Obscure

I really like this video and want to read the book it promotes. It speaks to the tension Christians feel living in Western culture - namely, the desire to be famous contrasted with Christ's call of discipleship. 

One thing I really like about the book: the author is "anonymous." One favorite line in the video: "Why do we break our backs to be remembered by those who themselves will be forgotten?"

No matter the sect or denomination, Christianity is not immune from "celebrity culture." Is this what Jesus calls us to? Is this what the gospel asks of us? The answer is obvious. 

I once heard a "celebrity pastor" (that I happen to glean from at times) talk about the huge crowds that flocked to hear Jesus as justification for his own ministry's visibility. What this brother failed to mention - which I think is missing from the conversation today among those who claim "God is blessing it, because it's growing" - is this: Jesus' ministry grew smaller and smaller toward the end of His life. Jesus never trusted those crowds (cf. John 2.23-25). He had a mass exodus of disciples leave him at one point (John 6.66-71, in the context of the entire chapter). The crowds that shouted "Hosanna!" on Palm Sunday were shouting "Crucify Him!" on Good Friday. All twelve disciples fled after His arrest. The one who lingered during His trial denied Him. Only one of the twelve appeared as He was tortured to death by God's wrath and physical pain. His ministry didn't grow in popularity until He was gone from this earth (think Oswald Chambers, E.M. Bounds, and Jim Elliot). 

I just wonder - if we were more gripped by the message of this Man than trying to acquire fame through our salary, position at work, leadership role at church, Facebook, Twitter, and (yes) blog, how much more effective would our lives and ministries be? Let us pursue the lowest place, brothers and sisters. Let us stop striving to exalt ourselves in the name of Jesus and start exalting Jesus by dying to our narcissistic dreams of grandeur. We are known and loved by the God of the universe. That should be enough for us.