WHO WOULD CHRIST WELCOME ?

(Luke 9:25 NKJV) "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

Pope John Paul II died on April 2, 2005 after a long fight against Parkinson's disease and other illnesses. The public viewing of his body in St. Peter's Basilica drew over four million people to Vatican City and became the largest single pilgrimage in the history of Christendom. Born Karol Józef Wojtyła (May 18, 1920 – April 2, 2005), the Pope ruled Vatican City and led the Roman Catholic Church and its Eastern Rite for over 26 years, from October 16, 1978 until his death at the age of 86. At death, the Pope gained the whole world. Kings, Presidents, Prime Ministers, of the greatest nations of earth, heads of relgions, all bowed down to respect the Pope. He was said to be a great man of God, a man of peace, a major factor in the downfall of communism, a force of unity among the world religions. At his death, the whole world bowed to honour him.

In stark contrast, seven Years ago, on 12 Oct 1998, on the mountains at Laramie, Wyoming, USA, a young Gay Christian, Matthew Shepard lay dying, left alone to die after being brutally wounded by anti-gay thugs. There were no doctors nearby, no relatives, family or friends, no crowds of prayerfull whorshipers, but only the quiet sound of the icy cold breeze. And through it all he was breathing in for the last time the smell of Wyoming sagebrush and the scent of pine trees from the snowy range. He heard the wind—the ever-present Wyoming wind—for the last time. He had one friend with him. One he grew to know through his time in Sunday school and as an acolyte at St. Mark’s in Casper as well as through his visits to St. Matthew’s in Laramie. He had Jesus.

Who would Christ welcomes into heaven? [No one Knows] By popular public vote, John Paul will surely be the first in Heaven whilst Matthew, a candidate for eternal hell as depicted by the protestors at his funeral. Even John Paul himself would have believed so, being strongly anti-gay. In fact, the Catholic Church felt so strongly that Matthew Shepard being Gay was itself deserving of what was done to him, that at the subsequent trial, they openly supported the evil thugs who killed him. How does God see it?. In Mark Chapter 8, Jesus fed 4000 man miraculaously in Mark 8:1-9. Despite such a great miracle, immediately after, when he came to the region of Dalmanutha, the Pharisees demanded Jesus for a sign to proof His claim to be Son of God. Didn't they see Jesus feeding the 4000 men? Yes probably, but they were not not after a miracle. The Pharisees were tempting Jesus to give a clear declaration that He is the Son of God so that the Pharisees could have Jesus persecuted. Later in Mark 8:27, Jesus asked His discples about what they thought. It was then that Peter declared Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God whom the Jews were waiting for to save them. Jesus was living in a closet just like most Gays. They were undeniable proofs that He is God in view of the many healings and miracles that He did. But the Pharisees could not persecute Him for doing good, they needed a clear statement that He is God in order that they may convict Jesus of blesphemy and put Him to death. Jesus could only reveal this truth to His close friends, the disciples. He could not reveal it publicly because it was not time yet. This revelation would have severe consequences which will lead to His death.

Gays are likewise in closests. There are many signs that they are Gays. They are naturally attracted to the same sex, and whatever attempts by parents and friends to match mate them with a wife seems to fail. Their Gayness is only known to close friends. Were it known publicly, there may be much discrimination and persecution in the family and at the work place and with straight friends. Gays normally hate themselves for being Gays. They knew they were born thus, but do not want this 'gift' for the hardship that it brings. They have tried to change their nature, but could not, just as a straight man could not be changed. Conditioned by society and by religion, they believe that being Gay is a sin, something that God does not want them to be. Most Gays do not embrace how God made them to be.Similarly, Peter (the first Pope according to Catholics), rebuked Jesus for declaring that He will die, for Peter like the rest of the Jews were awaiting a Messiah that will liberate the Jews from the Romans, and from Jerusalem, to conquer the rest of the known world. In reply, Jesus rebuked Peter in Matt 16:23 for being the voice of Satan. At the start of Jesus's ministry, Satan had already offered Jesus the entire world (Luke 4:6) when He was in the desert. Therefore, what Peter said was an offence to Jesus for it is based on the ways of man (Mat 16:23), the flesh, and the carnal man. After 3 years on ministry, Jesus died at the Cross, but He rose again on the third day. The 'sign' was ultimately given, that the temple of God, i.e. Jesus, was destoyed and on the third day, it was rebuilt.

The Catholic Church today has gained to whole world. They were once prosecuted when they followed the ways of God. The prosecution stopped when they embraced the ways of man. Have they accepted Satan's offer which Jesus rejected? Soon, they came to control the whole world and enforcing this control by force. They persecuted those who went against them with millions dying. They became the modern day Pharisees. Laws and traditions of men were instituted, having equal standing with the bible. The message of the Gospel and the centrality of Jesus, was eroded to the point where another Gospel with human concepts such as worship of the Saints, Purgatory, and worship of Mary.The Catholic came to control the whole world just as the bible predicted. But Jesus said, what used it is? if as a result you loose your soul (Mat 16:26) for the ways of man does not lead to God, it leads to self righteousness, to Catholics condemning those who they consider less righteous such as Gays. As a church gets entrenched into the ways of man, a notion of power and control, and self righteousness will prevail until the point where the Pope is considered as Man God. It is man's rigtheousness no longer Jesus' righteousness which leads to salvation. The way of the cross was to crucify the carnal man. This is not to crucify sins, rather instead it is to crucify our pride, ego, self exaltation of our greatness, our own ways of doing things which may be logical and not sinful in any way. It is saying we do not need Jesus, we have in ourselvs what it takes to succeed. Without it being of Jesus, all is carnal, all is of flesh, all is of men.

Would Jesus welcome John Paul the Second? I don't know. The same question awaits the 1 billion Catholics who follows the Pope. But, I'm certain that in heaven, Jesus would welcome Matthew Shepard because Matthew embraced Jesus. He loved Him and accepted Him as Lord and Saviour. Being a Christian who happens to be Gay, Matthew embraced being Gay as well because God created him thus. Ultimately, this led him to his death, being hung on a post ( it sounds so similar to Jesus), and left to die without loved ones just as Jesus died with all the discples fleeding away except John. Following God's ways have meant to accept and to treasure how God has created us as Gays, and to walk in the ways that God leads us.

God send His Son
His name is Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He bled and died
to buy my pardon
an empty tomb is there to prove
my Jesus livesBecause He lives, I can face tommorow
Becuase He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
My life is worth the living
just becuase He lives.Then one day,
I will cross the river
and fight life's final war with pain
and then as death gives way to victory
I will see the light of Glory
and know my Jesus lives.

Father, God. Thankyou that you sent your son, Jesus to love me and to die for me. Because Jesus rosed again and lives, I am your beloved, accepted in you.

Because Jesus lives, I can face tommorow being a Gay Christian
Because Jesus lives, all fear is gone of who will take care of me.
Because Jesus holds the future, my life is worth living, even though I am Gay, Jesus will give me a future.

Then, one day,
I will cross the river,
and fight life's final war of injustice
and then as death comes,
I will will see Jesus and know my Jesus lives and accepts me as a Gay Christian.

Jesus will wipe away my tears and say "well done, good and faithful servant, my Grace was sufficient for you".