The Best "Jesus Jukes" of All-Time

 

The Jesus Juke.  Its when someone takes a random comment, joke, or situation and turns it hyper-spiritual.  When I was 17, I went on a mission trip with my church youth group.  Me and my best friend made matching t-shirts for the trip, normal stuff that obnoxious teenagers might do.  My shirt read, "He's R and I'm J", referencing the fact that "R" stood for Robby and "J" stood for Jeff.  A well-meaning older adult who came on the trip as a chaperon approached me and said, "I would have made a shirt that said He's Jesus and He's real!". 

 

BOOOM!!!! I had just been on the receiving end of my first Jesus Juke.  Oh, there's been many more since then.  Sometimes they're meant in jest, but sometimes they cut to the core.  I have my opinions on the Jesus Juke.  You might be surprised by it.  But first, read some of the best "Jesus Jukes" of all-time that I was able to conjure up on this beautiful thing we call the web....

 

 

"I'm not a Republican.  I'm not a Democrat.  I'm a Christocrat" (bumper sticker)

 

"The heat of Texas is nothing compared to the fire of hell" (a real church marquee I saw while attending Seminary)

 

"The only ghost in here is the Holy Ghost" (a lawn decoration during Halloween)

 

"Oh you're having a bad day?  Well, Jesus was nailed to a cross!  How's that for bad day?" (Twitter)

 

"I don't have time to download iOS7, I'm too busy using my iPhone to read my Bible" (Twitter)

 

"Santa Claus never died for anyone" (church sign)

 

"Bunnies stay dead.  Jesus didn't." (Internet meme during Easter season)

 

"Only one black Friday offers eternal savings." (another meme during Thanksgiving)

 

"Jesus isn't your homeboy" (church sign)

 

 

Its no surprise that most Jesus-jukes nowadays come about through social media.  I like what Stuff Christians Like blogger Jon Acuff says about "Jesus juking"...

 

1. It generates shame

2. It never leads to good conversation

3. You never meet people who were "juked" to Jesus

 

I wholeheartedly agree.  Jesus juking in such a way as to criticize, belittle, or pridefully stand in some holy corner is a bad excuse to be an unloving jerk whether its in person or on the Internet.  However, with that said, I also am not a fan of this new Christian movement that seems to be floating around out there.  The movement I'm talking about is the arrogant, hipster-like believers who seem to think its cool to not be vocal about their faith.  For lack of better term, they're the anti-Jesus-jukers. 

 

I'll explain it like this.....

 

You may have a relative (brother, uncle, cousin, etc..) that you're embarrassed to say that you are related to.  Embarrassment doesn't change the fact that you're related.  It just makes it difficult for you to admit that you belong to the same gene pool and carry the same blood.  There are many Christians who are embarrassed by other Christians.  Admittedly so, there are times when that embarrassment is justified.  Christians are capable of doing stupid and unholy things, just like everyone else.  At the same time, that embarrassment sometimes carries over into a type of middle-school politics.  All of a sudden you're too afraid to talk to your best friend because you're wearing North Face and they're wearing Wrangler.

 

We can get snooty and put on a false intellectualism that makes us more "easy on the eyes" to mainstream culture and alienates us from some of our Christian brothers.

 

I know Christians who are so passionate about their faith that Christ constantly comes off their lips.  Honestly, I tend to believe that's the way it should happen.  They're not intending to be legalistic Jesus-jukers, hyper critical, or unloving.  They just want to talk about Jesus!  They love the truth of the gospel!  They have genuine burden for the lost.

 

However, those same believers can sometimes take it on the chin from the Anti-Jesus-juking believers out there, because they're talking too much "Jesus".

 

For me, I'd rather be in the camp that talks too much Jesus.  (Yeah I know, that was probably a Jesus juke.)  But I don't care.  That's genuinely my heart!  My intent is not to criticize or belittle other believers.  I don't want to invite shame.  The Holy Spirit is all about conviction and change.  I just want people to know what excites me about living the way I do.  I truly believe its life-changing and real.  I wish everyone knew what a relationship with Christ is like.

 

My thoughts are:

 

1. Don't be an arrogant Jesus-juker looking to criticize and hold others to your legalistic standard.  It trivializes what Jesus is really about and communicates the wrong thing about the Gospel.

 

2.  Also, don't be an arrogant Anti-Jesus-juker looking to weave in with the culture and hide from your brothers and sisters in Christ.  We need each other!  Look at the power of God's church in Acts!  I'm sure it had its share of Jesus-jukers and sarcastic cool cats.  However, the Spirit united their hearts and they had all things in common!