ınspıre :: SHARING FAITH


We have so much to learn from the way Jesus spoke to people,says JIM CURRIN


JESUS was a brilliant communicator. Thousands followed him and “pressed him in on every side” to listen to what he had to say. Read the Gospels and you will find it amazing! He didn’t need a microphone and amplifier – he used the hillside as an amphitheatre and the front of a boat as a pulpit (did you know that part of a boat is actually called a ‘pulpit’?). They came when he spoke and waited on his every word. Some leaders were judgemental and placed him on trial, but most people came because news of healing and the rumour of a new Messiah had spread fast. These early ‘flash mobs’ must have been very exciting events! So how did Jesus communicate? Of course it was through a lot more than words. It is well known now that we communicate more by what we do than what we say – most communication is non-verbal. Jesus was a master at this – letting people know he loved them as he healed, fed and spent time with them. But when Jesus did use words, he


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words A way with


said different things to different people – and what’s more, when he did it was often a surprise. The man brought by friends and lowered through the roof for healing was told: “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 5:20). The man asking about eternal life was told to give away his goods to the poor (Matthew 19:16-22). It appears that Jesus spoke to the deepest needs of the people he encountered. His message was the most relevant it could be for that particular individual. It was not a ‘one size fits all’ Gospel, but a tailor-made message. I like


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