Recently, popular Evangelist Jesse Duplantis released a video stating that God wanted him to believe him for a new high end private jet. He then proceeded to request that his followers donate towards the purchase of said jet. Much has been said about the propriety or otherwise of a minister of the Gospel flying in private jets; and much more has been said about the idea of Jesse requesting for donations to buy the jet. As a result, I have no interest in getting into that debate. Suffice it to say that there is no such thing as the prosperity Gospel or the poverty Gospel; they are both false misrepresentations of the Gospel What I do want to address is Jesse Duplantis’ remark that if Jesus had been around in modern times, he would not have been riding around on a Donkey. This is true, a Donkey is not an appropriate of efficient way of going from one place to another in the modern day and there is no reason why he would choose to ride on such. But Jesse’s statement seems to suggest that if Jesus were around now, he’d be flying in a private jet. He seems to suggest that a donkey in the first century is the equivalent of a private jet. This is a common line of thought among many modern preachers that lean towards the prosperity gospel. They tend to suggest that Jesus was extremely wealthy and lived a glamorous life. I believe I have heard this Donkey-Jet analogy before too. I can only surmise that Minister Jesse is either speaking out of ignorance or he was being mischievous. I favour the former. By no stretch of the imagination was a donkey seen as a luxury means of transportation in the first century, of course it beats walking to your destination, but it was not a means of transportation for the rich and powerful. As a matter of fact, the whole point of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a Donkey was to be in contrast to how the powerful rulers of his day would ride into town. The Kings of the world would ride on Horses, accompanied by a parade of chariots and carriages. Jesus, the King of Israel (the Universe) rode into the city on the back of a donkey, surrounded by the lowly people. It was a sign of his humility and the upside-down nature of the Kingdom of God. It’s the equivalent of a nation's president driving himself to a state function, in an old-model Volkswagen Beetle no less. While I can neither affirm nor deny that Jesus would have been flying to and fro in the latest Gulf Stream jet (remember I said that the poverty theology is as much a farce as a “prosperity Gospel”) I can say that Jesus did not and does not represent a Kingdom that tries to keep up appearances with the kingdoms of this world, neither is he a King that needs to set himself higher than his subjects. So my response to evangelist Jesse Duplantis is this; Yes, Jesus would not have been riding a donkey in 2018, but no, that does not mean he would be riding in a private jet either. Most especially if he wanted to enact his triumphant entry.
Around the entrance of refectories in Orthodox monasteries, there can sometimes be seen a shocking image of a monk being crucified. The unnamed monk silently reposes on the cross, whilst around him…
#канонанђелучувару, #kanonandjelucuvaru, #andjeocuvar, #анђеочувар,
The distinctively fresh and masterful work of Maxim Sheshukov, a contemporary iconographer working in Sviyazhsk (Kazan region of Russia), is another example of the best synthesis of creative interp…
Bilder von Janet Brooks-Gerloff {gallery}brooks-gerloff/450x430p/{/gallery}
Christian Videos: Here are gospel videos about welcoming the Lord’s return, escaping sin and entering the heavenly kingdom, and more, helping you find the paths.
Jesus’ calming the storm by rebuking the powers of nature (vv. 35-41) demonstrates His divinity and authority. We learn from St. Mark that, in the words of the St. Athanasius the Great, “The Lord Who rebuked (the storm) was not a creature, but rather its Creator.” St. Basil the Great further teaches us that “by
Saint Macarius the Great by the Russian painter, Oleg Shurkus The Apophthegmata Patrum (The sayings of the Fathers) is a collection of the words and anecdotes mainly of the Egyptian desert fathers …
Matthew 26; 40. “And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took Him.” ******************* Friend. The original language is…
Why does Jehovah God repeatedly use the illustration of a prostitute to show how he feels about false religion?
Jesus found money changers turning the Jerusalem Temple into a scene of greed and sinfulness. Driving them out, he triggered a plot ending in his death.
The Contemplative Network seeks to motivate and mobilise followers of Jesus to be “Rich in Mercy” (Ephesians 2:4). Here is a great guest blog from Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D. A God of Mercy The first members of the human race had...
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When it comes to recognizing Christ in the lives and relationships of LGBT people, the Catholic hierarchy and the Catholic laity are at different points on the journey. But Christ, the 'good news' of presence and transformation, remains always beside us. Last Sunday's gospel reading was the Road to Emmaus story. It's a story that, for a number of reasons, I've always been drawn to. One reason for this is that I very much resonate with its theme of journeying – an important metaphor within numerous spiritual traditions, and a particularly meaningful one in my own spiritual life as a gay man. In light of this, I'm heartened by how on the Road to Emmaus answers and realizations and transformations unfold. I also like how the friends of Jesus are changed, once they awaken to his presence in their midst. And it's not only their thinking that is transformed, but also their actions. For instance, these once sad and fearful individuals are now so intent on sharing their encounter with Jesus that they embark on the dangerous nighttime journey back to their friends in Jerusalem, their hearts aflame with joy, hope and purpose. And what does it mean that Jesus vanished from sight once his friends came to recognize his presence? Is it possible that in this part of the narrative we're being challenged to contemplate the idea that Jesus may never had been physically present to his friends at all? Could it be that the risen Christ 'appeared' in the travelers hearts and minds as they shared their memories, thoughts and actions of their friend Jesus? Could it be that this sharing brought to consciousness Jesus' wisdom and, yes, presence? Put another way, did such awareness ensure that they became Christ for one another? Does such a reading diminish the power of this story? I'm sure for some people it does, and perhaps there was a time when it would have done so for me. But not anymore. For regardless of how one interprets the Road to Emmaus story, the truth remains: Jesus was truly present to his friends, and awareness of this presence transformed them. I've been thinking a lot recently about these two key components of the Road to Emmaus story – presence and transformation. I've also been thinking about how they relate to the church today. Aren't we all, as church, on a journey whereby we're seeking to recognize, experience and embody God's transforming presence? And how does all of this happen? It seems to me that when we're truly present to one another; when we listen, empathize, and honestly open ourselves to our own and others' experiences and insights, we experience the presence of the sacred. And this presence is transformative. We're not the same. We become living embodiments of God's transforming love; our hearts are aflame, and we find ourselves thinking and doing things we'd perhaps never have dreamed of thinking or doing before! Yes, it can be quite unsettling, to say the least! After all, it is unsettling to realize that we can indeed recognize and experience Christ – one of many names for God's transforming love – whenever we're truly present to our deepest self and to the deepest reality of others. I know that it has been these 'being present' moments that have helped me grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. I'm sure many of my readers can relate to this experience – one that is ongoing, ever unfolding. And of course, because individuals are offered the opportunity to grow and change as the result of encountering and responding to God present in others, so too are the groups and institutions we as individuals comprise. I find this to be a source of hope – especially within the context of the institutional Roman Catholic Church. And we're seeing this hope unfold within the institutional church around a number of issues, including many relating to gay people and their lives and relationships. The ancient catholic principle that 'matter channels spirit while remaining matter' lives on in Catholic sacramental theology (and in what Jamie Manson calls the "Catholic imagination"). I believe this means that Catholics are intuitively open and responsive to God's presence in, as I like to say, "unexpected faces and places." Yet, tragically, for reasons that I won't go into here (but have explored here, here, and here), the majority of men who comprise the clerical caste of the Catholic Church have abandoned this sacramental understanding when it comes to issues of gender and sexuality. They are thus neither open nor responsive to God's presence in the lives and relationships of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Yet as the Road to Emmaus story reminds us, the potential for transformation is always with us, as Christ – God's transforming love – is always in our midst. And who knows, maybe the growing number of bishops and cardinals (one of whom is now pope!) who have expressed support for legal recognition of same-sex relationships is a sign that Christ's presence in the lives and loving relationships of gay people is beginning to break through within the collective consciousness of the hierarchy. Regardless of whether this is indeed the case or if civil unions are being used by the bishops as a desperate stopgap measure against marriage equality, those of us who have encountered and been changed by Christ's presence in our own and/or others' gay lives, must be like the disciples in the Road to Emmaus story. We must joyfully and fearlessly tell of our experiences. Indeed, I like to think that being a follower of Jesus is not about changing other people but about sharing our 'good news' stories of God's presence and transformation. Such stories obviously have the power to change hearts and minds, but how others choose to respond to them is ultimately beyond our control. The main thing is that we keep joyfully sharing – through both word and action – how our lives as LGBT and allied people have been transformed by God's love. Through such sharing we embody Christ in our church and our world – an embodiment that has the power to transform both. Now how's that for good news! See also the previous Wild Reed posts: • The Passion of Christ (Part 12): Jesus Appears to His Friends • The Many Manifestations of God's Loving Embrace • LGBT Catholics Celebrate Being 'Wonderfully Made' • Trusting God's Generous Invitation • The Triumph of Love: An Easter Reflection • Celebrating Our Sanctifying Truth • Be Not Afraid, You Can Be Happy and Gay! • Joy: The Most Infallible Sign of God's Presence • Jesus: Path-Blazer of Radical Transformation • Thoughts on Archbishop Nichols' Support for Civil Unions • The "Gay Civil Unions" Approach of Some Within the Catholic Hierarchy: Too Little, Too Late Recommended Off-site Links: Why Do So Many Catholics Support Marriage Equality? Blame the Catholic Imagination – Jamie L. Manson (National Catholic Reporter, October 10, 2012). Catholic Cardinals, Bishops Evolving on Civil Unions, Gay Relationships – Terence Weldon (Queering the Church, April 12, 2013). Two More Cardinals on the Record Endorsing Civil Unions – Francis DeBernardo (Bondings 2.0, April 12, 2013). "Records Show Pope Francis Supported Gay Unions" – Terence Weldon (Queering the Church, March 19, 2013). Bishop Gumbleton to Pro-Marriage Equality Catholics: "Don't Stop Going to Communion" – Francis DeBernardo (Bondings 2.0, April 12, 2013). The Appearance on the Road to Emmaus – Sacred Art Meditations. Image 1: "Emmaus' Door" (1992) by Janet Brooks-Gerloff. Image 2: Albert Decaris. Image 3: Sadao Watanabe. Image 4: "Jesus Appears at Emmaus" by Doug Blanchard. Image 5: "The Supper at Emmaus" by Edward Knippers.
What's up with the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and why should you know what they are? Click here for a quick primer on this important Catholic teaching.
Remind everyone their lord and savior is watching over them with this Jesus Christ in Heaven mural that shares the light in a church or home sanctuary.
"But of the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.'" Hebrews 1:8-9 Christ, the King, claimed Himself to be King. The Old Testament consistently anticipated and predicted the coming of the Messiah. He would reign as King over His kingdom. He came to earth to establish His kingdom and is now reigning as King since the church began on Pentecost. The Messiah is King over all the earth and is subduing nations under their feet. "Therefore Pilate said to Him, 'So You are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice"' (John 18:37). But Jesus was not the King that the Jews were expecting. Why? Because they assumed He would be an earthly king. Jesus declared, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (John 18:36). In Luke 1:31-33, we read that the angel promised Mary that she would have a Son that would receive the throne of David and reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom would be everlasting and have no end. In Matthew 2:2, the wise men declared that Jesus was born King of the Jews. In John 1:49, Nathaniel (early in Jesus' ministry) declared, "You are the King of Israel.” Jesus did not deny it (cf. John 6:15). In Matthew 27:11 and John 18:37, on trial before Pilate, Jesus admitted to being King (See Luke 22:70-71; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3). The word “king” means “sovereign or monarch; a man who holds the chief authority over a country and people... a person or thing pre-eminent in its class.” Jesus has all authority; therefore, He is King! The Great Commission by which we are saved from sin is based upon Jesus' present command. To undermine His position is to belittle our salvation!! Furthermore, after Jesus' resurrection, He declared that all authority in heaven and on earth had been delivered into His hands so that now all nations must obey all His commands (Matt. 28:18-20). When Peter was preaching to the Jews about Jesus, He cited David's prophecy but showed that it was not fulfilled by him personally (Acts 2:27-29; Psalm 16:8-11). “30 And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay“ (Acts 2:30-31). The prophecy of Christ on David's throne was fulfilled in Jesus' resurrection, not in the future at the second coming, as some claim. Jesus is now exalted at God's right hand (position of authority) (Psalm 110:1-2). Jesus is now Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). The word “Lord” means ruler, one possessing authority. “Christ” means the “anointed one.” Hence, Peter claimed that Jesus had been anointed as ruler. According to Psalm 110, Jesus must rule at God's right hand until all enemies are put under His feet. That will be accomplished when the enemy (death) is defeated at the resurrection. So Jesus must reign before His second coming. He will not begin His reign after the second coming! Jesus is sitting at God's right hand; that is, above all, principalities, power, might, dominion, and every name that is named on this earth or that is to come. All things are subject to Him, and He is the Head of all things to the church (Col. 1:13-18; 2:10; 1 Peter 3:21-22; Ephesians 1:20-21). He sat at the right hand of God when He made purification of our sins, i.e., after He died on the cross (Hebrews 1:3-4). Jesus now has a throne and a scepter in His kingdom. He has been anointed above His creation (Hebrews 1:8-9). Moreover, the apostles acknowledged Jesus as King even after His death. “17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17). Paul also said, “He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen” (1 Timothy 6:14-16). Jesus, the Messiah, rules over the kings of the earth from a heavenly throne! Christ's kingdom was also prophesied by Daniel (Daniel 7:13-14). In Psalm 47:5, in the Messianic context, we read that at the ascension of the Messiah, He would receive an everlasting kingdom and dominion. In verse 9 of this psalm, we also see another Messianic context. We see the peoples of the earth assembling themselves as the people of the God of Abraham. Under the Messiah's reign, the peoples of the earth, i.e., the Gentiles, could gather themselves as the people of the God of Abraham. To be the people of the God of Abraham is to be Israel spiritually. Paul made this point in Romans 9:6-8. “6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; 7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “through Isaac your descendants will be namedo.” 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.” Paul affirmed that not all physical Israel was the true Israel. To be God's people is not about being physically descendant but rather being a child according to the promise through obedience to God. In Ephesians 2:11-20, we see that Christ fulfilled Psalm 47:9 by reconciling all peoples to Him, making them all the people of the God of Abraham. In Hebrews 2:17, we read that Jesus became High Priest to make propitiation for our sins. Through His priesthood, He can save us forever, and He is always making intercession for us (Heb. 7:24-25). As High Priest, He entered the Holy Place to obtain eternal redemption by offering His own blood as our sacrifice (Hebrews 9:11-12; 24-28). And without the shedding of His blood, there is no remission, forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). In the Old Testament, the sacrifices of animals could never forgive sins (Hebrews 10:3-4); By Jesus offering Himself as High Priest, we can now have forgiveness of sins!! (Hebrews 4:14-16; 10:19-22). There are many prophesies in the Old Testament regarding Jesus as High Priest: (Psalm 110;1-4; Genesis 14:18; Zechariah 6:12-13; Isaiah 53:2; 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15; Romans 15:12). Jesus was prophesied to rule on His throne and be Priest on His throne, King, and Priest at the same time. Salvation is offered free to all through Him. Therefore as King and Lord, Christ rules now. He is in charge of all the affairs of the earth; He is now reigning over all the nations. He has all power and control over all the nations of the earth. This is precisely what Daniel prophesied in Daniel 7:27. “27 Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.” Paul made this profound statement in Romans 13:1. “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” And just as God made all the nations rise and fall in the Old Testament (Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece), so God made nations rise and fall in the New Testament (Rome and Jerusalem). He still has all power to establish governments and destroy them. This is our hope as His children. We are part of His Son's kingdom. Though we live in this nation, we are still under the rule of His Son. We are fellow heirs and partakers of His Son's kingdom even though we live on earth. We cannot see it yet, but we know by heart that it does exist!!! Christ's power and dominion will never fail, even if all the world powers were to come against it. Therefore, as Psalm 47 declares, let us clap our hands in applause. Let us also appreciate what God has done for us in giving us such a majestic kingdom through His Son. Let us live as citizens in God's kingdom, offering due honor to our King! CONCLUSION: Jesus, our Lord, has the ultimate authority (Matt. 28:18). He is Head over all things (Eph. 1:20-21; 1 Peter 3:22). He is King of kings and Lord of lords of all the earth and heaven (Rev. 1:5). And no matter who is president, king, or dictator, God rules over all!!! No matter who rules and what rulers may do, for good or ill, we are in God's protecting hands!! Remember that!! When both John and Jesus declared that "the kingdom of God is at hand," they were proclaiming that the reign of God had come in the Messiah Himself (Mark 1:15; Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:7). It is in Jesus our Lord that "our God reigns!" "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunders, saying, Hallelujah: for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigneth." Revelation 19:6 "7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" Isaiah 52:7 Praise the LORD, for His King has come to His kingdom in all righteousness and faithfulness! All the creation is called to rejoice and worship the Lord of lords and King of kings. Everyone is to exalt Jehovah God before His Son. Remember also that our citizenship is in heaven and that we are pilgrims, living among the nations of men (Phil. 3:20; Eph. 2:19; 1 Peter 1:1; 2:11). This world is not our home. We are just passing through. We must not become too attached to the things of this world, which can render us fruitless (Luke 8:14). Yes, we must guard our hearts against the love of this world, including politics! (1 John 2:15-17). As Christians, we are not seeking an earthly kingdom but a heavenly one that has already been established, and we must be willing to be subject to Christ. Our love for Christ and His kingdom and the souls of men must move us to set our minds on things above (Col. 3:2) rather than being concerned about our earthly and temporal leaders. Let us first seek God's rule in our lives (Matt. 6:33); proclaim His mercies (1 Peter 2:9-10). The kingdom of God and His righteousness must be our primary focus. So why not refocus our efforts on the saving gospel of Christ to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20)? Are you letting politics render you fruitless in your life and in the work of the Lord? Are you fulfilling the Great Commission? Or are you being distracted by earthly things? Therefore, let us reaffirm our heavenly citizenship, let us refocus on our primary goal; let us resolve to give leaders their due; let us keep praying for godly rulers; let us keep living righteously and not defile ourselves, and finally, let us all resume our role as peacemakers. Remember that righteousness exalts a nation, and sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34). Our Lord reigns as King and Lord! Have you allowed Him to reign in your life and the lives of others? May we allow our King and Lord to reign in our lives. May God help us to focus more on our heavenly citizenship and less on this earth. Luci
