On Sunday Bishop Benjamin preached (he's a pretty good preacher.) at my parish on the healing of the paralytic man. He focused on the fact that "they brought him" to Jesus; saying that often people do not go to Jesus on their own but have to be brought. It reminded me of the Assemblies of God deacon who followed my then 17 year old dad out of the house through a bedroom window to see him converterd. My Dad did not want to be brought to Jesus, but that Assemblies of God deacon wanted to bring him.
So I think to myself, am I supposed to be like that deacon? Do I grab the spiritually paralyzed and bring them to Jesus? How? I am always ready to explain the faith, I pray for people(its a long list), and try to be a light that attracts people to Jesus, but very few ever ask to introduced to him. I wonder if I am too afraid of offending people and losing friends to bring them to Jesus. Maybe, I don't really love them enough to do the outlandish thing that would bring them to Jesus. I don't know.
3 hours ago
4 comments:
I am not sure I would let you "bring me to Jesus". It all seems so contrived and rehearsed. I would however allow you to bring me to church. There, Jesus would make introductions quite nicely. Since the Orthodox and not big evangelists, the church speaks for itself and volumes at that. Imagine entering and Orthodox temple for the first time...it must be mind boggling.
He is a good preacher.
The only way, I am convinced, to "bring people to Jesus" is to love. Jesus himself did no coercion, only loving. The love is not conditional on anyone converting.
I really like Bishop Benjamin's sermons too! Though I've only heard one of them. At least only one oral sermon....I saw him riding the Muni subway once and was very impressed with that as a sermon also.
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