One of the consistent messages in the gospels is that many of the things Jesus says and does amaze people. He doesn’t just surprise them or impress them. He amazes them.

Jesus has distinct impacts on people. He will stupefy and horrify at the same time. Because he isn’t normal. He defies expectations.

I don’t mean this in a buzzy, Silicon Valley way. I mean, that people expect him to be a rabbi and he shows he is also a healer. And an exorcist. And magical food multiplier and storm-stiller.

Jesus legitimately freaks people out.

And as much as our own expectations have moved to accommodate the improbable, we tend to domesticate the amazing, remove the terror, and make him totally normal. Which is sooooo not the point.

What does it mean to be amazed by Jesus today? It doesn’t start with prescriptions. But it does require us to be uncomfortable.

Discomfort is often treated like a problem to solve, but it is also necessary for surprise, joy, hope, and especially love.