I have vague memories of the few times I went to church as a child. I didn’t start taking my faith (or even really having one) seriously until I was on the back half of my time in high school. What I do remember vividly is the portrait of a white Jesus next to the sanctuary doors of my friends church the few times I went with him. That was the image I had of Jesus growing up: Just some guy who did something cool and I guess that’s what he looked like. It wasn’t until I was devoted to developing my faith in Jesus that I realized this wasn’t the true image of him that was being portrayed. I often cringe at the phrase “my Jesus”. To me, that is a slippery slope that turns into “my Jesus… and your Jesus…”, insinuating that there are an infinite number of Jesus’ depending on the person’s preference. When I imagine the Jesus that hung on the wall of my friend’s church, I think of all the people that walk by it claiming that is “their Jesus”. The put together, hair perfectly combed, robe recently pressed, baby blue eyed portrait of Jesus was “their Jesus”. That’s the problem. “My” should turn into “Our”; and “Our Jesus” is less concerned with your tradition, and a more concerned with your heart. “Our Jesus” was a criminal.
It is a bold statement calling the Christ Jesus, our Messiah, a criminal. Yet the simple fact is, the only man to ever live a sinless life was arguably the biggest criminal in all of history. This image of Jesus culminates in John 11, when Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother, Lazarus, was sick and dying. I was tempted to call this article “This Death Will Not End in Death” because Jesus states that Lazarus’ sickness (the sickness that kills him) will not end in death (Side note: What a beautiful image of Jesus walking us through pain and suffering rather than simply having all the answers and solving everything for us). He states that Lazarus’ suffering will be “for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (Jn 11:4).
The disciples had only one issue with this plan. Jesus would have to go back to Judea, a place where he almost got stoned to death. I could end this article right here and would have already proved my point that Jesus was a criminal, but that’s not the type of criminal that I am referring to. When I refer to Jesus being a criminal, I am not referring to his “crimes” of healing on the Sabbath, or any other man made rule He broke that the religious leaders took issue with; I am referring to his crimes against Satan. Jesus returned to Judea, yet Lazarus had been dead for four days. While everyone mourned his death, Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb and stole him from the grave. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:55)
This beautiful image of Jesus, the criminal, risking his life in a city he was not welcome in, to help a family he loves, should be the picture of “Our Jesus”. The unafraid, reckless, compassionate criminal who loves deeper than the greatest valleys; who walks through the darkness with the ones he loves; who risks it all so we might be able to know God and accept His mercy. This wasn’t the last time Jesus would rob death and the grave. On the third day, after he died a criminal’s death on a cross, Jesus rose; allowing us the opportunity to defeat death every single day as we put our hope and faith in Him who was unafraid to carry our punishment to the grave.
What I didn’t mention is Jesus’ interactions with Mary and Martha before he stole Lazarus from the grave. In one of the shortest verses in all of scripture, “Jesus wept” (Jn 11:35). Sometimes when we are going through something, whether that be anxiety, depression, addiction, loss, etc.; we don’t always need the quick fix of Jesus speaking and everything being better. But when we have a relationship with someone, often all we need is someone who will stay with us, be a comforter, and meet us in our struggle and take on the burden with us. Verse 35 is “Our Jesus”. Less concerned with the racial, political, or social constraints you put on him, Jesus is more concerned with meeting all of creation where they are at, and walking them through the suffering. “Our Jesus” broke tradition, “Our Jesus” showed us how to love, “Our Jesus” willingly hung on a cross so that we might find life more abundant in Him, “Our Jesus” was a criminal.
But God... 