Jesus Walks

So I take it most of you have heard and seen the clip ‘Jesus Walks’ by Kanye West.
The clip on Rage is in a church with kids and homeless people being angels, also there is a clip in gaol with KKK types both are worth a look. The kkk clip you can download here (thanks for the link Darren) http://chrismilk.com/moving/pix2/03.mov

Here are some of the words

"(Jesus Walks)
God show me the way because the Devil trying to break me down
(Jesus Walks with me)
The only thing that that I pray is that me feet don’t fail me now
(Jesus Walks)
And I don’t think there is nothing I can do now to right my wrongs
(Jesus Walks with me)
I want to talk to God but I’m afraid because we ain’t spoke in so long

To the hustlas, killers, murderers, drug dealers even the strippers
(jesus walks with them)
To the victims of Welfare for we living in hell here hell yeah
(jesus walks with them)
Now hear ye hear ye want to see Thee more clearly
I know he hear me when my feet get weary
Cuz we’re the almost nearly extinct
We rappers are role models we rap we don’t think
I ain’t here to argue about his facial features
Or here to convert atheists into believers
I’m just trying to say the way school need teachers
The way Kathie Lee needed Regis that’s the way yall need Jesus"

I really like the last part that seems to looks beyond the quest to prove stuff about Jesus or to push Jesus on others but that there is a natural need or benefit to having Jesus in life. I’m not sure this was his intention with the lyrics, given the rest of the song, but it hasn’t stopped me wondering about how Jesus walks with us and we need him like school needs a teacher.

So two question
1 What do you get out of this song?
2. Is life without Jesus like sex without a partner?

Age

A Shocking Gospel of Love

I came across this re write of Jn 4:1-33,39-42. It has taken the scandal of Jesus and the Samaritan Women at the well and placed it in a local context. The story is now ‘Jesus talks to a Gay Man’ and really makes the point about the clash of religious expectations and a spirituality of compassion.

Here’s a taste
"7 A waiter came to the table, wearing a bright pink "His+His" t-shirt and a "Silence=Death" armband, and raised one eyebrow at the man seated at the table in front of him in the "Come Follow Me" t-shirt. Jesus said to him, "Will you give me a drink?" 8 (All the lay ministers had gone down the street to pick up Subway sandwiches for the rest of the journey.) 9 The gay man said to him, "Hey…you tell me. After all, you appear to be a straight Christian, and I’m a gay man. Let’s face it - we don’t get many religious folks in Boystown, let alone places like this. And I’m not only a gay man, but I’m a Muslim gay man. So where does a guy like you get off asking someone like me for a drink?" (For Christians do not associate with gays, nor with Muslims if they can help it.)"

Have a read. (the discussion in comments is interesting too)

http://ragarambler.blogspot.com/2005/02/just-how-shocking-is-gospel.html