"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." - John 5:39-40
A friend who was one of the most gifted philosophy students at New York
University, scored in the upper one percentile of all philosophy
students in the United States -- an inconceivably brilliant mind. He
used to needle me ruthlessly every chance he got because I was a theist:
I believed in God. We'd go at it time and time again.
One night, as we sat in the cafeteria drinking coffee, we had a very interesting discussion. I'll never forget it; it's as if it took place yesterday morning. His name was Kaye. We chatted back and forth for a couple of minutes, and he started needling me again. Finally, I said to him, "Kaye, tell me what you think of Jesus of Nazareth, honestly."
He answered, "Jesus of Nazareth was an extraordinary human being. He had fantastic insights into the mind of men and into their motives. I've read the New Testament, and I'm very impressed with the person of Jesus."
"Good!" I continued, "Do you think Jesus was essentially a truthful person?"
"Oh, I don't think there's any doubt about that at all," he replied.
"Would you say that Jesus was, perhaps, the greatest moralistic teacher you've ever read?"
"Oh, I don't think I'd doubt that for a minute, either. I've read all of them."
"I'm so glad to hear that," I stated. "Now, if you were me, knowing you as I do: hopping from bed to bed, boozing, swearing, telling dirty jokes, living exactly the way you want to live; if you were me, would you listen to Jesus on the existence of God, or you?"
He looked at me for a minute, put his coffee cup down, and answered, "If you put it that way, I think I'd listen to Jesus."
"There never was a moment of doubt. Never," I said.
A few weeks later in class, we were arguing vigorously again with the professor refereeing, when all of a sudden Kaye spouts off, "Now just a minute!" (I thought, Oh boy, now I'm going to get it!) But this time he said, "Martin and I are poles apart. We know our differences of opinion here, but you know, he does have a valid argument. His valid argument is on the person of Jesus. I don't hear anyone here saying they're equal with Jesus. Anybody here think they are? No? Well, that's Martin's position -- until you are, shut-up!"
Kaye and I became friends. We drank coffee regularly, and I "gave it to him" every chance I got. So you see, the Lord uses little things ... even a cup of coffee.
One night, as we sat in the cafeteria drinking coffee, we had a very interesting discussion. I'll never forget it; it's as if it took place yesterday morning. His name was Kaye. We chatted back and forth for a couple of minutes, and he started needling me again. Finally, I said to him, "Kaye, tell me what you think of Jesus of Nazareth, honestly."
He answered, "Jesus of Nazareth was an extraordinary human being. He had fantastic insights into the mind of men and into their motives. I've read the New Testament, and I'm very impressed with the person of Jesus."
"Good!" I continued, "Do you think Jesus was essentially a truthful person?"
"Oh, I don't think there's any doubt about that at all," he replied.
"Would you say that Jesus was, perhaps, the greatest moralistic teacher you've ever read?"
"Oh, I don't think I'd doubt that for a minute, either. I've read all of them."
"I'm so glad to hear that," I stated. "Now, if you were me, knowing you as I do: hopping from bed to bed, boozing, swearing, telling dirty jokes, living exactly the way you want to live; if you were me, would you listen to Jesus on the existence of God, or you?"
He looked at me for a minute, put his coffee cup down, and answered, "If you put it that way, I think I'd listen to Jesus."
"There never was a moment of doubt. Never," I said.
A few weeks later in class, we were arguing vigorously again with the professor refereeing, when all of a sudden Kaye spouts off, "Now just a minute!" (I thought, Oh boy, now I'm going to get it!) But this time he said, "Martin and I are poles apart. We know our differences of opinion here, but you know, he does have a valid argument. His valid argument is on the person of Jesus. I don't hear anyone here saying they're equal with Jesus. Anybody here think they are? No? Well, that's Martin's position -- until you are, shut-up!"
Kaye and I became friends. We drank coffee regularly, and I "gave it to him" every chance I got. So you see, the Lord uses little things ... even a cup of coffee.
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