Chapter 38
“How is your bible study coming along, Christine?”
We were at the office. Lori was at school.
“I’m kind of struggling.” Christine replied.
“Struggling with what?”
“I’m struggling with Jesus.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“What I mean is Jesus and God are talked about in the book of Luke as a matter of fact, suggesting Jesus and the Father are one, but I’m not sure I believe any of it.” She said.
“Ahhh, there’s the rub. Sooner or later everyone comes to that place. It comes down to belief. It comes down to faith. Have you read any of chapter ten, in Luke’s gospel?”
She nodded silently in response.
“You might try praying and asking God to help you believe.”
“How can I pray, if I don’t believe?” She asked.
“God hears all prayers, whether you believe or not.”
She thought about it for a moment.
“I guess I’m more practical than that.” She suggested.
“Did Jesus claim to be the son of God?” I asked her.
“Yes.” She stated, emphatically.
“Well then, practically speaking, there are only three possibilities. One, Jesus was crazy, completely irrational and just plain bonkers. I mean really, claiming to be the Son of God! Do you believe he was crazy?” I asked.
“No, I don’t. He was far too organized and focused to be insane. If he were just crazy the religious leaders wouldn’t have bothered with him. It would have become obvious and they would have just watched him as his followers quit and his movement fell apart. Instead, they hated him and plotted his death, to shut him up.” She observed.
“Then, the next option is he was a liar, just pretending to be the Son of God to deceive people and get them to follow him. Do you believe he was lying?”
She shook her head, in response. “No, I don’t.”
“Well then, there is only one more option. He was telling the truth and he really is the son of God.”
“I’ve heard that argument before, you know? What if all of it, the whole Bible is just a bunch of weird stories. I know it’s unlikely, because the historic record supports so much of it. Are some parts true and other parts fable?
“Well, there’s also the argument Jesus was just a political activist. There were a lot of them at the time. What do you think about that?” I asked her.
“If that were true, why would anyone bother to write so much about his life? Why would anyone care about a defeated political wanna-be, who died two thousand years ago in a seemingly insignificant place in the middle-east?” She asked.
“Perhaps he was just a great moral teacher.” I suggested.
She considered the possibility for a moment.
“No, there have been any number of great moral teachers, but they are not maligned and hated the way Jesus was. The Jewish leaders wouldn’t have convinced the Roman authorities to kill him, just for being a great moral teacher.”
“We’re getting kind of low on other options Christine. Why would the life of one man be the cause for so much change in the world? Why would people suffer and die over the course of more than two thousand years, for being followers of a man who died in a different time and place from them?”
That’s exactly what I’m struggling with.” She clarified.
I nodded. “It is the single most important decision you will ever make. There’s a cost to be counted. A relationship with Christ is free for the asking, but it ain’t cheap. Some people will think less of you. You will change. It will determine the course of your life, and your place in eternity.”
“Yeah, I get that. There will be serious ramifications to whatever decision I make. What will our relationship be, you know… between you and me, if I say ‘no’? She asked, tentatively.
“Christine, I didn’t hire you with any hidden agenda or secret strings. Our relationship isn’t based on what you choose to do with your knowledge of Christ. You are free to be you. I love you and appreciate you for all of your strengths and abilities, not to mention your extraordinary beauty. I’m here to help, but I don’t have any requirements related to your personal decision.”
She nodded. “OK, thanks.”
“Just keep reading and believe in yourself. You’re intelligent and discerning. You’ll figure it out.”