So I thought I would "revise and extend" my remarks.

Often those of us who have been walking with Jesus for some time react to references to Jesus that are not appropriately reverant. We have a discomfort with things like "Jesus is JUST alright" or "Jesus is my Homeboy" because it seems to make Jesus too much like a buddy and not enough like the King of kings. We are right to feel that way. Jesus should be worshiped and adored...feared and awed. He deserves that reverence.

But what if we step back from our years of walking with Jesus and imagine what it must be like for someone who truly sees Jesus for the first time. What they see is that the God of the whole universe has stepped into history in order to rescue them. Jesus becomes, first, a friend in time of need. It is only after walking with Jesus that we begin to see Him as not only savior, but also as Lord.

The point is this, if people begin their journey of faith because they have connected with Jesus, the priest, who understands their struggles, meets their needs and forgives their sin and then, through the process of sanctification, become to understand that same Jesus as the ruler of all reality and Lord of their life...isn't that a good thing?