Bob Deffingbaugh writing on The Gospel of John, recalls the dramatic impact reading the Gospels can have on criminals, from his prison ministry days:
Some years ago I was actively involved in prison ministry with Prison Fellowship.
One seminar I conducted was in a maximum-security prison in the State of Texas. It was a tough prison. During a break, one inmate came up to me and said he had heard that some of the volunteers at the seminar were themselves former offenders. He asked if it would be possible for some of these ex-offenders to share their testimony during the seminar.
I thought it was a great idea and asked if any of the volunteers wished to share their testimony. One of them told this story, as best as I can remember the details:
"I was an inmate in this prison some years ago. I was a member of a motorcycle gang, living in a house with other gang members. In fact, I served time for stealing a motorcycle. My life was not going well at all, and someone told me that I should read the Bible, so I got one—well, actually, I stole one.
"I began to read the Gospels. As I read of the person of Jesus Christ and His love, I was so overwhelmed that I began to weep. I wept so loud I had to go into the bathroom to read, where I could turn on the shower to cover the sounds of my crying."
There is something about our Lord in the Gospels which draws men and women to Him. The disciples who heard Him say, “Follow Me,” could do nothing but follow Him. Men and women guilty of shameful sins drew near, somehow assured that He would not reject them, sensing that He had come to forgive them. I believe a significant part of that magnetism which drew men and women to our Lord was His love.
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I believe hearing, reading the Gospels of Christ and his love for us can and does have profound effects on men and women down through the ages. It happened to me. It can happen to you, if it hasn't already. Christ didn't come to save the righteous and those who were satisfied, but rather He came for the sinners, the sick, the needy who were struggling with issues, both inside and out of the system in which they lived. This Samaritan woman is a wonderful case in point.
Your posting about the reading of the gospels holds true for me. I am currently studying the Gospel of Mark in both English and Greek, and have just read the gospel again for probably the twentieth time.
ReplyDeleteUnlike yourself, I could hardly call myself a conservative. However Jesus is simply remarkable - he talks to us in all walks of life. No matter whether or not we accept his divinity or his resurrection - or for that matter his nature miracles - his words are alive with challenges untold. I sense His presence daily as I familiarise myself once again with His word - and there is always something new to discover about Him.
Yes, and thank you for making this post better with your comment.
ReplyDeleteReading the Gospels is over and over, in my experience, is life affirming and transforming.