Be honest.
Do you ever get the feeling that Jesus would never choose to hang out in the places we’ve built for him? Do you ever feel like Jesus’ message of radical love, mercy and forgiveness has been drowned out by the voices of judgment, condemnation, and stagnant ritualistic religion? Do you ever get the sense that the church was never meant to be about helping itself, but about helping the world? Do you ever get the nagging feeling that Jesus never intended the church to be comfortable and controlled, but instead an untamable movement that challenges the way things have always been done? Have you ever longed to be a part of a community that isn’t afraid to experience God in new and creative ways? (Yeah, us too.)
8 comments:
did I not once teach to give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God’s? Is not Caesar's image on the denarius? So give to Caesar what is his.
....and so I ask you who’s image is on your heart? If it is I, than do what it is that I have called you to do. Love. Love one another. Love like I have loved you. Because as much as I love you, I love those people building the Mosque too
I wish that all men would come to Me. But I know that all will not come to Me unless the Holy Spirit draws them. I want you, My followers, to reach out to these Muslims and show them My love. You have heard it said that the two greatest commandments are to Love God and to love people. Do not picket the building of this mosque. Do not hold signs that say hateful things, do not scream hateful things in My name.
By the way you love, by the way your life radiates Me, they will know that you are My disciples. Hatred and screaming hellfire/damnation will not win them over.
On one occasion an evangelical preacher stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"What does the Bible say?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and,'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
In reply Jesus said: "A man was driving down from Flint to Detroit, when he was stopped by carjackers. They pulled him out of his car, stripped him of his clothes, beat him and drove away, leaving him half dead. A Catholic Priest happened to be driving down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by as if he had seen nothing. So too, a Protestant Pastor, when he came to the place and saw him, drove by as quickly as he could. But a Muslim Cleric, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him giving him first aid; bandaging and disinfecting his wounds, and giving him something cold to drink. Then he helped the man into his car, and took him to the nearest hotel to take care of him. The next day he took out as much money as he had and gave it to the hotel manager. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of criminals?"
The evangelical preacher said, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
If you truly love Me, you will not only put down your picket signs...you will pick up bricks and build this building, this relationship, yourself.
Here are a couple comments sent to me regarding this issue.(these are posted with permission)
Hey Scott,
I know what I want to say. I think it's awful that Twitter and such is so full of narrow minded Christians who are against it. I'd like to tell them off, but can't find a way that won't make matters worse. It's not possible in 140 characters. I don't know if it's possible in all the words I could write. Perhaps if Christians read the Gospel accounts to understand Jesus instead of trying to support the Christianity they think they were taught, they might come to understand, but...
Perhaps as Christians learn that Jesus great teaching is Peace we'll witness a friendship that might join with Muslims who realize Muhammed's calling people back to monotheism; pointing back to faith in Allah and trust in Isa al Massiah.
Peace is not the absence of conflict; peace is a state of reconciliation.
Shalom, Salam.
Hi Scott,
It was good to hear the question about the controversy of the planned Mosque to be built in NY. My feeling is that one of this countries premise was that of freedom of religion. This is quite different from a number of countries around the world. This concept has worked very well for our country so far especially with the many varying religious beliefs by many people have here in America.
With that said I feel that the Muslims that want to build their mosque in NY two blocks away, or any distance from the world trade center area, should have the freedom to do so! This country was base on freedom of religion, speech, and expression. Let them build their mosque anywhere they would like in NY: be it two blocks or fifty blocks. Thanks...Tom Schultz
A big thanks to those who have commented so far. This assignment is not an easy one. It might feel a bit strange to be putting words in the mouth of Jesus, especially for a specific situation that did not happen during his time on earth. But the truth is, if we call ourselves Christians (representatives of Christ), our whole lives are speaking on behalf of Jesus; everything we say and do. And as we've discussed many times before, the only way to know how Jesus would react (and therefore how we should react) is by reading and re-reading the gospel accounts of his life. If there's a better way, I have yet to find it.
Please continue to think about this. Would love to hear more comments.
why do you bother so with the speck in your brother's eye when you so obviously have a log in your own?
tell them to go to hell
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