Real Jesus in an Artificial World
- edenmunciepastor
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
We watched a Facebook reel together—my mom and I.
An Amish woman explaining how to pick the best bell pepper.
She looked real. Sounded real. Even felt trustworthy.
But she wasn’t real.
"Mom, she's AI."
And it struck me:
We are living in a time when it’s getting harder to tell what’s real.
Not just online—but spiritually.
We can be drawn toward:
polished faith that never struggles
perfect spirituality that never questions
comfortable versions of Jesus that never change us
promises of power, security and prosperity
But Mary Magdalene’s encounter in John 20 reminds us:
The real Jesus is not found in perfection, power and a false prosperity
He is found in presence.
She didn’t recognize Him by appearance. She recognized Him when He said her name.
“Mary!” Jesus said.
She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!”
That’s the difference.
Moses had his own moment of encounter.
Not in a temple. Not in a moment of certainty. But in the middle of ordinary life—watching sheep in the wilderness.
And then… a bush that burned but was not consumed.
When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
“Here I am!” Moses replied.
In Exodus 3, Moses turns aside to look.
That’s the first movement of every real encounter with God:
He notices something different… and chooses to pay attention.
In a world where things can look real but aren’t—like the AI video I watched with my mom—the burning bush reminds us:
God’s presence cannot be manufactured.
Moses doesn’t create the moment. He doesn’t control it. He doesn’t even fully understand it.
But he knows this:
This is not ordinary. This is not artificial. This is God.
The real Jesus knows you. The real Jesus calls you to pay attention. The real Jesus transforms you.
This Eastertide, we are asking: What are we really looking for?
Because whatever we’re looking for will shape what we settle for.
And Jesus is inviting us beyond imitation…into encounter.
The burning bush wasn’t just a miracle to observe—it was an invitation to step onto holy ground and be changed.
And just like Moses…just like Mary…
Jesus is still meeting people in unexpected places, calling them by name, and sending them into the world with resurrection life.
So here’s the question for us:
Are we settling for things that look spiritual…or are we willing to turn aside and encounter the living God?
Because when the encounter is real:
it gets your attention
it speaks your name
it changes your direction
And it sends you. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. - Jesus
Spirit of the Sovereign Lord,
anoint me again this week to proclaim good news to the poor.
Send me out again this week to bind up the broken-hearted.
Help me again this week to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners. Amen
Paying attention with you,
Pastor T
Questions for Reflection
Where do you feel like you are “running in the dark” right now?
What doubts or questions have you been hesitant to bring to God?
When have you experienced God meeting you in grief or waiting?
What are you truly looking for in this season of your life?
How can you discern between what is “real” and what is “artificial” in your faith?
Where might Jesus be inviting you to move forward instead of clinging to the past?
Who is God sending you to share hope with this Eastertide?
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