Sunday, September 25, 2011

The Pride of Life

For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. - 1 John 2:16

We arrived at the Gay Pride Parade and I was ready to go. Dressed in my Jesus robe with wig and a crown of thorns on my head. Melissa and I began taking down the cross that was strapped to the rack of my jeep and I began walking towards the parade area carrying my cross on my back. People were already making comments and starring at us. One lady came out of the BP gas station and took one look at us and said to her group of friends, "You see that's what I'm talking about right there." Not sure what she meant by that but I can put two and two together. We came to the corner where the parade session would be streaming by and where other fellow christians were displaying signs with scriptures on them. It was an overcast day, the sun peaking through the clouds every now and then. Then you could hear thunder in the distance, but not from the rain-filled clouds above, but from the storm of motorcycles that led the Gay Pride Parade. As they drew closer to where we had gathered with signs and crosses declaring the Gospel of Jesus, they took great pride in revving their engines in a show of protest toward us. With every roar of their engines it was as though demons were squealing in laughter declaring their victory over humanity. One by one they pranced and paraded their sin down the streets of the city. Men dressed in drag and women exposing themselves with nothing more than their nipples covered. As they came by on their rainbow colored floats they hurled laughter at us, shouting "Jesus loves me baby....F*@k you!"  I couldn't help feeling an overwhelming sadness for them as tears begin to well up in my eyes. Suddenly a man came up to me and asked me why we were there spreading hate. I explained to him that we were not there to spread hatred but to declare the truth of God's Word.....the truth that homosexuality, according to God's word, is an abomination. He then said, "That's not my interpretation of the word, God loves everyone!" I agreed, "Yes He does love everyone and that's why He died for everyone, but we must repent of our sins and surrender our lives to Him."  He then said, "Didn't Jesus forgive the man that was on the cross beside him?" I said "Yes He did but the man had to first acknowledge that he was a sinner and recognize that Jesus was his only way to salvation." The man kept bringing out different things and kept trying to convert me to agree with him. Finally he said, "What can we agree on here?" I said, " The only thing I think we can agree on is that one day we will all stand before God and He will have the last say." He said he agreed with that and that was the end of the conversation. By this time the parade was coming to an end but the floats were still circling back around the block. I decided I would walk down 9th Street right in the middle of all the people in my Jesus outfit while yielding the cross on my shoulder. Then suddenly the sky gave way to a heavy rain, water begin to drip off of my hair and nose. Puddles of water begin to form on the street. As I walked through the puddles of water I could hear them shout, " Look Jesus is walking on water!" Then all the people would roar with laughter. Another man came up to me and poured water on my feet and said, " Jesus I'm washing your feet." At that moment I imagined in my mind how it must have been when Jesus walked towards Calvary and how the people mocked him and laughed at him and cursed his holy name. I could almost feel the weight of their stares and constant abuse upon me. As I looked intently into peoples eye's through the pouring rain I could see conviction in some peoples eyes and utter hate in others. But it wasn't me they were persecuting, it was Jesus. The One that said if they hated me they will hate you also. I realized how utterly powerless the church of America has become and how we sit back in our comfortable churches and allow sins like these to parade in the streets of our cities, blaspheming the name of God and exposing their bodies in front of innocent children. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? ( Romans 10: 14 ) We are the preachers in this scripture. It is a tragedy that we can only get 10 Christians to come out and stand for JESUS while thousands can come and unite and stand for a sinful abomination unto God Almighty! I hope that I have challenged some of you to step out of your comfort zone. If you will just step out in faith and do what is possible then God will stand in and do what is impossible.

LIVING RADICAL FOR JESUS   

                                                           

Dean

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