John 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgement I am come into this world, that they which see not might see: and they which see might be made blind.
Ah my Friends, the Lord giveth, but He also taketh. By now most of you know He called Ralston Milton (Rex) Nettleford home a few days ago. Dr, Nettleford, of Jamaican birth, was one of the few persons of Caribbean heritage we can truly call a Renaissance man. His accolades and achievements cover the entire spectrum; from arts, to politics, labour, social causes and academia. He was a Rhodes Scholar, a spirited dancer, having founded the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica, a tireless worker, friend of, professor and one time Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies. He was in Washington D.C. to raise funds for the University when his death occurred via a heart attack, a few hours from his 77th birthday. I first met him as a professor and tutor in the mid to late 1960’s on the University campus in Mona, Jamaica. There I was fortunate to be taught by a young group of bright West Indian nationals with names like Rodney, Girvan, McIntyre and Nettleford. They led the charge to change our colonial mentality and dependence on the mother countries, and energized us to begin thinking that we could do it for ourselves as a region. Dr. Nettleford was certainly a class act; always well dressed and well spoken. The last time I saw him was a few years ago here in Toronto when the U.W.I Alumni Assoc. presented him with an award for his considerable services to the University. He must have been in his late sixties then, but still looked trim and fit as when he taught me thirty odd years earlier, and no doubt could still dance up a storm. I would like to send our condolences to his family and friends from our Scrip-Bit family, for we certainly owe some of what I am to his teaching. We should endeavour to never let his legacy die, for he was a man of many parts, and we’ll certainly miss his wit, intelligence, vitality and social conscience. Having risen from a poor, country background to the heights of the known world, he never forgot his roots. And in keeping with Today’s Bit, he was certainly a man of vision, always with an eye to the future. Now when Jesus said, ‘For judgement I am come into this world,’ it wasn’t as a destroyer but as a saviour. ‘For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) And He said it again later on. ‘And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world but to save the world.’ (John 12:47) Oh Friends, it’s so important that we understand and remember that whatever happened to, with, through or by Jesus, His sole purpose for coming to earth was to save us ungodly sinners. That the blind would be given sight, enabling them to behold the Creator of the Universe; the Most High God Jehovah, while those who refused to acknowledge Him would suffer the sad consequences eventually. But here the plot thickens my people, for the same Jesus that came to save us is also the One who’s going to judge us at a later day, so we’ll have no excuses when He asks why we didn’t believe His words when He first came. ‘For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the Son…And hath given him authority to execute judgement also, because he is the Son of man.’ (John 5:22,27) So there we have it Friends, come the last days, Jesus will be judge, jury and executioner, having already been the bearer of good tidings and incomparable deeds of LOVE, mercy and forgiveness. I really don’t know why it’s so hard for us to believe in Him when His words and the facts, as He points them out, all agree. Why can’t we be like the blind man He gave sight to eh? He experienced a miracle in his life, and being only blind not stupid, he knew that only a true man of God could do such a thing and thus had no problem believing that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. But we, so glorious in our education and wisdom, though we have miracles, not necessarily big ones like receiving sight, but many small ones throughout our lives, still find it difficult to believe. Why? Because we hold the world and all it offers more important and knowledgeable, in higher esteem than we do the Word of God. How sad it is my people that because of the blinding blinkers the world and its evil rulers put on us, we can’t see the true nature of our existence. Oh Friends, let’s wake up and smell the roses nuh! ‘Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.’ (Mat.13:13) That’s how Jesus explained His habit of speaking in parables. Then He continued the blind figure of speech by saying to His disciples, re the Pharisees: ‘Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.’ (Mat.15:14) My people, I implore us not to fall into that sad trap of being blind and being led by blind leaders, else we’ll end up in a terrible state. And don’t you like how Jesus could put down the hypocrite Pharisees? Some of them heard when He spoke Today’s Bit to the man he healed and were bold faced enough to ask if they were blind too. ‘Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.’ (John 9:41)Yes Friends, they mistakenly figured they knew it all. Please, let’s not fall into that trap, for ONLY our heavenly Father knows it all. Be humble, but vibrant in spirit, listen to Jesus and follow Him. That’s the best prescription for success in this life. Much LOVE!…be wise…accept Jesus now… as your Saviour…before you meet Him later…as prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner…
Ah my Friends, the Lord giveth, but He also taketh. By now most of you know He called Ralston Milton (Rex) Nettleford home a few days ago. Dr, Nettleford, of Jamaican birth, was one of the few persons of Caribbean heritage we can truly call a Renaissance man. His accolades and achievements cover the entire spectrum; from arts, to politics, labour, social causes and academia. He was a Rhodes Scholar, a spirited dancer, having founded the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica, a tireless worker, friend of, professor and one time Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies. He was in Washington D.C. to raise funds for the University when his death occurred via a heart attack, a few hours from his 77th birthday. I first met him as a professor and tutor in the mid to late 1960’s on the University campus in Mona, Jamaica. There I was fortunate to be taught by a young group of bright West Indian nationals with names like Rodney, Girvan, McIntyre and Nettleford. They led the charge to change our colonial mentality and dependence on the mother countries, and energized us to begin thinking that we could do it for ourselves as a region. Dr. Nettleford was certainly a class act; always well dressed and well spoken. The last time I saw him was a few years ago here in Toronto when the U.W.I Alumni Assoc. presented him with an award for his considerable services to the University. He must have been in his late sixties then, but still looked trim and fit as when he taught me thirty odd years earlier, and no doubt could still dance up a storm. I would like to send our condolences to his family and friends from our Scrip-Bit family, for we certainly owe some of what I am to his teaching. We should endeavour to never let his legacy die, for he was a man of many parts, and we’ll certainly miss his wit, intelligence, vitality and social conscience. Having risen from a poor, country background to the heights of the known world, he never forgot his roots. And in keeping with Today’s Bit, he was certainly a man of vision, always with an eye to the future. Now when Jesus said, ‘For judgement I am come into this world,’ it wasn’t as a destroyer but as a saviour. ‘For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) And He said it again later on. ‘And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world but to save the world.’ (John 12:47) Oh Friends, it’s so important that we understand and remember that whatever happened to, with, through or by Jesus, His sole purpose for coming to earth was to save us ungodly sinners. That the blind would be given sight, enabling them to behold the Creator of the Universe; the Most High God Jehovah, while those who refused to acknowledge Him would suffer the sad consequences eventually. But here the plot thickens my people, for the same Jesus that came to save us is also the One who’s going to judge us at a later day, so we’ll have no excuses when He asks why we didn’t believe His words when He first came. ‘For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the Son…And hath given him authority to execute judgement also, because he is the Son of man.’ (John 5:22,27) So there we have it Friends, come the last days, Jesus will be judge, jury and executioner, having already been the bearer of good tidings and incomparable deeds of LOVE, mercy and forgiveness. I really don’t know why it’s so hard for us to believe in Him when His words and the facts, as He points them out, all agree. Why can’t we be like the blind man He gave sight to eh? He experienced a miracle in his life, and being only blind not stupid, he knew that only a true man of God could do such a thing and thus had no problem believing that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. But we, so glorious in our education and wisdom, though we have miracles, not necessarily big ones like receiving sight, but many small ones throughout our lives, still find it difficult to believe. Why? Because we hold the world and all it offers more important and knowledgeable, in higher esteem than we do the Word of God. How sad it is my people that because of the blinding blinkers the world and its evil rulers put on us, we can’t see the true nature of our existence. Oh Friends, let’s wake up and smell the roses nuh! ‘Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.’ (Mat.13:13) That’s how Jesus explained His habit of speaking in parables. Then He continued the blind figure of speech by saying to His disciples, re the Pharisees: ‘Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.’ (Mat.15:14) My people, I implore us not to fall into that sad trap of being blind and being led by blind leaders, else we’ll end up in a terrible state. And don’t you like how Jesus could put down the hypocrite Pharisees? Some of them heard when He spoke Today’s Bit to the man he healed and were bold faced enough to ask if they were blind too. ‘Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.’ (John 9:41)Yes Friends, they mistakenly figured they knew it all. Please, let’s not fall into that trap, for ONLY our heavenly Father knows it all. Be humble, but vibrant in spirit, listen to Jesus and follow Him. That’s the best prescription for success in this life. Much LOVE!…be wise…accept Jesus now… as your Saviour…before you meet Him later…as prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner…
SCRIP-BITS 