At the University of Chicago Divinity School each year they have what
is called "Baptist Day". It is a day when all the Baptists in the
area are invited to the school because they want the Baptist dollars to
keep coming in.
On this day each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy
picnic area. Every "Baptist Day" the school would invite one of
the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education enter.
One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr. Tillich spoke for 2 ½ hours
proving that the resurrection of Jesus was false. He quoted scholar after
scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such
thing as the historical resurrection the religious tradition of the church
was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo, because it was based on a relationship
with a risen Jesus, who in fact, never rose from the dead in any literal
sense. He then asked if there were any questions. After about 30 seconds,
an old, dark skinned preacher with a head of short-cropped, woolly white
hair stood up in the back of the auditorium.
Docta Tillich, I got one question, he said as all eyes turned toward
him. He reached into his sack lunch and pulled out an apple and began
eating it.
"Docta Tillich (CRUNCH, MUNCH), My question
is a simple question (CRUNCH, MUNCH). Now,
I ain't never read them books you read (CRUNCH,
MUNCH) and I can't recite the Scriptures in the original Greek
(CRUNCH, MUNCH). I don't know nothin' about
Niebuhr and Heidegger (CRUNCH, MUNCH)..."
He finished the apple.
"All I wanna know is: This apple I just ate, was
it bitter or sweet?"
Dr. Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion:
I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven't tasted your apple.
The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled
paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillich and said calmly, "Neither
have you tasted my Jesus."
The 1000 plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium
erupted with applause and cheers.
Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform.
Have you tasted Jesus? Please pass this on Saints! God has risen, and
he's coming back one day!
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed
is the man who takes refuge in Him. If you have, rejoice in the hope of
the resurrection that your faith in Him brings. Psalm 34:8
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