Sept 18, 1877 ~ Aug 20, 1952

~J. Frank Norris quoted in The Austin American, June 26, 1932. “If you can’t say something good about me, say something bad; but say something.” ~J. Frank Norris quoted in The Austin American, June 26, 1932.

~January, 1912, Mayor Bill Davis (Ft Worth TX) “If there are fifty red-blooded men in this town, a preacher will be hanging from the lamp post before daylight.” ~January, 1912, Mayor Bill Davis (Ft Worth TX)

~J.D. Garrett, faithful church member “Do you want something on a prominent banker who was on the grand jury that framed the indictment against you?” ~J.D. Garrett, faithful church member

The man replied, “He is a prophet.” 16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. 17Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” ~John 9

The man replied, “He is a prophet.” 16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. 17Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” ~John 9

The man replied, “He is a prophet.” 16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. 17Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” ~John 9

18They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19“Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” 20“We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” ~John 9

22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” ~John 9

24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind 24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 25He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” 26Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ~John 9

24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind 24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 25He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” 26Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ~John 9

24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind 24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 25He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” 26Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ~John 9

27He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen 27He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” 28Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” ~John 9

30The man answered, “Now that is remarkable 30The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” ~John 9

30The man answered, “Now that is remarkable 30The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” ~John 9

34To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. ~John 9

The ends don’t justify the means… You can’t offer grace to some people, by cold-heartedly condemning others!

The ends don’t justify the means… You can’t offer grace to some people, by cold-heartedly condemning others! Publically condemning someone (even if your listeners find them easy to hate) doesn’t move them closer to God.

We don’t get to treat people as “human props,” especially when we’re trying to connect them to Christ.

At some point, your methods change the message.

Never trust a messenger who hasn’t been changed by the message!

~I Corinthians 13, The Message 1If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. 2If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. 3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. ~I Corinthians 13, The Message