A series of commercials have been showing up everywhere recently. They present pictures of modern life, then connect it to Jesus with the tagline "He gets us." Several people have wondered about this largely anonymous ministry. Their website is low on information. Who is this group? What do they believe? What is their goal? Others have been concerned by what seems like a faulty theology that these commercials may be advocating. The question almost everyone is asking is this: how should we think about these commercials?
Jesus Does Get Us
On one level, the basic point of these commercials is thoroughly biblical. Yes, Jesus does get us! The author of Hebrews drives this point home more than any other biblical author. consider Hebrews 4:15—"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."
Christ is the exalted One who sits in heaven, ruling and reigning over all things. Yet he is not aloof to his people in their troubles. He is not a Savior who cannot understand the temptations and sufferings you and I face in our everyday lives. Just the opposite. Jesus himself became flesh and lived as we live. He suffered under the sinful curse of this life, not just in bearing our sins as a curse for us on the cross, but in the general way every human is forced to endure the curse in this life. Pain, sickness, and evil—all from the Fall—cause us to suffer in this life.
Christ is no different. When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them—he was moved by their plight. When Jesus’ friend Lazarus died, even when he knew he was going to raise him back to life, he wept. When sinful, unbelieving Jewish leaders rejected him as the Messiah, he looked over Jerusalem and wept again. More than that, though he himself did not sin, nevertheless, he was tempted in every way we are tempted. The vehicle for the temptations may be different in 2023, but the temptations themselves are the same (e.g., greed, pride, lust, gluttony, laziness, selfishness). He experienced the temptation to sin in all those ways even as we are. So he knows what we’re experiencing and he has sympathy on us, knowing our weakness as sinful people.
So, yes, clearly, certainly, unequivocally, He gets us.
A Means, Not an End
But what about the way Jesus "getting us" is portrayed in these commercials? I'm not suggesting that we should agree with or embrace everything about this ministry's message. We should be discerning in everything from the world and the Church. But even in disagreeing, that doesn't mean it can't be helpful to us.
We started the year off with three weeks on getting refreshed in our evangelism. Now, our adult Sunday School is offering a class on defending our faith (apologetics). Even if we never watch another of these commercials, we have to remember the world is watching. Our neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family are seeing the words "He gets us" and have thoughts about it. They may laugh at it. They may be confused by it. Or they may be brought to tears because of it.
Why not leverage the immediate cultural conversation as a means for the true and full gospel of Christ? If someone brings them up, ask what they think of them. What an easy way to start talking about Jesus! Maybe someone who is unfamiliar with the Bible is curious. Invite them to read the Bible with you, so they can see who Jesus is and why he came. We have a really simple resource to help you read through Mark's Gospel with someone, pointing them to the authentic Jesus.
Advance with Discernment
Time will tell where the group is at in their doctrine and ministry aims. But we can make use of their expensive product now. Without endorsing anything about the group or the commercials, we can step firmly on them as a launchpad back to the Scriptures for gospel conversations.
We must always use discernment, but such careful thinking doesn't need to make us timid in sharing our faith. Let us be bold to advance the kingdom of Christ through every wise and honorable means at our disposal.
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