It is always interesting to learn what a celebrity thinks of Jesus as opposed to what he thinks of the Church. The latter always gets a bad press but not so Jesus.

Sir Elton told Sky News a short time ago: “If Jesus was alive today, I cannot see him as the Christian person he was and the great person he was, saying this [gay marriage] could not happen. He was all about love and compassion and forgiveness and trying to bring people together and that is what the church should be about.”

Apparently Sir Elton is keen to have Jesus blessing on his proposed wedding next year to his partner David Furnish. Perhaps like many, he wants the ultimate celebrity endorsement – that of the Son of God.

Whatever the reason looking at Jesus through the eyes of Sir Elton makes it difficult to recognise the one who refused to be called good by the rich ruler who wished to ingratiate himself into his company. St Luke records how Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honour your father and mother (chapter 18 v 19/20).”

In fact Jesus went further when he preached that it was not only the act but the lustful look that is sinful when it came to adultery and that losing our temper is akin to murder. By such teaching Jesus showed that God knows the thoughts and intents of all our hearts. Thus keeping the law was revealed not so much as an outward and external behavioural exercise but an inward and invisible practice which was known only by God.

But his thoughts are not ours, his standards are profoundly different from ours and his call to discipleship is much more radical than Sir Elton’s comforting thoughts.

Sir Elton would be shocked to discover that it is precisely because Jesus is loving and compassionate that he defined marriage as being between a man and a woman. The Bible uses marriage to illustrate Jesus’s intimate relationship with his church (Ephesians chapter 5 verses 29/31).

The fact is that Jesus is alive, knows our thoughts and has set his love on us sinners who fail so miserably to follow him in the many forms of “marriage” on the market today. He, the living Jesus, is able to transform – not only the marriage but the life of the repentant Eltons’ and you and me.

The church and Jesus its founder is all about this new life – abundant life which Jesus offers to all who hear his voice.