Jesus is Our Lord, Not Our Mascot

It’s subtle, but it’s everywhere.

We invoke Jesus’ name to bless our opinions. We place Him behind our causes. We trot Him out when we need divine approval. And slowly (almost imperceptibly) Jesus becomes a mascot instead of our Master.

A mascot exists to cheer us on.
Our Lord calls us to follow.

A mascot never confronts.
Our Lord disrupts, reorders, and transforms.

A mascot wears our colors.
Our Lord invites us to lay ours down.

Jesus did not come to endorse our agendas. He came to establish a Kingdom.

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭46‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Thousands of years later, that question still lands with weight.

When Our Faith Becomes Functional

We are especially prone to making Jesus our mascot amid moments of fear, culture wars, or uncertainty. We want Him close, but controllable. Powerful, but predictable. Present, but silent when presence is inconvenient for us.

So we try to shrink Him. We attempt to reduce Him to someone less than He is.

We turn the Lion of Judah into a logo.
The suffering Servant into a slogan.
The crucified and risen King into a talking point.

Jesus refuses to be used.

He will not be drafted into our battles while we ignore His commands to love our enemies, care for the poor, forgive relentlessly, and take up our cross.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

That’s not mascot language.
That’s Lordship language.

Lordship Changes the Posture of Our Lives

If we genuinely believe Jesus is Lord, then:

• We don’t ask Him to bless our way; we ask Him to show us His.
• We don’t bend Scripture to fit our convictions; we allow Scripture to shape ours.
• We don’t follow Him only when it’s safe and convenient; we follow Him even when it costs us something.

Lordship means obedience before applause. Faithfulness before influence. Surrender before certainty. That’s where it gets uncomfortable.

A mascot never asks you to repent.
Our Lord does.

A mascot never tells you to put down power. Our Lord does.

A mascot exists to serve your identity.
Our Lord forms a new one.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Invitation Still Stands

Here’s the grace in all of this:
Jesus doesn’t shame us for having attempted to make Him smaller.

He simply stands, as He always has, saying: Follow Me.

Not use Me.
Not twist Me.
Not weaponize Me.

Follow Me.

Out of echo chambers.
Out of performative faith.
Out of a Christianity that looks powerful but has forgotten how to kneel and bow to our Lord and King.

Jesus is not our mascot.

He is our Lord.

He is King Jesus.

And that changes everything.

Our Prayer

Precious Lord Jesus,
Forgive us for the ways we’ve tried to carry You instead of letting You carry us. Forgive us for shrinking You to fit our fears and agendas. Teach us again what it means to follow You, not from a distance, not selectively, but fully. Completely. Help us trust in You for You are trustworthy. You are Lord. Please help us live like we believe. Help us live in Truth. In Your holy and mighty name we pray, Amen.

Until my next post…

Be salty, stay lit.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

Please hit me up if you have questions or drop a comment below. And please subscribe to my blog!

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