Jesus Confronts (Vol 4 No 78)
Jesus was a teacher; stories that he told
Were from his own culture,
Some were new; some were old.
He appealed to lis’ners; they become engaged,
Sometimes they were gladdened, other times enraged.
He told of a gentile to expose a priest;
Spoke of women’s housework –
Cleaning house, using yeast;
Biggest debts forgiven forged a love much more
Than the strict observance of the temple law.
Publicans and sinners, those unclean and poor
Were the ones he honoured;
There were thieves and a whore;
Is it any wonder every temple priest
Tried to stop the ravings of this dang’rous beast?
Some of Jesus’ stories were about the lost;
Seeking for the stranded
At a risk, at a cost;
To the ones exploited – those who had no voice
Jesus gave some hope in which they could rejoice.
If we listen closely, challenge comes our way;
For within his teaching
Is a test for today;
Status, race and gender, these all have no place,
For in Jesus’ teaching we hear, ‘Grace on grace.’
Tune Camberwell AHB 170(ii) TiS 231, 687