Christian Reflection and Prayer

WHO WAS JESUS?

For some reason I have been recently in discussions
with several people about, "Who was (and is) Jesus:?

How do you explain faith?  How do you explain
belief?  How do you explain how Jesus has transformed
your life and transformed the world?

Who was Jesus? Why did he come? Some people
think it was to save them only from their sins, so
their spiritual focus is only personal salvation.
Others appreciate Jesus' teachings but see little
connection between the wise teacher of old and
how they live life here and now.

I believe both groups have lost the true vision of who
Jesus is—a vision that changes everything about us
and our world. What we believe about Jesus has the
power to transform how we treat our neighbors—
including the poor, the marginalized, and our enemies
—and promote the common good.

That's who Jesus is to me. Yes I truly believe and
have faith, that He died for my sins, so I don't have to
carry the burden of those wrong things that I do in
my life. But He really transformed me and how I treat
others, the poor, the marginalized, people who so
many don't give a damn about, people who don't like
me, people who hate me and my country that I
live in, my enemies. Jesus has changed me and
how I think of all these people and how I treat them.

All my life I have been different, some thought odd,
some put labels on me like liberal, agitator, hippie,
coward, and many other labels. And I know why!
It's because Jesus changed me, He transformed me.
That doesn't make right all the time, but it does
make me changed, and it does make me different.

I really love Jesus, and what's even more amazing is
that He loves me.  I guess that makes me who and
what I am. It certainly makes me different because
I have been transformed by the Savior of the world! I
believe that with all my being.

Peace, peace, to those far and near,”
      says the LORD. “And I will heal them.”
Isaiah 57:19

 It’s easier to make peace with those far from us first,
and then turn to those closer to us.

Some of us carry around decades of resentment
toward the people closest to us, but can we overlook
a slight by a stranger? God is telling us to start by
making peace with those far from us – with the person
who cut you off on your morning drive, the rude cashier,
the irritable coworker. We can start by making peace
with those who are distant from us and next considering
those closest to us. With God’s help and healing, we
then will see peace in the world.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

(excerps from Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein)

There was man who liked to appear to be
full of virtue. As the story goes, he once
said to Mark Twain, "Before I die, I'm going
to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  I
shall climb to the top of Mount Sinai and
read the Ten Commandments aloud!"  To
which Twain reportedly replied, "I have a
better idea!  Why don't you stay right at
home and keep them?"

(DO YOU?)

(The Staff and editors of Sunday Sermons Online)