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Jesus is a Threat
After his birth Joseph and Mary took Jesus away from the danger that King Herod posed. They had been warned that Herod was sending soldiers to kill all male babies of the same age in order that there should be no threat on the part of Jesus.

Even as young as a babe in arms Jesus was considered to have power. His birth had been celebrated by the Wise Men as a world changing birth of a king. This child of Bethlehem could have arisen against Herod and taken his throne eventually. Herod was scared of losing his position so he took no chances and had all those young boys murdered in order to be sure he had wiped out the threat of Jesus.

Even in the 21st century Jesus still poses a threat. He is a threat to those who rule by fear. Earlier in the 20th century he was seen as a threat by the Communists of the USSR. So the various leaders had most of the churches demolished or used for a different purpose. They thought that because there were now very few churches in which people could worship the Christian religion would die. Many years later we witnessed the Christian church suddenly increase again as the communists were replaced.

This was repeated all over Eastern Europe as the "Iron Curtain" was torn down. In many cases it was the Christians who spearheaded the moves to replace communist governments. Once again, the political leaders thought they could overwhelm Christianity for good. But Jesus was not dead and could rely on his silent followers to come out and declare him Lord.

The Nazis experienced the opposition of men like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, so they imprisoned them. Even though they eventually executed Bonhoeffer they could not extinguish Christianity and its opposition to them. Other regimes have arisen and tried to sweep away the followers of Jesus without ultimate success. Each time they have tried to block Christianity their efforts have failed. Iron Curtains and Berlin walls cannot restrain the power of the risen Jesus.

You too may think you can blank Jesus out of your life, but you cannot. But why would you want to do this? Could it be because you know his words are true and powerful? Is it because he is always there to haunt you when you are doing just what you please? Is it because he acts as a sort of conscience, challenging you when you do wrong?

Many parents come to church to have their children baptised and have no intention of returning to worship God each following Sunday. So why do they come? Could it be some sort of insurance policy taken out just in case Jesus really is alive in the current age? People come to have their loved ones laid to rest or cremated. Is this another insurance policy in case there really is a life beyond death? Do they come just to cover all bets?

It all tells me that Jesus still poses a threat to people in this supposedly Godless society. Currently religion and aspects of Christianity are very popular degree course subjects. Against a background of closing churches and dwindling congregations this is a strange state of affairs.

The fact is that Jesus does threaten society. People today still crave all the expensive alternatives provided by the acquisitive society. Four wheel drive cars, playstations, x boxes, mp3 players, mobile phone cameras are things that will have sold well together with fashionable clothes and jewellery this Christmas. Even Christmas that everyone looked forward to this year has now gone into the history books. Nothing lasts forever. There is nothing in this world that can sustain a person forever. But there is Jesus. He can sustain you as long as you live. He can walk with you all your days.

Remember the days when everything has appeared to fall apart. What has been the result? You have suddenly known who were your friends. Jesus stands in the same place. When you are slapped down he is there to lift you back up. When you run out of stamina he can give you a burst of energy. When you feel alone there is a friend standing by you. How he does it is through the actions of others who see your need and respond to it. If you feel alone in the world, stretch out your hand and the hand that grips you was put there by Jesus.

The difficult part is that he provides no guarantee against difficulty and hardship. You have to endure whatever the experience is. The difference is that you find the strength to continue through Jesus. When things are going badly, when they appear to have sunk to an all time low there is always someone who comes to you and gives you a helping hand. It restores your faith in humanity. But humanity is inspired by God through the power of the Holy Spirit. So really your faith in humanity is faith in God, though you do not realise this.

To Christians God is the great sustainer throughout life. He keeps us going when the traction is lost. We do not experience an easier life through faith in God. We go through the same experience as others. But the fact is that God makes a difference. In the early stages of being without a minister a church was visited by the Synod Moderator. His words of encouragement were: "The minister has gone, but Jesus is here."

This is the difference. When we seem lost we suddenly find ourselves through Jesus. If you have not made the discovery that he is alive in you then you have a wonderful discovery to make. These days with modern scholarship pointing out the errors in what was once thought to be eternal truth it is easy to find oneself doubting the existence of God. For instance, if there were to be found bones which were positively identified as those of Jesus, do you think this would be the end of Christianity? No, it would not be the end, because we have a warm feeling inside which reminds us that Jesus is alive within us. That feeling cannot be wiped out by any outside force. We have Jesus for keeps.

You too can have him for keeps. Provided that you and I tell others of our relationship with Jesus there will always be a Christian religion. Unlike some of our flora and fauna the movement will never become extinct. It has the benefit of a promise made by Jesus, "I am with you always, even to the end of the world." Each promise made is kept. Each promise may be totally relied upon. We depend on these promises and we are never disappointed.

Look for Jesus and you will find him. Having found him, he is yours to keep forever.