Jesus Has AIDS
— Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 —
Jesus has AIDS.
Just reading that in the type in front of you probably has some of you angry. Let me help you see why that is, and, in so doing, why caring for those with AIDS is part of the gospel mandate given to us in the Great Commission.
The statement that Jesus has AIDS startles some of you because you know it not to be true. Jesus, after all, is the exalted son of the living God. He has defeated death in the garden tomb, and defeated it finally. Jesus isn’t weak or dying or infected; he’s triumphant and resurrected.
Yes.
Yes, but, what we’re often likely to miss is that Jesus has identified himself with the suffering of this world, an identification that continues on through his church. Yes, Jesus finishes his suffering at the cross, but he also speaks of himself as being “persecuted” by Saul of Tarsus, as Saul comes after his church in Damascus (Acts 9:4).
Through the Spirit of Christ, we “groan” with him at the suffering of a universe still under the curse (Rom. 8:23,26). This curse manifests itself, as in billions of other ways, in bodies turned against themselves by immune systems gone awry.
That’s why the church is to suffer, continually, with Christ as we take his presence into the darkness of a fallen creation. The Apostle Paul says, then, “I rejoice then in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Col. 1:24).
Some of Jesus’ church has AIDS. Some of them are languishing in hospitals right down the street from you. Some of them are orphaned by the disease in Africa. All of them are suffering with an intensity few of us can imagine.
Some of you are angered by the statement I typed above because you think somehow it implicates Jesus. After all, AIDS is a shameful disease, one most often spread through sexual promiscuity or illicit drug use.
Yes.
Yes, but those are the very kinds of people Jesus consistently identified himself with as he walked the hillsides of Galilee and the streets of Jerusalem, announcing the kingdom of God. Can one be more sexually promiscuous than the prostitutes Jesus ate with? Can one be more marginalized from society than a woman dripping with blood, blood that would have made anyone who touched her unclean (Luke 8:40-48)? Jesus touched her, and took her uncleanness on himself.
AIDS is scandalous, sure. But not nearly as scandalous as a cross.
At the crucifixion stake, Jesus identifies himself with a sinful world (including the scandal of my sin). He was seen to be cursed by God (Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:13). This is why it seemed so reasonable to the shouting crowds to curse him as a false Messiah, because only those rejected by God would ever be hanged on a tree. And that’s why the apostle Paul had to repeatedly insist that he was not “ashamed” of the cross. At Golgotha, Jesus became sin (though he never knew it himself) by bearing the sins of the world (2 Cor 5:21). Now that’s scandalous.
Moreover, some of you are angry because you believe that the statement I typed above is an affront to the dignity of the ruler of the universe. He doesn’t have some immune deficiency disease; he’s ruling from the right hand of God.
Yes.
Yes, but we cannot see Jesus only in his Head but also in his Body, also in his identification with those he calls “the least of these, my brothers” (Matt. 25:40). Jesus isn’t right now hungry, is he? He isn’t naked, is he? He isn’t thirsty, is he? He isn’t in jail, is he? Well, yes, he is…in the nakedness, hunger, thirstiness, and imprisonment of his suffering brothers and sisters around the world.
When we stand in judgment, we’ll stand, Jesus tells us, accountable for how we recognized him in the trauma of those who don’t seem to bear the glory of Christ at all right now. We see Jesus now, by faith, in the sufferings of the crack baby, the meth addict, the AIDS orphan, the hospitalized prodigal who sees his ruin in the wires running from his veins.
I wonder how many of us will hear the words from our Galilean emperor, “I had AIDS and you weren’t afraid to come near me.”
And so, if we love Jesus, our churches should be more aware of the cries of the curse, including the curse of AIDS, than the culture around us. Our congregations should welcome the AIDS-infected, and we shouldn’t be afraid to hug them as we would hug our Christ. Our congregations should be on the forefront of missions to AIDS-ravaged regions of the world. Our families should be willing to welcome those orphaned by this global scourge.
Through it all, we should be insistent in gospel proclamation. To those whose blood has become their own enemy, we should announce blood they know not of, the blood of One who can cleanse them of all unrighteousness, just as it cleansed us (1 Jn. 1:7); the blood of One who is forever immune to sin and death and hell (Jn. 6:53-56).
Jesus loves the world, and the world has AIDS. Jesus identifies himself with the least of these, and many of them have AIDS. Jesus calls us to recognize him in the depths of suffering, and there’s AIDS there too.
Jesus has AIDS.
40 Responses to “Jesus Has AIDS”
Trackbacks
- Jesus Has AIDS « Absolute Truth in a Relative Generation
- The Edge of the Inside
- Around the Interweb (12/06) « Blogging Theologically
- Jesus Has AIDS « Outword Blog
- The church and AIDS « A Ruach Journey
- Most Tweeted Articles by Church Experts: MrTweet
- world aids day « cavalier flair
- Jesus Has AIDS « ευαγγελιζων δια πολεως
- Looking To The Least of These |
- Jesus has AIDS « Precious and Positive
- Be the Virus – Dec. 1 | This Sassy Salmon
Thanks so much for this courageous, yet thoroughly biblical article.
@Micah Fries, I appreciate that much. It was great to visit with you in Missouri.
@Russell D. Moore, The pleasure was definitely mine. I look forward to talking with you more in the future.
Blessings!
Thank you for this article, Dr. Moore. As much as I appreciate your commitment to sound doctrine, I’m even more blessed that doctrine prompts you to compassion. Solid article (esp. great conclusion), and I wonder what scandalizes us more: that Jesus has AIDS or that we as the church share in that too. Worth multiple reads and a lot of thought; thank you again.
@micus-stl, Thank you so much. Good point about what scandalizes us more.
I was blessed to hear you speak at the A29 conference in Louisville, blessed by your book on adoption and blessed to read this article. I am a church planter who did not sign up with the Baptists this time around with the church plant, but am deeply encouraged by the direction of the GCR and men like yourself. Blessings brother.
@Jacob Vanhorn, The A29 conference was a great blessing to me. Thanks so much for your encouragement. Please pray for the GCR!
thank you brother! keep posting =)
@Giancarlo, Thanks Giancarlo!
Whoa, that was powerful stuff. Praise the One, the risen Son of God.
@Jacob Cloer, the resurrection is mightier than AIDS. It is true!
God used this to cut to my heart after realizing that I don’t love and display the gospel to AIDS victims. Thank you.
@Matt, Thanks Matt. God bless you as you serve the kingdom.
Thank you, Dr. Moore for an insightful article. I would like to point out that there are many people who have AIDS through no fault of their own.
@Chris Coppenbarger, No doubt! This is true all over, including in Africa where so many women and children are infected with AIDS. But, of course, even those who have AIDS through personal actions are worthy of our compassion and action.
Thank you for a great article Dr. Moore. I’m thankful for a Savior that knows no boundaries in His compassion!
Thank you for a wonderful and thought-provoking post. My wife and I live in Tanzania, East Africa, in a town estimated to have over 50% HIV infection rate. One of our goals is to provide education about the disease, and to hopefully remove some of the sting from the stigma of having it. Right now, most of those individuals who have been infected are not willing even to enter a free clinic for testing — for fear of embarrassment and shame. Thank you for raising awareness, and forcing all of us to think through some hard things.
Dr. Moore,
I am happy to see your stand for the Gospel and for those who suffer in this world. Jesus’ call to evangelize the world includes dealing with that suffering that we find, whether physical or spiritual. My God the Father give us the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim and live out the Good News of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savoir.
Russ, I understand your thoughts. One of the verses you mentioned - “He became sin for us” - has gripped me because of the implications. For in the great exchange that gave me His righteousness, he not only took my sin, but the Scripture says He “became” it. And that “became” incorporates all the peutrifying, depraved, repulsive, and ignoble acts of humanity clumped together and called “sin”. What amazing love; what an incredible Savior.
I appreciated this post and linked to it on my blog. Thank you for sharing it!
Thank you for this article Dr. Moore. I know that only the church is the body of Christ and it is only the church that truly shares in the sufferings of Christ. But how would an article like this relate to non-Christians who have aids (or other effects of the curse). Can these truths still be applicable? After all Jesus did enter into the darkness of this world so that those enslaved to darkness might come to him.
Dr. Moore,
Thank you for this article. I was so discouraged yesterday by the lack of Christian voice in World Aids Day. Fortunately someone pointed me to your blog this morning. At least I know that there are some that are engaging with this issue and that encourages me greatly!
Blessings,
Brittany
Nice post.
There is a band named Brave Saint Saturn that had this same concept about 10 years ago in the song “Under Bridges.” Check it out.
Caleb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLvyMrxMxcI
Thanks for sharing the truth that un-nerves so many. I’m a Southern grad (M.Div 84; Ph.D. 91) who ignored the truth for too many years. Finally, in 2003, I went to Africa and met a little girl dying an AIDS-caused death. I had to face my prejudices and fears.
Yesterday, on World AIDS Day 2009, our family (which already included two adopted children) finalized our adoption of two African children orphaned by AIDS! I’m also leading a non-profit called Churches Together whose goal is to help North Americans and Africans work together against the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa.
I love your paragraph:
And so, if we love Jesus, our churches should be more aware of the cries of the curse, including the curse of AIDS, than the culture around us. Our congregations should welcome the AIDS-infected, and we shouldn’t be afraid to hug them as we would hug our Christ. Our congregations should be on the forefront of missions to AIDS-ravaged regions of the world. Our families should be willing to welcome those orphaned by this global scourge.
Make it so, Lord Jesus, make it so!
Amen, and Amen!
A powerful article brother. Would that the body of Christ consider such things and engage in serving Christ in such ways.
Thanks for sharing.
I love that your article ‘Jesus has AIDS’. I am going to publish it to be a blessing to those who do not care for AIDS VICTIMS in Nigeria. This is a GREAT COMMISSION for the Christians. worldwide
A friend sent me this article. I am stunned into bliss by it! Thank you! Our ministry deals with orphans that are infected with HIV/AIDS, and working with families that CHOOSE TO ADOPT THEM! So often we remember the AIDS orphans but overlook the number of children that are suffering and dying with HIV in orphanages around the world(by the way they live in separate orphanages)! The church CAN play an active role in caring for the children infected…that never made a “sinful choice” to contract it…and even more powerful to love and care for the ones we typically choose to judge first.
JESUS HAS AIDS….Boy, that’s a T-shirt that would cause quite a stir!
THANK YOU for exposing this truth…
Dear Dr. Moore,
I sent a message resently for permission to reprint the article titled: Jesus has AIDS. I have been blessed by this message. I want fellow Nigerians to be blessed too for the sake of the GREAT COMMISION.
THANKS.
Yours faithfully,
Solomom Omole