Virtual Jesus: Who is the real Jesus?
Is Jesus a relic of the past, a killjoy, a self-help guru or even toxic? Why do millions of people around the world follow this man?
Join us as we journey into the heart of John's Gospel and unravel the profound 'I Am' sayings of Jesus. This series isn't just another lecture; it's an invitation to encounter the core of Christ's identity and an opportunity to connect with the Son of God personally.
In these ten weeks, we'll unveil the intriguing nuances of Jesus' self-revelation, shedding light on his roles as the Shepherd, the Resurrection, the Way, and so much more. Whether you're sceptical, seeking answers, or intrigued, come and experience Jesus in his own words – a God who bridges the gap between divinity and humanity, offering solace, purpose, and a transformative encounter that speaks to the depths of your heart.
These life-changing truths transcend time and speak to the essence of your existence.
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17/9/2023 // RELIC JESUS
While some might be sceptical, most people today accept that Jesus was a real person in history. But they leave him there, consigned to history, a relic, of interest only to the historian. He might have been a good teacher, but little more.
But this harmless, good teacher of history is a ‘Virtual Jesus’. He doesn’t exist. Jesus, faced with the religious leaders of his day, boldly claimed to be divine, with the words, ‘Before Abraham was, I AM’.
24/9/2023 // CANCELLED JESUS
Jesus said many things that people today find hard to swallow. Some of what the Bible says is simply, ‘yuck’ to many modern hearers. It may be surprising to realise that the hearers in Jesus’ day also found his message distasteful and unpleasant!
Crowds that had gathered soon turned away when Jesus said, ‘I am the Bread of Life’. Jesus may have been cancelled at the time, but his offer to satisfy us, spiritually and eternally is still held out to all today.
1/10/2023 // TOXIC JESUS
We live in an age that is highly sensitive to ‘toxic leadership/authority’ figures, and understandably so. Toxic authority and the abuse of power is horrific. If Jesus demands people submit to his leadership, then he must be toxic too.
Yet, Jesus boldly and graciously claimed, ‘I am the Good Shepherd’. Could this really be good news? Is this an authority that avoids the toxicity we have become so familiar with?
8/10/2023 //MORAL JESUS
Another ‘Virtual Jesus’ is the wise, moral teacher, teaching in parables and explaining how to be nice. But Jesus didn’t say he’d come to shed light on the moral issues of the day, he instead claimed, ‘I am the Light of the World’. The light of life itself, not just a torch to help us stumble through the darkness.
15/10/2023 // KILLJOY JESUS
For some, ‘giving your life to Jesus’ would be ‘game over’ for the type of life they really want to live. Christianity is a killjoy. Death to personal freedom, death to relationships, habits and behaviours that we enjoy.
But Jesus didn’t come to offer death. He said, ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life’. He offers abundance, not limitation. How can he be offering more, when Christianity seems to offer less?
22/10/2023 // SCAM JESUS
Religion. Famously the ‘opium of the masses’. A trick. An illusion. A way to control people. Although some may see the claims of Christianity as a trap, Jesus in his own words claims, ‘I am the Door’.
In a world of a myriad of options, could this be a door worth opening? What is behind it? Is this another confidence trick or a promise that can be trusted?
29/10/2023 // GURU JESUS
Jesus. One of many spiritual sages over the span of human history, offering a path to enlightenment, right? Another voice from many that we can listen to as we see fit. None should be elevated above others - they’re all equally valid.
So goes many people’s attitudes to the words of Jesus. But Jesus said, ‘I am the Way’. He didn’t see himself as offering an alternative, but the definitive and exclusive way to eternity. How can such an emphatic claim be taken seriously in the pluralistic world of today?
5/11/2023 // IRRELEVANT JESUS
What is most important to me is my truth. What I feel is my reality. My experiences are my existence. Whatever Jesus said thousands of years ago, might be interesting, but it's hardly relevant to my life right now.
Into the context of the deeply personally defined ideas of truth of today, Jesus makes a startling claim, “I am the Truth’. Not even, I am true, but I am truth itself. Truth about life. Truth about existence. Truth about me and truth about you, is found in him.
12/11/2023 // SNOWFLAKE JESUS
Gentle Jesus, meek and mild - he’d hardly stand a chance in the robust, social-media obsessed, rage-fuelled climate of today. We want our leaders to be tough and strong and have grit. Not sandal-wearing weaklings who offer nice platitudes.
Yet Jesus says of himself, ‘I am the True Vine’. He claims to bring genuine fruitfulness to our lives. He doesn’t wither away, he brings life and strength and potency to even the weakest of people. How can it be?
26/11/2023 // VIRTUAL JESUS
As we draw the series to a close we look at Jesus’ arrest, where he simply says, ‘I am He’ and armed guards are literally knocked off their feet.
Jesus is still having this effect today. Still surprising us, still astounding us, still humbling us and then building us back up again. He is God. He is real. He is with us. The real Jesus is here.
Virtual Jesus // 1 Relic Jesus - Matt Carvel // John 8:48-59
While some might be sceptical, most people today accept that Jesus was a real person in history. But they leave him there, consigned to history, a relic, of interest only to the historian. He might have been a good teacher, but little more.
But this harmless, good teacher of history is a ‘Virtual Jesus’. He doesn’t exist. Jesus, faced with the religious leaders of his day, boldly claimed to be divine, with the words, ‘Before Abraham was, I AM’.
Here are some application questions:
1. Reflecting on the discussion in the video, what are your own perceptions and beliefs about Jesus? How do you think his teachings and claims continue to impact society today?
2. How do you think cancel culture and the potential consequences of words and actions impact discussions and perceptions of religious figures like Jesus today?
3. How can we reconcile the historical figure of Jesus with the spiritual and religious significance attributed to him?
Virtual Jesus // 2 Cancelled Jesus - Tobi Ford-Western // John 8:48-59
Jesus said many things that people today find hard to swallow. Some of what the Bible says is simply, ‘yuck’ to many modern hearers. It may be surprising to realise that the hearers in Jesus’ day also found his message distasteful and unpleasant!
Crowds that had gathered soon turned away when Jesus said, ‘I am the Bread of Life’. Jesus may have been cancelled at the time, but his offer to satisfy us, spiritually and eternally is still held out to all today
Here are some application questions:
1. Consider the scene after Jesus feeds the five thousand. How can we avoid seeking superficial benefits from our connection with Jesus and instead pursue a deeper understanding and relationship with him?
2. Reflect on the concept of genuine belief in Jesus, beyond intellectual agreement. How does actively engaging with and internalizing his teachings impact our faith? In what ways can we savor and truly consume the bread of life, rather than just confessing Jesus as such?
3. How can we wrestle with difficult concepts and ideas found in the teachings of Jesus? How does this process deepen our understanding and appreciation of his grace and beauty?
4. In what specific ways can we savour and internalize the beauty and grace found in Jesus' teachings? How can we intentionally pause and reflect on his words, allowing them to shape our thoughts, attitudes, and actions?
Virtual Jesus // 3 I Am the Good Shepherd - Neville Jones // John 10:1-18
We live in an age that is highly sensitive to ‘toxic leadership/authority’ figures, and understandably so. Toxic authority and the abuse of power is horrific. If Jesus demands people submit to his leadership, then he must be toxic too.
Yet, Jesus boldly and graciously claimed, ‘I am the Good Shepherd’. Could this really be good news? Is this an authority that avoids the toxicity we have become so familiar with?
Here are some application questions:
1. How do you personally experience or interpret the concept of hearing Jesus' voice in your life? Are there specific ways that you have found to be more receptive to his voice?
2. How does Jesus knowing His sheep by name demonstrate a personal relationship? What does that mean for your own journey of discovering Jesus?
3. How might viewing Jesus as the Good Shepherd change your perception of authority?
Virtual Jesus // 4 Moral Jesus - I am the Light of the World - Matt Carvel // John 8:12-20
Another oft imagined perception of Jesus is a moral teacher who dispensed guidelines for life. The moral, ritualistic context of the Feast of Tabernacles, complete with shining lamps, is the backdrop for Jesus’ mighty claim, ‘I am the Light of the World’. The religious leaders are quick to jump on Jesus here, challenging the authority of his testimony. Jesus replies, ‘you judge according to the flesh’ and instead appeals to the witness of His Father.
Jesus is not a moral system. In fact he set himself as a fulfilment of the religious system of the Bible. He is not just a light that helps us navigate the world, He is the light - the source of life itself. Notice v12, when we receive Him, we won’t just avoid the darkness but will obtain the ‘light of life’ itself.
Here are some application questions:
1. Matt highlights the idea of "finding your voice." Reflect on your own life and journey. How have you discovered and embraced your unique voice? What challenges did you face along the way, and how did you overcome them?
2. Having the right community around us and surrounding ourselves with supportive individuals is so important. How can we actively seek out like-minded individuals who encourage our personal growth and journey? Share some practical strategies or steps you can take to build and nurture a strong community around you.
3. The concept of compassion plays a significant role in the preach. Discuss a time when someone showed remarkable compassion towards you. How did that experience impact your life? Can you think of ways in which you can extend compassionate gestures to others in your own community or circle?
4. Think about a time when you had a transformative encounter or conversation with someone from a different background or perspective. How did that interaction broaden your own understanding and empathy? How can we actively seek out and engage with diverse individuals to challenge our preconceived notions and promote inclusivity in our communities?
Virtual Jesus // 5 I Am The Resurrection and the Life - Tobi Ford-Western // John 11:1-44
To many, the idea of giving your life to Jesus would be the end of the type of life we really want to live. It’s a death to my own autonomy, it’s death to certain relationships or habits or behaviours that I enjoy. It’s ‘game over’. And perhaps that’s why Christianity is only for people who mess up their lives and are really desperate.
But Jesus says to come to Him is not ‘game over’, it is life only just beginning. He is the resurrection and the beginning of life that lasts forever. Whatever we enjoy about life now is actually just a taste of the eternal life that Jesus offers us. In our short time on earth, understandably our instinct is to grab hold of all the good things that we can, but Jesus raises the dead. That changes the landscape, entirely. Why snatch all we can out of life, when we can come to the one that gives life that lasts forever?
Here are some application questions:
1. How do you personally rely on God during difficult times? What are some practical ways you trust in God's guidance and support?
2. Reflecting on the concept of picking up your cross, what areas in your life do you find it challenging to surrender control? How can you cultivate a mindset of trusting in God's plan instead?
3. How does the truth that Jesus is the resurrection and the life bring comfort and hope to you in times of loss, grief, or uncertainty about the afterlife? Share any personal experiences or perspectives related to this.
Virtual Jesus // 6 I Am The Door - Matt Carvel // John 1:1-18
Religion. Famously the ‘opium of the masses’. A trick. An illusion. A way to control people. Although some may see the claims of Christianity as a trap, Jesus in his own words claims, ‘I am the Door’.
In a world of a myriad of options, could this be a door worth opening? What is behind it? Is this another confidence trick or a promise that can be trusted?
Here are some application questions:
1. Do you find it difficult to accept Jesus' statement that He is the only way to salvation? Why or why not?
2.Consider the significance of Jesus being both the sacrificial lamb and the door to salvation. How does this dual role deepen your understanding of His purpose and mission?
3. How can you actively engage with Jesus as the door in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to deepen your relationship with Him and grow in your understanding of His role as the way to salvation?
4. Are there any areas in your life where you have not fully surrendered to Jesus as the door? How can you open those areas to His transformative work and allow Him to guide and lead you towards God's blessings?
Virtual Jesus // 7 Guru Jesus - Matt Carvel // John 14:1-7
Jesus. One of many spiritual sages over the span of human history, offering a path to enlightenment, right? Another voice from many that we can listen to as we see fit. None should be elevated above others - they’re all equally valid.
So goes many people’s attitudes to the words of Jesus. But Jesus said, ‘I am the Way’. He didn’t see himself as offering an alternative, but the definitive and exclusive way to eternity. How can such an emphatic claim be taken seriously in the pluralistic world of today?
Here are some application questions:
1. What are some different ways that people in your community or culture seek to find meaning in life? How do these approaches differ?
2. In what ways do you think Jesus offers a unique perspective on life's meaning? How does his claim to be the way, the truth, and the life resonate with you?
3. How do you think knowing Jesus and understanding He is the way can provide reassurance and a sense of purpose for the future?
