Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy - My Book Review

"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act."
                                                                                                                 Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Growing up Lutheran, I knew Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor who courageously conspired against Hitler and was eventually executed by the Nazis as a result. And I had also read his famous book "The Cost of Discipleship".

But I didn't know much else about him. The biography by Eric Metaxas is a lengthy but fascinating book about Bonhoeffer's life, and a brief history about the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany during the 1930s and 1940s. It held my interest right to the end.

A Christian Pastor Joins an Assassination Plot against Hitler
How could a committed follower of Jesus Christ like Bonhoeffer justify engaging in deception and plotting to assassinate a national leader? The answer is complicated but it illustrates the Christian faith is much deeper than many think. God and His Truth are more than the simple religious legalism of "never telling a lie". Jesus constantly confronted the religious legalists of his day about following the "letter of the Law" but failing to follow a deeper "Spirit of the Law" behind the Scriptures. (1)

Bonhoeffer was an active participant in the
conspiracy to assassinate Hitler in the Valkyrie

plot, portrayed in this 2008 movie.

Bonhoeffer was brilliant and had a respect for "the truth that was so deep"; he did not have a cavalier attitude towards the truth. He was aware of the danger of a belief that "how one tells the truth depends on circumstances", but legalistic religion was being shown to be utterly inadequate against the Nazis and the atrocities they were unleashing against the Jews and others. He believed that to be true to God in the deepest way meant that one's actions could not be separated from a relationship with Jesus Christ; guidance and discernment of one's actions had to come from God. (2)

Religionless Christianity
Apparently some in the modern-day "God is dead" movement have regarded Bonhoeffer as a kind of prophet, given Bonhoeffer's views about religion. However, Metaxas eloquently illustrates that Bonhoeffer was greatly misunderstood in this respect. As a Christian myself, Bonhoeffer teachings on this topic seem completely compatible with Christianity.

For example, given the bleak situation of his time, Bonhoeffer wondered if modern man had moved beyond religion. What Bonhoeffer meant by "religion" was not true Christianity, but rather the "religious" Christianity that had failed Germany and the West during the Nazi crisis. Bonhoeffer preached that Christianity was not about religion at all, but about the person of Christ. Religion is a dead, man-made thing, and at the heart of Christianity is something else entirely - God himself, alive.

In fact, Bonhoeffer taught that "religion" is opposed to Christianity and to Christ because it presents the false idea that somehow we can reach God through our moral efforts. He differentiated between Christianity as a religion like all the others and following Christ, who demands everything, including our very lives. He wondered if it wasn't finally time for the lordship of Jesus Christ to move past the "religious" corners of Sunday mornings and churches and into all aspects of our lives...into the whole world; God is bigger than most have imagined. (3)

A Good Read
There is much more interesting in Metaxas' book. For example:

Churchill was unwilling to cooperate with a Resistance movement inside Germany (of which Bonhoeffer was a part) that was plotting against Hitler and the Nazis.

Site at Flossenburg Concentration Camp
where Bonhoeffer and others were executed
at dawn on April 9, 1945, only days before
the camp was liberated by Allied Forces.
It reads: "In resistance against dictatorship
and terror, they gave their lives for freedom,
justice, and humanity.

After the war, many in England were surprised that there were actually "good" Germans in Germany who had paid with their lives for conspiring against Hitler.

In 1930-31, Bonhoeffer spent a year at Union Theological Seminary in New York but was disappointed by their liberal theology. He finally heard the Gospel preached and its power manifested at Abyssinian Baptist, an African American church in Harlem. He noted the only real piety and power he witnessed were in churches where there were a present reality and past history of suffering; he had traveled in the southern U.S. and was shocked at the racism he witnessed there. The powerful preaching of the Gospel at Abyssinian Baptist was life changing for Bonhoeffer.

Bonhoeffer was engaged to be married but was imprisoned and executed before his marriage.

Facing the End
In the end, Bonhoeffer faced death with courage. Years later the doctor of the concentration camp who had witnessed his execution wrote:

I was most deeply moved by the way this lovable man prayed, so devout and certain that God heard his prayer. At the place of execution, [Bonhoeffer again] said a short prayer and then climbed the steps to the gallows, brave and composed...In the almost fifty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.

A fitting tribute to this man of God.



Footnotes:
(1) For example, see Jesus' sermon on the mount in Matthew chapters 5 to 7; see also chapter 23.
(2) A great discussion of this in on pp. 365-367 in the hardback version of Metaxas' book "What is Truth"?
(3) Excerpts from pp. 82-85 and 465-468 (ibid).

Les Miserables - Life Killed the Dream I Dreamed

“If I speak with the tongues of men and angels but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” I Corinthians 13:1.

Me, Go to a Musical?

They say music is the language of men and angels.

I was skeptical as I went to the see the movie Les Miserables, because I am not a big fan of musicals. I had seen the 1998, non-musical version of Les Miserables starring Liam Neeson, which was very good. Perhaps viewing that version helped me to follow the musical version now showing at the theaters; I don't know. But the bottom line was that I was not prepared for how much this movie would move me. It literally brought me to tears not once, but many times through the movie (watch trailer below or click here).

Hope and Joy  This movie powerfully brings you through themes of tragedy and destitution, merciless legalism and self righteousness, mercy and redemption, and freedom, love, and self-sacrifice. There is a scene where Ann Hathaway, at the depths of despair, sings a beautiful but heart-wrenching song that concludes:  I had a dream my life would be so different from this hell I'm living...Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

But there was one man, Jean Valjean, who intervened in her world. I'm not going to go through a step-by-step review of the movie. But one thing this movie caused in me was self examination. How do I respond to people? Do I judge them based on outward appearance? Do I love them, especially if it requires involvement and self-sacrifice? I wish I could say I have always acted in love. But as is so elegantly demonstrated in this movie, there is hope. Any of us can change...we can be redeemed and transformed. Indeed, the lives of others may count on it. For you never know when you may be the only person who can make a difference in in someone else's life.(1)

I highly recommend that you see this movie. With a great cast (Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and Amanda Seyfried), great cinematography, and most of all a great message, its a pretty sure bet you won't be disappointed. Footnotes:

A Wild and Untamed God

The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. Matthew 11:12. 

Man’s thought is always of the punishment that will come to him if he sins. But God’s thought is always of the glory man will miss if he sins. Watchman Nee, in The Normal Christian Life.

In my last blog post I mentioned that through a series of events I came to realize that my perception of God was distorted. I had viewed him as a rigid, repressive “Cosmic Cop”, ready to thwack me at every turn if I made a mistake or misbehaved. This perception was so real that I had begun to put distance between him and me. I didn’t turn my back on him but rather participated in a church with a more “liberal” theology where God could be, at least in my mind, more like what I wanted him to be.

Then about 10 years ago I became interested in a devout Christian woman who I knew wouldn’t be compatible with attending my church. Recognizing that I had distanced myself from God, I acknowledged that to him in a prayer. I told him I wanted to move toward him again but that I was afraid to move back into repression. I simply asked God to reveal himself to me in a new way and show me more of what he is truly like. That prayer began the dramatic “series of events” through which God began to dismantle, or destroy my incorrect perception of his nature and then rebuild it in ways that are still “wowing” me to this day.

There is a warrior in every man's heart.

Within a couple of years I read the book Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. That was the beginning of God’s answer to my prayer and it totally rocked my world! Through it I learned, among other things, that the model of being a Christian man was not to be “just a really nice guy” who doesn’t smoke, drink, or swear. In Wild at Heart, Eldredge described how most Christian men in the Western church are “bored”, whose highest aspiration is to be “dutiful” and perhaps, if they are really good, to reach the lofty goal of being an elder. I had occasionally heard in church that eternity in heaven will be a “never ending church service in the sky”. In truth, that didn’t sound fun to me. Eldredge boldly stated that that view of heaven sounds more like hell than heaven to him; and I agree.

The basis of Wild at Heart is that a man’s heart yearns for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue. And that a man’s heart yearns for these things…passion, freedom, life…because God made it that way! Eldredge uses Scripture to illustrate that the God of Christianity is wild, untamed, and passionate about our rescue and restoration.

I will conclude with a couple of thoughts.

The first is that in this post I described how God answered a sincere prayer in a very personal and powerful way. I challenge you to ask God to reveal himself, his true nature to you. Then watch for his answer.

Second, God usually has to tear down some of the dysfunctional beliefs and habits we have built up around our lives before he can bring new life and restoration. Some of that may be painful, but I can attest that it is definitely worth it in the end. If any of you have seen the Narnia movie or read the book The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (by C.S. Lewis), it is like when Aslan the lion tore the scales and skin off Edmund, who had been turned into a dragon because of his waywardness, to restore his humanity. As Edmund described it: “It hurt worse than anything I’ve ever felt…but it was fun to see it coming away…then [Aslan] threw me into the water. It smarted like anything but only for a moment. After that it became perfectly delicious and as soon as I started swimming and splashing I found that all the pain had gone…and then I saw why. I’d turned into a boy again.” God can bring beauty from ashes. He does it all the time.

Pursuit of Happiness: Through Travel

Me looking out over the Gulf of
Mexico at age 17. My sister Diane
loves this picture...she knows her
brother is a deep thinker (1977).

I love to travel.

When I was a kid, we took summer family vacations to places like Yellowstone Park, the Colorado mountains, and the badlands and black hills of South Dakota. There was something thrilling about it. I was constantly amazed by the new sights, sounds, and the interesting people we met. My imagination would run wild pondering what life would be like to live in such places, to be able to explore all the beautiful places that must be hidden beyond each horizon!

When I was 19, I made my first "international" trip to Mexico. I was with my uncle and two cousins and we traveled in an old black, 1960 Cadillac. I could tell some interesting stories about that trip but the point is that it really opened up my world in new and exciting ways. It was the first time I was in a situation where I was in the minority...i.e., I couldn't speak the native language and other people looked at us like the strange ones. It motivated me to start learning Spanish, although it didn't last too long. In central Nebraska in the late 1970's there wasn't anybody to practice speaking Spanish with. There was an ache somewhere inside me, an emptiness that I thought could be filled if only I could travel more and experience this thrill more often.

Me in western Montana/Northern Idaho in 1983 after 3 months
of working on a cattle ranch (and not shaving or getting a haircut).

During my college years I went on a student exchange program to the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. It is beautiful around Moscow and nearby Pullman, Washington. I enjoyed exploring the nooks and crannies of the countryside during my time there. But what I remember most about that time was being very lonely. I had a lot of friends there, but there was still an emptiness that I couldn't really define but knew was very real. Part of it was that I thought I would be happier if I had a girlfriend to enjoy the experiences with (I was pretty shy). But that is a different story for a different post.

My daily work on a cattle ranch near Harrison, Montana,
against a spectacular backdrop of the Tobbacco Root Mtns (1983)

At the end of the first semester of my exchange program to the Univ. of Idaho, I decided to take a semester off and headed for Montana to work on a cattle ranch. It was something I always wanted to do and somewhere inside I thought I could find fulfillment and happiness by going on this adventure. January isn't a good time to find work on a cattle ranch in Montana, but miraculously I did find one right away (that is also a cool story for another time). I lived about six miles from the base of the Tobacco Root mountains just west of Harrison, Montana (near Bozeman). I worked on the ranch against a backdrop of spectacular scenery. The loneliness, or ache in my heart only increased though. This was lonely country with few people around. I worked there for about three months and headed back to Nebraska to work on a wildlife refuge for the summer before continuing college.

Chicako (Japan), me (center), and Hans (Germany) on top of

Ayers Rock in the Outback of Australia (1986).

After I graduated from college I strapped on a backpack and headed for New Zealand and Australia for about six weeks. There are some beautiful and interesting places in the "Land Down Under". I saw the Australian Outback, the Great Barrier Reef, Sydney and Melbourne, and the Great Ocean Road to name a few places. I loved the Australian accent and the sense of humor that the Aussies and Kiwis had. I traveled with other travelers from Europe and other parts of the world. It was exciting. But at the same time, the ache inside of me didn't go away. There was still an emptiness there that I couldn't really define. I carried my Bible with me and believed in God, but somehow it wasn't filling me with the peace I thought it should have. On one occasion while staying at a Youth Hostel I became aware of a man from California who was psychologically a mess. Apparently he was struggling desperately to find any meaning in life and wasn't finding much hope. At the time I was traveling with a man from England, named Ian Butcher. We had bantered back and forth about faith and Christianity in the preceding days, and after we saw this man Ian told me that I now had an opportunity to share my faith. But I didn't do it. I was afraid to, perhaps because I didn't feel the peace myself. I have thought of that man over the years and have prayed for him.

Me in the Austrian Alps in 1989.

By now you can see there is a theme going here, namely searching for happiness and peace through travel but never finding it. And I was always a slow learner. I would go on to travel in Europe and many other places around the United States but the story was the same. I loved the stimulation of travel but it didn't fill the emptiness inside.

It is different now. Through a series of events in my life (described in the next few posts: A Wild and Untamed God; Coming to the End of Myself; & Beauty for Ashes), I became aware that my perception of God was distorted. I subconsciously was viewing him as a harsh, rigid God. A sort of "Cosmic Cop" who was judging my every action and condemning me for constantly falling short. How could I ever find any kind of peace and fulfillment with a God like that? I have described how I now view God in other posts (which I deeply believe and have experienced as more accurate; for examples see Restoration, Not Religion, and my reviews of the book Beautiful Outlaw after reading the first chapter and again after I had read the entire book!). Now when I travel (which I still love to do),  I experience the thrills and joys WITH God. As I see new sights and sounds and meet new people, I praise him for his marvelous creation and his creativity, and for letting me share in it! Now finally the ache, the emptiness inside me has been filled...with an intimacy with the God who created me and who created all the world! Travel didn't fill it, nor could it ever have filled it.

Me enjoying coffee at Renaca Beach, along the coast of Chile (2009).

I still love to travel. But instead of searching for happiness through travel, I can enjoy travel more because the ache and emptiness that had been inside me has been filled by God!

The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein (Psalms 24:1).

The Stakes are High

I’m glad at the way it came out, but at the conversion moment, what I heard was God saying, “Put down your gun and we’ll talk.” C.S. Lewis.

There are many worldviews about life, death, and what happens to us thereafter. Whether by choice or default, you and I believe something that frames how we view the world and live our lives. If you are one who doesn’t want to resort to default, then how do you go about investigating the truth of the claims of the various worldviews? With such a multitude (Christianity and other religions, atheism, etc.), it can be quite confusing and overwhelming. And although nothing can force you to inwardly believe one way or another, the consequences are staggering. At the very least they may last a lifetime and at the most they could last for eternity, which is a very long time.

Caravaggio - The Incredulity of St. Thomas

My worldview should be evident from my blog, namely that I am a follower of Jesus (1). In my last post, both my wife and I commented about events in our lives that have confirmed to us the reality of God’s working in our lives. However, I know that until you experience it yourself it is difficult to accept as true. Even Jesus’ own disciple (Thomas) refused to believe the other disciples when they told him that Jesus had physically appeared to them after his resurrection. Thomas told them that he would not believe unless he saw and put his fingers in the holes in Jesus’ hands and side (from his crucifixion). Remarkably, Jesus did appear to Thomas eight days later and told him to examine his hands and side…and to believe. Thomas replied “My Lord and my God! (2)

I say remarkably for a reason, because I am going to propose a bold challenge to you. If you want to know whether God is real, you don’t have to take my word for it. Ask him to reveal himself to you. In his book "Walking with God, John Eldredge writes "In the beginning of our story...in the garden called Eden...the first man and woman...communicated with [God] directly. For this we were made. And this we must recover. Intimacy with God is the purpose of our lives. It's why God created us...not simply to believe in and obey him...though those are necessary too"

Now just a bit of clarification, Jesus has never appeared to me physically like he did to Thomas. But he has revealed himself to me (see my last post for specific examples, in the comments below the post). He has done so to countless others too (3).

I offer just a few of thoughts to consider along with that challenge. If you decide to ask him, ask with earnestness. Be open to the possibility that he exists, watch for his response (he usually does so in a whisper rather than loudly), and be patient. I don’t know how he will reveal himself to you but I have no doubt that he will.

Also, be aware that we live in an age of cynicism, which makes expecting Jesus to reveal himself to you or even believing in him challenging. This is because of thinking that has crept into our culture from the Enlightenment that has relegated God and prayer, along with things like beauty and love, to the realm of “feelings”, as opposed to the realm of “facts”.  According to this line of thinking, facts are those things that are public and real - true for everyone (e.g., science, physical objects, history), while feelings are things that are only true for me and thus, should be kept private. Therefore, God has been defined as not real and accordingly should be eliminated from public discussion and not taken seriously. This is secular humanism, by the way, which is a religion in itself as I have discussed in previous posts (e.g., The Decline of the Secular University, Science and Christianity, What is Truth?, Do I Really Matter?).

I will acknowledge that oppressive legalism has unfortunately plagued the contemporary institutional church. I believe legalism is why so many are turned off by the "church". Legalism, however, is a religious fog that veils the striking beauty of the Gospel of Jesus, both to people already inside as well as to those who are outside the church. This does not make untrue the freedom, healing, love, peace, etc., that are available from God. One just has to be aware of the putrid existence of legalism.

There was a man named Saul who hated Christians to the point that he murderously persecuted them in an attempt to snuff them out. In a stunning change of heart, Saul became one of history’s greatest advocates for Jesus Christ and his church (4). You may recognize Saul as Paul, who wrote more than half of the New Testament. Paul, by the way, used his harshest words against the legalists of his day. He said that what they offered was “dog dung” compared to the life offered by Jesus! (5) To those of you who don’t believe that God exists and therefore, believe the sacrifices asked of us by Christianity are a waste of precious life, you may be surprised that Paul agrees with you to a point. Paul said: “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men” (6). However, and this is crucial, Paul went on to boldly proclaim:  “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (7). He knew, because Jesus had revealed himself to Paul on the road to Damascus! Later, Paul reaffirmed this belief in a trial before King Agrippa and Governor Festus, when Paul said: “…Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.” At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.” “I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true…” (8).

Christianity is a radical worldview, but would you want to believe in anything less? It is a worldview that has been embraced by millions. It isn’t “insane” like Festus accused Paul of.

I urge you to investigate these claims seriously. Put them to the test before dismissing them. The stakes are too high not to try. Jesus is real!

_______________________________________

Footnotes:

Beautiful Outlaw: My Review AFTER Reading the Book!

Jesus was accused of breaking the law, keeping bad company, heavy drinking, being the devil himself. But those who knew him best loved him passionately.

 
In an earlier post I excitedly told you about the book "Beautiful Outlaw" by John Eldredge even though I had only read one chapter. Hmmm, nobody commented that they thought that was strange, unfair, or highly illogical. If I had read my own blog I probably would have blasted myself for being so rash (actually I do read my own blog and sometimes it seems a lonely feeling!). Nevertheless, I felt I owed you a post-reading review of the book. In fact, this is the VERY FIRST book review I've written for Amazon.com ever! Apparently it takes 48 hours for Amazon to process my review before it is posted, so I thought I would give you a special treat and let you see it first (okay, you can stop the applause now)! It is possible that Amazon may reject my review though, so if that happens you will will be among the privileged few who get to read it. So, without further ado...

Click on the picture to go to the Ransomed Heart
website and learn more about the book and video.

Must Read!! (Five stars out of five)

This refreshing book reveals significant aspects of Jesus' personality that have been largely neglected by the church in my lifetime (I'm 52 and grew up in the church). In fact, John Eldredge takes on the "religious fog" that has typically resulted in perceptions of a "lofty" Jesus doing strange, undecipherable things. Take playfulness, for example. When Eldredge first mentioned that Jesus has a playful, humorous side I was skeptical. But this book is convincing. From chipmunks frolicking about to our own bantering and laughing with friends, where else would we think something this good comes from (after all, who created chipmunks, laughter, and us?). But humor isn't the only missing aspect of Jesus' personality tackled here. Jesus had a fierce intention...did you realize that Jesus deliberately took the time at the temple to make his whip from cords before he drove the money changers out of the temple? Jesus was more human than any of us, honest, cunning, and much, much more. If you are a believer, you will fall in love with Jesus all over again. If you are not a believer, this book is for you too; you may find yourself attracted to this beautiful outlaw who was constantly in trouble with the religious leaders of his day. Late in the book is a very good discussion about the practical accessibility of Jesus; that any of us can connect relationally with him and experience his presence and wonderful traits in our own lives. This is a fabulous book, perhaps even surpassing Eldredge's earlier books "Wild at Heart" and "Waking the Dead", and I highly recommend it.

Was this review helpful to you? Feel free to respond in the comments...unless of course you don't like it (only joking...Jesus was honest, so I want you to be too!).

Beautiful Outlaw

Click on the picture to go to the Ransomed Heart
website and learn more about the book.

I know, the title of this post sounds like an oxymoron. Perhaps it is, but maybe not in the sense you think. The title "Beautiful Outlaw" refers to Jesus Christ. But was Jesus really an outlaw? He most definitely was in the eyes of...try to guess who!

In Jesus' day, much as in our own, the religious establishment had by-and-large distorted the true picture of who God was and what he was really like. The message was lost about God's love, goodness, mercy, etc. The religious leaders had burdened their followers with petty laws and endless duties to the point where life was filled with heaviness and despair. Into this scene stepped Jesus, who was not happy with what the religious leaders were doing in God's name. During Jesus' brief lifetime (~33 years) he repeatedly went into the Jewish temple and intentionally provoked the religious leaders by (gasp) healing peoples' ailments (for example, blindness, deafness, crippling diseases) on the Sabbath Day. Read here about one brief example (Mark 3:1-6); there are many more. The problem was that religious rules forbade anybody from working on the Sabbath, and Jesus was breaking that rule by healing people (i.e., "working"). And the religious leaders were furious at him for doing this, so much so that they started plotting to murder him.

What do you think of when you think about Jesus? Do you think "televangelists"? Irrelevant? Boring? Religious? Perhaps you've had a bad experience at church and you naturally affiliate it with Jesus.

The first chapter of the book "Beautiful Outlaw" is entitled "The Playfulness of God and the Poison of Religion". Unfortunately, even today religion often presents a distorted picture of who Jesus really is (Disclaimer: Please don't think I'm passing judgement on every church). And that is tragic because it turns people away from a person who is truly remarkable, beautiful, and definitely worth knowing. Beautiful Outlaw is designed to introduce you to Jesus as he really is. He is many good things, but he is anything but religious.

I have read the first chapter of Beautiful Outlaw so far (the entire book will be released on October 5) but am excited about reading the rest of the book. I have read all of the books that John Eldredge, the author has written and I have no doubt that this one could be a life changer. I encourage you to check it out, though, with a warning that your life may never be the same if you give it a fair shake!

Restoration, not Religion

Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.

Blaise Pascal

Does religion hold the answers to life's questions? Religion is a term that undoubtedly has different meanings for different people. While many would emphasize its strengths and others its weaknesses, few could argue that religion does not have some negative connotations associated with it. To many, religion is a list of things you should do (like attend church regularly) and shouldn't do (like cuss, drink, or smoke). To be accepted and respected within a religion it seems you must live under their laws, which can be oppressive. Wars are fought over and injustices committed in the name of religion. Perhaps its no wonder the institution of the university in America has gone secular and restricted the voice of religion on its campuses. But in doing so have they thrown the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak?

Speaking from a perspective of Christianity, some may be surprised that Jesus Christ's sharpest criticisms were towards the leaders of the religious establishment. He criticized them because they were smug, self righteous, and badly misrepresented God in the name of God. Consequently, the religious leaders hated Jesus! Interestingly, the people who were most attracted to Jesus were the "irreligious", who, yes, probably cussed, drank, etc. Why? What did they see in him? He didn't endorse but in fact, often challenged their lifestyles.

They loved Jesus because his words resonated with them. They could sense his message was truth, but he spoke with a grace and love that they had never heard from any other "religious teacher" (not that any other religious teachers would have been caught dead in the presence of such "sinners"). Jesus taught that he came to seek and to save that which was lost. And all of them, as with all of us, had lost something precious. Jesus' message was one of RESTORATION, and not more oppressive rules.  And he backed it up by restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, mobility to the paralyzed, mental health to the mentally ill, and even raising people from the dead. His message was very personal to everyone he touched, and his message continues to be personal today to each person he touches.

Personally, I am interested in something life-giving rather than something that sucks life out of me. Is there something or someone that can take away the anguish of regret, guilt, shame, etc. and replace it with a genuine, deep down in our souls kind of hope, peace, and joy? This is a glimpse of the RESTORATION of life as it was meant to be. If your experience with or impression about the "religion" of Christianity has been negative, I challenge you not to cast your final judgement on Jesus until you take a little time to learn more about this amazing person (for example, by clicking on the links in this post). I think you will be not only pleasantly surprised, but may even find the revelation of the real Jesus to be life-changing. He has that effect on people,..yes, even those in the secular university!