Choose your own adventure

I was watching an interesting sermon from Joyce Meyers the other day talking about how Jesus made all the right choices while He was here on Earth. I wanted to blog about that earlier but, as some of you can tell, my mind has been directed elsewhere lately. But now that the family incident in question is behind me, I'd like to get back on track (Thanks endlessly to EACH OF YOU for your comments and prayers. They mean a lot!)

Getting back to the point at hand, for this particular post I thought that I'd take some of the more difficult choices that Jesus had to make and put them into a choose your adventure book. Here's how I imagine it would look...

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Page 1:

Imagine your life. You weren't born into the wealthiest family. Your friends aren't exactly the most the highly renowned people in the society. Your job doesn't pay you six figures and gives you a car, a laptop, and an expense account. You've got people out there who hate you for no vaild reason; other than their own insecurities. Nevertheless, God has given you a specific job to do. Do you accept it? If yes, continue to page 2. If no no, go to page 8.

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Page 2:

Now that you've accepted the terms and conditions of God's job for you:

• Imagine being left alone in the middle of the dark, while your friends went to sleep on you.
• Imagine the feeling of being kissed by the very person who is betraying you.
• Imagine hearing the piercing calls of a rooster; a sound that you didn’t want to hear because it symbolizes that fact that your closest companion just denied knowing you THREE times; even when he promised to NEVER do it once.
• Imagine the feeling of knowing that you’re about to receive a punishment that doesn’t, by any stretch, fit the crime.

Are you ready to call it quits and give up on God? If yes, go to page 8. If no continue to page 3.

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Page 3:

Since you've chosen not to give up on God, here comes the real test:

• Imagine the excruciating feeling of bone chips, sharp pebbles, and punishing leather whipping across your back and tearing your flesh.
• Imagine the metallic taste of blood in your mouth.
• Imagine an undersized crown made of prickly thorns being crammed on your head.

Do you give up yet? If yes, go to page 8. If no continue to page 4.

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Page 4:

So, the disgusting taste of your own blood didn't convince you to give it a rest, huh? Well, here comes the good stuff. Don't say you weren't warned:

• Imagine the burden of carrying a heavy, splintered cross through an entire town; all while still being beaten.
• Imagine how hot the dirty, stoned streets are under your feet.
• Imagine the feeling of the sun beaming down on your mutilated body.

Still not willing to tell God to kick rocks? If yes, go to page 8. If no continue to page 5.

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Page 5:

If you've gotten this far, I suspect you still haven't learned your lesson yet. Sigh! Oh well...

• Imagine the numbing pain of sharp nails penetrating your flesh.
• Imagine the sounds of people mocking you, cheering against you, or challenging you to save yourself.
• Imagine watching your mother cry out for you.
• Imagine the crushing blows that your heart takes for each painful breath you draw.
• Imagine the horrid and pungent taste of vinegar as a thirst quencher.
• Imagine the sharp pain of being stabbed in your side.

So, at this point you still haven’t thrown in the towel, but you’re getting close. Death is getting closer and closer by the second. But you still have the chance to get out of this before it's too late. Do you? If yes, go to page 8. If no continue to page 6.

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Page 6:

After everything that you've been through, you finally give in, let out one last cry, and breathe your last breath. Your friends, family, and even your enemies know that this is the end. But is it? Go to page 7

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Page 7:

Though you're offiically dead, a few strange things will happen:

• Someday, the stone that seals your death will be rolled away.
• God will raise you from the darkest, loneliest, and most painful parts of your life.
• You will resurrect from the world’s evil and appear to the world unscathed.
• You will one day have a seat next to God on His throne.
• All of those whom you love and adore will have finally have the chance to be freed from the eternal punishment that comes with sin.

CONCLUSION

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Page 8:

At some point in this story, you decided to turn away from God's will and avoid the pain and suffering that He required of you. As a result, no blood has been shed for the remission of sin. The curse of sin and death has not been removed. Millions of lamb will have to be slaughtered for man's atonement. Yet the people whom you love will forever remain prisoners of sin. But, it's not as bad as it sounds, right? At least Satan's happy!

CONCLUSION

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- ACL