What would Jesus tweet?
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Social
Tweeting
Tweeting
Tweeting has become ingrained into the American culture. It has had an amazing development. The first public tweet was in July 2006.
Average Tweets
6,000......per second
350,000.....per day
200 Billion 2016
I signed up for tweeting when my new phone arrived last year but I could not figure out how to use it. I tried it again this week. I sent out my pearls of wisdom across the web. I only have 2 followers so I do not think that my two tweets will have much of and impact on the tweeting community.
When I read the gospels I sometime wonder how Jesus would fit into the modern world. If Jesus came today what would he tweet. I do not have any doubts about his use of modern technology. In the gospel accounts, he does what any Rabbi would do. He visits the local synagogues on the Sabbath and the Temple during the major feasts. He does not wait till he has to go to the bathroom at 3:00 am to share his profound thoughts. He would have ready made sayings. In the book of John there are 7 classic “I am “ sayings that make great sound bites. Using illustrations from everyday life, Jesus provides us with either a glimpse of who he is or the role that he assumes in the life of the believer.
Seven “I Ams”
Seven “I Ams”
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
John 10:9
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
John 15:
Today’s passage offers a description of who he is.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
John
Jesus and the Disciples
Jesus and the Disciples
ἐγώ εἰμι
Jesus interaction his friends has always troubled me. Remember when we read the story of the woman at the well. I told you that for me Jesus displayed poor listening skills. In today’s passage I think that he is too harsh on the disciples then on Martha. I want to defend the followers of Jesus for their inconsistencies, hesitations and even doubt. I do not think that any of them were stupid.
Every tweet that Jesus sends them flies right past them. Nothing seems to connect even when he says plainly that Lazarus has died.
Personally I think that Jesus was asking questions better suited for a Senior Level Advance Placement exam but the disciples had the knowledge of high school freshmen.
John Calvin, the founder of Reformed theology, disagrees with me. In the previous verses Jesus tells the disciples that Lazarus is sleeping. How were they to know that he meant Lazarus had died? However Calvin strongly criticizes the disciples :
John Calvin, the founder of Reformed theology, disagrees with me. In the previous verses Jesus tells the disciples that Lazarus is sleeping. How were they to know that he meant Lazarus had died? However Calvin strongly criticizes the disciples :
Calvin’s Commentaries: John CHAPTER 11
The goodness of Christ was astonishing, in being able to bear with such gross ignorance in the disciples
I guess I am too much like the disciples. I am rather slow in understanding what Jesus really means. Sometimes I feel like Jesus is 1/2 mile in front of me running at a 4:00 mile pace and I am trudging behind at an 8:00 mile pace.
Jesus and Martha
Jesus and Martha
Martha displays a great deal of faith and patience. Her brother has died four days earlier, yet she runs out of her house and out of the tiny village to greet Jesus the moment she hears news of his coming. Martha’s greeting is about as warm and friendly as mine would be at this point. There are no cordial words of welcome. She does not tell him how glad she is to see him.
Martha displays a great deal of faith and patience. Her brother had died four days earlier, yet she runs out of her house and out of the tiny village to meet him the moment she hears news of his coming. She greets Jesus the way I would. There are no cordial words of welcome. She does not tell him how glad she is to see him.
Jesus is not gentle with Martha either. This surprises more than his interaction with the disciples.
Martha displays a great deal of faith and patience. Her brother had died four days earlier, yet she runs out of her house and out of the tiny village to meet him the moment she hears news of his coming. She greets Jesus the way I would. There are no cordial words of welcome. She does not tell him how glad she is to see him.
Martha greets Jesus the way I would. There are no cordial words of welcome. She does not tell him how glad she is to see him.
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
Sounds to me like she is blaming her brother’s death on Jesus. I can appreciate her inner struggle. She wanted to believe that some how, some way Jesus could have prevented her brother’s death. I have lost count of the number of times that I have stood beside a friend and asked, “God isn’t there something you could do?” It is essentially the same request as Martha’s. If Jesus was able to heal all these people, if he is so loving and has compassion, why won’t he heal my brother.”
Now I ask myself “Why did God spare my life, 3x but others will die the first time they are diagnosed with cancer or a heart ailment. “ Intellectually I can affirm Martha’s second response.
Calvin’s Commentaries: John CHAPTER 11
By speaking in this manner, she gives way to her feelings, instead of restraining them under the rule of faith.
But then she backtracks and reminds herself and Jesus that she has complete confidence in him.
But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
That to me is a powerful statement of faith. I only wish that I could affirm those words each and every time I approach God in prayer.
Consider, Martha has watched her brother die, prepared his body for burial, placed that lifeless body into a tomb and waited for the miracle worker to arrive. Yet, she makes a statement marked by faith. So
I wonder if Jesus expected Martha to understand his point of reference contained in his response. I am not sure she does. They appear to be sending tweets to each other on two different subjects. At first Martha is talking about her disappointment over his late arrival. Jesus seems to ignore this. He does not give any indication that he is interested in listening to her frustration and anger. He wants to talk about life after death.
We who live in a post-Easter period of time may not appreciate the significance of Martha’s statement. We have been hearing people talk about the resurrection from the time we were toddlers. It is old news but it was not old news for Martha. The ancient Jewish Scriptures only hint at a resurrection of the dead. The book of John indicates that Jesus taught on the subject but the length of the teaching is somewhat minimum compared to the Sermon on the Mount and his parables in Matthew.
John 5:28
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
Martha recalls this previous teaching by Jesus and recites it back to him.
John 11:24
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Had I been Jesus I would have felt good about Martha’s response. Much like I would have when Peter gave his confession of faith and said “You are the Christ, The Son of the Living God.”
However, there are two weaknesses in her answer. First her response describes a resurrection at the last day. There are no specifics. Her statement is an abstract idea that is meaningless without substance. It is a good thought. It provides some satisfaction while we live in a world in which the rich take advantage of the poor. Knowing that one day they will be judged according to our deeds makes life seem worthwhile. But this resurrection is in the indefinite future. Who knows when it will take place.
But faith in an abstract idea will not compel men and women to sacrifice their lives; it will not sustain people as they face difficulties and persecution; it will not challenge people abandon worldly pleasures and honors to advance the Kingdom of God. For faith to challenge compel and sustain believers it must have a here and now focus. Also, abstract ideas are impersonal. Faith is always personal with Jesus.
Jesus makes resurrection both concrete and personal by telling Martha
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
John 11:25
Notice the implied condition—death. Resurrection is not intended to spare us from death. It is intended to conquer death but first we must die.
Notice the implied condition—death. Resurrection is not intended to spare us from death. It is intended to conquer death but first we must die.
The requirement of a death before resurrection is true not only in the realm of the physical world, so it is in the spiritual.
Father Paradis came to Montreal as a young nurse. However, he could not find a job and he ended up homeless. To numb the pain in his life he started doing cocaine then crack. He met God just at the moment he was doubting him. The Father was walking down an abandoned street. Passing by an old church, he felt a tug. He turned back and walked into the church.
Upon entering he had a deep encounter with the Resurrected Christ. He realized that he did not want to die but to serve God. He fought off his addictions, entered seminary and now serves the homeless on the streets of the city. He says, ““The Street brought me to the Church and the Church, in the end, brought me back to the street.” “Man Goes From Homeless to Priest Serving the Poor” World Religion News, January 13, 2017, http://www.worldreligionnews.com/religion-news/man-goes-homeless-priest-serving-poor
We do not have to be an addict or homeless to feel like you are floundering through life. We appear to be in a deep hole with slippery sides and no shovel, rope or ladder within reach. We wonder when we will catch a break. Sometimes a light flickers and things seem to be changing but then the light is extinguished and we must find away to climb out of the depths of despair. During these moments we want to give in to the natural inclinations.
However, it is in these times that through faith we experience resurrection. The future becomes present. The not yet become already. By living what we believe, that the stone was rolled away and death has been conquered. Martha put her faith in this and Jesus raised her brother to life. By believing in the power of the resurrection our lives are raised up out of the natural inclinations to sin, out of the despair and into a living hop.