Imitate Jesus… Forgive!

             Human nature, being selfish, delights to return pain for pain, and betrayal for betrayal. We even calculate the amount of pain necessary not just to get even, but to send the message “Don’t mess with me again!” The old law of “Eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” was an improvement over perpetual escalation, but it created an environment with a lot of toothless grins and the inability of most to see them very well. Returning evil for evil only adds to the total evil in the world. 

            In Christ we are commanded to “return good for evil.’ Jesus showed us how to do it when, on the cross, he took upon himself all the sins of a fallen and broken world, killed them and their evil power there, and spoke words of life – “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.” When Jesus rose from the dead, those defeated sins stayed in their grave. We are free from the power of sin, if we choose to believe it.

            Now when someone sins against you, you are fully capable to take the pain and insult into your heart and soul, crucify it there, and make the decision to return good to the one who gave evil to you. The moment you make this series of decisions you are full of the new life of Jesus Christ. The one who receives good, in return for their evil, will likely be quite surprised especially if you have not been in the habit of forgiving for very long. But your decision to break the chain of sin and offer grace will put them in an awkward position. It is not an easy thing to return evil for good! Your forgiveness may be the gift that helps their heart open to the grace of Jesus.

            Jesus would have us forgive others because we are asked. The power of the request is one of the greatest powers in the kingdom of God. Ask and you will receive, said Jesus. It shows tremendous respect for others both to make and to answer the request, particularly the request for forgiveness.

            Jesus would have us forgive others because we love. As Christians we are taught that we love because God first loves us. Therefore love (and almost all other virtues) is not a matter of our strong will, but rather of our proper response to the love and generosity of our Father. When we love others in response to God’s great love for us, we can easily offer good in return for evil because we truly have received good that is greater than any evil people can do to us. In light of the love of God, my returning good for evil is not incongruous, but to return evil to someone who wronged me, despite the amazing love of God in my life – that would be unimaginable.

            Jesus would have us forgive other because he forgives us. People have a deeply ingrained tendency to minimize their own sin, while maximizing the sins of others. That is why we are often comfortable being hypocrites! But when we remember the tremendous gift of Jesus to forgive our sins, we cannot withhold forgiveness from others. The joy and relief for forgiveness fills our hearts and then flows into the lives of others who have sinned against us. Those who have been forgiven, forgive!        

            This prayer of Jesus should never be far from our lips… “Father, forgive them!”

- Kenny Payne

Imitate Jesus: Prayer

Often skeptics speak of prayer as if it is no more than “wishful thinking…” (and too often we believers think the same thing!) But the Bible speaks of prayer in terms of “spiritual engagement.” There are three “prayer stories” in the life of Jesus where some very unusual things happen: at his baptism, on the mount of transfiguration, and in the garden of Gethsemane. These are usually interpreted as isolated events that happened only to Jesus, but what if they are meant to offer ordinary disciples a window into what is really happening – physically and spiritually – when we pray like Jesus? The unusual things involve the presence of God, an influx of power from God, and a renewed sense of purpose for God’s mission. These are things that all disciples will agree we desperately need. Let’s notice these prayer times of Jesus. 

            When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22 NIV) Notice the unusual things that happened when Jesus prayed: heaven opened, the Holy Spirit descended as a dove, and a voice spoke from heaven. What if this is not an abnormal picture of what happens when believers pray, but is an unusual glimpse into what is the normal practice of prayer?  Then it may not be that Jesus was somehow special and different from us in ways that are not open to imitation, rather maybe Jesus was showing us what can happen when we are committed to prayer!

When Jesus was praying on the mount of transfiguration, he was visited by Moses and Elijah. These men were pioneer servants of God ushering in new eras of Law and Prophecy and they knew what it meant to suffer for being prayerful and faithful. Their conversation and presence with Jesus had to do with his approaching “departure” which he would bring to fulfillment in Jerusalem. When the disciples woke up (and sleep seems to be a major barrier to prayer!) they were amazed at what was happening. This was the most amazing thing they had ever seen. They wanted to “sanctify” the moment, but Jesus wanted them to sanctify the practice!

Of all the recorded pray times of Jesus, the garden of Gethsemane was by far the most intense for him. It was also the most difficult because the presence he experienced was not his Father or the Holy Spirit, but merely an angel. In place of a booming voice from heaven, there was only silence! Yet Jesus prayed himself to a state of willing obedience.

Jesus’ prayer life was one of the most striking things about him, and the source of power for his life and ministry.  When Jesus prayed there was spiritual presence: The Holy Spirit as a dove, Moses and Elijah, an angel strengthening him. When Jesus prayed there was an increase in spiritual power. When Jesus prayed there was a deepened commitment to spiritual purpose. Prayer, for Jesus, seemed to always clear his vision and renew his focus!

            Prayer is the place where the space between heaven and earth becomes very “thin.” It is always accessible to us – though usually without visual or audible confirmation. When we learn to close the gap between heaven and earth through our prayers, we will discover that the gap narrows in our lives as well.

- Kenny Payne

Imitate Jesus: Grace and Truth

The apostle John describes Jesus as “full of grace and truth”  (John 1:14)  Because of misunderstandings about both grace and truth, many people struggle to hold onto these two virtues without tremendous tension developing.

To resolve the tension some people develop a commitment to “graceless truth” which is good at pointing out faults and sins, but is completely ineffective at producing repentance. People on the receiving end of graceless truth generally feel like they have been spiritually mugged in the name of Jesus. They learn to avoid practitioners of graceless truth like the plague. Practitioners of graceless truth are generally dumbfounded at the inability of sinful people to “handle the truth.”   

Others resolve the tension by practicing “truth-less grace.” Truth-less grace is usually a commitment to live and let live without doing the frightening work of actually looking at the fruit of our lives. Truth-less grace only works until someone sins against you in such a painful and devastating way that “live and let live” is no longer an option. Too often, at that point, the truth of their sin trumps your weak sense of grace and unwillingness to forgive rules the day.     

            Neither graceless truth, nor truth-less grace, are helpful in moving people from sin to salvation. What is needed is a truthful grace or a graceful truth. Jesus was able to offer grace without ignoring the truth of the bitter consequences of sin in our lives, and to speak truth without making our situation seem hopeless and irredeemable. Jesus was able to hold truth and grace in perfect harmony.

            You can see Jesus offer people truthful grace/graceful truth in many of his encounters in the gospels. To the religious leaders he often spoke blunt truth – concerning their shortcomings and their hypocrisy – but at the same time he held out the offer of grace and a heart cleansed by repentance. This is clearly seen in the encounter Jesus had with Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a religious leader, a member of the Jewish high court, and he came to Jesus one night to discuss the life of faith. Jesus shocked him with descriptions of spiritual life and health that were unfamiliar to him and were surrounded by mystery. Jesus pointed out that he knew truth that Nicodemus could not even imagine. Rather then being angry with Jesus and turning away, Nicodemus became intrigued and apparently started learning from Jesus. Jesus told him the truth and graciously gave him the space to grow in both truth and grace.  

To “sinners” Jesus offered abundant grace, but never at the expense of ignoring their sins or implying that sin is not a big deal. This is clearly seen in the story of the woman caught in adultery. Facing strong criticism and judgment from the angry religious leaders, the woman must have been preparing herself for approaching death. Yet Jesus turned the focus off of the woman and caused the men in the crowd to look at their own lives and hearts. Rocks began to fall and convicted men began to walk away. Once they were alone Jesus asked the woman about her accusers: “Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir” she replied. “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” Jesus pointed out the truth about her sinful life, but offered her the grace to stop sinning and start a new life. According to graceful truth or truthful grace the most important truths about us are that God loves us deeply and we are able to receive redemption from his generous hand. That is something to share!

- Kenny Payne   

Imitate Jesus: Getting Love Right

           There are two stories in the life of Jesus concerning what is now commonly called the greatest commandment. One occurred in the final week of Jesus’ life as he was being questioned by the religious leaders in an attempt to trap him in his words. He was asked point blank what the most important commandment was and he answered: “The most important one is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”(Mark 12:29-31) The religious leader agreed with Jesus’ answer, but then Jesus surprised him by exclaiming: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” This must have been offensive, because this man certainly believed he was solidly inside the kingdom of God! And yet Jesus said he was close to the kingdom but not quite there yet. That raises, at least for me, an important question: If he understood the primacy of love, then why was he only close to the kingdom?

The other time Jesus was questioned about the greatest command, an expert in the law asked Jesus: What must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus, in typical rabbinic fashion, answered his question with a question, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”  Jesus wanted this man to recognize that he already knew the answer! The man answered just as Jesus had in the previous story. Jesus praised him for his right answer and encouraged him to put that answer into practice: “Do this and you will live!”

            The expert in the law, in typical expert fashion, wanted to justify his actual practice (or the lack thereof), so he sought to fine tune the answer – “And who is my neighbor?” In response Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan. The interesting thing in this story is the Jesus used it to answer a different question than the expert in the law actually asked. His question was, “And who is my neighbor?” The question that Jesus answers is “To whom am I a neighbor?”

            The expert in the law was looking for a loophole to spare him the difficult task of actually living out the implications of the truth concerning the greatest command to love God and love people. He wanted to know the right answer, but to be free from having to practice the right answer.

            Christianity has struggled with this desire over the years and even developed ways to enable us to defend ourselves against the tension. We often, as Christians, focus a lot of attention on what we call orthodoxy – or right belief, but Jesus calls us to more! He is glad we know the right answers, but challenges us to understand that they are not actually right if we fail to live them!  Orthopraxy – right practice – is what Jesus is calling us to!   

            “Who was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” Jesus asked. The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”  Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise!”

If we do not practice the commandment to love God with all we have and to love our neighbor as ourselves, it is pointing to the fact that we do not really believe it after all. If we practice it, we cannot help but believe it!

                                                - Kenny Payne

Imitate Jesus: Humble in Heart

From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus gave priority to making disciples. He explained the essence of discipleship by this wise saying: “The student is not above their teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher” (Luke 6:40 NIV) As Christians our consuming passion should be to become like Jesus, our teacher, and to help others grow in discipleship as well.

              One of the most striking characteristics about Jesus was his humility. Though he had every reason – due to his status and ability – to be prideful, Jesus continually humbled himself and treated others with dignity and respect. It is important to recognize humility does not result from telling lies about yourself, but rather from knowing the truth about yourself, but not using it as a tool to place yourself above others. Jesus never denied his status as the “son of God” yet he was willing to associate with people from all social levels. Jesus was as comfortable in the presence of tax collectors and sinners as with the religious leaders.

            The greatest description of Jesus’ humility was penned by the apostle Paul:

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 NIV)

            Jesus refused to use his status and considerable power for personal gain; rather he lived his life for the benefit of others! Humility is what allowed Jesus to take the slur of the religious leaders – “He is the friend of sinners!” – transforming it from a stinging insult to a statement of faithfulness to God. And it is a statement of truth: sinners have never had a better or more loyal friend than Jesus!

            So how does one learn humility? Jesus says it happens like this: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-20 NIV) Have you ever noticed that trying to keep your pride fueled is a weary and burdensome task? Those who value their pride above all else can scarcely imagine what rest would feel like, or that listening to Jesus could ever bring peace. But when we actually learn from Jesus to be gentle and humble in heart, we also learn that we have God’s favor, not because of our efforts, but because he loves the people he created. And living in the security of God’s favor frees us from pride and allows us to love and serve others. Humility is the key to an easy yoke and light burdens. Jesus knew that and he wants you to know it, too.

Imitate Jesus: Moved By Compassion

Jesus lived in a messed up world just as we do. Just turn your head and look at the people around you and you will see the same kinds of problems that Jesus saw.

           Seeing all the pain, suffering and need does something to a person. You learn to defend yourself against it all, isolating yourself in an imaginary world without need, and constantly guarding against seeing the needs of people whom you wish were invisible.

            Or it pulls you towards helping those who suffer… This is, of course, a very risky pull, for the needs of people are simply overwhelming and capable of sucking all your resources and leaving you needy as well! This is a crucial moment – for you and for them – for if you allow yourself to feel compassion, compassion will begin to move you.

            You see this powerfully in the life of Jesus. Jesus simply refused to turn his head away from human need. Rather, he usually walked straight into it, or at least did not run away when it approached him. His compassion drove him to engage need and provide relief and help for the people caught up in it. No wonder they called him the savior!

            Jesus was moved by compassion to help the needy people around him. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Jesus’ image of a mass of needy people – harassed and helpless - becoming a “harvest” is a paradigm shift. With this simple device Jesus invites you to look into the pool of need and see opportunity rather than a reason to turn your head.

            But where do you start the journey that compassion is pulling you to make? According to Jesus you start with prayer! Listen to his advice to his students: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” It is not enough to merely replace the crippling dread of unmet needs with the joy of abundant harvest – for in both situations there is an overwhelming sense of the volume of work necessary to make a difference. Even work that seems a joy because of the promised reward is still energy consuming and often exhausting! But imagine the joy of working on a very large “harvest team!” That is why we pray for the Lord of the harvest to send out workers.    

            So we begin by praying for workers, because prayer is the way that God pulls us into and equips us for the mission he is giving to us. But after we get up from prayer, we get to work responding faithfully to the needs we see around us. Jesus fed crowds that were hungry, healed people who were sick or demon possessed. He told a story in which he based his judgment of people on the way they helped the sick and prisoners, the hungry and thirsty, and strangers. Jesus even went so far in that story as to identify himself with the people in need. Ironically, neither the sheep nor the goats perceived Jesus in the needy! The goats claimed they would have helped – IF ONLY – they had recognized Jesus. The sheep said they did not help Jesus, only people! Jesus said to both groups – what you did or did not do to help the least of these you did or did not do to help me. Imagine your joy in discovering one day that compassion moved you to help Jesus!

Eyewitnesses of His Majesty: From Reluctant to Revolutionary Witnesses!

Jesus trained his disciples for nearly three years; at his resurrection their training was almost over and he would send them into the world to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins to all nations. It is interesting that on the evening of resurrection Sunday two disciples make the first gospel presentation concerning the risen Jesus and the person they share this information with is, of all people, Jesus!

            In their conversation with Jesus, whom they did not recognize, they presented the facts as they knew them. “Jesus of Nazareth, was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” (Luke 24:19-24 NIV) They were sad and not a little confused by the events of the weekend. Their message was one of despair – “we had hoped…” – and uncertainty – “they did not see Jesus.”

            Jesus was, understandably, not impressed with their attempt to witness! He shared with them the things that Scripture said about the Messiah, particularly about the suffering of the Messiah. Then he broke bread with them. Notice this account: When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:30-32 NIV) Their eyes were finally opened and they saw the risen Christ. Immediately they returned to Jerusalem to witness to the other disciples – without the despair and uncertainty!

            So how did the disciples move from being reluctant witnesses to being revolutionary witnesses? They all experienced the risen Christ. While Jesus tried to prepare them for his death and resurrection, it still took them by surprise! But once they saw Jesus raised from the dead, they were forever changed. They finally understood Scripture concerning the Messiah. When Jesus explained what the Scripture had to say about himself, they got the message and they could share it with others. They participated in the breaking of bread. The remembrance of Jesus through communion and the recognition of Christ in the lives of their brothers and sisters in faith kept them close to the heart of Jesus. They received the power of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were understandably upset when Jesus talked with them about “going away” but Jesus assured them, “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.” In the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus came to his disciples and their lives and witness were changed forever. Even their opponents would claim, “They have been with Jesus!” Is your life telling the amazing story of the Christ who conquered death and brings new life?

- Kenny Payne   

Eyewitnesses of His Majesty: Stories of the Resurrection

The gospels all report the resurrection of Jesus. As expected with four witnesses telling the same story, there are differences in details between the resurrection stories of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Skeptics have long tried to use the differences in the stories as proof that the resurrection is not an historical fact, but simply a figment of the wishful thinking of the earliest disciples.

However, in addition to the different details of the stories, there are amazing similarities between the stories that speak to the truth of what happened on a Sunday morning nearly 2,000 years ago. The testimony of these witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus must be heard and contemplated before one can either believe or disbelieve.

An open, empty tomb! All the gospels mention that the tomb was open and empty when people arrived there. The women who were planning to give a proper anointing to Jesus’ body for burial were concerned that they would not be able to roll the stone away. They forgot that problem when they arrived and the tomb was open and empty. The empty tomb meant they had a new problem – where was Jesus? For the enemies of Jesus the empty tomb was also a problem, for all they needed to disprove the resurrection was to produce the corpse of Jesus. They could not do that, so the stories persisted – intensified by later appearances of Jesus to his disciples.

The presence of messengers! All the gospels say there were messengers of the resurrection, but they disagree about the number and the nature of these messengers. Matthew says, “an angel”; Mark says, “a young man in a white robe”; Luke says, “two men in clothes that gleamed like lightening”; John says, “two angels in white.” In all three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark & Luke) the message is “He is risen!” In John the angels ask Mary Magdalene why she is crying, and then Jesus appears to her. It is not surprising, nor out of line with the rest of Scripture, that there were angelic messengers at this most important of events!

A meeting with Jesus! Matthew says that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, John tells of Jesus meeting with Mary Magdalene. Neither Mark nor Luke mention people meeting Jesus near the tomb. All the gospels have stories of Jesus appearing to his disciples later on resurrection Sunday or the weeks that followed. Seeing Jesus alive was a very convincing event, as you can imagine.

Doubt that turned into deep faith! The story the religious leaders wanted to tell about the resurrection is that it did not happen and the disciples simply stole the body. This is very unlikely since all the disciples were “slow to believe” that Jesus had risen from the dead. They, like all people in all places and times, knew that death is a final condition and that hope is lost at that point. That is why the resurrection was such an amazing surprise to them. Death, which seems to be all powerful, is over-powered! The hopelessness of grief is turned to joy when Jesus rises from the dead. And most of them lived the rest of their lives telling the story of a crucified and risen savior, many of them even dying for telling that story. They obviously had no doubt about the truthfulness of the resurrection!

Jesus once told Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Be blessed…

Eyewitnesses of His Majesty: Blasphemy, Treason, Truth

Jesus was not crucified because he was nice! The religious leaders were challenged, exasperated and angered by Jesus. The gospels clearly present their growing anger and desire to get rid of the “Jesus” problem.

·         The religious leaders were jealous of Jesus because “he taught as one who had authority and not as the teachers of the law!” (Matthew 7:29).

·         The Pharisees were angry because Jesus refused to honor their rules of clean and unclean. “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:11)

·         Unable to deny his miracles, the religious leaders claimed Jesus wielded Satan’s power! “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.” (Matthew 9:32)

·         Jesus valued people over rituals to the point of making the Pharisees plot to kill him. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. (Matthew 12:14)

·         The religious leaders understood that many of Jesus’ parables were attacks against their abuse of authority! When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet. (Matthew 21:45-46)

·         The religious leaders decided to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people. Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.” (Matthew 26:3-5)

Most of us have a tendency to dismiss people who make us uncomfortable, push us to painful growth, or threaten our perceived best interest. Jesus was a serious threat to those who thought they had it all figured out!

Since Jesus did not submit to their authority or give in to their bullying, the religious leaders dismissed Jesus with the charge of blasphemy. It is ironic that they ignored the words and the signs of Jesus which were clearly powered by God, choosing instead to reject Jesus in the name of defending God! There was some blasphemy happening at the trial of Jesus, it was just the opposite of their legal verdict!    

Pilate knew the religious leaders handed Jesus over to him out of their own self-interest. He decided to dismiss Jesus and crucify him, despite pronouncing him not guilty, despite knowing the jealousy of the Jewish leaders, simply because it was the easiest way to solve his problem that Friday morning. Truth is often a victim of expediency.

Jesus warned his disciples that it was a constant tension to be more interested in the things of men rather than the things of God. Charging your opponents with blasphemy does not change the truth. Washing your hands and claiming your innocence is never enough to destroy the truth! The problem with truth is, while you can easily and efficiently dismiss it, it does not cease to be true because of your refusal to believe it.

Truth is made for acceptance and obedience. Jesus as the way, the truth and the life, is calling us all to follow him! Are you walking?

- Kenny Payne

Eyewitnesses of His Majesty: Conquering Hero or Suffering Servant?

          As you read the gospels you sense that a showdown in Jerusalem is approaching when Jesus and the religious leaders will engage in conflict that will allow the tension that has been building between them to find relief. Jesus warned his disciples repeatedly that there was trouble on the horizon in Jerusalem:  Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” (Matthew 20:17-19 NIV)

Jesus could not have used words that were more clear concerning these events, yet apparently the disciples either did not listen or did not comprehend the plain meaning of Jesus’ words! So it is rather surprising to find out that this is what happens after Jesus warns them of the trouble in Jerusalem: Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” (Mathew 20:20-23 NIV)

                Rather than taking to heart the grief and approaching suffering of Jesus, James and John wanted to establish positions of honor for themselves in the coming kingdom of the Messiah. Jesus warned them that they did not know what they were asking – then he asked them if they could drink the cup that he was close to drinking. Their response was a curt “We can!” which is proof positive that they were not talking about the same cup as Jesus. They imagined drinking from the golden goblet of power and glory, the ones kings used for their wine. Jesus was speaking of the cup of sorrow and suffering, the one that contained the wrath of God.

                When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:20-28 NIV)

Jesus pointed out their misunderstanding by challenging their desire for power and the ability to command people to serve them with the true role of the disciple, which is service to others. He then offered himself as the example of one who was not seeking to be served but who was serving others and even offering himself as a ransom for them. It was hard for the disciples to believe that the Messiah would be a servant who offered his life for others instead of a powerful king who demanded the lives of his enemies! That is still hard to believe and it is even harder to emulate! The tension that Jesus pointed out as active in the heart of Peter – “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” – was alive and well in the hearts of James and John, and most disciples since then.

What would it look like for someone to actually obey the direct commands of Jesus to stop looking to be served and start serving others? What does the commitment to offer yourself for the benefit of those around you look like? Keep watching Jesus, because he is going to show exactly what that looks like in seven days in Jerusalem that forever changed the world!

- Kenny Payne

Eyewitnesses of His Majesty: An Unusual King

            Jesus asked his disciples the most important question in all of life: “Who do you say that I am?” This is the most important question, not because our answer changes anything for Jesus, but because it changes everything for us.

Not surprisingly it was Peter who answered for the group: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” I imagine that the disciples were all thrilled to be the inner circle of the Messiah - they had stars in their eyes.

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. (Matthew 16:21) “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Truer words were never spoken, yet there is a shocking difference between saying the right words and understanding their meaning. The word Messiah immediately brought to mind expectations in the hearts of the Jewish people: deliverance, vengeance, restoration of Israel, humiliation of their enemies. These expectation were why Israel eagerly awaited the Messiah! Yet when Jesus defined his role as Messiah, he did not reference any of these ideas. In fact, he spoke only of suffering, rejection by the religious leaders and death. To the disciples this was scandalous and very un-messianic!

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”  Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”(Matthew 16:22-23) Since Peter gave the correct answer regarding Jesus’ identity, he decided that he should be the one to instruct Jesus about what it meant to be the Messiah. Peter rebuked Jesus and informed him that these bad events would never happen to him. It was preposterous to Peter that Jesus could be Messiah and also be killed. Of course, Jesus did not want to die either, but he knew that his death was intimately connected to his role as Messiah. Jesus acknowledge the tension he faced by calling Peter Satan and telling him that he had in mind the things of men and not of God. Peter should have been paying close attention at that moment because Jesus shared with him the central struggle of all disciples, keeping our focus and energy on God’s concerns and not human concerns.  

It is hard to imagine a more difficult conversation between Jesus and his disciples because Jesus overturned their entire worldview concerning the identity and role of the Messiah! And then without pause he overturned their understanding of what they could expect as disciples. Far from the positions of authority they imagined for themselves, Jesus spoke of laying down their lives, taking up a cross and following Jesus down the road of rejection, suffering and death. This was hardly an appealing offer.

            But then, on the other side of all that suffering, pain and death – GLORY! The glory of the Son of Man coming to reward people for what they have done; the glory of the Son of Man coming in his kingdom; the glory of having made a wise choice to follow an unusual king!

   - Kenny Payne

Seeing the Kingdom All Around You

Jesus told the disciples “kingdom stories” so that they would know both what they were “looking for” and “looking at.” Jesus asked them, “Have you understood all these things?” to equip them to understand what was happening in them and around them!

Immediately following the “kingdom parables” Matthew tells five stories where these parables are instructive concerning real life events. The story of Jesus visiting the synagogue at Nazareth and Herod’s beheading of John are both rejection stories. The people of Nazareth stood in the very presence of Jesus, but they allowed their familiarity to breed contempt. Herod spoke with John, one of the greatest of the prophets, yet killed him because of an oath he made on a whim. Both are stories of hard paths where the seed of the gospel just cannot break through. The disciples needed to know what rejection looked like and they found out in these two stories.

After hearing of John’s death Jesus tried unsuccessfully to get away by himself with his disciples. The crowd followed Jesus so he taught and healed them. As evening approached the disciples told Jesus to send the crowd away. Testing the faith of his disciples, Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.” The disciples presented the small amount of food they had available as evidence that they could not feed the crowd. Jesus took their meager offering – gave thanks and broke it – and the disciples distributed it to the large crowd. When everyone had eaten the disciples gathered twelve baskets full of leftovers! If they thought about Jesus’ kingdom of heaven stories, bells should have been ringing: a small seed becomes a large plant, or a little yeast creates a lot of bread! Rather than looking at their lack, they could have, like Jesus, trusted their Father who provides abundantly. If they had been thinking of the farmer who sowed seed, they may have recognized themselves as the shallow soil.

After feeding the crowd, Jesus sent the disciples away by boat, dismissed the crowd, and went to pray. After hours of prayer, Jesus walked on the lake to his disciples who were struggling to get to their destination because the wind was against the boat. Seeing a figure walking on the water, the disciples were terrified, prompting Jesus to identify himself “It is I. Don’t be afraid!” Peter then made the craziest request – “Lord, if it is you, let me come to you on the water.” Jesus agreed and Peter walked out of the boat and almost to Jesus. But Peter took notice of the wind, which might have reminded him of the fact that people cannot walk on water. As he was sinking, he called out to Jesus – “Lord, save me.” Jesus did, of course, and together they walked back to the boat. Then those WHO WERE IN THE BOAT worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Big words for people who were reluctant to step out in faith. Peter was the only one wet that morning, but he was also given a powerful lesson about having a crowded heart – while walking on water (or through life!) there is not room for faith in Jesus and fear of the wind! Could Peter ever hear the story of the farmer sowing seed without remembering the day his crowded heart literally made him sink?

When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Gennesaret, they discovered a fertile field for their ministry. The people “recognized” Jesus and sent word for people to come. People came and healing was abundant. This is given as a summary statement, not as a series of stories giving details about those who were healed. According to the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, Gennesaret was a place with very fertile soil. Jesus and his disciples discovered that it was a very fertile field indeed!

Jesus did not teach the parables of the kingdom to be entertaining, but to provide a sort of spiritual map with which to understand the events and the people swirling around you, and to judge the shape of your own heart.

- Kenny Payne

Watching Jesus Live Out His Calling

At around age thirty, Jesus began his public ministry. He was baptized by John, led by the Spirit to the wilderness, and tempted by Satan. He emerged from those experiences as a man with a mission. He lived for the kingdom of God.

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17) Jesus had a simple sermon with a pointed focus – “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” To repent simply means “to turn.” Jesus was calling people to turn from their sin to the holiness that God desires; to turn from their desire to live only for themselves to the realization that God is calling us to live for him and for one another; to turn from settling in comfortably into the kingdoms of the earth to a robust commitment to living fully in the kingdom of God. That is what Jesus preached.

            The strategy of Jesus concerning how best to live in the kingdom of God involved, of course, other people. So he began calling people to follow him, to walk with him, to serve others with him, to model a different way to organize daily life. He began with some young fishermen: Peter, Andrew, James and John. Jesus called, they answered! It looks quite simple but there is a lot of faith and hope bound up in the back story. With these four men as his core disciples, Jesus would put together a small group that would literally change the entire world! 

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. (Matthew 4:23) Jesus was an amazing healer; he healed because he cared. From the compassionate heart of Jesus, God unleashed a flood of grace and healing that swept over Galilee and Judea like a refreshing stream in a parched and weary land. Jesus was later described by Peter as a man who “went around doing good!” What an impression the compassion of Jesus made in Peter’s heart. And this man who by trade was a fisherman, learned from Jesus what it meant to live in the kingdom of God and the power of doing good to everyone you meet.

            The gospels present Jesus as a person committed to listening to and obeying the voice of the Father, who loved people enough to befriend them and train them to listen to and obey the Father, and who cared so much about the people around him that he did everything he could do to bring healing and health to their lives. As we watch Jesus interact with people he met, we learn what it means to live in the kingdom of God. 

            Like Jesus, you have a calling from God concerning how to live your life. You will not automatically know how best to live out that calling, but through watching Jesus carefully and looking into the lives of other disciples, you can learn what it means to walk with Jesus in the kingdom of God. The strategy of Jesus was clear – listen to and obey God, teach others to do the same, help everyone you meet. That is world changing!

- Kenny Payne

Watching Jesus Create the Kingdom

Jesus was born to be a king. Expectations were high at the time of his birth that God was going to right the wrongs of the world and set up his kingdom that will never end. Herod was jealous and struck out to protect his power. Caesar was oblivious, but even mighty Rome would soon feel the pressure exuding from the kingdom of heaven.

            Yet Jesus did not travel to Jerusalem or Rome to claim the throne through power and conquest – though he had enough power to do so if he desired. Rather he traveled through the Judean and Galilean country sides teaching people about the will of God and the kingdom that was being created by his life and ministry.

            Jesus’ commitment to creating God’s kingdom is clearly revealed when you notice the prominence of the kingdom in his famous sermon on the mount. He begins the sermon with his phrase, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The beatitudes end with the other bookend concerning the kingdom: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The poor in spirit (just “poor” in Luke) are surely surprised to discover that while the world has no use for them, the kingdom of heaven is composed of people like them! How does one move from being poor in spirit to being persecuted because of righteousness? They grow in the “upside down” kingdom of God!

            It is not just the beatitudes that begin and end with reference to the kingdom, the entire sermon does as well. Jesus warns all who want to live in the kingdom of God that it is not the talkers about God’s will, but the doers of God’s will who make up the citizens of the kingdom.

            In the middle of the Sermon on the Mount is the Lord’s Prayer. The heart of the Lord’s Prayer is this statement: “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This was the goal of Jesus’ life and death, to usher in the kingdom through his obedient heart. If we are faithfully walking with Jesus then we will also be consumed with the kingdom of God. We will seek to live with reference first to God’s kingdom, not to some worldly kingdom (whether a nation or a private “kingdom”). We will recognize our solidarity with people all around the world who are also members of the kingdom of God. We will love and pray for our enemies so that they might come to know the grace and love of God, transitioning from enemies to dearly loved siblings in the kingdom of heaven. When enough people who are citizens of the kingdom beginning living like the kingdom is the most important value in life, then we will see the expansion of God’s will being done on earth (in our lives) as it is in heaven!

            I once read a rather sad statement about Christians who do not take the kingdom of God very seriously – “After Jesus taught about the coming kingdom, people got excited and anticipated its arrival, but sadly realized that while they were expecting the kingdom, all they got was the church!” While I am not nearly so pessimistic about the church, I will acknowledge that when we who comprise the church live without passion for the kingdom we prove to be a disappointment for those who are longing for the kingdom. I hope that you are in awe of King Jesus and are striving with all that is within you to let his kingdom be created in your life!

- Kenny Payne     

Inviting People Into the Kingdom

The Jewish people at the time of Jesus knew exactly what they wanted in the coming kingdom: full restoration and vindication for Israel, and full vengeance on Gentile enemies. Any king who could pull that off would, of course, be welcomed with open arms. Any king who could not manage it would be undesirable.

            Jesus was most certainly a king, but he had no interest in giving the people the things they most longed for, because his vision was much larger than theirs. Jesus was interested in restoration, but he wanted the entire creation to be the object of that restoration, not just Israel. So he was left in the position of trying to invite people to follow a king and live in a kingdom that did not meet up with either their expectations or demands. The very idea that a king would invite, not command, people to enter his kingdom was itself quite novel. The strategy Jesus used to achieve his goal was nothing short of genius.

           He told this story: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:3-8) Besides reaching the conclusion that Jesus did not know much about good farming techniques, it must have been difficult for the people to catch the meaning of this story. Actually even the disciples of Jesus, once they were away from the crowd, asked him to interpret the parable for them.

            The seed, according to the explanation of Jesus, is the message of the kingdom. It is neither easy to understand nor commit to the kingdom of God. So people who do not understand are like the path – nothing gets through to them and the seed is unable to grow. Some people understand, but do not have a deep commitment to the kingdom, and when trouble arises because of kingdom commitment (which it always does!) they quickly fall away (back to previous commitments). Others understand the kingdom and its demands, but their lives are too full with competing commitments that the kingdom just withers and dies due to lack of full attention (what Jesus called “Seeking first” the kingdom). Some people both understand and commit to living in the kingdom with the result that their lives become very fruitful. The task of Jesus and his disciples (in any generation) is to help people move from being the path, the shallow ground or the thorny ground to being good ground for the seed of the kingdom to sprout and grow.

            Jesus ended his story with this phrase: “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 13:9) Apparently Jesus believed that by paying attention one could change the shape of their heart, mind and understanding. If you want your life to be fruitful and productive for God’s kingdom, the best strategy, according to Jesus, is to use your ears to understand and commit to the kingdom!

- Kenny Payne

The Messy, Mysterious Kingdom

            There is a reason the Magic Kingdom is called “the happiest place on earth.” It is clean, fun and the good guys always win in the end. Even many of the bad guys are comical and, dare I say it, lovable.

            That is pretty much what people want in a kingdom, the Magic Kingdom where things always go their way. That is not the kingdom that Jesus created and is bringing to fulfillment. Listen to the things Jesus says as he describes his kingdom…

            “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

            What a mess. A diligent farmer sows good seed in a well prepared field and expects it to do the work of growing and producing a harvest. Without his knowledge an enemy comes and sows tares along with the wheat. This is not noticed at first, of course, because there was no growth. But eventually someone noticed the problem. His servants had a great solution, just pull out the weeds, but the master would have none of that because the wheat might be destroyed along with the weeds. Patience was the order of the day and the wheat and tares would simply grow together. What a mess!

            “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

            People have long marveled how such mighty plants can come from such small seeds.. The seed, small as it is, has everything it needs inside itself to produce something that is radically different from the seed itself. There is a mystery to life that remains secretive despite the remarkable strides in our understanding

“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

Sixty pounds of flour mixed with the necessary water would create over one hundred pounds of dough. A little yeast makes that large lump of dough into something else entirely. There is mystery here.

While Jesus might enjoy a day at the Magic Kingdom, it is not the kingdom he is building for his family. Rather his kingdom is messy and mysterious. He resists our simple solutions for dealing with good and evil, preferring to give good and evil every opportunity to become what he intended at creation. He does not instruct us on the inner workings of the kingdom or the mind of God, preferring rather to call us to greater trust!

The messy and mysterious kingdom sounds a lot like life! Are you trusting God with the mess and the mystery?

                                                                                                - Kenny Payne

The Valuable Kingdom!

            When I was a kid I liked to trade things. Because of that, I was always on the look out for a good trade. I learned a lot of lessons while trading, but perhaps the most important one was that not everyone will understand why you want something so much that you will trade other great things to get what it is you prize. I also learned that it did not matter what other people thought of your trade, as long as you and the person you were trading with were pleased.

            I think I loved these parables of Jesus the first time I heard them because I knew exactly what he was talking about: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46) Having made some costly trades myself, I knew both the desire to make the trade and the thrill of giving it all to get the new item. That is the way Jesus wants people to approach his kingdom: recognize the value, desire it above all else, sell it all, make the deal!

            And if you do, the people around you will think you have lost your mind. But you will know that you got a great deal and you will always treasure the kingdom.

            Jesus followed those two stories about trading with a fishing story. Here it is:  “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.” (Matthew 13:47-48) This is still a story of looking for treasure, but just from a different angle. The fishermen fish to eat and to earn money. Every fish in the net is potentially valuable. The men sort through and cull out the fish that are bad (read: that no one wants to eat). The good ones, they keep to either sell or eat.

            But notice the explanation of Jesus concerning this story: “This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:49-50) It is not really people are doing the fishing, people are the fish. The angels are doing the sorting and it is, therefore, God who is looking for treasure! This story often frustrates Christians, because we want to be the ones doing the sorting – picking out who is saved and who is lost. But in reality we are all in the net among the fish that are being sorted. It is not our taste that decides between good and bad, but God’s taste alone that makes that distinction.

            Jesus seems to be saying that the best way to live is to give up everything for the kingdom of heaven. Then live in such a way to match the taste of the one who gave up everything for you, the treasure he was seeking!

- Kenny Payne

Eyewitnesses of His Majesty: Watching Jesus Conquer Temptation

            Temptation is an attack against our identity as children of God. When we rest secure in our position as dearly loved children, we will successfully resist temptation.

A shocking truth about the temptation of Jesus is that Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit. The devil was the tempter, but the Holy Spirit brought Jesus to the environment of temptation. Many people believe that they face temptation with neither God’s presence nor God’s involvement in their story. Nothing could be further from the truth! While temptation may expose your weakness, it could just as well be the display of your God given strength.  God is present and interested when you face temptation because he wants you to stand firm and conquer!

Jesus was hungry after fasting for forty days! The tempter prodded him to use his power to solve his immediate need for food. While hunger is a legitimate need, Jesus recognized an even deeper need than the desire for food – his need for the word of God! He rightly prioritized his needs, trusting that meeting the deeper need would result in the lesser need being met as well. This takes serious trust in and reliance upon God! Spiritual maturity eludes many people because they are so busy meeting their lesser needs, they never get around to pursuing their deep spiritual needs. Jesus gave us wisdom concerning this when he said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these other things will be given to you as well!”

At his baptism Jesus heard the voice from heaven say, “This is my son whom I love. With him I am well pleased.” The tempter challenged Jesus to prove himself to be loved by God. Jesus, however, secure with his status as God’s beloved, felt no need to prove anything to Satan! Secure in God’s unfailing love, Jesus was comfortable with his identity. Lacking a need to test God or prove himself, Jesus refused the temptation to prove he was loved, choosing instead to simply enjoy being loved by God. Satan never understands this because there is no prideful motivation here at all. Once you make the primary decision to empty yourself, Satan cannot use your pride to trip you up!    

After two failures, apparently Satan realized that the “if you are the Son of God” track was not working, so he switched to a more basic temptation. Satan appealed to the natural human desire to “have it all,” offering Jesus “the world” in exchange for his worship. Jesus, of course, wanted it all and more. And it was because of the “and more” that he was not taken in by the bait and switch of Satan. Jesus knew the spiritual reality behind the statement: you are the slave of the one you obey! (Romans 6:16) Jesus later asked famously, “What can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” He was already privately and publicly committed to be God’s servant so he refused to offer Satan the worship he so eagerly desired. Jesus did not give into the soul crushing sin of idolatry, rather he humbly honored God. Satan himself, apparently, fell for this temptation!

Satan knew he had been defeated by Jesus who was neither insecure in himself nor doubtful of his status with the Father. Jesus triumphed because he lived from the fullness of his faith and not the emptiness of his fears. We would do well to live like that!

- Kenny Payne

Eyewitnesses of His Majesty

            Who is Jesus? It is the most important question you will answer in your lifetime. If Jesus is who Christians worldwide and the New Testament claim he is, then whether you choose to follow him will make, not just a temporary, but an eternal difference in your life and the lives of people around you.

            The first disciples of Jesus were amazed by his life, his teachings and especially by his resurrection. The apostle Peter summed up Jesus’ life nicely with this phrase: “Jesus went around doing good!” But for Peter there was more to Jesus than just goodness. The things Peter saw in Jesus made him realize that Jesus was more than just an ordinary man. This was confirmed for Peter in a remarkable event where he, along with James and John, saw Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah. This had to be the most amazing thing Peter had ever seen and he tried to express his joy, saying: “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Peter rightly realized that Jesus was a very significant figure in Israel! What happened next must have blown Peter’s mind – “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him.’” Peter spent the rest of his life doing just that – listening to and following Jesus, the son of God.

            Here is Peter’s remembrance of this event from years later: For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.  (2 Peter 1:16-18) Eyewitnesses of His Majesty! That is a life changing event, for to see Jesus clearly also makes you see yourself and all those around you clearly. After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, Peter and John were arrested and threatened to stop teaching in the name of Jesus. Peter’s response is what one would expect from someone who had seen the majesty of Jesus – “We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard!” (Acts 4:20) Peter and John, along with the other disciples continued to speak about the majesty of Jesus and the whole world changed!

            We live in a world that is desperate for change, a world that is desperate for Jesus! Yet Jesus chooses to allow the saving message about him to be spread by witnesses who have experienced his life changing presence personally. When we have been eyewitnesses of his majesty, we will never stop telling anyone who will listen about the amazing things we have seen and heard. If enough witnesses are telling the story, the world will change again!  

- Kenny Payne