Можливо, відомим проповідником у цій публікації в блозі міг би бути Ісус. Ви коли-небудь замислювалися, яким був би Ісус у наш час?
A famous preacher comes to the church
Уявіть собі, you hear that a famous preacher is coming to your church. You’ve heard and read a lot about this famous preacher, and about all the signs and wonders that follow him.
You’re so excited, that you decide to arrange a dinner party. You not only invite this famous preacher, but also the pastor, a few elders, and other members of the church.
You have made all the necessary dinner preparations and are all set! Then it’s time, and all the invited guests arrive and take their seats at the dinner table.
An awkward silence during dinner with the preacher
Everyone is excited, and there is a good ambiance. You begin to serve the first course. After you’re done, you sit down and prepare for prayer. But then something awkward happens. The preacher starts eating.
You are surprised by his behaviour and at the same time a bit confused. You look at the others that are waiting with folded hands, ready to pray. They all look at the preacher that is enjoying his food.
You don’t know how to handle this situation, and there is an awkward silence.
Then suddenly the famous preacher arises, and says with a calm voice, «You are surprised that I don’t pray out loud, together with you as a mere formality. You don’t approve this behaviour. But let’s talk about you and your actions. You smile and act friendly and pious in front of everyone, and you speak those things, which people want to hear. But you didn’t talk and acted that way to your husband and children before we arrived. And as soon as everyone leaves, a whole other person will come forth. You will speak evil behind their backs and gossip.
Your actions don’t line up with the words you speak, and the advice you give to others. You say one thing, but you do the opposite. You make a lot of promises, which you don’t keep; ти брехун.
Let’s not forget your tithing and offering, you only give your money to the church до receive more back. You live after your own will. And you only help people to be noticed. You put yourself on a pedestal and are selfish.
You criticize and judge others for the things you do in secret”.
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The pastor tries to interrupt the famous preacher. But then the preacher confronts everyone at the table and says:
«You’re no better, you are just the same. You’re all actors of life; you act one way in front of people but as soon as they are gone you act another way. You all pretend to be so pious, while your heart and thinking don’t line up with your words. You all want others to see you and put you on a pedestal.
You’re all so fond and attached to your titles, positions, and your seats in front of the church, You judge and treat people, according to their appearance, or according to their wealth. You’re more focused on prosperity and wealth than the Kingdom of God, тому що ти love money and therefore money has become the center of your lifд”.
A fellowship gathering in the church
Or imagine, you have a fellowship gathering in the church. You are having a good time with your fellow brothers and sisters. While you are eating and drinking, you are discussing daily matters and sharing all the ins and outs.
You’re having a good time, until this famous preacher comes in and says:
«You only focus on yourself. You make time to please yourself and to have a good time. You’re all so selfish. You don’t understand the Kingdom of God. How can you have a good time, а тим часом, so many souls are lost?«
The famous preacher speaks hard words in the church
Then it’s time for the famous preacher to speak in the church. Many people have come to the church and are excited to hear the words of this famous preacher and see the signs and wonders.
But instead of preaching a motivational sermon, a confrontational sermon is preached, that a lot of people don’t like to hear.
The famous preacher tells them about his life, how he became born again by the power of the Holy Spirit.
He speaks about laying down his own life so that he could walk as нове творіння; син Божий.
The famous preacher tells them that he is a son of God and the Holy Spirit dwells in him.
He continues and tells the congregation that it is impossible to keep walking in sin if you have become a new creation. Якщо ти ходиш у гріху, ти а раб гріха, and therefore a slave of the devil who sinned against God.
Most people are not amused. They don’t like hearing these unpleasant and hard words. They don’t like this preacher at all. The people like the signs and wonders, but they don’t like his words.
They find him pious, too religious, too legalistic, старомодний, тощо. Because isn’t it all grace?
The whole congregation is confronted with their lifestyle, which most of them don’t appreciate. Most believers are offended at his words. They stand up and leave the church.
Only a few people stay and listen to the words of this famous preacher. Instead of feeling offended, they feel sad and ashamed for their lifestyle. They are convicted of their sins and ask forgiveness and repent.
What shall the church do with this preacher?
Що ви думаєте, will this church invite this famous preacher again? Or will the church ask him to leave, as soon as he steps down from the pulpit, due to his hard words? Was this man indeed unloving, суворий, грубий, merciless, і невблаганний?
What do you think about this famous preacher after these incidents? Would you still admire him? Would you still see him the same way as you did before: as a man of God? Do you still want to fellowship with him, follow him, and listen to his messages?
A havoc in the church
Two weeks later, you open the local newspaper and read the following headline: Havoc in the church. You are curious and start reading: a well-known preacher has caused havoc in the bookstore of the church………
Could this famous preacher be Jesus?
This famous preacher could have been Jesus in our time. A few years ago, an article is written about Jesus Christ and Who Jesus really is.
У багатьох проповідників є – and create(d) a wrong image of the true Jesus Christ.
They describe Jesus as some kind of ‘new age god’, who accepts everything and tolerates everything. Instead of describing Jesus as a loving but also a righteous, and holy God, Who hates sin and would never approve of sin.
Через те, що, that most Christians don’t read and study the Bible themselves, the truth is lost in the multitude of the words of man.
На жаль, censorship is a common phenomenon in many churches. Many times a one-sided image is created that doesn’t correspond with the truth.
Зараз, let’s have a look at the Scriptures in the Bible from which these examples are inspired.
A Pharisee invited Jesus for dinner
As He spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with Him: and He went in, and sat down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that He had not first washed before dinner. And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? But rather give alms of such things as ye have; і, Ось, all things are clean unto you.
Але горе тобі, Фарисеї! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: це ви повинні були зробити, і не залишати іншого незробленим. Горе тобі, Фарисеї! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Горе тобі, книжники і фарисеї, лицеміри! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
“You also insult us”
Then answered one of the lawyers, і сказав йому, Майстер, thus saying thou reproachest us also.
І Він сказав, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! For ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Горе тобі! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Тому також сказав мудрість Божа, Я надішлю їм пророків і апостолів, і деякі з них вони вбиють і переслідують: Що кров усіх пророків, який був пролитий з фундаменту світу, може вимагати цього покоління; З крові Абеля до крові Захарії, який загинув між вівтарем і храмом: по -справжньому кажу вам, Це повинно вимагати цього покоління.
Горе тобі, юристи! For ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ви не самі увійшли, і тим, хто входив, ви перешкодили. And as He said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge Him vehemently, and to provoke Him to speak of many things: Laying wait for Him, and seeking to catch something out of His mouth, that they might accuse Him (Люк 11:37-53)
Many disciples left Jesus, due to His hard words
Ісус сказав їм, Воістину, воістину, Я кажу тобі, Крім того, ви їсте м’якоть сина Людського, і пити його кров, у вас немає життя у вас. Хто їсть мою плоть, і п’є мою кров, має вічне життя; і я підніму його в останній день. Бо моя плоть справді м'ясо, і моя кров справді п'є. Той, хто їсть мою плоть, і п’є мою кров, живе в мені, І я в ньому. Як послав живий батько, і я живу батьком: Отже, хто мене їсть, Навіть він буде жити мною. Це той хліб, який зійшов з неба: Не так, як ваші батьки їли манну, і мертві: he that eats of this bread shall live for ever.
These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Тому багато Його учнів, коли вони почули це, сказав, Це важкий вислів; хто це може почути? Коли Ісус знав у Себі, що Його учні нарікали на це, Він сказав їм, Вас це ображає? Що і якщо ви побачите, що Син Людський піднімається туди, де Він був раніше? Саме дух прискорюється; плоть нічого не приносить: слова, які я говорю вам, Вони є духом, І вони є життям.
But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him.
І Він сказав, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him of My Father. From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him (Джон 6:53-66)
The people didn’t believe the words of Jesus because they didn’t belong to His sheep
And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews round about him, і сказав йому, Як довго ти змушуєш нас сумніватися? If thou be the Christ, скажи нам прямо. Ісус відповів їм, я тобі сказав, and you believed not: діла, які Я чиню в ім’я Отця Мого, вони свідчать про Мене.
But you believe not, because you are not of My sheep, як я тобі сказав. Мої вівці слухають Мого голосу, і я їх знаю, і вони слідують за Мною: І Я даю їм вічне життя; і вони ніколи не загинуть, і ніхто не вирве їх із Моєї руки. Мій батько, яка дала їм Мене, більше за всіх; і ніхто не зможе вирвати їх з руки Мого Отця. I and My Father are One.
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Ісус відповів їм, Many good works have I shewed you from My Father; for which of those works do ye stone me (Джон 10:23-32)
The cleansing of the Temple
And the Jews ‘Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple, і вівці, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ гроші, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not My Father’s house an house of merchandise. And His disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up (Джон 2:13-17)
Jesus spoke righteous words coming from the Father
Jesus didn’t only speak friendly words and He didn’t approve of all lifestyles, including the sins of man. He spoke righteous words coming from the Father, that were often confrontational and hard to hear
Jesus didn’t walk by sight, but He walked and spoke about what was in the hearts of men.
І спочине на Ньому Дух Господній, Дух мудрості й розуму, Духа ради й сили, Дух знання і страху Господнього; І зробить Його розумним у страху Господньому: і Він не судитиме за видінням очей Своїх, ані не докоряй за слуханням Його вух: Але Він судитиме бідних по правді, і докоряйте з справедливістю за лагідних землі: і Він вдарить землю жезлом уст Своїх, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked (Ісая 11:2-4)
Jesus revealed sin
Jesus didn’t accept sin, but He revealed all the (прихований) sins that were in the lives of people. He confronted them and commanded them to sin no more. Наприклад, when Jesus met a Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus confronted her with her way of living, and commanded her to sin no more.
The truth is often hard, and most people are not willing to hear the truth. This used to be the case, and this still is the case. Nothing has changed throughout the ages.
Але якщо дуже хочеться йти за Ісусом and live after the will of the Father, you must also accept these hard sayings of Jesus into your life and not reject them. When you reject these hard words, ви відкинути Ісуса також.
Only when you hear the complete truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God, you can renew our minds with the truth, adjust your life to the truth, і ходити в правді. When you apply the whole truth to your life, you shall walk in spiritual freedom, як сини Божі (це стосується як чоловіків, так і жінок).
Ісус сказав важкі слова, not because He wanted to punish people or lay heavy laws upon the people. But He spoke these words of truth and of life so that the people could experience real spiritual freedom in Him; in His words.
The freedom of this world leads the people in spiritual bondage of the devil. Only the Truth, Ісус Христос, opens your spiritual eyes so that you find out the truth and walk in it.
Будьте сіллю землі’
