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William G.Justice
Jesus The Maverick King
Jesus The Maverick King
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Some will think me irreverent to call Jesus a maverick. Although the term was not coined until late in the late nineteenth century, Jesus fits the description.
In the mid 1800’s, a frontiersman named Maverick refused to brand his calves. Of course, this made his calves stand out as different than others. He broke tradition. He broke from the expectations of other cattle growers. If someone spoke of his unbranded calf, he might say, “There’s a Maverick calf. Soon, one simply pointed to an unbranded calf and said, “There’s a Maverick,” leaving off the obvious fact that it was a calf. The saying became so popular that any thing or any person that stood out as breaking custom, expectations, teachings, or tradition was called a maverick. The maverick had no peers.
With all due respect for my Lord, Jesus of Nazareth fits the definition of a maverick. He refused to live by the expectations, the customs, the teachings, or traditions of his countrymen. He broke with their beliefs, their practices, their world-view, and their understanding of the nature of God. Not only was He a maverick, he was also a king.
When Jesus was born, Wise Men from the East came looking for Him. They came believing He was destined to be crowned “King of the Jews.” When they came to Herod, Herod knew that they sought the Christ (Mt. 2:1-6). Jesus did not enter the world as other men. He would not leave the world as other men.
During Jesus’ days in human flesh, from His conception to His ascension, this Christ/King spoke and acted as no other person in His world. He tolerated little of his people’s attitudes and behaviors.
If we study the Gospels carefully, we may conclude that if He were to return in human flesh and live among us today, we might hear Him saying many of the things to us that He said to those who heard Him two thousand years ago. He might even offer the same criticisms of our attitudes and behaviors.
As you read the pages ahead, challenge the ideas presented – not on the basis of your beliefs, or the teachings of your faith community (or lack of a faith community), but on the basis of God’s written Word, the Bible. [The Apostle, Paul praised the church of Berea for searching the Scripture to determine if he spoke truth (cf. Acts 17:10-11). I hope you will do the same as they.]
In the mid 1800’s, a frontiersman named Maverick refused to brand his calves. Of course, this made his calves stand out as different than others. He broke tradition. He broke from the expectations of other cattle growers. If someone spoke of his unbranded calf, he might say, “There’s a Maverick calf. Soon, one simply pointed to an unbranded calf and said, “There’s a Maverick,” leaving off the obvious fact that it was a calf. The saying became so popular that any thing or any person that stood out as breaking custom, expectations, teachings, or tradition was called a maverick. The maverick had no peers.
With all due respect for my Lord, Jesus of Nazareth fits the definition of a maverick. He refused to live by the expectations, the customs, the teachings, or traditions of his countrymen. He broke with their beliefs, their practices, their world-view, and their understanding of the nature of God. Not only was He a maverick, he was also a king.
When Jesus was born, Wise Men from the East came looking for Him. They came believing He was destined to be crowned “King of the Jews.” When they came to Herod, Herod knew that they sought the Christ (Mt. 2:1-6). Jesus did not enter the world as other men. He would not leave the world as other men.
During Jesus’ days in human flesh, from His conception to His ascension, this Christ/King spoke and acted as no other person in His world. He tolerated little of his people’s attitudes and behaviors.
If we study the Gospels carefully, we may conclude that if He were to return in human flesh and live among us today, we might hear Him saying many of the things to us that He said to those who heard Him two thousand years ago. He might even offer the same criticisms of our attitudes and behaviors.
As you read the pages ahead, challenge the ideas presented – not on the basis of your beliefs, or the teachings of your faith community (or lack of a faith community), but on the basis of God’s written Word, the Bible. [The Apostle, Paul praised the church of Berea for searching the Scripture to determine if he spoke truth (cf. Acts 17:10-11). I hope you will do the same as they.]
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