Mr. Rogers and Jesus

If Mr. Rogers were still alive, and he invited you for conversation and coffee, you’d joyfully clear your schedule to make that happen, right? Why? Well, he might be the nicest TV personality to have ever lived, and apparently, his TV personality lined up pretty well with his real personality. Before every episode, he prayed “Dear God, let some word that is heard be Yours.” Most of us over 25 remember him with great fondness and nostalgia. Even though we were little kids when he told us, “I like you just the way you are,” we knew he really meant it. He wasn’t super whacky, funny, or goofy like so many TV personalities today. Yes, he had a wonderful imagination and encouraged us to use ours, but we liked him so much because he was so genuinely nice!

But what if Mr. Rogers were still alive, and he invited you to follow him? What if he said to you, “Follow me. We’re going to do some really nice things in this life for people together. But if you want to follow me, you’re going to have to deny yourself, suffer, love your enemies, be willing to give up your home and all your possessions, and be willing to put me and my will before your family and friends even if it means losing your relationship with them permanently. You’ll also need to be willing to be sent out as lambs in the midst of wolves, and even be ready to die for me and my plans.” How would you respond? I would probably say, “Mr. Rogers, I always wanted to meet you. I’d love to go have coffee with you, but I will absolutely not do those things or follow you! Have you lost your mind?”

Many people today (and sadly sometimes we make this mistake as Christians) think of Jesus as someone like Mr. Rogers. Many think to themselves, “Jesus was a really nice man, who said some really nice things. He was pretty cool. But those ridiculous Christians worship him as God. They’re willing to give up so many good things in this life to follow a pretty nice ancient man. That’s so sad.”

If we were only following a really nice man like Mr. Rogers, the world would be right to pity us. But the man we follow isn’t just a really nice man. He’s actually the nicest and most loving man ever, but he’s also truly God! Our Lord Jesus is “the only-begotten Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end!”

This Sunday, I’m preaching from Isaiah 66:10-16 again. There we see the beautiful promise of our Lord to comfort us and hold us as a mother comforts her child. He promises to create new heavens and a new earth where we will rejoice forever without any enemies, sorrow, or death. Through Jesus, this promise has been and will be fulfilled! “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end!” This is why Jesus is the only man worth giving up everything to follow. Mr. Rogers could never give us such a mighty flowing river of peace, but Jesus can and does!

Fr. John Laffoon
Minister to Youth & Families