The Journey 164: Want to be a follower of Christ?
Read: John 8:1-11
New York Times reported last week of an interesting news item. It was about two Christian missionaries from North Carolina, who fought with robber with a gun in hand, risking their life. The two young missionaries belonged to the Southern Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. They had come to New York to do a mission work. What happened that fateful day was that, a woman well dressed with designer sunglasses was walking on the 37th Road, off Broadway, at Jackson Heights, when she was spotted by the robber. He felt that the woman would be an easy prey and since the crowd was also thin, he thought that the chance of a getaway was also bright. With this intention in mind, he snatched the purse and ran. But then he did not foresee the events that were to follow. A fire fighter who was standing nearby confronted the robber, who fell of his balance and that is when one of the missionary, Andre Aganbi, a student at Duke University, was sharing the gospel among the people on the streets suddenly saw the robber falling on the ground. He also fell on to the ground trying to pin the robber down, with the help of his friend Mark, and that is when they realized that the robber was going to take a gun out of his pocket. With swift tackle the robber let loose the grip of Aganbi, fired and fled. Within minutes the robber had fled, and by the time the cops arrived, the group of missionaries were in a shock. But they quickly regained composure. They formed a circle and started praying in the middle of the street, by holding hands and thanking God for the narrow escape from the jaws of death. But looking back at the incident, the young missionaries felt that they felt good that they have been able to do something that they were expected to do as Christians in a situation like this. It is easy to preach the gospel, but there are times when one is forced in situations and experiences where one is put into a centre of action where one need to act out the gospel message, message just preached or what one stands for. The ability to understand some of the sudden contextual demands and challenges of the gospel message, and to risk ourselves is what the life style of a believer is all about. This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in our personal life” based on John 8:1-11. The gospel passage describes how Jesus puts the message that he preaches in a practical way and also in a totally different perspective. Here is a powerful group of people– the Pharisees bringing to the presence of Jesus, the woman caught in adultery. Jesus knew the intricacies of the law, in a situation like this, the challenges that he may face if he antagonizes the Pharisees. He was also aware that the Pharisees may create hurdles and also oppose him, in his ministry if he does not toe their line of thinking. But Jesus is not concerned about His image, or the opposition that may come in His ministry, but concerned about the welfare of the woman who is a termed a sinner yet has been condemned by people who are actually involved in the sinful act. It is here that Jesus takes the risk to stand along with the woman and lead her to a new transformed living. Today most of us are just peddlers of gospel message, we don't have the guts to take a stand for the welfare of others because that may make our hands dirty, or may be our image may take a beating in front of others. My convictions is that, if I am a gospel messenger, I am not supposed to play safe in my ministry but on the contrary ready to take up risk for the sake of my people whom I serve or for my church for which I am a minister. The missionaries form North Carolina proved that being gospel messengers also means to take risk for others, not concerned about ones safety, so that others could experience gospel in action. Are you messenger living in safe zone or ready to jump into centre of action?
New York Times reported last week of an interesting news item. It was about two Christian missionaries from North Carolina, who fought with robber with a gun in hand, risking their life. The two young missionaries belonged to the Southern Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. They had come to New York to do a mission work. What happened that fateful day was that, a woman well dressed with designer sunglasses was walking on the 37th Road, off Broadway, at Jackson Heights, when she was spotted by the robber. He felt that the woman would be an easy prey and since the crowd was also thin, he thought that the chance of a getaway was also bright. With this intention in mind, he snatched the purse and ran. But then he did not foresee the events that were to follow. A fire fighter who was standing nearby confronted the robber, who fell of his balance and that is when one of the missionary, Andre Aganbi, a student at Duke University, was sharing the gospel among the people on the streets suddenly saw the robber falling on the ground. He also fell on to the ground trying to pin the robber down, with the help of his friend Mark, and that is when they realized that the robber was going to take a gun out of his pocket. With swift tackle the robber let loose the grip of Aganbi, fired and fled. Within minutes the robber had fled, and by the time the cops arrived, the group of missionaries were in a shock. But they quickly regained composure. They formed a circle and started praying in the middle of the street, by holding hands and thanking God for the narrow escape from the jaws of death. But looking back at the incident, the young missionaries felt that they felt good that they have been able to do something that they were expected to do as Christians in a situation like this. It is easy to preach the gospel, but there are times when one is forced in situations and experiences where one is put into a centre of action where one need to act out the gospel message, message just preached or what one stands for. The ability to understand some of the sudden contextual demands and challenges of the gospel message, and to risk ourselves is what the life style of a believer is all about. This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in our personal life” based on John 8:1-11. The gospel passage describes how Jesus puts the message that he preaches in a practical way and also in a totally different perspective. Here is a powerful group of people– the Pharisees bringing to the presence of Jesus, the woman caught in adultery. Jesus knew the intricacies of the law, in a situation like this, the challenges that he may face if he antagonizes the Pharisees. He was also aware that the Pharisees may create hurdles and also oppose him, in his ministry if he does not toe their line of thinking. But Jesus is not concerned about His image, or the opposition that may come in His ministry, but concerned about the welfare of the woman who is a termed a sinner yet has been condemned by people who are actually involved in the sinful act. It is here that Jesus takes the risk to stand along with the woman and lead her to a new transformed living. Today most of us are just peddlers of gospel message, we don't have the guts to take a stand for the welfare of others because that may make our hands dirty, or may be our image may take a beating in front of others. My convictions is that, if I am a gospel messenger, I am not supposed to play safe in my ministry but on the contrary ready to take up risk for the sake of my people whom I serve or for my church for which I am a minister. The missionaries form North Carolina proved that being gospel messengers also means to take risk for others, not concerned about ones safety, so that others could experience gospel in action. Are you messenger living in safe zone or ready to jump into centre of action?