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How would you rate yourself as a
Christian? Would you say you're reserved,
quiet...private about your relationship with
Christ? Would you say you're a
"normal" (define normal in your own terms)
Christian? Maybe you're a LITTLE open
about your faith? Would you define your
Christianity as radical? By radical, I'm talking
about a tongue-talking, Bible thumping, God-
obsessed, Spirit possessed, radical fanatical
on fire Jesus freak child of God!
Does that sound a little bit too "out
there" for you? It shouldn't, because that's
how men and women of the Bible were. And
they weren't necessarily rich executives who
had everything in life. In fact, some of them
who WERE rich and living lives of luxury actu-
ally risked everything in their radical stance for (Acts 19:11). At one point, just his presence
God. And it was the radicals who changed
the world around them!
Although Jesus was the Son of God,
He was also a Man. Hence, the reference,
"Son of Man". Even as a Baby, He was caus-
ing a ruckus.
Matthew 2:3 tells us, "When Herod the
kng heard this, he was troubled, and all Jeru-
salem with him." The word troubled is the
Greek word larasso. It means to unsettle, stir
up, agitate, disturb, trouble. It's used in a
physical sense, but its primary use in the New
Testament is metaphorical. Some of the
things it denotes mental agitation from fear or
perplexity. An upheaval in the spirit. So even
the mention of Jesus coming as King (before
they had even met Him!) caused all of Jerusa-
lem to be unsettled, stirred up, agitated, dis-
turbed, mentally agitated, perplexed. And
again, remember...this was just at the mention
of His coming! Not to mention some of the
radical things He did when He was around
people! Think about it. You're sitting in
church one day, and in walks a Man, and He
begins tipping tables over and pushing people
out the door, shouting at them not to use
God's house as a means of capitalization!
How radical is that!
Paul was a radical for Jesus who had
given up everything for the cause of Christ.
Philippians 3:5 tells us he was "circumcised
the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the
tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews,
concerning the law, a Pharisee."
Paul had studied at the feet of a man
named Gamaliel. According to Christian tradi-
tion, Gamaliel was a Pharisee doctor of Jew-
ish Law, who was held in great esteem.
With all the honors Paul had as a man,
he chose something worth much more...to
know Jesus Christ experientially, and to pro-
claim Him to others. Paul was a radical who
turned the world upside down.
We're told in the book of Acts that God
worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul
in Ephesus caused a riot. People were shout-
ing, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" for
about two hours!
In Acts 17, Paul and Silas were in
Thessalonica. The radical things they did
caused an uproar to the extent people were
looking for them. Because they couldn't find
Paul and Silas, they dragged Jason and some
of the brethren in front of the rulers of the city.
I love what they cried out. "These who have
turned the world upside down have come here
too." (Acts 17:6). When I read that, I imme-
diatley cried out, "Lord, cause ME to be so
radical...so obsessed with You that my mere
presence turns the world around me upside
down!"I've seen some amazing things in my
Christian life. I've had countless dreams that I
KNEW were from God when I woke up. I've
had dreams of Heaven. I've had dreams of
the return of Jesus Christ. I've actually heard
the Lord's voice AUDIBLY on several occa-
sions. I've seen people VIBRATING off the
floor, like they were on a pogo stick, under the
power of the Lord. I've prayed for blind peo-
ple and watched the Lord heal them. I've had
my entire bedroom light up with the Lord's
presence. I've been so drenched in His pres-