Thoughts on Sunday Afternoon

     I don't write on this blog too often on Sunday, but I had something on my mind today.  I've been reading a book lately that deals with the early days of the Christian religion.  The book got me thinking about how much different the Christian religion seems to be from the life and teachings of Jesus.
     For instance, most Christians have elaborate rituals for baptism, the eucharist, confirmation as well as a host of Christian religious festivals.  These were all developed over the course of church history.  A lot of what we do in the church has actually been brought in and borrowed from old pagan sources.
     The church seems to totally forget the festivals and rituals recorded in the Scripture.  We seem to forget that Jesus was a Jew who celebrated all of the Jewish religious festivals.  I'm not saying as Christians we have to celebrate all of these.  It wouldn't hurt.  For instance, the Bible says that Jesus celebrated Hanukkah, but Christians  usually don't mention it at all.  If it was important to Jesus, why isn't it important to those of us who are His followers?  It's just a thought.
     Another thing I've been thinking a lot about recently is the fact that much of the Christian message has been over complicated.  What I mean by this is that Jesus' teachings are not difficult to comprehend.  His teachings are quite plain.  They are very difficult to follow, but they aren't hard to understand.  At least they aren't in my opinion. 
     Take the Sermon on the Mount for instance.  Jesus said you can't serve God and money.  That is pretty straightforward, yet books are written trying to figure out a way around it so as Christians we can make it mean something else and not have to follow it.  This is true for much of Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. 
     If the followers of Jesus would follow His way and teachings, the world would be a profoundly different place.  Love would reign, and so would peace.  Every need that everyone could possibly experience would be met. 
     Hopefully, Jesus will return to earth soon and establish His eternal kingdom that will have no end.  Then, all will be as it was intended to be.  So much of what goes on in church and the Christian religion that is so different from Jesus' teachings I wonder, as Jesus wondered Himself, if He will find any true faith left on earth when He returns.
     Just a few thoughts on Sunday afternoon.