A JESUS SHAPE

Randy Klassen

“A Jesus Shape.” I had not read that expression before, and it intrigued me. Michael King used it in his book, Trackless Wastes and Stars to Steer By. Let me give the context. King writes, “Does Jesus establish his truth by engaging his disciples in complex philosophical argument? No! ‘Follow me,’” Jesus says, then adds, says King, “‘Each tree is known by its fruit.’ Jesus asks not how well you can argue, but how well you can follow.” And if you follow, you will discover that an otherworldly fruit is being developed. “It will give you a Jesus Shape.”

I was arrested by those words. I believe they take us to the heart of what it means to be a Christian. We follow Jesus and his body becomes visible. We take on a Jesus shape.

While in seminary, however, I felt I needed to master systematic theology and apologetics. I was eager to be an effective evangelist, so I believed these would be the tools I would need to convince anyone of the truth of the gospel. In retrospect, I must confess that in over 35 years in the ministry, I convinced very few by skillful argument.

Those who came to faith in Jesus were usually those whose lives were touched by the kindness of someone in the church. My part was often as untheological as sharing a lunch with a fellow Chamber of Commerce member, helping a stranded motorist, assisting in the move of a professor acquaintance, or finding more customers for a good mechanic friend.

One of our missionaries told of an Islamic cleric who took the bold step of becoming a Christian because he had noticed that our World Relief supplies were not given only to Christians but to any in need regardless of their religious affiliation.

Something more compelling than doctrinal correctness was happening in these cases.

While I was recovering from heart surgery last spring, my wife brought me some good reading material, including Johannes Jorgenson’s Saint-Francis of Assisi. I did know several things about him but had never read a full biography. Since he was Roman Catholic, I, a Protestant, would have some suspicion about “his theology.” But for now I would focus on his life.

As I read his story, the Jesus shape appeared. Jorgenson describes Francis’ life as “a song of praise of the risen Christ.” What a beautiful commendation!

It didn’t begin that way. As a rich young rebel, Francis especially hated lepers. Then came his conversion. Soon after, when riding his horse, he came upon a leper and immediately pulled the reins to go in the opposite direction. Then he remembered what he sensed the Lord had said to him: “What you once hated will become a source of joy for you.” He sprang from his horse, gave generous alms, and kissed the hands of the surprised leper. That was the first of many encounters Francis would have with lepers, including a few years later, establishing a place of care for those plagued with leprosy.

Francis believed his calling was to be an evangelist. How differently did he portray that calling than some called evangelists on TV in America today! Francis once described the role of an evangelist in these words. “What else are the servants of God than his singers, whose duty it is to light up the hearts of all people moving them to spiritual joy.” He gave his fellow missionary-evangelists this threefold prescription:

1. Don’t argue or dispute with those to whom you have come. But be subject to them in love. This will show them how a Christian behaves.

2. When it pleases the Lord, you will sense the right time to share the good news from God’s Word and invite a commitment to the Triune God.

3. Rejoice always! “Let those who belong to the devil hang their heads—we have every reason to be glad and rejoice in the Lord.” Then he added, “This joy arises from purity of heart and perseverance in prayer.”

We saw in Mother Teresa’s ministry the same principles lived out. Once when I illustrated a sermon with reference to her Christ-like actions toward the poor and dying on the streets of Calcutta, India, a couple decided to leave our church. Didn’t I realize how wrong her theology was? “She believes in salvation by good works!”—or so they charged. This couple was so committed to a “correct” theology, they missed seeing the beauty of the Jesus shape in her life of service.

Sound biblical theology remains important for me, but it has moved back a notch or two in my life’s priorities. As the apostle Paul once said, “We know in part.” How could we know more when we consider the marvelous mystery of who God is! I agree with Saint Francis who asserted, “A man has as much knowledge as he executes,” and “the ultimate measure of wisdom is service.”

Francis lived his faith. To those in his brotherhood he said, “Whoever comes to you, friend or enemy, shall be kindly received.” When a band of robbers came demanding food, Francis met them with these words, “Brother robbers! Come here! We are your brothers and we will bring you good wine and bread.” Then he served them, again taking a Jesus shape.

If the judgment passages in the Bible tell us anything about what God cares about, they are unanimous in exposing our actions. Dr. Klyne Snodgrass, professor of New Testament at North Park Theological Seminary, points out that every scriptural reference to judgment has to do with our works, our deeds, or lack of deeds of love. Not once is a test in theology required.

In closing, I’d like to take the liberty to offer this paraphrase of Paul’s opening statement to the Corinthians in the thirteenth chapter: “If I speak with the eloquence of the profoundest theologian or am a master of apologetics, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

Jesus asks us not how well we may argue, but how faithfully do we follow. Close following will produce the Jesus shape, the tangible expression of selfless, limitless, unbounded love.

I hope that I, our church leaders, and Christ’s whole church increasingly take on the Jesus shape.

—Randy Klassen, San Andreas, California, served as pastor in Covenant Church congregations for 34 year and developed two new churches. For four years he was Covenant Church Executive Secretary of Evangelism, and he did art work professionally for six years. He has written many books and articles, most recently What Does The Bible Really Say About Hell? (Pandora Press U.S., 2001).