Jesus, the Truth

We hoop at the Zone outdoor courts just before Saturday church (about .4 miles away) to make connections and have Jesus conversations... Last Saturday I had a notable and unexpected "Jesus conversation." Now know that Zone is a thug kind of place - a gun had been brandished just minutes before this conversation. I was talking a little bit about church, and a man walked up to me, shook my hand, and looking me directly in the eyes said "Hello, I'm Jesus Christ." He was utterly convinced of his brave statement, others were familiar with his claim and walked away, and some remained to hear how our conversation would unfold. "So you're God?" I asked. He replied, "Yes, I am God." There were three different reasons that led me to tell him "Trusting in yourself will end you up in hell." I know the other guys there were tuning in, so I wanted the clarify the contrast between the real Jesus and this fraud. "Where are the holes in your hands? ... And why did you come back in a way that was contrary to the Bible? ... And have you truly never done anything wrong?" Rather than addressing these questions, he kept telling me to "just have the faith." (The problem here was that the object of faith was worthless.) "I have the faith; it's just not in you." It ultimately came to light that a "spirit" had confirmed him as God at the age of 17.  (Not the Holy Spirit of course!) This was a unique opportunity to speak truth and represent one, true Jesus, but it was also a sobering reminder of the strange spiritual influences that impact our community. I later had a conversation with one of the guys we hooped with who said that the fraudulent Jesus epitomizes why he doesn't want to have anything to do with church altogether: arguments, opinions, "just have the faith" sort of religion. Pray that truth makes a fierce conquest in hearts and lives before it's too late. I know a lot of teens that are wavering because they don't know Jesus, the truth (John 14:6).