The University of Chicago Divinity School each year they have what is called "Baptist Day". It is a day
when all the Baptists in the area are invited to the school because they want the Baptist dollars to keep
coming in.
On this day each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area. Every "Baptist Day"
the school would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in th theological education center.
One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr. Tillich spoke for two and one half hours proving that the
resurrection of Jesus was false. He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that
since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection, the religious tradition of the church was
groundless, emotional mumbo jumbo, because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in
fact, never rose from the dead in any literal sense.
He then asked if there were any questions. After about 30 seconds an old preacher with a head white hair
stood up in the back of the auditorium.
"Docta Tillich, I got one question," he said as all eyes turned toward him.
He reached into his sack lunch and pulled out an apple and began eating it. "Docta Tillich ...
CRUNCH, MUNCH My question is a simple question, ...
CRUNCH, MUNCH ... Now, I ain't never read them books you read ...
CRUNCH, MUNCH ... and I can't recite the Scriptures in the original Greek
CRUNCH, MUNCH ... I don't know nothin' about Niebuhr and Heidegger...
CRUNCH, MUNCH... He finished the apple. "All I wanna know is: This apple I just ate, - was it bitter or
sweet?"
Dr. Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion: "I cannot possibly answer
that question, for I haven't tasted your apple."
The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled paper bag, looked up at Dr.
Tillich and said calmly, "Neither have you tasted my Jesus."
The 1,000 plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium erupted with applause and
cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform.
Have you tasted Jesus?
Please pass this on Saints!
God has risen ... and he's coming back one day! "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the
man who takes refuge in Him." If you have, rejoice!!