I think the reason people kept following Jesus is the same as it is now – they love him and recognise in him the love of God for them. (Perhaps that should be reversed as in the great old hymn - “O how I love Jesus”.)
You see, IMO the thing about not being able to live the kind of life Jesus demanded is overplayed. The truth is that most people aren’t able to live the life that they would like for themselves – so the whole failure thing isn’t new. The new and unique thing about Jesus was that he both taught and lived out the fact that despite how far and how often we fall short of our/God’s/Jesus’ ideals, nothing we can do or fail to do can change one iota the incredible love of God for us. And that’s a bit of news worth following someone to hear again and again. Or so I reckon...
Cheers
Linz
Psssst! Did you hear that Tom Stuart ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) said this:
We have been ploughing through some of the most difficult gospel passages in the lectionary (or at least it seems like it) over past weeks, or even months. The disciples never get it right. People leaving Jesus. Everyone is saying it is too hard. The only one’s who do any good are those who are blind, stony cold broke, or in some other way totally marginalised (you can’t just put yourself there … not that I would want to).
So here is my dumb question: If no one understood Jesus, and when they did they realised they could not live the sort of life Jesus demanded, why did anyone keep following him?
When I’ve preached over past weeks, if I preach to a traditional group, at the end of the service they shake my hand and say, “Nice service!” and I know they have been thinking about lunch. When I preach to a more engaged group quite a few of them get defensive … and I’m trying to duck for cover behind the text itself (sort of, “I didn’t write this stuff!”)
Seriously, why did they keep following him?
Okay, dumb question but if someone has a view on this I’m all ears (well eyes maybe).
Tom
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.milman.uniting.com.au
Ph: 6862 5502 Mobile: 0427 625 502
14 Bushman St
Parkes NSW 2870
'Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable'.
I prefer to die living than to live dying!
"War is a poor chisel with which to carve out the future." - Martin Luther King, Jr
Psalm 5: 11 "But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. "
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Rev. Lindsay Cullen
Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
An old(!) website... www.lindsaycullen.com
