Sunday, November 30, 2014

Jesus - Uniquely Liberated, Fearless, Truthful

This is the second in a series of quotes from Jesus Before Christianity that increase wonder and awe over this man Jesus (see part 1):

"'Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences God; anyone who does not love has never had any experience of God, because God is love' (I John 4:7,8).

"...prophets did not only share God's knowledge, they were also filled to the point of bursting with God's own feelings and emotions. In the case of Jesus it was God's feeling of compassion that possessed him and filled him. All his convictions, his faith and his hope were expressions of this fundamental experience. If God is compassionate, then goodness will triumph over evil, the impossible will happen and there is hope for mankind.

"Compassion is the basis of truth. The experience of compassion is the experience of suffering or feeling with someone...This is also the experience of solidarity, solidarity with humanity, nature and God. It excludes every form of alienation and falsehood. 

"The secret of Jesus' infallible insight and unshakeable convictions was his unfailing experience of solidarity with God, which revealed itself as an experience of solidarity with humanity and nature. This made him a uniquely liberated man, uniquely courageous, fearless, independent, hopeful and truthful..."

Lord, fill us Your people with Your emotions of compassion and care until we as a people are freed from fears and anxieties that prevent us from fully loving all of Your creation.

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