So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Joshua
A simple man arrived in Auburn, VA, back in the early 80's and settled into a home on the outs skirts of the village. He appeared to be warm, gentle and a simple man, eating from whatever he grew from the land and money he earned doing odd repair jobs.
His socialization into the Auburn was very slow, prompted by his going into to town to buy supplies. The community was aware of his standoffish, but warm behavior. Slowly, a few high risking individuals stopped by Joshua's house, knocked on the door and inquired with him, who he was , what he was doing in Auburn, and why did he move there. Joshua's warm hospitality made visitors feel welcome to inquire. Joshua's answers were unsettling to them and they'd return deeply touched by their visits and while his words were unsettling, many were also enlightening. Soon different social groups called on him, and he attended all the churches and the one synagogue on sabeths. At the synagogue, upon mounting a wood carving of Moses on a wall, many of the members of the community saw the carving to one of a anxious and angry man and they asked why? Joshua responded that at the time, there was much conflict and turmoil, through which Moses was attempting to lead his tribe. At a later meeting, Joshua lead a conversation on Jesus. Participants inquired on the why of the subject, and Joshua pointed out that in the first 50 years after Jesus's passing, Jews held Jesus very closely with reverence and respect until the Christians took Jesus away to have for themselves as their messiah resulting in Christians and Jews becoming very separate.
As Joshua's walked in Jesus' shoes, his presence healed, it enlightened, it reconciled. He vanished during a trip to the Vatican to answer for a Bishop's sanction of his works said, in and around the Roman Catholic Church. May the mystery of the Christ linger on.
Bill Oyler
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Joshua
A simple man arrived in Auburn, VA, back in the early 80's and settled into a home on the outs skirts of the village. He appeared to be warm, gentle and a simple man, eating from whatever he grew from the land and money he earned doing odd repair jobs.
His socialization into the Auburn was very slow, prompted by his going into to town to buy supplies. The community was aware of his standoffish, but warm behavior. Slowly, a few high risking individuals stopped by Joshua's house, knocked on the door and inquired with him, who he was , what he was doing in Auburn, and why did he move there. Joshua's warm hospitality made visitors feel welcome to inquire. Joshua's answers were unsettling to them and they'd return deeply touched by their visits and while his words were unsettling, many were also enlightening. Soon different social groups called on him, and he attended all the churches and the one synagogue on sabeths. At the synagogue, upon mounting a wood carving of Moses on a wall, many of the members of the community saw the carving to one of a anxious and angry man and they asked why? Joshua responded that at the time, there was much conflict and turmoil, through which Moses was attempting to lead his tribe. At a later meeting, Joshua lead a conversation on Jesus. Participants inquired on the why of the subject, and Joshua pointed out that in the first 50 years after Jesus's passing, Jews held Jesus very closely with reverence and respect until the Christians took Jesus away to have for themselves as their messiah resulting in Christians and Jews becoming very separate.
As Joshua's walked in Jesus' shoes, his presence healed, it enlightened, it reconciled. He vanished during a trip to the Vatican to answer for a Bishop's sanction of his works said, in and around the Roman Catholic Church. May the mystery of the Christ linger on.
Bill Oyler