In that day ungodly fools will not be heroes. Scoundrels will not be respected. - Isaiah 32: 5 (NLT)
He was caught drag racing in a rented Lamborghini speeding at twice the posted speed limit. When the police pulled him over he was belligerent, throwing out F-bombs at the officer and refusing to follow any instructions such as keeping his hands out of his pockets. Such is the sense of entitlement when you are only 19 years old yet worth over 130 million dollars. His continued abuse left the officer with no choice but to put him under arrest. Once at jail, pop star Justin Beiber became more cooperative. He admitted that not only had he been drinking but had also been smoking marijuana and taken some sort of prescription medication. After consuming this dangerous mix he decided to get behind the wheel and drag race. This after multiple run ins with the law including vandalism of his neighbor's home, public urination twice, and vandalism in another country.
Even the world would agree these are cires for help. Justin Beiber is screaming to anyone who might be willing to look past his stardom that he is in need. It is the same need we all have in this world. He needs Jesus. Oh, but wait a minute - according to Pastor Carl Lentz of Hillsong NY, Justin has Jesus already?
"Justin Bieber is another example . Justin is a 19-year-old kid who loves Jesus , trying his hardest to make it. He's like any other kid we've dealt with, it's just that he's got one or two more fans that the average person." - Carl Lentz
Actually Justin has a bit more than one or two additional fans. He currently has 48.9 million followers on Twitter. That is 48.9 million followers who will read about this arrest and be confused themselves as to what is "cool" in this world. Amongst those 48.9 million followers there are bound to be Christians as well. Christians who hear things from people like Carl Lentz and then see the behavior of their idol who "loves Jesus" and wonder what the heck is going on? This is the end result of celebrity Christianity. I do not mean the celebrity of Justin Beiber - I mean the celebrity of Carl Lentz.
Recently, Lentz appeared on the Katie Couric show where he simply refused to stand up for the Gospel. His insistence was that doctrine could differ based upon "conversations" he might have with individuals. The mohawked pastor who holds church in a night club is all about the flash and glitz. In his interview he offered a glimpse into the problem of trying to please everyone while running a church. Of his ministry he said that he doesn't try to change anyone because he can't. The true Gospel however can change someone:
So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! - 2Corinthians 5: 16-17 (NLT)
But when you are more concerned about the conversations with the lost than the sufficiency of the Gospel to find them, you end up drag racing while drunk, stoned and on prescription drugs - all while "loving Jesus." Lentz gives away his biblical ignorance with comments such as these:
"I think if you're faithful to what's in your hand, God will help you fulfill what's in your heart. You don't have to chase anything. Just chase Jesus and his journey is so much better."
Before you think Justin was chasing Jesus on the drag strip it should be known that he was actually chasing someone else driving a Ferrari. You see, what is in our heart is wickedly deceitful above all else. God is not going to help you fulfill it. This candy coated, slickly packaged, focus group tested pseudo-gospel saves no one. The foot of the cross is even. All are welcome and what car takes you there is irrelevant. You cannot treat people as if they are the ones who are special. We are the ones who are wicked, wretched and lost. Jesus once chastised the Laodicean Church for just such transgressions:
"I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, "I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. - Revelation 3: 15-17 (NLT)
Christianity that starts with affirming the sinner instead of the Savior ends up in a Florida jail cell. Pastor Lentz once said he wanted to make it clear that he is no respecter of persons, and believes everyone should be treated like a celebrity, or "be celebrated." Therein lies the problem. In the same sentence you claim to be no respecter of a person and then say all persons should be respected as celebrity. Jesus is the only celebrity beloved. We need to stop affirming the sinner and start lifting up the Savior. Not in useless platitudes claiming love for Christ and then ignoring everything He says:
"So why do you keep calling me "Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say? - Luke 6: 46 (NLT)
Please, this is not a scathing rebuke of Justin Beiber. This is an answer to his cries for help. He is a 19 year old kid who is dangerously close to ending up in the scrap heap of celebrities who could not handle their success. This is why we should not be looking up to someone just because they have money, or fame, or following. The more disturbing thing here is the insistence from a pastor that the kid who just urinated in a restaurant mop bucket just loves Jesus. That the kid who just caused $20,000 worth of damage to his neighbors house with eggs just loves Jesus. That the kid who just got arrested for drag racing under the influence of no less than three different mind altering substances just loves Jesus.
Enough! Enough of celebrating celebrity. The key verse today reminds us that when Jesus comes, ungodly fools will not be considered celebrity. Scoundrels who sell a false Jesus will not be respected. This kid's soul is at stake. Would someone please share the Gospel with him before it is too late?
Rev. Anthony.
