Jesus is relevant. He transcends time and culture.
· What would you say to someone who says, “Jesus is irrelevant. He was a first-century Jew. How can His teaching possibly relate to my life?”
· How can He possibly relate to you, as an El Salvadorean, or me, being from the United States?
· If Jesus was in any way expressing God’s own morality, and was teaching a morality binding for all people, we would expect it to transcend the morality and culture of his day.
Jesus came with a message of life, of love, and of hope. This message transcends time and culture.
· Jesus called us to love our neighbor.
Mark 12:28-31
Who is my neighbor?
Jesus teaches to love outside moral and cultural boundaries. (Matthew 5:43-48)
Jesus hung out with tax collectors and sinners, not the “righteous”.
· Jesus extends the command to love beyond all cultural boundaries.
Luke 10:25-37 – The Good Samaritan
If Jesus was telling this story today, who would be the Samaritans for us?
· Jesus challenged the idea that God’s care & favor is limited to the righteous, or the wealthy, or those who are seen by the world as “success stories.” He taught radical grace.
The teachings of Christ were revolutionary in his day, such that those who actually followed his teachings stood out from their culture through their expression of love, forgiveness, care for one’s neighbor, and refusal to condemn others and so on.
