When the first "messengers" of the "News" of the Gospel proclaimed their "Hear Ye", "Hear Ye's" amongst the common people, the "Good News" they revealed was what all common people must have believed was reserved only for the "god-men" of their times; Pharaohs, Kings and Noble-born; i.e., eternal life! This was far beyond the dreams of any ordinary man. After all, that's what the Pyramids and other such great edifices guaranteed only those wealthy and powerful enough to "buy their way" into everlasting reality.
No, for the common man, life was a sad, desperate, lonely, march of continual drudge and suffering of one kind after another. And, in the end, the meaning of life (every one knew it!) was nothing more than a sentence of death! Man was born to die - nothing more! Here gloom, and there, doom! Then these men came along; these "witnesses". They were different all right, there was something about them.... And the stories they told were all so hopeful!
They spoke of a Life beyond the common, above the ordinary, and far larger than anything they knew or hoped for. And those who listened, looked and hoped saw it. They saw it in the eyes and hearts and motives and lifestyles of these "followers of The Way". They heard it in the stories, and the Truth and in the Peace and in the Humility of these common-looking strangers.
But these "foreigners" seemed more like family, somehow - I mean, they cared and loved like brothers and sisters. There was just something about them! But they didn't just tell of this wonderful new Way, but they told HOW! And not just HOW, but WHO! And then there were those of the village whom everyone had known since they were children. And the story of how they'd been hungry, listened, believed and the incredible change that had come over them. Were they bewitched? No, everyone knew what someone was like when the demons got hold of them! This change was miraculous!
The calm and peace and assurance and hope and warmth that came over people was amazing! What was a body to do? The common man had little to lose by opening himself to this new "Way". Was this "Good News" appealing to the masses? It spread like wildfire among them. It was real; it was vital, alive; it was hopeful, and they were so hungry! Starved for affection, warmth, concern of any kind. They were like dry tinder to that "spark" of Light. And hearts burned with flames of ardor and fervor and zeal because of the need of the people! To contrast those days with these today is an astonishment to me!
How brittle-hard, like flint, the hearts of men have grown, who no longer need and hunger for the Simple Bread of Heaven - the Humble Love of God! Those of old had need and knew it. Were denied all and left with nothing but to accept their lot in life. The "shrug" of their shoulder was to bear a weight so burdensome as made even God groan! And, having heard their cry of neglect and helpless hopelessness, God sent His Son - His Humble Son as Babe of Light into a darkened world so wicked, lost and ravenous - so desperately depraved, that even the slaughter of innocent babes yet hid in mothers wombs was understandable, tolerated, accepted - even "justified"!
Injected into this "outrage" was the quietude of Peace Abiding in Man Eternal as Gift of God who Heard man and responded. Now man was given the opportunity to Hear God and respond in-kind, in concert and union with such a God! And that God (unlike ANY other ever known!) wanted, Loved, sought, died for, and bought the common man? Who could believe such a thing? No, even the believing was a miracle! But this was one miracle which wouldn't "go away"! And neither did the changes wrought by this miracle!
People were changed and stayed that way! This was no "passing fancy" - no fad of the times. This "Way" was Real enough! Indeed, the explosion of Truth went through the land with a shudder that shook even the mighty pyramids! This was a "contagion" - a plague!
It was as though some futuristic, lethal, germ-warfare wafted in on the evening breeze. The people became infected by the droves! "And such poppycock, too! What drivel! That a god would die for a man? And, not any man of consequence, mind you, but just any ole straight-off-the-street (out of the gutter!) commoner of the lowest class! Ha! The opiate of the masses; that they should believe their life worth anything! They would believe they'll have it better in some future life, for they won't have it here! Eternal life, indeed!
What for? They aren't worth living in this life, why should they be "saved" and "carried over" into any other "life"? Who "saves" refuse? And what manner of "god" is this which has such unholy standards as would even consider such unworthy "low-life"? Such "filth" is better left alone" --- No, those whose lives were "tended" and manicured and pampered by such "low-life" would have no use for this "new", "common" god! After all, what must one think of a god which "hob-nobs" with the "rabble"? He's a "common god", right? That he should lower himself in such an undignified manner would be beneath ANY noble-born mortal; but that a god should so abase himself? Unthinkable! ---
But to those being saved, even the added burden of ridicule; not just of them, but of their God - Humble Jesus - could not cause them to lose their Joy. A Joy which came from Knowledge. Actually Knowing the Living God - Personally! They could talk to Him; they could Hear Him; they were permitted to Love Him, Adore Him, Give to Him in Worship; and He Taught them, and Walked with them.
He made everything in their common lives Holy by His Presence! His Reality-in-their-midst WAS eternal! They knew it. And because they knew it, they were free from needing to prove anything to anybody! They had a Security of which this world knows nothing! They had the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE!
God had now demonstraded "HOW TO"; "Ask", "Seek", and "Knock"; How to "Pray", "Watch", and "Wait"; How to "Remain Willing", "Retain Salt, and "Obtain the Light"; How to be "Open", "Humble", and to "Behold!"; The "Way", "Truth", and "Life" - JESUS CHRIST!
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