One of the highest values in our culture right now is the right to determine our own identity, to say who we are, to be who we are. But we often don't extend the same courtesy to Jesus. We expect him to act a certain way, say certain things, play nicely according to our values or expectations.
And when he says things that shock us, we say, "The Jesus I know would never say something like that. That's not my Jesus!"
The question is, is our Jesus the real one? We surely need to let him tell us himself.
This Sunday, we're looking at a pivotal moment in Jesus' life where he upends the expectations of his followers about what it means for him to be King.