Jesus Was Not a Christian

Jesus was not a Christian.

He never asked anyone to become a Christian,

            never built a steepled building,

            never drew up a theological treatise,

            never took an offering,

            never wore religious garments,

            never incorporated for tax purpose.

He simply called people to follow him.

That’s it. That, despite it’s simplicity is it.

He called people to follow him.

The first two were brothers: Simon and Andrew.

Regular guys, simple fishermen.

The first two Christians ever.

These brothers didn’t think at all about “becoming Christians” or taking on a new religion.

Here was this thirty-year-old-man (a carpenter) who simply said “follow me.”

And they believed him.

So, in faith, these two brothers gave their lives to him (literally),

            putting down their familiar nets and following him.

Here was the birthplace of a way of life,

            of a reality that would change the world forever.

Before hurrying on with words and centuries of theology,

            we must pause at the cradle of what we call Christianity.

It is never more than Jesus’ call: “Follow me”

            and a response: dropping familiar nets and following in faith,

            this sandaled Jewish man.

            It is never more than that.

Two thousand years of words can do nothing

           to the simple, basic reality of Christianity:

Those first steps

          taken by those two brothers.

         Peter and Andrew’s theology

         was as pure as it gets:

Jesus said, “Follow me.”  And we did.

Don Everts