The Challenge of Jesus - Part 1
I am suddenly again awed by Jesus. Humbled by his Life, I hear his call to "Come and follow me! Turn from your own agendas, God's Agenda and Authority is available to all - right here, right now". I don't hear the church bells, the choir, or any of the fluttering noise of Christianity. I hear the living Jesus. As stark and real as love and taxes. Hearing Jesus... It makes me stop everything I'm doing. I pause to reflect on the Way. I breathe deep. And then, like a madman, I throw all caution to the wind. I am compelled to draw close to this revolutionary failure who subversively conquers evil with Love, augmenting the very foundation of reality itself by resurrection into a new form of existence. I came to faith in Jesus as a reluctant follower. I did not want to believe in a particular "god" or religion and sought my own "enlightened" thinking as my guide. I talked my self out of my near-death encounter with the risen Christ, and then fought for weeks against this "otherworldly" power I felt impressing upon my soul the truth of my experience. Once I gave in to this Love, I found myself being turned upside down and inside out. The force of this Love brought myself voluntarily into full view of some sacred truth, some awareness of that which is Good which gently opened every corner of my heart before my eyes. My inward "me" was being radically re-formed and transformed. Was I losing myself or unearthing who I really was? Am i finding the truth or being deceived by it?What was really happening to me? These questions shook me at the core.Soon emerged a desire to peer into the gospels at this man Jesus. Without the restraint of religious upbringing or denominational dogma, I saw with my own eyes something so earth-shattering and revolutionary, something so impossibly true, something so real and radical.... I saw the one whom I met after leaving my body in the hospital. I saw the one who loved me with a love even the wildest imagination couldn't fathom. I saw the one who was able to cut through without effort my every false pretense and mask. I saw the one... not many, but One. As much as I wanted to deny any special uniqueness of this man beyond what I would afford to other great spiritual leaders, I couldn't help feeling faced with this startling reality - that even amongst the great leaders and spiritual teachers of history, this man is the One. I'm not even sure if I fully understand what that means.... and thankfully, I'm not sure that I have to. -------------------------------------------------------------
I am suddenly again awed by Jesus. Humbled by his Life, I hear his call to "Come and follow me! Turn from your own agendas, God's Agenda and Authority is available to all - right here, right now". I don't hear the church bells, the choir, or any of the fluttering noise of Christianity. I hear the living Jesus. As stark and real as love and taxes. Hearing Jesus... It makes me stop everything I'm doing. I pause to reflect on the Way. I breathe deep. And then, like a madman, I throw all caution to the wind. I am compelled to draw close to this revolutionary failure who subversively conquers evil with Love, augmenting the very foundation of reality itself by resurrection into a new form of existence. I came to faith in Jesus as a reluctant follower. I did not want to believe in a particular "god" or religion and sought my own "enlightened" thinking as my guide. I talked my self out of my near-death encounter with the risen Christ, and then fought for weeks against this "otherworldly" power I felt impressing upon my soul the truth of my experience. Once I gave in to this Love, I found myself being turned upside down and inside out. The force of this Love brought myself voluntarily into full view of some sacred truth, some awareness of that which is Good which gently opened every corner of my heart before my eyes. My inward "me" was being radically re-formed and transformed. Was I losing myself or unearthing who I really was? Am i finding the truth or being deceived by it?What was really happening to me? These questions shook me at the core.Soon emerged a desire to peer into the gospels at this man Jesus. Without the restraint of religious upbringing or denominational dogma, I saw with my own eyes something so earth-shattering and revolutionary, something so impossibly true, something so real and radical.... I saw the one whom I met after leaving my body in the hospital. I saw the one who loved me with a love even the wildest imagination couldn't fathom. I saw the one who was able to cut through without effort my every false pretense and mask. I saw the one... not many, but One. As much as I wanted to deny any special uniqueness of this man beyond what I would afford to other great spiritual leaders, I couldn't help feeling faced with this startling reality - that even amongst the great leaders and spiritual teachers of history, this man is the One. I'm not even sure if I fully understand what that means.... and thankfully, I'm not sure that I have to. -------------------------------------------------------------
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