Jesus Interview

An Interview with Jesus Christ

Interviewer: Thanks for agreeing to share a few thoughts, Jesus. I know you’re a busy man so let’s get right to it.
First question: You are aware of the great income disparity in the world today. What would you tell those who claim to be followers of you to do about it?
Jesus: Go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. [Matthew 19:21]

Interviewer: I don’t hear any televangelist saying that. That’s a pretty hard thing to do, give all your money to the poor. No wonder there aren’t that many true Christians.
Jesus: Many are called but few are chosen. The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few. [Matthew 22:14, 9:37]

Interviewer: But you’re saying the opposite of what our consumer culture is telling us, that we should be as rich as we possibly can.
Jesus: You can’t serve both God and money. You must worship God and serve him alone. [Matthew 6:24, 4:10]

Interviewer: So you’re saying we shouldn’t want to be rich, huh?
Jesus: I tell you truly, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. It is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life and only a few find it. Many who are first will be last, and the last, first. [Matthew 19; 23. 7:14, 19:30]

Interviewer: Yikes, it sounds like there are a lot of rich and famous people we won’t be seeing in the hereafter. Ok, so what would you tell the Occupy Wall St. folks, who are protesting the inequalities of our economic and political system?
Jesus: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice. [Matthew 5:6]

Interviewer: But they’re getting beat up by the police!
Jesus: Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of righteousness. Don’t be afraid of those who can kill the body, but not kill the spirit. [Matthew 5:10, 10: 28]

Interviewer: But they’ll haul them off to court to face a judge. What then?
Jesus: Don’t worry about how to speak or what to say, because it is not you who will be speaking. The Holy Spirit will be speaking through you. [Matthew 10:19, 20]

Interviewer: What do you think of free speech? Does anything go?
Jesus: By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words condemned. [Matthew 12:37]

Interviewer: Why is it that humans just can’t seem to get things straight?
Jesus: The worries of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the Word. [Matthew 13: 22]

Interviewer: Do you think we should be going to church more?
Jesus: When you pray, go to your private room and pray to your Father, who is in that secret place. [Matthew 6:6]

Interviewer: The churches are telling people to be critical of abortion, contraception, gays, and all things pubic. What would you tell them?
Jesus: Do not judge and you will not be judged, because the judgments you give are the judgments you will get, and the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given. That is how my heavenly Father will deal with you, unless you forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart. [Matthew 7:1, 2; 18:35]

Interviewer: But what our priests and preachers and televangelists are saying is so opposite to that!
Jesus: Beware of false prophets! The tree can be told by its fruit. It is not those who say ‘Lord, Lord’ who will enter the kingdom, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. [Matthew 7:15, 12:34, 7:21]

Interviewer: Hey, I gotta tell ya that this has been great … Thanks a lot.

[Inspired by an article by Charles Rayner Kelly, a retired educator]