Jesus the Christ Chapter 25
A few thoughts:
I like the image of Christ crying aloud, His voice “resounding through the courts and arcades of the temple: ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink”.
I love that the officers sent to arrest Christ were too moved by His teachings to arrest Him.
I think it’s interesting that Christ doesn’t tell the woman taken in adultery that her sins are forgiven her, He simply tells her to go and sin no more. Does this mean she was falsely accused? That she was not yet sufficiently repentant? I don’t know. I just find it interesting.
“They failed to understand because of their stubborn refusal to listen dispassionately.” Much food for thought there.
I love the story of the man who was blind from birth, and Christ’s response to the question of who sinned to make him that way : “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” So often we see trials or experiences in our lives as punishments (I’m thinking infertility, illness, etc.) where we think, “I must not be worthy enough”, but perhaps they are opportunities afforded us for the works of God to be made manifest in our lives.
And I love that after he was healed, people just refused to believe it was the same person, and he’s sitting there saying, “Um, hello! It’s me!”
I LOVE the imagery connected to Christ being the Good Shepard. Such a brilliant metaphor.
And lastly, how wonderful is it that Christ taught in the Court of the Women, out where EVERYONE had access to Him and His teachings?
An exciting announcement is coming soon about the Jesus book club, keep your eyes out! 🙂
i’m too excited! what’s the big news?! ahh!
i also loved the examples in this chapter about how we can come to know and believe christ. the people have been clamoring for signs, but they don’t seem to see these healings as signs. i wonder what they were looking for? probably more water into wine and miracle lunches. what they got was the blind seeing. much to ponder here.
i also love how the blind from birth man is like, “oh, wait, you’re the messiah? awesome.” he was just grateful for the healing. and yet he got so much more, because he was open to it, ready for it. you mentioned in a previous post our old conversations about getting from point a to point b, and it reminds me of (get ready to giggle) something barry manilow said at the beginning of hollywood week on american idol this week: “stardom is where preparation meets opportunity”. we never know when opportunity (jesus) is gonna show up. all we have control over is preparation, so i’m going to get on the faith and repentance 🙂