A response to the CNN presentation "What would Jesus really do?"...
What would Jesus really do?A special edition was presented by CNN on Good Friday addressing a lot of issues going on today and asking the question: "What would Jesus really do? As issues of concern, the host, Roland Martin, mentioned abortion, homosexuality, poverty, homelessness, divorce, the widening gap between the haves and have-nots, the hypocrisy of Christians, holy wars with Muslims and within Christianity... In the CNN cover article (see link further on), Roland writes, "As we celebrate Holy Week, our focus is on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But aren't we also to recommit ourselves to live more like Jesus? Did Jesus spend his time focusing on all that he didn't like, or did Jesus raise the consciousness of the people to understand love, compassion and teach them about following the will of God?" Then he proceeds to give examples of issues that are specifically interesting to white and black clergy... for the full details of the article, visit CNN! In the television presentation, the host questioned people like T.D. Jake, Jerry Falwell, Rick Warren, a Catholic clergy, Jewish Rabbi, a women pastor.... on the issues listed above with the question "What would Jesus really do?" In other words, what would Jesus really do today about abortion, homosexuality, poverty, homelessness, divorce, the widening gap between the haves and have-nots, the hypocrisy of Christians, holy wars with Muslims and within Christianity... Martin then asked some of his guests: if Jesus would come today where would you and He go? trying to get to an answer like 'to the black ghettos where white mainstream ministers don't go'... He said that Jesus would hang around with HIV victims who are the 'leprosy victims' of our day. Well, Jesus did not hang around with the leprosy victims of His day. He hung around with sinners and religious and political leaders of his day. He preached to the crowds about a better way of living. About getting God back into our lives. It would be impossible to deal with all the issues of any generation. The question "What would Jesus really do?" does not and cannot yield a potential answer or solution to today's issues as Martin Roland presents in his CNN thesis. What Jesus would really do is the same as he did in His day: preach and teach the Word so that PEOPLE will change they ways. It is PEOPLE -- not the wishful expectations of some to what Jesus, or Falwell, or Jake, or any minister or rabbi would do -- who need to CHANGE their ways... And that is done through the heeding of the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. And certainly, "faith without works is dead", so each Christian does what he/she can within his/her own circle to help those in need. However, NO ONE person can solve the critical issues of the day EXCEPT if each and every single individual CHANGED their ways... "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14). "My people" does not mean only Fallwell and Jake and all the rest of the religious leaders that Roland Martin focuses on -- as if they were capable of saving the world -- it means ALL PEOPLE, EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL PERSON. You can't blame just a few for the lack of response from the people. It's not the leaders (I'm talking about the true Christian leaders) -- and many are doing more than they can physically and emotionally take -- who are to be targeted, it is the people. The people have to change their ways. "What would Jesus really do?" He would do like He did when He visited this planet in the flesh the first time: Preach and Teach a better way of living. It was pretty bad then too. Jesus wept and said: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" "Luke 13:34". Today, He is saying: "O people, people, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" You say, "We don't kill and stone those sent to us today". Yes we do by our criticism, by our lack of support, by our lack of encouragement. What would Jesus really do? "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18,19). That's what Jesus would still really do today. And we ought to continue to do so as well -- whether they listen or not. ("And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." Matthew 10:14). Because the truth sets people free. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life". -End of article-
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