December 2000
Who wants to lose everything?
Previous 5th Sparrows
Here beginneth the reading...HOST: Welcome back to "Who Wants To Lose Everything?", where we're talking to Simon Peter. Simon, you've done very well so far, having given up your fishing net, boat and extended family. You don't have to answer the next question, you could stop now, but if you do answer correctly, you could...
Lose Everything!!!!
Are you nervous, Simon?
SIMON: Yes, a little.
HOST: You should be!
[Audience laughs]
HOST: OK, here is the question:
Who do you say that I am?
A. A famous prophet from the ancient past.
B. A different prophet from the ancient past.
C. Another prophet from the recent past.
Or...
D. The agent of God's decisive action in human history now.
Take your time now. Remember, you don't have to answer, you've been able to lose quite a bit already... Do you think you know it, Simon?
SIMON: Yes, I think I do. I think I'm going to go for D – the "agent" one.
HOST: That'd be "D. The agent of God's decisive action in human history now." Do you even understand what that means, Simon?
SIMON: [with a nervous sort of laugh] Uh, no, haven't really got much of a clue...
HOST: But you think you want to go for it anyway?
SIMON: Yeah. I do. Definitely.
HOST: Is that your eschatological answer?
Here endeth the reading...
Dr Conrad Gempf is a lecturer in New Testament at London Bible College. He also writes for and edits the monthly webzine there.
© Ship of Fools 2000