Having thought a little about the cult of celebrity last weekand about the responses to our culture’s desperation for fame and fortunte, I got to thinking a little more about Jesus.  Always a dangerous thing to do.

I got to pondering the story of Jesus temptation, the point at which he was taken up high, and offered fame, fortune, power and more.  And the way in which Jesus refused it all, instead seeking a life that was obedient to the call to justice, mercy, grace and humility.

I got to thinking how Jesus was (is?) the very embodiment of Micah’s words calling us to that life.

And I got to thinking about the letter to the Philippians, characterising Jesus as one who despite having equality with God in his grasp; as one who had before him the chance to be defined by fame, glory and power; chose instead to take on the nature of a servant, of one living obediently and humbly – all the way to the beauty and ugliness of his death.

And then I got to thinking about our worship of this Jesus.  About how so much of our worship seems consumed with putting Jesus back in that place of glory, power and fame.

And I got to wondering, not for the first time, if we are trying to worship a God who we have created in our own image.  As we lust after power, fame and fortunte, do we use that same language to describe Jesus, to proclaim God?  Do we subconsciously think that if we hunger for fame and celebrity, the only Saviour worth worshipping must be one who already has it?

And then of course I got to the hardest question of all.  What does it mean to worship God who not only calls us to justice, mercy and humility, but when given the chance to live a human life, did a pretty phenomenal job of demonstrating just what that might look like?