If you grew up in the church, you were probably

exposed to the stories of Jesus found in the Gospels

from a very young age. Familiarity with the life and

ministry of Jesus, as well as his crucifixion, death, and

resurrection, has become so familiar that we may

sometimes forget just how extraordinary Jesus truly

is. It may be necessary to stop and reflect on what

we read in the Gospels and recognize that sometimes,

what Jesus did was really weird. Some people found

Jesus’ behavior offensive, his miracles unorthodox,

and his teaching uncomfortable. We expect the natural

world around us to function in a specific way. When

we get excessive rainfall, it’s weird and, in extreme

cases, destructive. Societies function when people

adhere to the boundaries established as norms.

When they step outside of those boundaries, they’re

seen as “weird.” This Sunday, as we continue our series,

“Oh, the Places We’ll Go… When We Go with Jesus,”

we pause and admit that Sometimes, It’ll Be Weird!