What Christ Saw From The Cross

James Tissot: What Our Lord Saw from the Cross (Ce que voyait Notre-Seigneur sur la Croix)
From the collection of the Brooklyn Museum of Art.

In the most memorable, and even notorious, of Tissot’s images, Christ looks out at the crowd of spectators arrayed before him: Mary Magdalene, in the immediate foreground, with her long red tresses swirling down her back, kneels at his feet, which are clearly visible at the bottom center of the composition. Beyond her, the Virgin Mary clutches her breast, while John the Evangelist looks up with hands clasped.

The artist here adopts the point of view of Christ himself. Few painters have conceived a composition this daring. In his audacity, however, Tissot remains true to his artistic vision: ultimately, the image is an exercise in empathy. Its point is to give viewers, accustomed to looking at the event from the outside, a rare opportunity to imagine themselves in Christ’s place and consider his final thoughts and feelings as he gazed on the enemies and friends who were witnessing, or participating in, his death.

Do You Want to Get Well?

Leaders in Faith: Do you want to get well?

By Jon McClarnon

Have you ever considered how many questions you are asked in a day? When you think about it, many of those questions aren’t very important. Every once in a while a question comes your way that has the potential and power to change your life: for example, “Will you marry me?” or “Do you want to start a church?”

Questions are much more powerful than statements. To say, “I love you,” is very powerful, but it tells you nothing about how the other person actually feels about you. If you wanted to know what they thought, you would say, “Do you love me?” or “Why do you love me?”

Jesus asked a lot of questions of people for the same reason. He wanted people to wrestle with what they believed. He wanted people to verbalize what they were thinking. He wanted people to declare and choose where they stood.

The Gospels record Jesus’ asking more than 300 questions. Today those life-changing questions Jesus posed in his lifetime still hang in the air and beg to be answered.

One of the most life-changing questions Jesus asks is found in a story in John 5. Jesus walks into a pool area filled with disabled people, all of whom are counting on a local urban legend that says an angel will visit the pool and, with a tip of its wing, stir the water. The belief was that the first person into the water after it began to move would be healed.

Jesus comes upon a man who has been an invalid for 38 years. Jesus walks into a virtual sick ward, picks out one guy and asks him a seemingly ridiculous question: “Do you want to get well?”

Imagine what it’s like to be this man in the first century. The majority of his life has been lived on a mat that is 3 feet by 6 feet. He is dependent on everyone else to feed him, carry him, clothe him, clean him and help him get to the pool area. With no job and no friends, he lies by the pool day after day, so close to what he believes is the solution to being well and not being able to do anything about it.

And he’s suffering from a social stigma in the ancient world where people believed that he brought this condition upon himself though his own sin.

I think the emphasis of Jesus’ question should be understood to read, “Do you really want to get well?”

Believe it or not, some people would rather be sick. It’s not an ideal life for this man, but considering it’s been 38 years, it’s a comfortable life. Other people, after long periods of sickness, seem to lose the will to get better or believe that things can ever change. Not every sick person wants to get well.

When Jesus asks, “Do you want to get well?” the lame man offers excuses. In his opinion, he’s tried, but he can’t. This is the moment in the story that, while I’m reading it, I want the character to hear me yelling at the pages, “Stop making excuses about why you can’t get well and look in front of you! You’re talking to the son of God who has the power to heal you. Just say it: ‘If you can heal me, do it!’”

Jesus seems to have had enough of his excuses and simply commands him to pick up his stuff and walk away. This healing is not accompanied by the normal celebration. He doesn’t run, jump or shout. He just walks away, healed. He doesn’t seem to exhibit much faith. He doesn’t even know Jesus’ name.

It seems that there is something bigger going here than just the magical power of Jesus. It seems that Jesus heals this man just to prove that he can. To prove that he alone, as the son of God, has the power to make him well.

I think in a sense we’re all invalids. We are all sick in some way. Whether that sickness is being blind to God, struggling with years of baggage because of abuse, addiction or fear, our sickness has a way of paralyzing us. We’re all invalids, but the question still deserves to be answered: Do you want to get well?

Some people will choose to stay sick, not because they can’t get well but because they don’t want to be well. Some will choose to stay sick because it seems like things can never change and the sickness is too big.

But for those who want to be well and be healed and be free, God can do the miraculous. When we realize our sickness and believe God can make us well, we can, like the lame man, stand up and walk.

SOURCE: http://www.garnercitizen.com/2010/03/leaders-in-faith-do-you-want-to-get-well/

Seeking. . .

Today I'm grateful for being able to enjoy my faith in a variety of ways. This morning I led a portion of the service, along with the organist. Due to the blizzard, a large number of members were still unable to make it to church. There ended up being six of us at the service. The intimate setting seemed to open dialogue that we don't normally get to engage in due to the sermon. Today we decided to forgo the sermon in favor of singing carols and commentary ensued between the hymns. One of the things that we discussed is how Joseph really isn't mentioned in the bible past Jesus being found in the temple at the age of 12. We wondered aloud if Joseph had a last name that was mentioned in the bible, how old he might have been at the time Jesus was born, and various other things. The open dialogue was like an impromptu bible study and it was if the removal of structure brought us closer to God in that hour. Beautiful!

Grandma's Hands

GRANDMA'S HANDS

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands.

When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK

Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear voice strong.

"I didn't mean to disturb you , Grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to her.

"Have you ever looked at your hands," she asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.

Grandma smiled and related this story:

"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

"They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.

"They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.

"They have been dirty, scraped and raw , swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.

"They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.

"They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

"They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

"These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life.

"But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."

-- Author Unknown

Meet Me in the Stairwell

MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL' ~Stacey Randall

You say you will never forget where you were when
you heard the news On September 11, 2001 .
Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I
held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the
peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it
is OK..I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed
breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
tried to understand his words and as she realized
he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a
woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been
knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
'Of course I will show you the way home - only
believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest
ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He
heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat,
with every prayer. I was with the crew as they
were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the
believers there, comforting and assuring them that their
faith has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan .
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew
every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me
for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the
smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take
my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You
may not know why, but I do.. However, if you were
there in that explosive moment in time, would you have
reached for Me?

Sept. 11, 2001 , was not the end of the journey
for you. But someday your journey will end.. And I
will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may
be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are
'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

What Is Faith?

All stories copyright 2009 Bob Perks
Today's message:

"What is Faith?"
By Bob Perks

Someone asked me the other day about my faith.
I rambled on for a moment and seemed to have
appeased their curiosity. Still, it made me
think about it more when I got home and this
is what I wish I had told them instead:

To see more than what is obvious.
To believe more than what is seen.
To trust when all is lost and darkness
fills your days.

To try again when failure is your partner
To give when nothing's left to give.
To stand when falling is expected.

To go on when odds are against you.
To plan when others think you foolish.
To smile when heart break dims your spirit.

To rise above the doubters and nay sayers.
To keep on when others fall behind.
To end each day in praise instead of sorrow.

That is faith.

"I believe in you!"
Bob

I encourage you to share my stories but
I do ask that you keep my name and contact
information with my work.

If you would like to receive Bob's Inspirational
stories, please visit http://www.IWishYouEnough.com
and submit your email address.

*****************

"I Wish You enough!"
© 2001 Bob Perks

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear
much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye."

Bob Perks, P.O. Box 1702, Shavertown, PA 18708-1702, USA

Interesting Observations From Ben Stein

I have to say that most of the people I know who are not Judeo-Christian feel pretty the same as Ben Stein in this essay. Why does it matter so much to others????

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary, Sunday, 12/18/05.

Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart: I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important?

I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.

Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are.

If this is what it means to be no longer young, it's not so bad.

Next confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year.

It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I ! think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed a round, period.

I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?

I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke, it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this Happen?" (regarding Katrina)

Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful re! sponse. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out.

How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"

In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body was finally found) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school . the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide).

We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.

I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.

Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.

Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they WILL think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.