Jesus was homeless.
Did you know that? It’s true. He said he had no place to sleep at night. He said even the birds have places to rest, but he didn’t. And on top of that, he told people to consider the implications of that before they started following him.
I am a Christian. This, supposedly, makes me a “Jesus follower.”
I also work at a homeless shelter near Los Angeles, CA. I talk with multiple people who are homeless every day I’m at work.
I also attend Normandie Church of Christ. The church has a thriving ministry to the homeless of Skid Row. Every Sunday I find myself worshiping God next to several homeless people. It is a beautiful thing.
Unfortunately, at many churches this is not the case. The homeless are not welcome or are made to feel so uncomfortable that they never show up. I have heard more stories than I can count, from the homeless I serve, of churches shunning the homeless.
It has got to be one of the most hypocritical things in the world to worship a God who chose to be a homeless man while creating an environment that keeps the homeless away. Imagine, creating a culture so removed from the poor that Jesus wouldn’t be welcomed.
Is it even Jesus we worship on Sundays? Or is it some “Jesus” we have created in our image? Is it a Jesus that would have a fish on his car or a Jesus that couldn’t even afford a car? Is it a Jesus that would be invited to charity golf tournaments or a recipient of that charity who wouldn’t even be allowed inside the club? Is it a Jesus who sells goods at the church building to build an even bigger building or a Jesus who would chase everyone selling stuff out and reprimand them as “thieves” for stealing from the poor?
I once was told by someone that Jesus was rich because the soldiers at the foot of the cross were fighting over his robe and that they wouldn’t do so unless it was worth something. Is there any greater example of shaping Jesus in our own image? This person held a “wealth and health” “God wants all Christians to be rich as a witness to the world” theology and stretched the biblical story to fit that theology. When I asked about Mother Teresa I was told she didn’t have enough faith and that’s why God didn’t bless her with material riches. I was told that God wouldn’t call her to the poverty she shared with those she ministered to because that’s not what God is about.
I’m sorry, but this is wrong and a very destructive theology. The biblical witness is of a God who stands on the side of the poor and oppressed. It is the story of a God who frees slaves, humbles the proud and lifts up the humble and touches lepers. It is the story of a God who was born to a pregnant, unmarried teenager, grew up in the house of a laborer and hung out with those society ignored.
Jesus was homeless. Is yours?
Good words!
Jimmy, I couldn’t agree with you more. Besides the immediate things we notice about these texts, I think there is something else that is stunning and beautiful about this. Jesus, was willing to be homeless on earth because He knew where His real home was. He wasnt concerned with material possessions, earthly acclaim, and superficial recognition, instead He cared about bringing the Love-Kingdom to earth so that people could get a glimpse of their eternal home with God, and step into that home by taking up their crosses and following him.
So let us continue to put down our vain conceit and selfish ambitions, and take up our crosses to follow the Homeless Messiah who is leading us to the forever-home he is preparing for us.
Out of curiosity, what did/would you tell the guy who said Jesus must be rich because He had a nice garment?
I love this because once you come to this realization it completely changes your perspective on homeless people and really all people in general. I know you don’t really care for “Christian” music but I have a song on my myspace page by Todd Agnew that I just love because it talks about this very thing. “What if Sunday school were on a corner in Memphis…” meaning Sunday school on a corner with the homeless man. It paints a beautiful picture in my mind. He has another song called “My Jesus” asking the question about which Jesus do you follow? The one that you described above and in the Bible or some other version you painted as the American Dream? If Jesus were here would you walk right by on the other side of the street or fall down and worship at his holy feet? He wouldn’t be accepted in the church because his feet might stain the carpet… Anyways, I won’t talk about “Christian” music anymore… I read a book called Under The Overpass about a guy who was homeless for a summer and went to several different cities to experience what it was like to get shunned by society because of his appearance. He was turned away and asked to leave by many churches and at the same time there were others who really tried to help him… My perspective about homeless people has never been the same. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Rogue,
Well…I mentioned prophecies in Isaiah, the inherent poverty of being from a family of laborers in that culture, the teachings of Jesus about money that would seem strange coming from a rich man, Jesus’ own words about being without a home…basically this person brushed them all off saying God wants to bless his children because that is what will be a good witness to get converts and therefore Jesus couldn’t have been poor. So…I stopped talking about it. There never was a resolution.
T,
Thanks for the comment. Others have mentioned those Agnew songs on this site before. I listened to one of them once. It was cool for what it was. I give him props for not falling into the trap of making catchy music with bad theology though.
Des and I have both read Under the Overpass. She actually introduced it to me. Really good read. I’m glad you’ve read it.