The document discusses different views of Jesus that were presented to a youth group. It notes that people see Jesus in different ways, such as a peaceful hippie, a warrior coming for judgment, or simply a way to avoid hell. The group is then asked to discuss which Jesus they grew up with and which version is prominent in their communities. The document explores how Jesus questioned his disciples about his identity, and how Peter recognized him as the Messiah, in contrast to views of Caesar as divine. It emphasizes finding the Jesus of the New Testament Gospels.

1. A story about a youth group and a flip chart …

3. 2 questions: From Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope What are the top global problems? What does the message of Jesus say to those problems?

4. Top Global Problems: High Noon (20) United Nations University (15) Copenhagen Consensus (10) Millennium Development Goals (8) PEACE plan (5)

5. United Nations University: The State of the Future Top Fifteen Challenges: How can … 1. … sustainable development be achieved for all? 2. … everyone have sufficient clean water without conflict? 3. … population growth and resources be brought into balance? 4. … genuine democracy emerge from authoritarian regimes? 5. … policymaking be made more sensitive to global long-term perspectives ? 6. … the global convergence of information and communications technologies work for everyone? 7. … ethical market economies be encouraged to help reduce the gap between rich and poor ?

6. 8. … the threat of new and reemerging diseases and immune micro-organisms be reduced? 9. … the capacity to decide be improved as the nature of work and institutions change? 10. … shared values and new security strategies reduce ethnic conflicts, terrorism, and the use of weapons of mass destruction ? 11. … the changing status of women help improve the human condition? 12. … transnational organized crime networks be stopped from becoming more powerful and sophisticated global enterprises? 13. … growing energy demands be met safely and efficiently? 14. … scientific and technological breakthroughs be accelerated to improve the human condition? 15. … ethical considerations become more routinely incorporated into global decisions?

7. Copenhagen Consensus Top 10 Global Problems 1. Hunger and malnutrition 2. Climate change 3. Conflicts 4. Financial Instability 5. Water and Sanitation 6. Subsidies and Trade Barriers 7. Population/Migration 8. Communicable Diseases 9. Education 10. Governance and Corruption

8. 8 Millennium Development Goals: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. 2. Achieve universal primary education . 3. Promote gender equality and empower women. 4. Reduce child mortality . 5. Improve maternal health . 6. Combat HIV/AIDs, malaria, and other diseases . 7. Ensure environmental sustainability, confront climate change . 8. Develop a global partnership for sustainable development.

9. Rick Warren’s PEACE Plan 1. P romote reconciliation to overcome conflict. 2. E quip servant leaders to combat corrupt leadership 3. A ssist the poor through humanitarian aid ( poverty ) 4. C are for the sick to combat disease 5. E ducate the next generation to combat ignorance

10. spiritual emptiness corrupt leadership poverty disease ignorance hunger and malnutrition climate change conflicts Financial Instability Water/Sanitation subsidies/trade barriers population/ migration communicable diseases education governance/corruption hunger education gender inequality child mortality maternal health environmental sustainability ethnic conflicts terrorism weapons of mass destruction organized crime networks energy demands clean water population growth authoritarian regimes

11. spiritual emptiness corrupt leadership poverty disease ignorance hunger and malnutrition climate change conflicts Financial Instability Water/Sanitation subsidies/trade barriers population/ migration communicable diseases education governance/corruption hunger education gender inequality child mortality maternal health environmental sustainability ethnic conflicts terrorism weapons of mass destruction organized crime networks energy demands clean water population growth authoritarian regimes FOUR GLOBAL CRISES

12. Societal Machine Equity Security Prosperity The Ecosystem Heat Solar Energy Resources Waste Framing Story

13. Prosperity - crisis of the planet. Equity - crisis of poverty. Security - crisis of peace Spirituality - crisis of framing story

14. Jesus’ framing story/good news God’s kingdom is at hand - available to all. God calls all people to repentance and reconciliation - to enter and participate in God’s kingdom.

15. Jesus’ Good News as a framing story of hope

16. I believe in Jesus. I love Jesus. I am committed to Jesus. But I am aware that the word “Jesus” can have very different meanings.

18. One of my most faithful critics (his name is not important) said, Some emergent types [want] to recast Jesus as a limp-wrist hippie in a dress with a lot of product in His hair, who drank decaf and made pithy Zen statements about life while shopping for the perfect pair of shoes.

19. He then went on to say, In Revelation, Jesus is a prize fighter with a tattoo down His leg, a sword in His hand and the commitment to make someone bleed. That is the guy I can worship. I cannot worship the hippie, diaper, halo Christ because I cannot worship a guy I can beat up.

20. From Left Behind: “The Glorious Appearing”: [When Jesus spoke] ”… bodies ripped open, blood pooling in great masses … Men and women and soldiers and horses seemed to explode where they stood." [Jesus walked through the battlefield] “… the hem of his robe turning red in the blood of the enemy."

21. Another of my loyal critics said … “ The only reason Jesus came was to save people from hell … Jesus had no social agenda …” He didn’t come to eliminate poverty or slavery or “fix something in somebody’s life for the little moment they live on this earth.”

22. Which Jesus? The Cute Baby Jesus The Prize-fighter Warrior Jesus The Second-Coming Killer Jesus The Private, Personal “make me feel good” Jesus The Prosperity “help me get rich” Jesus The Fire Escape “get me out of hell” Jesus The Evacuation “leave this world behind” Jesus The Institutional “organ music/stained glass” Jesus … Or None of the above?

23. Which Jesus? In groups of 2 or 3 … talk about which Jesus you grew up with. Which Jesus is primary in your faith community? In America? We’ll re-gather at the bell …

24. Which Jesus? Matthew 16:13 ff When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples … “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

25. 150 miles N. of Jerusalem, 30+ miles from Galilee

27. When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples … “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

28. “ But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you…”

29. What did Peter mean when he answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Which Jesus was he talking about?

33. " Divine Augustus Caesar, son of a god, imperator of land and sea...” - inscription at myra, lycia

34. Inscription from the Asian League of Cities - requiring change of all calendars so that Caesar Augustus’ birthday will now be the first day of the year, from just before birth of Jesus: Since the providence that has divinely ordered our existence has applied her energy and zeal and has brought to life the most perfect good in Augustus, whom she filled with virtues for the benefit of mankind, bestowing him upon us and our descendants as a savior – he who put an end to war and will order peace, Caesar, who by his epiphany exceeded the hopes of those who prophesied good tidings ( euaggelia ),

35. those who prophesied good tidings ( euaggelia ), not only outdoing benefactors of the past, but also allowing no hope of greater benefactions in the future; and since the birthday of the god first brought to the world the good tidings ( euaggelia ) residing in him .... For that reason … the Greeks of Asia have decided that the New Year in all the cities should begin on 23 rd September, the birthday of Augustus ...

36. KURIOS CAESAR OR KURIOS IESOUS ?

37. So Peter was proclaiming Jesus as God’s chosen king, ruler, leader, and supreme authority for humanity. Caesar wasn’t Lord: Jesus was. But then notice what happens…

38. From that time on, Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things … that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

39. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

40. Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me. You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

41. In many ways, we still stand with Peter in that moment - Confused. Feeling whiplash. Speaking truth one minute and playing for the wrong side the next. Trying to imagine how a crucified king can be king at all .

42. Christ … Liberating king Son of the living God … Supreme authority, divinely sanctioned Lord … KURIOS … supreme authority Son of man … Daniel 7:13 ff. A new generation of humanity.

43. Christ … Liberating king Son of the living God … Supreme authority, divinely sanctioned Lord … KURIOS Son of man … Daniel 7:13 ff. A new generation of humanity - not a beast! Suffer? Be killed?

44. Often, we (mis)read the Book of Revelation to resolve the tension: Jesus’ first coming might have been meek and mild, but he’ll come back and behave more like Caesar!

45. I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True…. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him… Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. (Rev. 19, selected)

46. CAESAR … and Jesus Warhorse & chariot … donkey Sword … basin and towel Crown of gold … crown of thorns Crushes enemies … loves enemies Tortures … undergoes torture Kills and finally dies … dies and rises from the dead, giving life to all.

47. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

48. And he is the head of the body, the [assembly]; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. [col 1:15-20]

49. Which Jesus? The Jesus who came - the Jesus of the New Testament - is the one we are to follow.

50. Which Jesus? The one who healed the sick … released people from the oppression of evil spirits … gave sight to the blind … gave hearing to the deaf … fed people for free … brought peace and calm to a turbulent storm … gave life to the dead … healed a paralyzed hand … empowered the lame to walk … included the excluded … confronted hypocrites … turned tables … died on Caesar’s cross … rose from the dead … sent the Holy Spirit.

51. Which Jesus? Quaker scholar Elton Trueblood used to say that the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and the mystery of the incarnation are meant to tell us this: the living God is like Jesus, and if we see Jesus, we have seen the true character of God.

52. Which Jesus?

53. Chant From “Songs For a Revolution of Hope, Vol. 1: everything must change.” Adapted by Brian McLaren. This chant is from Colossians 1, which many scholars believe was an early Christian hymn. Left margin lines - last word sung “down up.” Indented lines - last word sung “up down.” (Don’t worry - they harmonize if you get mixed up!)

54. Christ is the image of the God who can’t be seen. Christ is the image of the God who can’t be seen. The firstborn of all creation.

55. In him all things were created. Things in heaven and on earth Things visible and invisible Whether thrones or dominions, rulers or powers All things have been created through him. All things have been created for him.

56. And he is before all things. All things hold together in him. And he is the head of the body, the church He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.

57. So he has the first place in everything. For in him all the fullness - The fullness of God - Was pleased to dwell.

58. In Him God was pleased to reconcile all things All things to himself, All things on earth, all things in heaven By making peace through the blood of his cross. By making peace through the blood of his cross.

59. Q & A: What questions does this raise for you? We’ll resume promptly at 11:00.