Did Jesus preach the "bad news" or the "good news"?

I can't figure out why people get so hostile toward the Gospel message. It seems like people delight in trying to prove it false.

Matthew 11:28-30 28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

John 4:13b-14 “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Matthew 6: 25“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28“And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?

about all those commands God keeps trying to spoil the party with

Psalm 19:8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

Psalm 119:14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.


Here's a question

Matthew 10: 37“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

Isn't there a whole lot more to gain than to lose by seriously taking up the cross of Jesus and following him? Are people's lives really so great that they couldn't afford to take a leap of faith? At the very least, tell me why there's such a concerted effort to oppose this message.

"....because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God." ~Romans 8:7

I don't think people are so much concerned about what Jesus's message was per se as much as they are concerned about the message of the "messengers". What Jesus taught and what "Christians" are teaching are radically different things, and this seems to be the point of contention I've noticed among most. I've rarely met anyone who truly has a problem with what Jesus said itself outside of Jews and "Christians" themseleves who try their best to figure out ways to negate and defy what Jesus actually taught.

You'll notice that most "Christians" nearly exclusively get their teachings from Paul and rarely if ever quote from Jesus unless it pertains to a particular doctrinal issue.

Shermana said:

You'll notice that most "Christians" nearly exclusively get their teachings from Paul and rarely if ever quote from Jesus unless it pertains to a particular doctrinal issue.

Click to expand...

Actually, I didn't notice that at all. I don't know who you're hanging around besides the small handful of Christians here on RF but I find this claim absurd.

KingOfTheJungle said:

I can't figure out why people get so hostile toward the Gospel message. It seems like people delight in trying to prove it false.

Click to expand...

I never read the bible but I plan to, probably after I finish Steve Jobs biography book (half way through). Eventually I plan to read all the "holly books", using the modern, true to the word translation, if I can find some.

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Click to expand...

Sounds like an advertising for killing people that don't wish to live any longer, but can't do it themselves. "Is your life difficult? Are you tired of your life? I got the right equipment to help end your suffering, "painlessly". And the service doesn't cost of lot of money"

Or, he says "I can help you to solve your problems, because I've been there too".

Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Click to expand...

Basically what he's saying is that if you drink your basic water, you'll want to drink later, when you become thirsty. But if you drink his water, you'll die, but since your body is biodegradable, it will become part of nature forever, or "eternal".

Or he invented some kind of really great juice or wine, and saying that if you drink it, you'll love it so much, and you'll come for more, and maybe it's really healthy.

For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?

Click to expand...

He's saying to the common folks that there's nothing special about the food and drinks that the rich people consume. At the end of the day everybody has to visit the "toilet". Don't be jealous of the rich people's prettier clothing, 'cause they have to dress and undress the same as regular people at the beginning and end of the day. Do not attack the king's friends, it's not worth losing your life over that. If you don't like your way of life, go and explore the world, instead of staying and suffering in your broken house. If birds find a way to survive, then you can do it too.

And God will help you too. not really.

By "Father feeds" he's talking about the rain falling from the sky, which makes the food grow.

Clothing doesn't make you a better person. If you end up in a furnace, you'll be dead, no matter what you wear.

The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

Click to expand...

There's not enough information to understand what he really means.

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Click to expand...

"If you love your family and a happy person, then you don't need my services."

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

Click to expand...

And if you do need my help, but don't take my advices seriously, then I'm not wasting my time on you.

He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

Click to expand...

People are dying everyday, but if you follow my advices, you'll die with some satisfying knowledge of meaning of life.

Isn't there a whole lot more to gain than to lose by seriously taking up the cross of Jesus and following him? Are people's lives really so great that they couldn't afford to take a leap of faith? At the very least, tell me why there's such a concerted effort to oppose this message.

Click to expand...

The cross could mean some sort of metaphor, that people are taking too seriously. How much of real evidence do we have of Jesus being dead on a cross? I think people are trying too hard to understand the old texts, and use their imagination too much. We should work with original text, thinking in the old language. But I'm not sure if it can be done.
If Jesus really existed, he was a wise and a smart guy, for sure

Let me know if I sound delusional, or if there's some truth to it.

Hope said:

"....because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God." ~Romans 8:7

Click to expand...

or a certain mind set is hostile towards elitism

I personally think he preached God's news and not hes own..

KingOfTheJungle said:

Isn't there a whole lot more to gain than to lose by seriously taking up the cross of Jesus and following him? Are people's lives really so great that they couldn't afford to take a leap of faith? At the very least, tell me why there's such a concerted effort to oppose this message.

Click to expand...

That depends entirely on how believable you find that message. If it's false, it amounts to - in a very literal sense - dismissing everything that actually exists as worthless. Hopefully you can see how harmful this is.

The way I see it, "taking up the cross of Jesus" means renouncing the world. In my view, that means giving up on everything you are and could ever be. There is literally no greater cost a person can pay.

"consider the lilies of the field..."
that is some dangerous advice.

9-10ths_Penguin said:

That depends entirely on how believable you find that message. If it's false, it amounts to - in a very literal sense - dismissing everything that actually exists as worthless. Hopefully you can see how harmful this is.

The way I see it, "taking up the cross of Jesus" means renouncing the world. In my view, that means giving up on everything you are and could ever be. There is literally no greater cost a person can pay.

Click to expand...

Please illustrate this point with examples of things you feel we need to cling to that he calls us to give up

*Obviously,* Jesus preached the good news.

9-10ths_Penguin said:

The way I see it, "taking up the cross of Jesus" means renouncing the world. In my view, that means giving up on everything you are and could ever be. There is literally no greater cost a person can pay.

Click to expand...

Yup, that's pretty much it. However, in losing one's life, one actually gains it, which is utterly fascinating in my opinion.

Matthew 11:28-30 28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

what does that really mean in light of matthew 16:24...

Hope said:

Yup, that's pretty much it. However, in losing one's life, one actually gains it, which is utterly fascinating in my opinion.

Click to expand...

it's sort of like when i loose my keys...i stop looking for it and then i see them.

in all seriousness, i don't need the bible to teach me these principles.

waitasec said:

Matthew 11:28-30 28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

what does that really mean in light of matthew 16:24...

Click to expand...

It's part of the fascinating, seeming contradiction of so many of Jesus' statements.

I'm no theologian, but the best I understand these two passages is that while Jesus calls His disciples to a very difficult, self-denying, self-sacrificing path, He doesn't ask us to tread this path alone. He gives us His strength, and thereby rest, even in the midst of great difficulties. And so, while it may look to all outward appearances that those who pick up their crosses and deny themselves are suffering greatly, in actuality they are finding true life (a life of rest and joy and peace in Christ) even as their lives on this earth may be perishing.

I've been through some pretty painful, dark periods in my own life, when I've really had to pick up my cross, and I can testify that those periods of my life, while painful outwardly, were actually also some of the sweetest of my life, because I felt the very real, comforting presence of Christ, who indeed gave me rest, even in the midst of suffering.

KingOfTheJungle said:

I can't figure out why people get so hostile toward the Gospel message. It seems like people delight in trying to prove it false.

Matthew 11:28-30 28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

John 4:13b-14 “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Matthew 6: 25“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28“And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?

about all those commands God keeps trying to spoil the party with

Psalm 19:8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

Psalm 119:14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.


Here's a question

Matthew 10: 37“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

Isn't there a whole lot more to gain than to lose by seriously taking up the cross of Jesus and following him? Are people's lives really so great that they couldn't afford to take a leap of faith? At the very least, tell me why there's such a concerted effort to oppose this message.

Click to expand...

jesus preached the coming kingdom of god, Many think they thought the end of the world was at hand, and you only have a short time to save yourself before your soul would burn in hell forever.

the end was coming.

KingOfTheJungle said:

Isn't there a whole lot more to gain than to lose by seriously taking up the cross of Jesus and following him?

Click to expand...

Yes, if what he says is true. However, the truth of his claims is not proven, and therefore to someone who doesn't believe in them this is akin to a bet.

KingOfTheJungle said:

Are people's lives really so great that they couldn't afford to take a leap of faith?

Click to expand...

I can not afford to take a leap of faith in demerit of reason.

KingOfTheJungle said:

At the very least, tell me why there's such a concerted effort to oppose this message.

Click to expand...

Because the truth of it is taken by granted by most of the believers in this religion.

Hope said:

It's part of the fascinating, seeming contradiction of so many of Jesus' statements.

I'm no theologian, but the best I understand these two passages is that while Jesus calls His disciples to a very difficult, self-denying, self-sacrificing path, He doesn't ask us to tread this path alone. He gives us His strength, and thereby rest, even in the midst of great difficulties. And so, while it may look to all outward appearances that those who pick up their crosses and deny themselves are suffering greatly, in actuality they are finding true life (a life of rest and joy and peace in Christ) even as their lives on this earth may be perishing.

I've been through some pretty painful, dark periods in my own life, when I've really had to pick up my cross, and I can testify that those periods of my life, while painful outwardly, were actually also some of the sweetest of my life, because I felt the very real, comforting presence of Christ, who indeed gave me rest, even in the midst of suffering.

Click to expand...

well i can say the same thing about the comforting presence of hope.

KingOfTheJungle said:

I can't figure out why people get so hostile toward the Gospel message. It seems like people delight in trying to prove it false.

Click to expand...

To them, it has to be false because if God existed then they would have gotten the life they want instead of the life they have. God and Jesus are supposed to be about "them".

Super Universe said:

To them, it has to be false because if God existed then they would have gotten the life they want instead of the life they have. God and Jesus are supposed to be about "them".

Click to expand...

This is a straw man.