This past weekend was Easter.
My family and I were involved in the production our church put on as we reenacted parts of the life of Jesus.
My wife and kids got to play in a few different scenes, in which they did a phenomenal job!
Then my wife and girls got to help me put on makeup to look the part I got to play: Jesus.
When I was first asked to play the role of Jesus, I thought back to my high school and college days.
I had been Jesus multiple times, wearing a white robe, standing with my arms open wide with a warm smile on my face.
It was pretty easy and simple, really.
I should have asked more questions, but I said Yes right away.
Well, I had never been "loin-cloth Jesus", as my family and I came to call it.
It makes sense in hindsight that we would reenact the crucifixion scene AND the resurrection scene!
The whole experience was a weird mix of humility and honor, getting to play this role this year.
I mean, "How do you reenact the life and death of someone who was so pivotal for so many for the past few centuries?"
Other questions I asked myself:
"Did I die right?"
"Did I groan the right amount of times?"
"Did Jesus cry while seeing the others around him as He hung on the cross?"
Because I had tears in my eyes as I looked over at my wife and kids 'weeping' as I hung there.
Here's why I said Yes to this role though.
I knew it would stretch me and teach me some new things as I hung on a cross in front of hundreds of people at a time this past weekend.
I knew I would be reminded that no one cared what my body looked like, even though I was working out and watching what I ate with way more intention than I had before.
I knew I would be more free of what people thought about me because I would be reminded that no one is even thinking about me anyway.
I knew I would grow in my own thinking.
And I did.
Even though I still asked myself lots of questions the whole weekend.
Especially with the resurrection scene.
Jesus rose from the dead!
He was victorious over death itself!
He is alive!
For that, we follow Him.
We honor Him.
We worship Him.
Maybe some of you would be ok with this, but, for me, being the center of everyone's eyes and attention was weird.
Seeing people worship and praise and sing and shout in celebration when I walked onto the stage was weird.
"What does a genuine smile feel like and look like as I reenact someone who just came back to life after dying?"
Then, "How do I smile for 2 minutes straight while feeling awkward on stage?"
For many in the audience though, I could tell that their attention wasn't actually on me.
Sure, they saw me come out, with arms raised in victory, but that sight turned their attention to worship God as they closed their eyes in worship.
I let my own attention be drawn toward God and His power and victory as well, as I thanked Him for being powerful over death.
But here's the real question that I settled on:
"Isn't it always our goal to ask the question, 'What would Jesus do?'"
I mean, we want to live like Him and follow Him and help others know God better.
What does that look like?
It could mean there are certain places we go.
It could mean there are certain places we do not go.
It could mean there are certain things we eat.
It could mean there are certain things we do not eat.
It could mean all kinds of things in our lives.
Here's my hope in sharing this with you.
I hope you will sit with this question today and this week, and for many days ahead beyond that.
What does it mean to follow Jesus for you?
As you sit with it and ponder what it means, let it move you to action.
Just as I adjusted how I reenacted Jesus death and resurrection (probably imperfectly), let your answers to that question move you to make life adjustments.
You may not get it right at first.
It may take practice.
Let me tell you a secret: we are all figuring it out each day.
Yet when your heart is set on getting it a little more 'right' each day, we get better at it.
So, what does it mean to follow Jesus, for you?
How are you going to be Jesus today?
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