Caricatures Of Christianity

Caricatures of Christianity

as edited by Henry Shellman

Original Idea and manuscript written by Rev. Aaron McCollough-freshfireministries.com

Preached and Posted with his permission and prayers

Matthew 28: 19-20

John 15: 1-12

Text Scripture:

Matthew 28: 19-20

Matthew 28:19 – Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

John 15: 1-12 – I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2: Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3: Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4: Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5: I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6: If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7: If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

8: Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

9: As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10: If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

11: These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12: This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

• Who knows what a caricature is?

• Dictionary.com defines it as:

a. A representation, especially pictorial or literary, in which the subject’s distinctive features or peculiarities are deliberately exaggerated to produce a comic or grotesque effect.

b. The art of creating such representations.

c. A grotesque imitation or misrepresentation: The trial was a caricature of justice.

So, today I intend to speak upon the distinctive features and peculiarities of the church and Christianity that have been grotesquely distorted – sometimes with even a comical effect?

ILLUSTRATION:

• On the wall between the bookshelf and computer hutch hangs a caricature of me and Patsy.

• We had it drawn while at the Nations in Kansas City.

• The artist talked with us prior to painting the caricature and discovered I was a preacher and she is an executive assistant.

• In the caricature, I have a great big head.

• I have a Bible in one hand and the other is out stretched like I am preaching.

• Patsy has a big head, tiny body and is sitting at a computer.

• This is a conversation piece.

• Many people have gotten a laugh at this caricature.

• However – it’s not a true representation of us!!!

Suppose somebody had never seen either of us and we sent them this caricature.

Wouldn’t it be silly of them to either accept or reject us based upon a caricature?

Sadly, this is exactly what is happening today.

People aren’t rejecting Christ – they’re rejecting the caricature of CHURCHIANITY we are presenting to them!

The Mandate to Make Disciples:

As Christians, Matthew 28: 19-20 gives us our marching orders.

“Go ye” can be better interpreted: “As you are going”

“Teach” can be better interpreted as: “Make disciples”

Let me read those verses to you this way: Therefore, as you are going, disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I gave command to you; and behold I am with you all the days until the completion of the age.

As Christians, our mandate from Jesus Christ is to Go – nowhere does it say they will come – rather for us to go – and as we are going – to make disciples.

The place you’re going in life isn’t really what’s important!

What’s important is that wherever your life path leads you – as you go – make disciples.

My fear today is that we have become good at making “church-goers” a caricature if you will – instead of making real disciples.

We’ve become satisfied with a religion that sort of resembles Christianity – that makes us feel good and laugh – but produces absolutely no deep change in the life of the believer.