Last night, Maxie kicked off the first Crash series of TWENTY-TEN.  The series is called “I don’t know where to start” and we are going to talk about five simple, basic, concrete things we should continue to come back to when we are beginning anew or in a season of transition.

Our first “place to start” is Jesus.  We also shared in communion last night. Dave Ellis and the band led an amazing time of worship after we had shared together.

Some big ideas from Maxie’s talk:

-If you were God and intent on entering the world to save it, what kind of human/super-human would you be?

-I can guarantee you that none of us would think of being a non-union carpenter/unknown rabbi.

-Jesus possessed great power but he chose not to use it to advance himself, prove himself, or accomplish his mission.  Jesus risked everything trusting that his obedience and death would produce a new world.

-I like Jesus because he told great stories – subtle, simple, direct, and powerful stories.

-Jesus never coerced anyone to be changed or transformed.

-I have spent my life studying the Gospels and I don’t find Jesus coercing or forcing anyone to change.  Yet, the world I live in continues to get the idea that this is who Jesus is…where else could they have gotten the idea if they did not get it from the Gospels?  Is it possible that they got it from us?  That we have made Jesus in our image and tell others that he is angry and demanding that they change?

-He lived his mission without being driven by it.  We know that he was here to die on the cross and save the world, but he still had time for people who interrupted his journeys, sermons, and intentions.

-He was always authentically himself.  Whether he was teaching, healing, eating, confronting or suffering, Jesus was always true to himself.  Jesus accepted other’s unrealistic or immature expectations of him and their disappointment that he did not meet those expectations or address their immediate concerns. Jesus could be God without being angry with a screwed up world; that is why he could forgive them on the cross.

Some great stuff here from Maxie.  He wrapped things up by encouraging everyone to read one of the 4 gospel accounts in one sitting and ask two questions:

1) What do you like about Jesus?

2) Why would you want to get to know Him?

You can download the podcast here, starting tomorrow.