I saw this on a post by one, Jim Palmer (via a FB Friend, Brian M.), so I need and want to give credit where it is due. This list is not mine, but it resonates with me and warrants sharing and repeating.
I’m not sure what you think you heard Jesus say, but it was NOT any of these:
- “For God was so disgusted with the world that he gave his one and only Son.”
- “I have come to bring you a new religion.”
- “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have correct theology.”
- “If anyone would come after me, let them disparage all other religions and their followers.”
- “If you love me, you will attend a bible-preaching church at least twice, preferabley three times a week.”
- “Blessed are the tithers for they shall be called the children of God.”
- “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in Heaven after the earth goes up in flames and is destroyed.”
- “You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor,’ which means the people in your church and denomination.”
- “In my Father’s house there are a limited number of reserved rooms; unlike Hell, where there is unlimited capacity” or in other variations: “In my Father’s house there are a limited number of reserved rooms and it is your job to figure out who gets one of those rooms and who doesn’t.”
- “The Kingdom of God has come! Well, not exactly. Not really. Let’s face it, the good stuff comes after you die. Hang in there, it won’t be long now.”
- “And you will know the truth and the truth will make you superior to all other simpletons who never learned Greek or Hebrew.”
- “A new commandment I give you — try harder.”
- “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you an exhaustive checklist of do’s and don’ts in order to remain in God’s favor.”
- “I am in the Father and the Father is in me, and you are on the outside looking in because the best you will ever be is a saved sinner.”
- “He appeared to his disciples over a period of 40 days and spoke about how to incorporate his life and teaching as a 501(c)3, and go into all the heart to build a mega-tax-free-church in his name.”
- “Bring all the little children to me and I will tell them the story about how they were born into the world as filthy rags, condemned and rejected by their heavenly Father.”
I would add this to those who quote and/or utilize a passage or two of the bible to “justify” what is, when laid bare in the bright love and grace of God, shown to be the opposite of the heart God: work just as hard in the opposite direction.
Why is it when a certain demographic of “bible-believers” are asked about any number of passages that direct our heart and response toward caring for the poor, the immigrant and yes, even the refugee, they spend the next 15 minutes stammering and rambling about the complex nature of “modern” social economics and the many cultural and societal changes that have transpired over time since Jesus’ time, follwed by a short comparative political science lesson on socialism, communism and capitalism; then moving on to a breakdown on the etymology of certain words, culminating in a condescending reminder of how language doesn’t necessarily translate well — especially over a long period of time from generation to generation because of the “human factor?”
Try harder in the other direction because Jesus did say this: “I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.” (Matthew 25:45, NLT).
I’m not sure what you heard, but…
Matthew 25: 31 31-33 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.”
But first He will ask if you put America First. and maybe if you ever knelt during the US national anthem.
You get it brother.