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JESUS: A MAVERICK IN HIS TIME!

Jesus was a maverick. He was so radically different, not because he was God, but because he was a true and authentic human being. Furthermore, he said we’re to follow him in our attitudes, speech and behavior.

So what were his outstanding characteristics?

I. FIRST, HE WAS A STRONG WILLED CHILD.

Now, this was in an age when children were to be seen and not heard. Like women and slaves, minors had few rights. Yet, he was aware of his own agenda at the age of twelve: “The child, Jesus . . . was filled with wisdom beyond his years . . . When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem . . .” (Luke 2:40,42-43).

He questioned his elders: “When (his parents) couldn't’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there . . . He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Luke 2:45-47).

He spoke assertively to his parents: “His parents didn’t know what to think. ‘Son!’ his mother said to him. ‘Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.’ ‘But why did you need to search?’ he asked. ‘You should have known that I would be in my Father’s house’ ” (Luke 2:48-49).

Now, Jesus was not disrespectful or rebellious, but he was firm and a little confrontational.

II. NEXT, HE WAS AN AUTONOMOUS YOUNG MAN.

Again, at that time blood kinship was extremely important. Clans rose or fell as a unit. Yet, he had a specific personal mission in life: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day . . .” (John 9:4, kjv);

“Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work” (John 4:34).

He put compatible values and goals over family relationships: “Once when Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, they couldn’t get to him because of the crowds. Someone told Jesus, ‘Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to see you.’ Jesus replied, ‘My mother and my brothers are all those who hear the message of God and obey it’ ” (Luke 8:19-21).

He refused to comply with traditional customs: “One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?’ ” (Matt. 9:14).
He broke taboos by healing on the sabbath. Now, Jesus didn't deliberately flaunt rituals and rules, but he didn't let them determine his life-style.

III. THEN, HE EXPRESSED UNPOPULAR IDEAS.

He didn’t care about public opinion and never asked “What will people say?” In a world of dictators and masters, it was considered wise to agree and obey. Yet, he challenged important leaders: “He taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him” (Luke 19:47).

He refused to pander to the rich. "Jesus . . . said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for rich people to get into the Kingdom of God!’ ” (Mark 10:23).

He was extremely tolerant of other races and religions. He made hated individuals the heroes of his stories: “A despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them” (Luke 10:33-31).
He elevated the status of disgraced people: “One (leper), when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, ‘Praise God, I’m healed!’ He fell face down on the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan” (Luke 17:15-16).

He rewarded those of alien religions: “A woman came to him . . . begging him to release her child from the demon’s control. Since she was a Gentile . . . Jesus told her, ‘First I should help my own family, the Jews . . . She replied, ‘That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are given some crumbs . . .’ ‘Good answer!’ he said. ‘And because you have answered so well, I have healed your daughter’ ” (Mark 7:25-29).

Now, Jesus was socially adaptable, but he was not always politically or spiritually "correct" in his speech and action.

IV. ALSO, HE ASSOCIATED WITH UNDESIRABLES.

He never tried to rub shoulders with the elite and didn’t worry about being contaminated by the “low class.” In a culture that punished assertiveness, deviation was dangerous. Yet, he taught women, and this was taboo: “Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha (objected) . . . But the Lord said to her, ‘. . . There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from her’ ” (Luke 10:39-42).

He even touched women, which was a greater taboo. “A certain immoral woman . . . knelt behind him at his feet, weeping . . . Then she kept kissing his feet . . . The Pharisee . . . said . . . ‘This proves that Jesus is no prophet. If God had really sent him, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!’ ” (Luke 7:37-39).

He took up for sinners: “Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such despicable people—even eating with them!” (Luke 15:1-2);

“The teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery . . . ‘Teacher,’ they said to Jesus, ‘this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?’ They were trying to trap him . . . but Jesus . . . said, ‘All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!’ . . . Then Jesus . . . said to her, ‘Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?’ ‘No, Lord,’ she said. And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I’ ” (John 8:3-11).

He praised the spirituality and morality of other faiths: “When Jesus heard (what the centurion said, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd, he said, ‘I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all the land of Israel!’ ” (Luke 7:9).

Now, Jesus was a Jew and he never rejected his heritage, but he respected all people without discrimination.

V. FINALLY, HE RIDICULED ORTHODOX RELIGIONS.

This was a most surprising and dangerous thing to do. People will kill to defend their religion. In a civilization that stoned heretics, free thinking in spiritual matters was not the way to stay alive. Yet, he challenged Moses and early Scriptures: “You have heard that the law of Moses says, “If an eye is injured, injure the eye of the person who did it. If a tooth gets knocked out, knock out the tooth of the person who did it.” But I say, don’t resist an evil person! . . . You have heard that the law of Moses says, “Love your neighbor” and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! . . .’ ”(Matt. 5:38-39,43-44).

He criticized leaders of the synagogue: “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit” (Matt. 21:43);

“When you give a gift to someone in need, don’t shout about it as the hypocrites do . . . to call attention to their acts of charity! . . . And when you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners . . . where everyone can see them . . ." (Matt. 6:2,5);

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really wolves that will tear you apart” (Matt. 7:15);

“How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity” (Matt. 23:27).

He advocated unusual moral priorities. Even saying that prostitutes would come out ahead of priests: “I assure you, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do” (Matt. 21:31);

He put relationships over worship: “If you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God” (Matt 5:23-24).

Now, Jesus participated in the normal worship practices of his culture, but he subordinated doctrines and sacrifices to concern and kindness.

Yes, anyone who reads the gospels must admit that Jesus was a maverick. Almost every word he spoke was astonishing. Almost every deed he did was questionable. Almost every place he went was suspect. In fact, in the Sermon On the Mount, he turned tradition and the world upside-down: “God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them. God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers” (Matt. 5:5-9,11).
Now, what does this say to us? How does it affect our lifestyles? Would he want us to continue observing the habits of our family, just because there’s a blood connection? Would he want us to blithely follow the teachings of our denomination just because that’s what they’ve always believed? Would he want us to automatically agree with the pronouncements of our government just because that’s patriotic?

No! As Christians; as followers of Jesus, we’re to be autonomous! We’re to ignore public opinion! We’re to think for ourselves and set our own agenda. As a result, we’ll probably be called “mavericks” in our time.

(WC1693)
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This issue of NEW PERSPECTIVES is from an unpublished manuscript © copyrighted 2008 by Miles and Maralene Wesner, Idabel, OK. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE THEM IN ANY WAY YOU THINK IS APPROPRIATE. The only thing we ask is that you give credit for original material in PUBLISHED works.

Miles E Wesner