RWJ/Pottersville UMC 01/27/13 Sermon - “Teacher” (The Natures of Christ Series, Part 4 of 5)

Sunday 01/27/13 RWJ/Pottersville UMC

Sermon: “Teacher” (The Natures of Christ Series, Part 4 of 5)                                                                                     

Scripture Lesson: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

                                             

Gospel Lesson: Luke 4:14-21

          Good morning and welcome brothers and sisters! I greet in you the name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ! I hope and pray that you have all had good and blessed weeks, and I am happy to be worshipping with you all here this morning!

          This morning we continue to move forward in our study of the different natures of Jesus Christ. For Jesus came and continues to come to us in many forms. Jesus comes to us in scripture as a baby, as a child, as a man, as a miracle worker, as the messiah, as the king on earth, and today I want to talk about how Jesus comes to us as a teacher. While Jesus is the Messiah, while Jesus performed mighty acts, he was also and still is a teacher. Some saw Jesus’ mighty acts and came to faith, some saw Jesus’ nature and came to faith, but for many the words of Jesus Christ were different, and were the very thing that brought them to faith in Christ. His words were piercing, powerful, and like nothing they had ever heard before. You might remember that in the gospels Jesus did not reveal the fullness of who he was immediately. Yet the people whom encountered him were captivated by him. Perhaps some came to faith because they saw him bring someone back to life, make a life-long blind man see, or because he had full control over nature itself.

          For some though, if you can believe it, these acts were not enough. It is important to remember that even the apostles at times doubted Jesus, even though they saw his signs, wonders, and miracles. That the majority of his followers scattered when Jesus was being crucified was on cross. When he spoke though, when spoke brothers and sisters, crowds stopped, they stood, and in silence, they watched and they listened. For he said in the gospel of John 8:7 "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." He is the one who drew a line in the sand. He is the one who asked that God forgive the very people who were crucifying him, as they were doing so. Surely this was no ordinary teacher! Surely this was and is a great teacher!

          Often times in scripture the Apostles referred to Jesus as “Rabbi”. Many of us know that a Rabbi is the leader or the pastor if you will, of a Jewish temple or a Jewish Synagogue. Since Jesus often debated and challenged the religious leaders though, why would his followers often call him “Rabbi”? Well the translation of the Hebrew word Rabbi, translates to a “teacher of scripture,” or “master,” or “great one”. You see for the Apostles then, they viewed Jesus in many ways as a teacher. For a teacher is charged with bringing forth wisdom, a teacher is supposed to have more answers than the student, and a teacher is expected to have a degree of wisdom.

          You see many saw Jesus as a teacher, as a Rabbi. While Jesus taught us many things in scripture, I want to just highlight some of what Jesus taught us. Of the highest importance, Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” These two simple teachings of Jesus are the very bedrock of our faith. Love God, love Jesus, with all you have, give him all you have, and love your neighbor as yourself.

          Understand that many people just didn’t think this way back then. For Jesus taught us to “turn the other cheek,” in a time period when many people believed in the philosophy of an “Eye for eye, or a tooth for a tooth”. Jesus said, turn the other cheek, and do not seek revenge, but instead forgive and love your enemy. Truly this teacher was and is truly great!

          Jesus taught us to get rid of anything that causes us to sin. I don’t think that Jesus literally, as scripture says, wants to pluck out our eyes if they cause us to sin, but he was making a point I think. Put your faith in Christ and turn from darkness, towards certain and lasting light and life. Jesus taught us to not hide our light and love under a basket, but to be different in a world of hurt, of pain, and of division. Jesus taught us and teaches us still, to be different. We are to be salt and light, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. Imagine what the fullness of the kingdom of God here on earth would like if we all did all of these things.   

          Jesus taught us to love our enemies, to not worry about are material needs, about “what we eat or what we will wear”. Jesus said, “Are you of not more worth than the birds?”. Jesus taught us his prayer that we recite every Sunday. Jesus taught us is Mathew 7:3 "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own”? This is the same Jesus where we get all of our parables, like the parable of the sower, and the Sermon on the Mount.

          You see Jesus does not just want us to put our faith and trust in him, but he wants us to live out the fullness of his gospel. He wants us to not just stop at salvation, or stop at getting a “fire insurance policy,” but rather he wants and expects that we will build his kingdom here on earth. Perhaps one teachings of Jesus that many of struggle with, is when Jesus said in Mathew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” I’m glad all of us have this teaching of Jesus mastered!

Jesus said in Mathew 25:37-40, “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

          One of my newer students in my teaching job told me this week, “you know Paul, you’re a good teacher, and I bet you’re a good pastor to. My grandma goes to church every Sunday, and working with you makes want to go back to church, and take my faith in Jesus more seriously.” I said, “well why is this”. He said, “because when you teach me, you teach me differently, you teach me with truth, and I need more of that.”

          We are not all called to be teachers though, as our scripture reading in 1 Corinthians said this morning, but just as Christ comes to us in many ways, his gifts are given to all of us differently so that me reach all people for him. In the gospel reading from this morning, Jesus was teaching in the Jewish Synagogue, out of a scroll or the book of Isaiah. Jesus said in our Gospel of Luke reading this morning that, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring the good news to the poor. He sent me to proclaim the release of the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

          So what do we do then with all these teaching from our great Rabbi? What do we do with all that Jesus taught us, asked and still asks of us, and all that he has challenged us to do?

Let me close with a story that I think will bring this home. This story I think, is also one of the reasons that so much young people are not in the Christian Church like they used to be. Here is the story. Many years ago, a believer who had become discouraged from the weight of great sorrow and adversity in his life, gradually quit attending church, withdrew to himself and even avoided visits from concerned friends and family members. He began becoming defensive when anyone suggested he should come back into fellowship, responding that the last thing he needed was people judging him. He began to feel like Job, with suffering he felt was undeserved, and rebuffed efforts by his Pastor and members of his congregation to talk about the problems. 

One day, his Pastor paid a visit, and because he respected him, the man reluctantly let him in, though warning him he would not be very good company. During the visit, the Pastor said very little, mainly keeping him company, as they sat before the man's fireplace, letting him know he was loved, was being prayed for, and that a lot of people were there for him. The Pastor knew that he had to avoid sounding "preachy," yet desperately desired to see his friend realize how far he was slipping away from the Lord--and the inevitable consequences that could bring. Finally, the Lord spoke to the Pastor, and told him what to do. 

As the two men sat in silence before the crackling fire, the Pastor slowly reached out, and picked up the tongs next to the fireplace. He reached into the embers, and took out a single glowing coal, setting it on the stone floor. Puzzled, but remaining silent, the man sat staring at the coal. Gradually, the coal began to lose its color, finally growing dark and cold until it died. The effect was not lost on the man, and he looked up at the Pastor with tear-filled eyes, realizing he was that coal. He was back in church the very next Sunday. 

Without a single word, the Lord had communicated a deep spiritual truth that touched the man to his very soul, and brought him out of his spiritual alienation. Sometimes the Lord does some amazing things, knowing exactly what we need--exactly when we need it. Sometimes His Spirit works through words, and sometimes His Word works through our Spirit. His ways truly are often beyond understanding, and past finding out.

You see brothers and sisters, Jesus did not come just to save us. He first and foremost did come to save us from our sin, and restore with us the path to almighty God, but I fear that for many Christians, that is as far as they even go. What of all of Jesus’ teachings then? What of all that this great Rabbi said? What of what he called and still calls us all to do? For if we believe in him we will not taste death. I ask you though, why would if we had Super Bowl tickets, to sit on the field at the 50-yard line, would we stand at the top of the bleachers entrance way up high and watch the game from way up there. Sure we would be there at the big event, and sure we would have met the minimum qualifications of being at the Super Bowl, but imagine if we really on the 50-yard line. Imagine if we really lived the gospel more fully. I have seen so many people come to Christ, and become like that hot fire place coal, and burn out. So let us love him with all that we have, and treat our neighbors and all people as we would treat ourselves. If we do this, watch as this church continues to grow, and watch as the fires of young people in particular stay light. For most want not just faith, they want faith lived out in community, which is why we have this thing called the church. So let us be the fullness of the church this week brothers and sisters. Amen and praise God!

RWJ/Pottersville UMC 01/20/13 Sermon - “Miracle Worker” (The Natures of Christ Series, Part 3 of 5)

Sunday 01/20/13 RWJ/Pottersville UMC

Sermon: “Miracle Worker” (The Natures of Christ Series, Part 3 of 5)                                                                                     

Scripture Lesson: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

                                             

Gospel Lesson: John 2:1-11

          Good morning and welcome brothers and sisters! I greet in you the name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ! I hope and pray that you have all had good and blessed weeks, and I am happy to be worshipping with you here this morning!

          This morning, I am continuing on with the “Natures of Christ Series.” In this New Year, I think we could all benefit from a fresh look at Jesus Christ, and a fresh look at why worship him. A fresh look at why he is our savior. You see Jesus has and continues to come to us in many different ways. Jesus came to us a baby, as a child, as a man, and as the “King of Kings” here on earth. Jesus came to us and still comes to us as our savior or the “Messiah,” and Jesus came and still comes to us in several other ways. In this series of sermons then, I seek to broaden our understandings of Jesus Christ, our savior, the reason in which we gather here this morning. Jesus had and has many natures then, and came and continues to come to us in many ways.

          This morning specifically, I want to talk about Jesus Christ as a “Miracle Worker”. You see for many people that encountered Jesus Christ during his time of ministry here on earth, they didn’t always know fully who he was when they encountered him. In fact, for some people here on earth, they only heard him speak, or only saw him perform one or more miracles. They might not have seen much more than this. These miracles though defied logic, defied human reason, and are in the realm of what we might even consider impossible. This nature of Christ then is Jesus as the one who can do the impossible. This nature is Jesus Christ, as a “Miracle Worker”.

          You know I have seen on television and read stories of miracles that have not just occurred in the Bible, but in the modern day as well. I have heard stories of people who had fourth stage cancer, and the doctor told them to “go home and get there affairs in order.” They were told that there days were numbered. Yet within a few days of that pronouncement from that doctor, the people of God gathered and prayed over that person. Amidst the praying and calling upon the Holy Spirit, a warm feeling surged through one or more of the people that were praying. The Holy Spirit was flowing abundantly, and person who was terminally ill felt better, and different. The person then went to the doctor, and the doctor was immediately struck by the person’s color being restored to their face, and how full of life the person was. After conducting fresh tests, the doctor gasped at his clip board when his nurse handed him the results, and then he walked into the waiting room were the terminally ill person was. He looked at her, and said, “Maam, I have no medical or scientific explanation for this, but according to these test results your cancer is 100% gone”!

          In the modern day brothers and sisters we still have these miracles, for in the books of Acts the apostles went out and healed and did might acts in the name of Jesus Christ. God gifts us all differently, and according to scripture, some of us in fact have been given the gift of healing and performing miracles. Of course almighty God does all the healing, but He uses us as his vehicles. Are we willing to pray for and over the sick and suffering?

          One of the reasons as a minister that I take the visiting of the sick and the suffering so seriously, is because the people of God have a Biblical obligation to love and care for those who are sick and suffering. With the knowledge that God still performs, signs, wonders, and miracles, we must believe in the healing power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Which means we should not choose to visit and pray for the sick and suffering, but that Jesus Christ requires us to visit and pray for the sick and the suffering.

          It is interesting to know, that in the New Testament of our Bible Jesus performed many miracles. In fact, most sources say he performed 37 miracles. Numbers vary depending on what we count as a miracle. Some count the birth of Jesus for example as a miracle he performed, but I am more talking about the miracles that Jesus performed during his life and his actual ministry. Let me mention just some of the miracles that Jesus performed. Jesus’ first miracle of course was turning water into wine, which comes to us in today’s gospel of John reading. Interesting that Jesus’ first miracle was turning water to alcohol. You would think that a picture of Jesus would be hanging in every fraternity house in America, as he would be there biggest hero! In the gospel of Luke, it says that Jesus healed a man that was afflicted with disease, in the gospel of Mathew Jesus healed and cleansed a leper.  In the gospel of Mathew, Jesus healed a roman centurion’s slave. Jesus healed the apostle Peter’s mother in Law, Jesus calmed the violent storm on the sea of Galilee, Jesus drove out demons, Jesus healed the paralytic, Jesus healed the women who had been bleeding for twelve years. In the gospel of Mathew, Jesus also raised Jarius’ daughter from the dead, Jesus healed the blind, Jesus healed a demon possessed mute man, Jesus healed a man with a paralyzed hand, Jesus feed the 5,000, Jesus walked on water, Jesus healed the gentiles mother’s daughter, Jesus feed the 4,000, Jesus healed the epileptic boy, Jesus healed the demon possessed man in the synagogue, Jesus healed a deaf and mute man, Jesus made a miraculous catch of fish happen, and in the gospel of Luke Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

          These are but some the miracles that our Lord and savior performed. I also think of the ear that got off the servant of the high priest in the garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus picked up and put it back on the servant’s head, healing him. You see, Jesus performed many miracles during his ministry, and God still today performs signs, wonders, and miracles today. I don’t know if God will have any of us turn water into wine, like Jesus did in the gospel of John reading from this morning, but God still does perform healings and miracles. In fact, I heard a pastor say one time, “Doctors treat, but Jesus heals”.

I heard a story recently about two pastors who preached in the same town, and they were often quite competitive with one another over there ministries. They would often pass each other on the street and inquire to one another about how things were going with their ministries. In fact, one day as Reverend Jones walked by Reverend Smith he said, “Well hello Reverend Smith, how are things with your church?” Reverend Smith said, “You know Reverend Jones, the usual, Sunday morning worship, preaching the gospel, telling people about Jesus, and church dinners”. Reverend Smith then said, “well, how are things with your church Reverend Jones”? Reverend Jones just smiled at Reverend Smith and said, “Well, you know Reverend Smith, the usual, just signs, wonders, and miracles”.
          I would like to close this sermon this morning with a story about Christian miracles. This story comes to us from a man named Tim W., from Montrose, Pennsylvania, and is called the “The Power of Prayer”. Here is how the story goes: Late one mid-winter day when the snow lay three feet deep on the central New York ground, some Christmas lights twinkled on porch railings and windows to remind us of the birth of our Savior. In another part of town, our sixteen-year-old son, Bryan, lay on the ice hockey rink, unconscious. Seeing him crumpled like a fallen brick wall made my blood run as cold as the thermometer outside the rink, which read ten below zero that January day. Three years before, a Bishop at a men's rally had challenged his audience to "Pray for your children daily." And so my prayer life began to take a turn. Praying daily for someone seemed redundant to me, as the Bible warns of praying vain repetitious prayers (Matthew 6:7). But I continued.

Bryan continued to lay motionless on the ice. I searched like a hawk for the slightest movement. Nothing came. Time dragged. Coaches and trainer hovered over his still body, the rink of spectators silent. Still no movement came from our son. Bryan could take a hit as well as anyone, but this time his lights hadn't come back on. My mind flashed back to my high school days, when a boy on the football team had died after taking a similar hit.

Following much discussion with God, I dropped to my knees. This is a public place, Lord, I thought. "Pray," came the command. The floor was cold and wet. "Pray," He said. On the dank floor, I asked our Father to "Please touch Bryan and keep him alive." My right knee became damp and cold. I raised myself up, feeling much older than my years. I peeked over the boards that separated the ice from the fans. Numbly, I blinked, finding it hard to swallow.

Still no movement came. And then I saw it: Bryan's right foot moved. He's alive! Hallelujah! Thank you, Father. Another motion, then another and another. His coach helped him sit up. Leaning on one arm with his legs stretched straight out, Bryan sat on his cold battlefield like a wounded knight. Helmet on. His head tilted down to one side.

The crowd began to chant: Bryan! Bryan! His trainer helped him to his feet. Coach and trainer at his sides, they guided him off the ice through the door to the team box and a seat.

He was not only alive, but skating off the ice -- slowly, but on his own. My face beamed through tears. Thank you, Father, for hearing my prayer, I uttered.

On that bleak afternoon in a hockey rink, God grafted to my heart to pray for my family members by name everyday. I believe that when we do this, God honors the effort. Also, when crisis comes, we are able to go fast to prayer at the point of need.

Help us, Father, to "pray without ceasing" for our families, friends, leaders, neighbors, church, pastors, missionaries, parachurch workers, authorities, community and whomever else You bring to mind. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

You see brothers and sisters, Jesus came to us as a “Miracle Worker,” and he still performs miracles, even today. He still heals, and his power is just as strong today as it ever was. As you go forth this week, pray for those whom are sick, and ask God for healing. For our savior was and is a “Miracle Worker”. Amen and praise the name of Jesus.

RWJ/Pottersville UMC 01/06/13 Sermon - “King of Kings” (The Natures of Christ Series, Part 1 of 5)

Sunday 01/06/13 RWJ/Pottersville UMC

Sermon: “King of Kings” (The Natures of Christ Series, Part 1 of 5)                                                                                     

Scripture Lesson: Ephesians 3:1-12 

                                             

Gospel Lesson: Mathew 2:1-12

          Welcome and good morning to this first church service of this new year in the Lord. The year of our Lord, 2013. As hard as it is to believe, the year 2012 is no more. It is over, and it will never return.

          During 2012, we all saw a multitude of events and a multitude of leaders make countless decisions. Some of our recollections of this past year’s events have been joyous and some have been quite painful. For many of us this past year, we have put our faith and our trust in our leaders, or our modern day “kings” if you will. These kings have often let us down. Leaders that we thought were flawless were caught in scandals and lies. Men that we thought were good men were reviled to be murders, liars, cheats, and scam artists. Some of us might have even had those days in 2012 where we thought as the famous quote goes, that the world was going to you know where in hand basket. I know over the course of my life time, I have been disappointment when leaders and other people have failed me. When some of the people that I held in the highest of all esteems feel from grace, it was crushing for me. I had there poster on my bedroom wall after all.

          I remember when I was a little boy; I remembered thinking that my father was a super hero. He was indestructible, he was smart, and was the best. While I still hold my father in the highest esteem today and have tremendous respect for him, he is not perfect. He has flaws, and as I learned this I felt some of the innocence of my youth die. I think on some level here on earth, we look to people to be like Jesus Christ. We often then get frustrated, hurt, or let down when they don’t measure up. For this reason over these next six weeks I will be preaching a series called the “Natures of Christ” series, so that we may understand more some of the different ways Christ comes to us. These ways include for example, Christ as a miracle worker, Christ as teacher, and Christ as a prophet. This series will have a break next week, as Arnold Stevens will preach a sermon in my absence.

          On this first Sunday of the year 2013 though, we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord Jesus. We celebrate the visit of the three wise men, which came to Jesus, bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh. You see those three magi didn’t visit just any great leader. They weren’t going to visit General George Patton, President Ronald Reagan, Mother Theresa, or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., rather they went to see the Christ child. He was and is “the Christ,” the savior of the world. The one who came to remove the sins of the world. The one in whom there is no darkness, no death, and no let down. This baby comes to us a king. We then know him as the “King of Kings”. We will soon come to know him in this series as a teacher, a healer, a prophet, the messiah, and etc. The three wise men however, they went to see the “Kings of Kings”. The highest king on all of the earth.

          Our scripture reading from this morning comes to us from the Apostle Paul’s letter to church in Ephesus, and people of Ephesus were called the Ephesians. In the letter, Paul said, “I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation.” The Apostle was unique in that he ministered to the gentiles, those whom the Jews at the time thought were outside of the grace of God. Certainly the Jews would say though, that Godly leadership could only be found amongst the high priests in Jerusalem. After all, like our leaders today, they can never be wrong, and they never make mistakes right? Our leaders never mess up right?

The Apostle Paul went on to say that, “the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Jesus Christ through the gospel”. Paul went on further to explain that God’s grace through Jesus Christ was for all people. That this “King of Kings” was truly an unwavering and unfailing King, for all time.

In our gospel of Mathew reading from this morning, we hear the story about the wise men coming to Jerusalem to behold the Christ Child. As the gospel says, “When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born”. Herod having dark ambitions told the three wise men when he met with them, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay homage”. The wise men of course caught on to King Herod’s intentions and after seeing the Christ child they left Jerusalem a different way. As far as we know Herod never saw them again.

          The “King of Kings” was not going to be killed by the likes of King Herod, for he was and is the Messiah. The Messiah would decide where he would die and how      . Of all the leaders we have ever learned about, or will ever learn about, none of them is like Jesus, or will ever be like Jesus. In this New Year, let us resolve to put our trust in Jesus, the King of all of the earth and all of its people. The one who gave up everything that we may live. Let us resolve to love more, to care more, and to put our trust not in the kings of this world, but in King Jesus.

          And you know with all the scandals and all of the hardships of this past year, I have found that many people find it hard to trust God. Folks that we talk to about Jesus and church sometimes have a problem believing in Jesus, because they feel like that he is too good to be true. They say, “I can’t really be forgiven, can I?” They say, but won’t he fail me to? All the other leaders and people in my life did? You mean to tell me that this King is truly the one that will not fail us? How can this be possible they say? Many of these people want concrete scientific proof. They want unshakable evidence that if they put their faith in the “King of Kings” that he will never let them down. When I see such folks finally surrender to Jesus and fully realize that their sins are forgiven, what a transformation I see. They are freed from the anger, the hurt, the jealously, the deceit. While we all have a tendency to then pick back up those things, we have been forgiven. This concept for many after a year like 2012 is a hard thing to accept and believe though. That Jesus is perfect, that his love never fails, it never gives up, and it never runs out on me. That there is no greater love. That this love was worshipped by three wise men who beheld the Christ Child, on this Epiphany of the Lord.

Let me end this this morning with a story called TASTE MY JESUS. Here is how it goes: At the University of Chicago Divinity School each year they have what they called "Baptist Day." On this day each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten out of doors in a grassy picnic area. Every "Baptist Day" the school would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in the Theological Educational Center. One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr. Tillich spoke for two and one-half hours "proving" that the resurrection of Jesus was false. He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the resurrection, the religious tradition of the church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo, because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who in fact never rose from the dead in any literal sense.

He then asked if there were any questions. After about 30 seconds, an old dark-skinned preacher with a head of short-cropped wooly white hair stood up in the back. "Doctor, I got one question." All eyes turned toward him. He reached into his sack lunch and pulled out an apple and began eating it. "Doctor Tillich ... CRUNCH, MUNCH, my question is a simple question, CRUNCH MUNCH ... "Now I never read them books you read. CRUNCH MUNCH ... "and I can't recite the Scriptures in the original Greek ... CRUNCH MUNCH ... "And I don't know about Niebuhr and Heidegger ... CRUNCH MUNCH. He finished his apple "All I want ta know is: This apple I just ate ... was it bitter or sweet?" Dr. Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion: "I cannot possibly answer that message, for I haven't tasted your apple."

The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled paper bag, looked at Dr. Tillich and calmly, "Neither have you tasted my Jesus". The 1000 plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The crowd erupted with applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left.

You see brothers and sisters, we still have many doubters in this world, but if they tasted of him, if they tasted of the “King of Kings” then they too would bow down. They too would surrender and be changed forever. In the name of the King of Kings, our savior, our Lord, Jesus the Christ, Amen.