If Jesus Said today what He said 2000 years ago.

Finally, it's been a long time since I last blogged! (omg) and I have been chewing on various issues as usual that are doctrinal, looking up Rick Warren, whom some dismiss as the modern heretic (I'm not saying he is one, but rather reading up on why people think he is one), and various stuff. Came across this interesting blog: http://branthansen.typepad.com/letters_from_kamp_krusty/2008/08/if-jesus-had-a-blog-big-time-leaders.html#comments

Totally funny, I thought Krusty was humorous in bringing out his points about Jesus. It seemed to me how funny people would react to Jesus (and his claims) today if he were to trot down Jerusalem, appearing in a press conference to the world with reporters abunch:

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"Newsflash from Capernaum, we bring you breaking news where Jesus, the emergent preacher ever since John the Baptist preached near the Jordan. We are pleased to cover the story for you right here! Halfway through the sermon given, 4 crazy guys broke through the roof and brought in a paralytic friend by lowering him from the roof.

We bring you live footage of just what happened

(Jesus was speaking when the roof started to give way with dust coming down)

Touched by the extent of what the friends went through to bring the paralyzed friend to him, Jesus said:
:“My sons, your sins are forgiven.” 


(scribes start to look at each other and frowning, murmurs flooding up the silence) 


Jesus said then: "Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he said to the paralytic—“I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.”

To the crowd's surprise, the paralysed man immediately got up and went out. The crowd erupts in great amazement/disbelief/in praise of God."

Brought to you by reporter, Mark
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COMMENTS 

 Church Elder said...

What was the dumb 4 guys doing!? broke my roof, who's gonna pay for damages!I'm gonna sue them! And also the guy who undoubtedly caused it all!

 Pharisee2394 said...
What school of theology did he attend? I question his authority on this Sin issue. As an expert of the Law I hereby declare that this guy is a heretic. Don't believe his crap. The paralysed is a Phoney!

 Unfazed professor said...
This is a major issue. So apparently this Jesus guy can forgive Sins now? why do we need God in the first place then? while I don't stand on the same side as the Self-righteous guy above me, I agree to disagree that this guy is a total fake. 

The implication of Sin and illness is far more complicated then this guy makes it out to be. 

This is complete madness. The stuff you only find in fairy tales.

  Doubting thomas94 said...
So..... did anyone actually follow the guy who was supposedly "healed" ? Who knows if he wasn't a paralytic in the first place. No one can ever prove anything and I won't believe it unless I see proof.

  Unhappy >:( said...

What fairness is it that Mr. Jesus did not even question in the paralysed man's Sin. I mean, what caused him to be left in such a state? Surely it must be a grave Sin he has done to deserve this! I say this guy should not play God. At least the proper way is to get this man to repent first? 

If a henious sinner comes by to Jesus, he's gonna "forgive his Sins" now? 

I'm not trying to judge but you know? this is unfair!

  Praiseworthy said...
This is truly an amazing work of God! Hallelujah!

 historian99 said...

hey did anyone check out this guy's background? Is it credible? can we really believe what he says?


  Aethist_mist said...
I only know of "doing wrong", no such thing as sin. I still do not believe and is blown away at how this can escalate into a debate about whether this guy is God or not.  

A heart of worship in me

Philip Yancey, a famous author for the book "Where is God when it hurts?" tells of the initial disagreement from his family to write books about suffering. "Nonono! we are only suppose to say the good things!" In fact, the reverse is true. What makes the Christian faith so bare and true is the weak nature of humans that tell of a need for a supreme Being. One example was Jesus's own inner circle of 12 disciples. Fishermen, tax collectors and the society's despised and surely non intellectual speak of the fact that they are mere humans like you and I.

One would have written off the church to be built upon these 12 people Jesus handpicked. But the church thrives today, 2000 years later. Speaking of bad things seem to be so bad that some people elevated them to the position of "Saints". People speak far more of the disciples' amazing abilities to cast out demons, prophesise, heal the sick in Jesus' Name. Yet, people play down the fact that there are so many times these disciples failed Jesus. E.g Peter denying the Lord 3 times, the disciples abandoning Christ's mission after His crucification to go back to fishing, Yes, fishing. And many more.

The Bible, with all its glory tells of the disciples' bare weaknesses, and they did not try to hide any of their flaws simply because it was what made Jesus so important among them.

In my more than mundane and humanistic walk with God many a times, I'm not perfect, I'm not holy, I'm unworthy and there is a feeling that happens sometimes that is best described in the following line:

"I don't feel like praying right now"

Whenever we don't feel like praying could be the time we need to pray most. Perhaps someone ever told you that. Why wouldn't we feel like talking to the Lord? I thought about it in the closest scenario I would find myself in in our reality:

An angry child doesn't want to talk to his parents because of various reason(s), so he's putting up walls.

Life as a Christian isn't a piece of cake. It's something that has occurred to me as easy to say and hard to put into practice. Dealing with emotions and hurts is part of the growing up process because God knows in endurance we produce preserverence, and through it all, Patience to await in the Lord. And how is patience an unremovable part of the equation of our walk.

Sometimes I just wished things would go my way for not needing to pay the price for it. It sounds all too good to be true. In life, we can succeed only if we work hard. And rightly so, because God destined for Man to enjoy to fruits of his own labour as a reward and blessing.

God may be silent, but he is the initiator of our relationship with Him, always. There's a saying that we can run but we can't hide. This is so true that sometimes I feel like this child having a bad day and saying :"why Dad? Why isn't things going to plan?" and going on a little cold war.

Yet, I may have sealed my heart, but deep within a part of me still yearns to cling to Him and shout praise still for His work in my life. And I can sense His presence assuring as always.

"It's okay to start anew. Because I had to show you your limits, so you would learn to depend on Me."

God couldn't show me just how proud and conceited my heart was without breaking it. Yet He loves me too much to not provide it a way out to start out on a new adventure ahead by replacing it with his Glory.

My life is too small and selfish a thing to live for. I need to start to Live for Him.. again =)

My prayer out there for people who feel the same like me, Pray when you don't feel like, cause it's when we need it most. It's not about the amount of words said to God, but rather knowing that He knows what we are going through.

Even a silent prayer of feelings will not go unheard.

p.s Leeland is one worship band I came across recently, and songs is one way that crystallises how I feel at times,  because songs allow me to feel that I'm felt for and people feel sometimes the same as I do. Introducing one of their songs I like, I never heard a version of Via Dolorosa that goes like theirs. Dedicate it to our Father in Heaven.