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And you believed that those people who were sceptical about Jesus only existed today. This passage could have happened in your local club or pub. Think about it here is the son of God, standing in front of them, performing miracles, speaking with knowledge that he should not have had as a human, and some of the people have minds that are so closed to the truth that they can not see it. It is no different to the world today is it? Some people who you meet have such a closed perception of what truth is, that when God reveals himself to them, they cannot see him. That’s why you knowing the answers to whether Jesus was mad, bad or God is vital for you, but it is not likely to persuade someone who has already made their mind up. Proving to someone that the God created the universe and it didn’t just magically appear is great, and may make them think a little, but it is unlikely to get tem to accept Jesus as the answer. A friend of mine quotes an old guy when he says, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” This simply means that you may be able to prove logically that someone is wrong but actually they will still not believe what you believe in their heart. And their heart is where Jesus needs to live. Just as Jesus says in this passage when someone is thirsty to know the truth that Jesus died for them then they will know the true living God in their heart. Your job is to behave in such a way that they are thirsty for what you have in your life.

Author - Max Cross, Uncategorized | No Comments »

You see that’s the thing about Jesus, is he didn’t dodge the hard questions. Just like he says here if someone is making things up they will make themselves look good. Jesus whole life on this Earth was based around doing Gods will and delivering the message that all who want can go to heaven. Very few people would argue that a guy called Jesus lived on this Earth, as there is plenty of historical evidence to say he did. What some people do say is that Jesus was a dodgy con artist or that he was simply a bit loopy. But Jesus answers those accusations before they even turn up in this passage and through the rest of his life. If he was mad he then he would have found it hard to teach people in the way he did. Even in this passage they are amazed at his knowledge. Would he have been able to perform the miracles he did if he was loopy? Ah no but if he was a con artist then he might have faked the miracles, so lets look at that. If he were someone who was just out to make himself look good, and rip people off then he wouldn’t do so many things. He would stir people up and say things they wouldn’t like as he did in this passage. He would not have led a life where he showed little in the way of wealth, because you can be sure he had the opportunity of taking peoples cash. He wouldn’t have died on the cross, he would have given up the make believe long before that happened. So if he wasn’t mad and he wasn’t bad then he could only have been God. Mad or Bad is just one of the accusations people make about Jesus. Remember that you will never argue someone into heaven, but you can explain your view when they say something this crazy and maybe that will make them think a little.

Author - Max Cross, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Perfect Timing that’s what Jesus had. If this was me, I would have been right let’s get started I’m ready to go. My mate would have been saying, no lets get everything ready, practice, run through the plan, ask other peoples ideas, and then when we are sure we can start and see how it goes. The problem with my way of doing things is if I am not careful I leave everyone behind and that includes the concept of praying and asking God to guide my plans. My mate takes so long to get started that everyone has got bored and wandered off, and I am guessing God is waiting for him to do something. So what it the perfect timing that’s Jesus seems to have in this passage? Here it comes, are you ready for it, the answer is, I don’t know! I honestly don’t know what the perfect timing is for what you want to do. It might be one of those get on with it times or it might be one of those prepare yourself times. Jesus knew his time because he had such a perfect one on one with God. It’s the sought of one on one that comes from spending time with someone. The sought of one on one that’s comes from asking someone every day, “is now the time?”

Author - Max Cross, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Abandoned and betrayed by the very people he came to save. By this time in Jesus life he had hundreds of people following him and then they go. Many leave, only the hard core Jesus followers remain. Jesus gives these guys the chance to do a runner as well. He only wants those who are committed, he knows from here on in it is going to get tough. I would love to bet that when you were told about this wonderful Jesus, this guy who loves you so much he would die for you; that you were not told that following him wouldn’t be easy. I bet you were not told that to follow Jesus is not the easy option; to follow Jesus might mean hardship, to follow Jesus might me heartache but it would be worth it in the long run. I am not trying to suggest that following Jesus doesn’t also bring joy, laughter and love. Be we must be honest and understand that just like Jesus here, we will not live in some holy bubble without troubles and pain. So what’s the answer? In Jesus words, “The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and will power don't make anything happen.” That’s pretty simple, don’t rely on yourself, and don’t rely on what you can do. But pray to the God who’s Holy Spirit will guide you, will ease your pain and ultimately who will drive your actions if you ask him to.

Author - Max Cross, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Often when people become Christians they have a past they would rather forget. As they start to change some of their past habits, and start adopting new ones, the people it’s hardest to convince are the people who knew you before. You family might find it difficult to believe that you are now going to try and be considerate. Your mates might laugh when you say that you don’t want to get drunk or do drugs. Maybe you were the person that slept around and now you want to stop all that. Well don’t be surprised if the people that knew you before are the most sceptical. My father said that I was going through a phase when I became a Christian. Some phase my whole life has changed, but it has taken years for him to see that. I hope and pray that someday he will start this phase in his life, which will last for eternity. But we shouldn’t be surprised that our friends are confused. The people that knew Jesus as a boy, the people that knew his family were the people that laughed at him. Jesus own family didn’t accept him as Gods son straight away. Your mates won’t stop pushing you into stuff that you no longer want to do straight away. People won’t stop talking about you sleeping around straight away. The desire for drugs that you may once have taken may not stop straight away. But then you are in good company. The main man Jesus had to go through the same troubles and he was busy performing miracles and wonders. Those people from your past are just going to have to see the changes that God has made in your life over the long term, that’s when their attitudes will change. In the mean time, don’t give up; hold on to Jesus, the guy who knows how you feel every second of the day.

Author - Max Cross, Uncategorized | No Comments »