I get a kick out of bumper stickers. Whenever I see an interesting one I always take a glance at the person who is driving the car. I want to get a glimpse of the person who would drive around with a crazy bumper sticker. I'm sure I am not the only one who has ever done that!


Here are a few bumper stickers that I have seen or heard about over the years that always make me laugh:

That last one is a good one. It's funny but like all good humor there is an element of truth to it. From time to time we need to examine how closely we are following Jesus. We talk a big game about Jesus. We ask, "What would Jesus do?" We want to be like Christ. We claim to be followers of Christ but how closely are we following him and what does it mean to follow him?

Mark's account of the Transfiguration is a good example of how misguided we can sometimes be about following Jesus. Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain for a spiritual retreat. Jesus started to glow and Elijah and Moses appeared to them. Peter thought it would be a good idea for all of them to stay up on that mountain and he even offered to help build a house for all of them. It's kind of funny when you think about it. Peter must have thought it was cool to be up there with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Why not stay there forever and not deal with the realities of life? What Peter did not realize was that the special moment on that mountain was not about escaping the world on a retreat; it was about God confirming once again that Jesus was his Son and he would die and then rise from the dead. As they followed Jesus back down that mountain he tried to tell them, but they still did not understand. They did not understand that they were following a man who would die and then live again and if they were serious about following him, they would have to die too.


Following Jesus is the greatest thing in the world but it is also the hardest thing in the world to do. Following Jesus is more than showing up to worship one hour a week.