Undignified Christianity

Pastor Steve noted in his sermon last week that some feel the "It's a Boy" signs we're putting up all over town to proclaim our celebration of Christ's birth were a little "undignified."

Imagine that! Followers of Christ being perceived as undignified! Isn't that exactly what we are called to be?

Jesus Christ's ministry on this earth was anything but dignified. He hung out with people on the margins of society...people that "dignified" folks would never associate with. He routinely and brazenly flaunted pharasicital law...he dared to heal people on the Sabbath, to touch those deemed "unclean," and to proclaim himself the Son of God.

In fact, the people Jesus showed the most disdain for throughout the New Testament were the most "dignified" members of society...the priests and teachers and keepers of the law who thought themselves well above the types of people with whom Jesus Christ--Emmanuel, God With Us--spent most of his time with.

If we are to be more like Jesus, we need to be even more undignified in our expressions of faith. We live in a culture that sees the church as irrelevant, largely because we seem to be too focused on being dignified and not focused enough on living like the Christ we follow.