What would Jesus be like in our time? 想像, you hear, that a famous preacher is coming to your church. You have heard, and read much about this famous preacher, and about all the signs and wonders, that follow him. You are so excited, that you decide to arrange a dinner party. You not only invite this famous preacher, but also the pastor, a few elders, 領導者, and other members of the church. You have made all the necessary dinner preparations, and you are all set! Then the time has come. All the guests arrive, and take their seats.
An awkward silence
They are all excited, and there is a good ambiance. You begin serving the first course, and after you’re done, you take your seat and prepare for prayer. But then an awkward thing happens: the preacher already starts eating. You are amazed at his behaviour and a bit confused. You are looking at the others, who are sitting with folded hands, waiting to pray. They all look at the preacher, who 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 very calmly: “You are amazed about the fact, that I don’t pray out loud, together with you, and 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 as soon as everyone leaves, a whole other person will come forth.
是的, you act friendly and speak nice to other people, but as soon as they leave, you 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, and you make a lot of promises, which you don’t keep; 你是個騙子. You give your money to the congregation so that you will receive more back. You live after your own will, and you only help people, so that you will be noticed by others. 是的, you put yourself on a pedestal and are selfish. You judge others, for the things, you do in secret”.
生活中的演員
The pastor tries to interrupt the famous preacher. But then the preacher starts confronting everyone at the table and says: “you are all no better, you are just the same. You are all actors of life; you act differently in front of people. You pretend, that you are all so pious, but your heart and your thinking don’t line up with your words. You all want to be seen by others, and be put on a pedestal. You are 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 are more focused on prosperity and wealth than the Kingdom of God, because money has become the center of your life…….
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 believers. While you are eating and drinking, you are discussing daily matters and sharing all the ins and outs. You are having a good time, until this famous preacher comes in, and starts saying: “You are only focused on yourself. You make time available, to please yourself and to have a good time. You are selfish. You don’t understand the Kingdom of God. How can you have a good time, 同時, so many souls are lost ….……… “
The famous preacher speaks hard words
Then the time has arrived, that this famous preacher, will preach in the congregation (教會). Many people have come, to hear the words of this man.
But instead of an encouraging ‘feel good’ sermon, he preaches a confrontational sermon, which a lot of people don’t like to hear. He tells them about his life, how he became born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. And how he had to lay down his own life so that he could walk as 新的創造; 神的兒子. He tells them, that he is a son of God because 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. Because if you walk in sin, then you are a 罪惡的奴隸, and therefore a slave of the devil, who sinned against God. The preacher goes on and on…
Most people are not amused. They don’t like hearing these unpleasant and hard words. They don’t like this preacher at all. They like the wonders, and miracles he performs, but they don’t like his words.
They find him pious, too religious, too legalistic, 老式的, ETC。. Because isn’t it all grace?
The whole congregation is confronted with their lifestyle, which they don’t appreciate. Most believers become irritated and angry at his words. They stand up and leave the church.
Only a handful of people stay and listen to the words of this famous preacher. Instead of feeling irritated and ‘attacked’, they feel sad and ashamed for the sins they walk in. On the basis of his words, they ask for forgiveness and repent.
What shall the church do with this preacher?
你怎麼認為? Would this congregation, this church, invite this famous preacher again? Or would the church ask him to leave, as soon as he steps down the pulpit, because of his hard words? Was this man indeed unloving, 苛刻, 粗魯的, merciless, and relentless?
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 or listen to his messages?
Havoc at church
Two weeks later, you open the local newspaper and read the following headline: ‘Havoc at the church’. You are curious and you start reading: a well-known preacher has caused havoc in the bookstore of the church………
Could this preacher be Jesus?
Could this preacher be Jesus? This famous preacher could indeed have been Jesus in our time (另請閱讀‘耶穌是誰?‘).
Many preachers often create 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 a loving righteous, and holy God, who hates sin and would never approve of it (另請閱讀: ‘教會的新時代‘ 和 ‘耶穌討厭什麼?').
因為事實, that most believers don’t study and investigate the Bible by themselves, the truth is being lost in the multitude of the words of man.
不幸, censorship is a common phenomenon in many churches. Many times a one-sided image is created that doesn’t correspond with the truth.
現在, let’s have a look at the passages in the Bible, from which these examples are inspired.
Jesus was invited, by a Pharisee, for dinner
And 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; 和, 看, all things are clean unto you.
但你有禍了, 法利賽人! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: 這些是你該做的, 並且不要讓另一個未完成. 對你有禍, 法利賽人! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. 對你有禍, 抄寫員和法利賽人, 偽君子! 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, 對他說, 掌握, thus saying thou reproachest us also.
他說, 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. 對你有禍! 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. 因此也說神的智慧, 我會差遣先知和使徒給他們, 他們中的一些人將被殺害和迫害: 所有先知的血, 是從創世以來就脫落的, 可能是這一代所需要的; 從亞伯的血到撒迦利亞的血, 在祭壇和聖殿之間滅亡了: 我實在告訴你, 應該是這一代的要求.
對你有禍, 律師! For ye have taken away the key of knowledge: 你們不是進入自己裡面, 那些進來的人你們都攔阻. 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 (路克 11:37-53)
Many disciples left Jesus, due to His hard words
耶穌對他們說, 實實在在, 實實在在, 我對你說, 除了你們吃了人兒子的肉, 喝他的血, 你們沒有生命. 誰吃我的肉, 並喝我的血, 永生; 我會在最後一天撫養他. 因為我的肉確實是肉, 我的血液確實喝了. 吃我肉的人, 並喝我的血, 住在我裡面, 我在他裡面. 正如活著的父親寄給我, 我住父親: 所以他吃了我, 甚至他也會在我身邊生活. 這就是從天堂降下來的麵包: 不像你的父親一樣吃甘露, 並死了: he that eats of this bread shall live for ever.
These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of His disciples, when they had heard this, 說, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured at it, 他對他們說, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before? 這是加快的精神; 肉的利潤什麼都沒有: 我對你說的話, 他們是精神, 他們是生活.
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.
他說, 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 (約翰 6:53-66)
The words of Jesus were not believed,
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, 對他說, 你多久讓我們懷疑? If thou be the Christ, 清楚地告訴我們. 耶穌回答了他們, 我告訴你了, and you believed not: 我以父親的名義做的作品, 他們見證了我.
But you believe not, because you are not of My sheep, 正如我對你說的. 我的綿羊聽到我的聲音, 我知道他們, 他們跟著我: 我給他們永生; 他們永遠不會滅亡, 任何人也不會把他們從我的手中拔出. 我的父親, 給我我, 大於所有人; 而且沒有人能夠從我父親的手中摘下來. I and My Father are One.
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 耶穌回答了他們, Many good works have I shewed you from My Father; for which of those works do ye stone me (約翰 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, 和羊, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ 錢, 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 (約翰 2:13-17)
Jesus spoke righteous words
Jesus didn’t only speak friendly words, and He didn’t approve of all lifestyles, and sins of man. Jesus spoke righteous words, that were often very confrontational and harsh to hear. Jesus didn’t walk by sight, but He walked and spoke about what was in the hearts of men.
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 他必按公義審判貧窮人, 並以公平為地球的恩典: 他必用口中的杖擊打大地, 他必用嘴唇的氣殺戮惡人 (以賽亞 11:2-4)
Jesus revealed sin
Jesus didn’t accept sin, but He revealed all the (隱) 罪, that were in the life of men. He confronted them and commanded them to sin no more. 例如, 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 harsh, and most people are not willing to hear the truth. This used to be the case and still is the case. Nothing has changed throughout the ages.
But if we really want to live after His will, then we must also accept these hard words into our lives, 而不是 rejecting these hard words. When we reject these hard words, 我們 拒絕耶穌 也.
Only when we hear the complete truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God, then we can renew our minds with the truth, adjust our lives to the truth, 然後走. When we apply the whole truth to our lives, then we shall walk in spiritual freedom, 作為神的兒子.
耶穌說了嚴厲的話, not because He wanted to punish people or lay ‘heavy’ laws upon the people. But He spoke these words of truth; of life so that the people could experience real spiritual freedom in Him; in His words.
The freedom of this world will lead the people in spiritual bondage of the devil. Only the Truth; 上帝啊, will open your spiritual eyes so that you will find out the truth and walk in it.
另請閱讀: ‘耶穌把教堂扔出去‘
‘成為地球之鹽’
