If Jesus were bon today!

I don’t mean the second coming of Christ-the question is what if the birth of Christ had happened today, in the twenty-first century rather than over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. What if he had been born today in Lagos, Enugu or Jos rather than amongst the Jews? Would we have received him differently than the Jews did? Wouldn’t we have crucified him just like they did? Would the “Pharisees” and “Sadducees” of our time have acted differently from those of the time of Christ’s first coming? Would the trial and mob lynching of Christ have taken a different course if it occurred today? I do not think so, and I will paint scenarios based on current day practices of how the story may have turned out.

First many in the church today are so pre-occupied with gossip, slander and wickedness that if Mary the mother of Christ had the virgin conception today, she would have been the subject of malicious and salacious gossip. “Sister Mary has committed adultery oh!” The evidence of the Holy Spirit and the scriptures would not come into the equation. No body will pray, read the scriptures or even ask poor Sister Mary for her own account. She would be condemned and perhaps the world would have missed the opportunity of recognizing that the king that was prophesied had come while the masters of propaganda who are numerous in the church turn her into the subject of their “holy gist”.

And then Jesus was born in a manger! Of course we would all declare that our God is not a God of poverty! The expected saviour, just like the Jews expected should be born in St. Nicholas, or the National Hospital or perhaps the mother ought to have traveled to New York or Paris to have him. But to be born in the midst of donkeys and hay-God forbid! Of course even if the three wise men from the east follow the stars diligently until it leads them to that Bethlehemite-like manger, today’s wise men would immediately turn back and search in more prestigious locations for the messiah. The place must be a fine sanctuary in Ikoyi, Victoria-Island, Lekki, Ikeja etc, or perhaps the chapel in Aso Rock! And who was his father-a carpenter? Can any thing good come out of Nazareth?

Jesus suddenly one day started preaching, and calling the twelve disciples. How many today will have answered the call of a poor carpenter’s son to leave all and follow him? He had not gone to believer’s class, worker’s training, bible school etc. He had not been ordained, except of course by the Holy Spirit itself. But like somebody said, if God were to withdraw the Holy Spirit completely from this world, we wouldn’t notice. Today’s Christians figure everything out for themselves. Like they say, we apply “wisdom”! Jesus would have been challenged-“who ordained you?”, “I became a minister before you!”, “I am your senior in ministry”. Today’s church is pre-occupied with hierarchy and position and would have dismissed Christ as an upstart!

Like Herod, we would have tried to kill him, not to present gifts like the three wise men. When Jesus called the disciples, perhaps only Judas would have answered, recognizing the commercial opportunity! And of course, the saviours of today will not say anything to offend the powers that be. They would apply wisdom. They would not offend the Pharisees, Sadducees or other principalities and powers of their time. If anyone did, we would accuse him of pride and arrogance, and undiplomatic behaviour. His followers will immediately desert him in favour of a more conciliatory pastor. His miracle of feeding the thousands with one basket of fish would not have impressed us. Can’t he give us good jobs, cars and fine houses instead of some miserable fish!

The followers of Christ today will try to bribe him. They would employ sycophancy and “eye-service” and try to turn him into an earthly king. They will encourage him to commercialise his ministry. If he refuses their satanic entreaties, his senior ministers will defect and form their own churches and become very rich-on earth. Judas will not have betrayed Christ for only thirty pieces of silver! He would simply set up his own church! The sisters in the church will have seen several visions with the “spirit” revealing to many of them that Jesus was supposed to be their husband. Unlike Mary Magdalene, Martha and her sister Mary, and all the other sisters of the time of Christ, today’s sisters will “ask for more!”

And when the trials of Christ commence, in order that he can fulfill the will of his father and accomplish his mission on earth, we would say like the friends of Job that he should check himself, it is due to his sins, such trials cannot happen to a child of God, he must have done something wrong. Alternatively it is household wickedness, or witchcraft in his family, or perhaps a generational curse. He would need to go for deliverance! Of course there is wickedness and witchcraft in the world, even in the church-that is not new. In the time of Job, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.” (Job 1:6) I have personally beheld with my own eyes four sisters-a pastor’s wife who was herself a pastor, the head of the choir, a deaconess and a leading usher performing satanic rituals in church, while innocent children of God were praying. I saw them and they saw me, but they are too far gone!

If Jesus came today, who will be the Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes? Who will be the principalities and powers? Who will be the ones to oppose him? Will they be found in the Church or outside it? Would Jesus call many of us Pharisees if he came today? Jesus condemned the Pharisees for “laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8). Would he say that of us? Would Christ rebuke us as “An evil and adulterous generation seeking after a sign?” (Mathew 12: 39) Would he see us like the Pharisee who stood up and declared himself righteous unlike the “extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican” or like the publican who prayed “God be merciful to me, a sinner” (Mathew 18:9-14).

And then Jesus was humiliated, brutalised, treated with extreme wickedness, condemned before Pilate, the Jews preferring a notorious thief and criminal, Barrabas to be released to them rather than Jesus the Messiah. He was mocked, beaten and killed at 33 years of age, nailed to the cross. We would have questioned whether that could be the will of God. Why should a Christian die at 33 years of age? It does not accord with our normal expectation of how our King and Saviour should die, but praise the Lord; he rose on the third day conquering sin and death and giving us hope of salvation. I pray that the peace and blessings of Christ will abide with us all. Amen.