(#16) I'm thankful for Marquis Laughlin's interpretation of Jesus

I downloaded a new audio bible app yesterday and listened to Marquis Laughlin's rendition of the majority of Matthew today. I was blown away. That may sound like an exaggeration, but it's not. I have listened to many audio Bibles, but Marquis has made me see Jesus in a totally new way. Passages I had read and heard read my whole life suddenly made my jaw drop. Things Jesus said that I used to take for granted suddenly sounded incredibly shocking, at times harsh, even offensive. There was nothing that Jesus said that was forgettable. I hung on Jesus' every word. He commanded my respect and that of those with me as crowds of us listened to him teach. So often Jesus is presented as this ethereal, transcendent, hippie-type. But listening today, he sounded more like the Matrix's Morpheus, someone tough and strong, gritty even, with superhuman knowledge of a realm beyond my vision. Jesus wanted to lead me and the rest of his followers into a challenging and dangerous adventure, full of battle and glorious rewards. He was completely undaunted by the people that seemed so impressive to me and the rest of the crowd. At one point, when he asked the most important religious leaders, "How can you, being evil, speak what is good?" I was floored. No one talks like that. No one else would dare talk like that. But the very fact that he did made me want to follow him. It was impossible not to be in awe of his sheer force of character.

I don't remember the last time I was this excited to hear Jesus talk to me. I feel like I am right there, or that he is right here. He is speaking to me but he is speaking to more than just me. He is speaking to all who hunger and thirst for righteousness, all of us who have ever felt that there had to be something more to this life. He is not only an incredibly moving preacher, but the things that he does are breath-taking. He roars like a lion and the demons flee. He gently lays his strong hands on the weak and sick and they are instantly invigorated, brimming over with new life and strength. His power knows no bounds. Jesus is the Son of God in all his blinding glory.

I'm thankful for Marquis Laughlin's interpretation of Jesus but "thankful" now seems too weak a word to describe my feelings toward Jesus.