THE FIVE GOSPELS: WHAT DID JESUS REALLY SAY?

INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS:
These notes form part of a new manuscript, which I'm currently 'working on' (it's not really "work" as it seems to be 'writing itself'. I may name it 'The Real Jesus: The Jesus I Knew (and Know)'
Hope it's not too "heavy heavy" for you and that these thoughts may be helpful, uplifting and perhaps even inspirational to you in your spiritual growth.

THE FIVE GOSPELS: WHAT DID JESUS REALLY SAY?

Let us look at the true values of the faith of Christ...
Passion for liberalism, tolerance, compassion, decency and generous ideals. The Gospels are characterised by Jesus's unlimited (infinite) generosity of spirit. He continually taught the value of human life.

Jesus didn't speak much about God; but rather the 'Kingdom of God', being rather more conce
ed with the human condition. He proclaimed the simplest of all appeals to Faith:
Love God with everything you've got and put the well-being of your neighbour on a par with yourself. His life and teachings have been vindicated.

His parables point to and sometimes describe human attitudes to life, the nature of our relationships to others, as well as the kind of society we should be attempting to build. Jesus taught people to look into the future with faith and hope ("Don't fret about your own life"). We have to take responsibility ourselves to make the right decisions in our lives...and that is why we are given choice, ie. free will.

Jesus did not die for the sins of the world; he died because of the sins of the world. I see Jesus Christ as the key to what it is to be truly human.

The most important theme in the teachings of Jesus was brotherly love. "Love the Lord, your God with all your strength, heart, mind and soul and love your neighbour as yourself."
Christ told us to love our enemies, not to shoot them, send them to concentration camps, or blow them up!
Loving ones enemies was and still is a revolutionary statement. Jesus taught that violence achieves nothing, whether it comes from terrorists or from the response to terrorists.
The chief theme of James (the brother of Jesus) is the living of the "good life" and this is said to be achieved by the pursuit of wisdom, a spiritual gift which originates with God.

The tradition of Jesus of Nazareth points us to a new life and new thoughts, as well as new possibilities...as a nation and as an international community.

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My portrait is the man of almost 20 centuries ago, who talked passionately about a mode of living, so rich that it deserved to be called God's kingdom.

And, in that sense, He is still with us.

Live your life led by the Spirit of Christ...
and the truth shall set you free.
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"For me the term (concept) of what we call 'God' focuses on all the goals and aspirations, that make existence meaningful to us. Most importantly, it symbolises all that humanity
supremely values...and there is no thing, no time and no place in which we do not encounter this God." - adapted from Lloyd Geering

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When people have God's spirit living within them, it opens their eyes to a whole new dimension, a new, better and higher way of LIVING. Jesus encouraged life and encouraged all people to reach their God-given potential, to live life to the full ("I have come that people may have life and have it abundantly.")

For ME, Jesus is the way to my reality.

So Jesus not only died died for us

He LIVED for us!

from Lloyd Geering's 'Christianity without God'

"If we choose to speak of God, we shall be using this term to focus on all that we supremely value and on the goals which make human existence meaningful and worthwhile; and there is no thing and no place in which we do not encounter this God."

• Lloyd Geering in 'Tomorrow's God'

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