Definition of terms: Plateau = the community in which three small towns are located Carbonado = a small town just outside of the Plateau
If Jesus walked into the Plateau today, what do you think He’d say, or do?
I was preaching in Carbonado one summer Sunday night about 20 years ago. It was a warm night, and the windows of the church were wide open to try to get a breeze to blow through.
No breeze blew in only the sound of the jukebox at the tavern around the corner.
I don’t remember what I was preaching on, something about Jesus I’m sure. With the sound of some Willie or Waylan song wafting through the church windows, I asked the question, “If Jesus came into town tonight, where would He go?”
I could see everyone smile as they thought of the Savior walking into our little church and joining our gathering. But then almost each face changed as we all realize that if He followed His New Testament pattern, He might well be down at the tavern. So I gave a benediction, and we all went for a beer. No, no, no. I just finished up my talk, and we went home. But I’m sure many of us couldn’t dismiss wondering if we were missing something.
Hence my question, what would Jesus say or do if he walked into Enumclaw, Buckley, or Bonny Lake? Do you think He’d be pleased? Would He recognize it as a part of His Kingdom or more like Wally’s World? (No offense Wally I read your column.)
What you see Jesus doing depends heavily on what you know of Him and how you understand His mission and methods.
Some might see Him on a street corner inviting unbelievers to “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
Others might see Him standing in the pulpit of some of our churches teaching the faithful and offering salvation to the seekers.
Still others might see Him at the hospital touching the sick, or at the Plateau Outreach Ministry helping the financially challenged.
Some with more active imaginations might see Him at the city office of revenue inviting a tax collector to leave that life behind and come follow Him.
Another might see Him at the local sports store seeking to save a fisherman from a life of depravation and degradation.
Some of us local ministers would surely hope to see Him sitting with the Plateau Ministerial Association members commenting on what we’re doing right and correcting what we’re doing wrong – oops.
What He Wouldn’t Be Able To Do
There are some things we know he wouldn’t be able to do. He couldn’t go to our schools and bless the little children. I can’t imagine Him being asked to speak at one of our high schools on “the benefits of abstaining from sex until marriage.”
And I wonder, do you think He could enter our government offices, draw all the people together, tell them how much His Father loves them, and then offer a prayer on their behalf?
Could He sit in our local court rooms and offer our judges some advice on what justice and mercy really look like?
Would the local teachers’ association invite him to teach on how to “raise up a child in the way he should go?”
Maybe He’d do all of these things, some of them or none.
Maybe He’d do what He did in Jerusalem, just stand outside the city limits and weep.
