Mosaic

The Controversial Jesus: Subversive Intentions

15 Comments

Discussing THE CONTROVERSIAL JESUS - “Subversive Intentions” message by Erwin McManus.

15 Responses to “The Controversial Jesus: Subversive Intentions”

1. Drew
   May 31st, 2006 at 4:13 am

   This may be the best message I’ve heard yet from Erwin.

2. Goose
   May 31st, 2006 at 9:01 am

   Hi.

   A few things about me first. I’m a 19 yearold university (college)student from Canberra, Australia. When Erwin was in Sydney, Australia a few weeks back, me and our ministry travelled up the 4 hours to hear him speak. Thats where I first heard him, and when I heard about the podcats, I jumped at them.

   Secondly, I”m Catholic. I was raised catholic, and I guess I still am Catholic, but I hang out at a Pentecostal Church, and we take our youth ministry there every foughtnight. Those guys are lovely, its where I found my faith. I’m Pentecathlic, or Cathlicostal or just Christain.

   OK, enough about me. On to the topic. I just listend to the podcast, and its now 2:28am in the morning. I really liked the preaching, but a few things stuck out in my mind.

   As a Catholic, I cop a lot of flak from a lot of my friends, those of Differnt Christian Denominations, those that are pagan and those that are Jewish. When Erwin was talking about how the church and all its priests were getting in the way ina relationship with God, or something to that effect, I could kind of understand it. But Heres the thing, as the Nun that he was talking about stated, the opposite can also happen. The Clergy can be a stepping stone for people to develop a relationship with God.

   Another thing, Sure priests and the clergy can be downright evil sometimes, but for those that are like that, there are some priests that do preach the word of God and allow others who would not enter in a relationship with God themselves to start a journey in starting a relationship with God. I”ve met a few of them, and they can be really good people.

   Erwin spoke of how when he was my age, all the Church did for him was send him an offering envelope. We can all have different experiences with the church. When my gran died a few years back the church was really nice towards us, and the priest was really respectful, and I was thankful for that, but I”ve also seen the other side of it.

   Yup, I”m Catholic, but I”m baggin it out. But now for the flip side. The reason why I”m Catholic.

   The Sacriments. As a catholic, I believe that the bread is not just a symbol of Jesus, but that Jesus is actually present in the eucharist. Its a hard, and must sound lunatic, thing to explain, but for me, thats how it is.

   I have a deep and meaningful relationship with God, thats what being Christian is about. But the Catholic church can sometimes make it hard to understand that. I’ve fallen asleep with my eyes open in mass before. But that isn’t what Catholism is about.

   I’m not trying to defend the Catholic church as an instution. I”m not even going to go there. But what I”m trying to defend is what Catholisicm stands for, and that is having a deep and meanigful realtionship with God and Worshipping Jesus as our saviour. Even if that message can get skewered.

   Anyway, enough preaching from me. I”m no good at it. I”d really like to thank Erwin for giving this message. It shook me down to the bones. I”m a follower of Jesus, not just a member of a church.

   Thankyou. Any replies either on here or by email would be aprreciated.

3. Kurt Lloyd
   Jun 2nd, 2006 at 11:25 am

   I haven’t heard preached better!!

4. Eric Jafari
   Jun 4th, 2006 at 10:43 am

   I am writing this from Florida. I have heard thousands of sermons from preachers all over the world - this is by far one of the greatest and most profound sermons of our time. This sermon should be forwarded to all - Christian and non-Christian alike.

   This sermon provides us all with the hope and reinsurance that God still uses man (Erwin) as a means to deliver his message of love.

5. Greg
   Jun 4th, 2006 at 7:33 pm

   I am so thnkful that Erwin McManus sets the bar so high. I spent decades in the fellowship-focused, warm and fuzzy liturgical church, and somehow throughout those years there was an uneasiness deep in my soul that continually said “There has to be more to it than this.”

   The message I got year after year was just sort of mediocre religion. I’m OK, you’re OK, we’re all just sort of OK. It didn’t matter what I did in life or who I was, really, good, bad or indifferent. Everything was just hunky dory.

   What bothered me wasn’t that I needed to be beat up about my own unworthiness but that the God I met in church wasn’t nearly as great as the God I met in prayer, or in Scripture. I wanted to be stretched and challenged to become more like the Jesus I experienced and saw in Scripture. I didn’t want I’m OK, you’re OK, we’re all just sort of OK. I didn’t want heirarchy-serving, God-limiting ecclesiastical rules. I wanted my life to mean something.

   I lived for many years with this generally unidentified uneasiness. I committed myself more and more to doing church things and to serving in the church, but never found the inner peace I thought should accompany all I was doing. I’d lash out at the church at times, and not even know why I was so angry and unsettled.

   I never really put my finger on what was bothering me until I heard Erwin speak several years ago. Then I knew - finally a voice that talks about Jesus like he’s really God, not just the head of some religion.

   This message, Subversive Intentions, is one of the most stirring yet hopeful messages I’ve ever heard.

6. Brad Roe
   Jun 5th, 2006 at 10:09 pm

   Erwin,

   I really liked this message–one of my favorites. I was thinking about the line where you said that is was hard to imagine that this (the separation in Belfast) is what Jesus had in mind when he died on the cross. In addition to the truth that that isn’t what Christ died for, I also thought about the agony that as Jesus was dying, he knew that 2,000 years from then, people would do that in his name. In addition to the physical agony, I can’t even imagine the heartbreak he must have felt at that.

   Recently, some people in my youth group said about one of the guys in the group who didn’t belive in Jesus said, “they really need to have a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s what they need…�. They went on and on about this, but what they were missing the whole time was that Jesus wants US to have a personal, close, intimate relationship with him, even though (shocker) he’s not perfect yet. Religion gets me down.

   Hazaa for your statement about the location of the Davinci Code in the bookstore…….enough said. :)

   Thanks for your message. Often times I loose hope when I’m surrounded by loads of religious people. Your messages give me great hope and encouragement, and help to keep me sharpened, loving, and full of hope. Thanks!

7. Brandon Crosby
   Jun 6th, 2006 at 1:38 pm

   Erwin,

   I got the privilege of getting to heaar you speak at my youth church camp last summer in Glorietta, NM, and I found then that I had now heard a man speak and make sense about what not only God is about, or Christ, but life in general. This message does much of the same for me. It was a wonderful message, one who people that are caught up more in the religious aspect of life rather than just letting God be the focus need to hear. Myself included. The one phrase that stuck in my mind is when you said “Religion is spiritual OCD.” And that makes perfect sense. Often, we focus too much on what branch of God’s family that we’re a part of, instead of trying to make sure that we simply bring those who are lost to Christ. Thank you for your wonderful message, and I thank God for your amazing gift of being able to speak and make others realize what God is trying to say. Thank you again. God Bless.

8. Brad Roe
   Jun 8th, 2006 at 11:55 am

   I would just like to point out that it looks like a cat is underneath Jesus in the Controversial Jesus picture in the dark spots. I don’t like cats, and this upsets me. :)

9. Kurt Lloyd
   Jun 15th, 2006 at 5:42 pm

   hey, I see the cat!! I happen to like cats, sorry Brad. ;)

10. kenny
    Jun 22nd, 2006 at 10:44 am

    is there any way to listen to this message!!! please help me if you can!!

11. admin
    Jun 22nd, 2006 at 10:52 am

    kenny, this message is available for purchase at the awaken store

12. jedi
    Jun 27th, 2006 at 8:51 am

    I surrender the glorified self, knowing you know what is best,God, you know what is needed. Through you, Glorious God, have your will done through and through. Make life complete. Your will, will be done. Trust that you will save all. Know that you know what is best, and may it be so. Surrender my will and show me the way.
    Glory to God, for all things good come from the the glory of you, oh Lord, the most high.
    Glory to your name
    Glory to your ways
    Glory to the world you made

13. JTB
    Jun 30th, 2006 at 7:25 am

    I am coming into the whole podcast thing rather late in the game and I missed the first lesson in the Controversial Jesus series. How can I get a podcast of “Subversive Intentions?” I hope it’s not too late! Thanks!

14. tenille
    Jul 12th, 2006 at 7:56 pm

    Very thought provoking re: the divinci code- how true that we can strive to be a people who help others see the real Jesus.

    Props for the “Controversial Jesus.”

15. Ron Purcell
    Aug 26th, 2006 at 9:09 pm

    I am trying to get the actual messsage “Subversive Intentions” but all I can find on this site or Mosaic.org is discussion pages about it. Apparent links to the message itself only lead back to this discussion page. Very frustrating for us newcomers.