refuse and recycling rangers

I read an advert in our local paper last night for “refuse and recycling rangers” which included such tasks as “walking, bending and lifting”. Why can't they just say “bin-man”?

It made me think about the labels people choose for themselves, and the claims they make about themselves. Ever heard a housewife call themselves a “domestic manager”? Or did you read about the famous nutritionist and TV presenter who has stopped using the title “Dr” because it was considered misleading?

Jesus made some pretty mad claims about himself. He used the term “I am”, which is the sacred Jewish name for God. When asked if he was the Messiah at his trial he said “it is as you say” and this blasphemy earned him the death sentence. SO... was he who he said he was? or was he a complete nutter?

This is not new thinking, plenty of folk have come to the conclusion that you cannot separate Jesus teaching from the claims he made. If you respect his teaching, that must include the bit where He calls himself the Son of God. Or if you cannot swallow that, then such a megalomaniac claim must seriously undermine everything else he said.

As I have said before, either Jesus is all true, and worthy of my worship. Or he is all wrong and totally irrelevant.

So, what about what he calls us?
Do you accept Jesus and not believe what he says about you?
We have been forgiven, we have been called his friends and his family, we have authority in the spiritual realm, we are temples of the Holy Spirit and more............

We are in the strange position of being worthless/useless/hopeless compared to an awesome and righteous God, and at the same time forgiven and given hope and status and promises of inheritance beyond our dreams. If we will not accept what Jesus says about us, we are calling him a liar, and even as believers we are cutting ourselves out of what he promised. Scary.