The Jesus Movement

Posted by Parke Ladd on Apr 10, 2009 in Featured {Article}, Greatness | 0 comments

We love movements.  We love being involved with  a great mission.  It’s what we long for; a strong purpose to work for, to fight for and to dedicate our lives to. 

We love to talk about movements, to visualize being a part of something greater than our own selves.  However, with every great movement, there will eventually come  a great sacrifice.  Is it possible to jump into a movement on the upswing?  Sure it is.  We could all be haphazard followers who throw our hats into the ring at just the right time in order to make the “appropriate” appearances, never sacrificing much of anything; but, in order to lead, to truly start and be an intricate part of a great movement, we must be willing to sacrifice.  If a movement is worth starting or being a genuine part of, then it is also worth sacrificing greatly for.

Jesus, in lieu of Easter weekend, whether you believe he was whom he claimed to be or not, still presents an amazing example of what it is to be a movement.  Jesus, according to the Gospel, had a following worthy of a king, and he was well poised to take control, to implement his influence in ways people with access to great potential power usually do.  However, Jesus’ mission was not about power, it was not about influencing a nation for his own gain, or to acquire great affluence.  His mission was associated with something greater than anything on earth could ever offer him.  His mission was about saving people, offering them hope and forgiveness and thus, a way to God, to spend eternity in heaven.  His movement was well organized and well executed, but in a somewhat abrupt turn of events (at least through the eyes of his followers) his mission realized its core reason and successively lead to a great sacrifice.  Jesus sacrificed his very life for his movement.  This sacrifice was, and to many people around the world, still is, the crux of his movement.  We celebrate Good Friday and Easter weekend fundamentally because of this sacrifice.  His sacrifice lead to an even stronger movement which still thrives today.

It is crucial that we engage in or start a movement which is worthy of sacrifice, worthy of being an intricate, available and working part of.  All great movements are worthy of such things.