Neil's blog

So, would he or wouldn’t he? Would Jesus like Vegemite (a bitter, tart tasting sandwich paste from Australia) were he to visit us in the flesh today? For those who’ve not tried it, imagine something much sharper than Marmite, & if you’ve never tasted Marmite, think on a smooth, dark brown spread from yeast extract that tastes like black salt. To my palate “disgusterous!” but to my visiting Aussie pal, Paul Cameron (see attached photo), pure nectar!

At Fullarton we’re trying to identify & follow the real Jesus. Trouble is that we’ve so many distorted images of Jesus: from the gentle, bearded lady Jesus, with long hair & glowing European skin to the buddy, buddy Jesus of the film ‘Dogma’ or the wooden, pan-faced, straight laced looking Jesus of so many Jesus films. By nature we tend to project a Jesus like us, to mould God in our image rather than allow the One True God to transform us.

We hope to let the real Jesus break us out of comfort zones, turn our world upside down & lead us in daily living. The real cheek turning revolutionary who forgave enemies; the party animal Saviour who mixed with sinners; the irate wrecker of the peace who overturned temple tables because they stopped people coming to God; in the face of fear & failure the source of a calm which passes all understanding; the suffering servant who swallowed death to dance on the grave. Jesus, comforter of the disturbed & disturber of the comfortable.

So would the real Jesus include ‘Vegemite’ in his daily diet? It might depend upon his company? What we can be sure of is that, when we allow the real Jesus to lead us, there will be lots of stretching surprises & life changing experiences. Maybe I should give vegemite another chance?