Does Jesus get us? What do you think? Watching the response to the Super Bowl commercials in the last few years has been interesting. The images of people washing each other’s feet aroused anger on all sides. The commercials attempted to portray Christianity in the light of love. “Jesus does not hate people.” Of course, no good deed goes unpunished. On one side, the critics said the ads did not do justice to the gospel of Jesus. Still others saw the commercials as a “bait and switch,” trying to get people to believe in Jesus, even though he is against sin.
Luke’s story about the early church reminds us that the name of Jesus has divided critics for nearly two thousand years. The religious leaders had hoped to cancel Jesus by killing him. On the other hand, his followers had healed a lame man in the name of Jesus. They couldn’t decide how to punish Peter and John for healing the man, so they threatened them further and let them go. The leaders knew that people were praising God for the miraculous healing of the lame man. This miracle presented indisputable evidence of Jesus’ power to change the world.
What evidence may we present to people today to demonstrate that Jesus is alive and powerful? What if we showed them how Jesus has changed our lives? This would be indisputable evidence. People might believe the commercial more if they saw it in action. If we actually washed the feet of one another and served those who despise Jesus, we could offer irrefutable proof of his power today. If Jesus has changed us, he can change others. Jesus not only gets us. He is transforming us. This is still our message. Is it true? The audience is listening and watching.
