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CHARLIE ROSE: Thank you for coming we are delighted to have you.
Jesus: Thank you. Good to see you again.
CHARLIE: Let me start by asking the question, “Are you running for president?”
Jesus: No, Charlie. You know that. I sort of believe that I am already one, if you know about I mean.
CHARLIE: That leads us to the next popular question. Would you like to build your own peace corp.?
Jesus: No, I don’t think I am doing that, Charlie. My mission is different.
CHARLIE: What do you want to do then? There is a great movement formed around you. It seems to me it would be safer for you to run for presidency, don’t you think?
Jesus: Yes. But I would say that I am a different kind of … let’s say… shepherd.
Visualize with me if you will. This shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them.
The sheep follow because they are familiar with his voice. They love his voice because they are used to the sound of his voice.
Sound nice, isn’t it?
Visualize this way. My students love this one.
I am like the Gate for the sheep. The sheep pass through me. I am respected as a safest Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for. So trusting in me, they freely go in and out, and find pasture.
As you see here, the nature of my mission is different. I am saying that it is important for me to become this good shepherd. It is my mission.
CHARLIE: So, your mission is… ?
Jesus: I came so that people could have real and eternal life. I came so that people could have a better life than they ever dreamed of.
CHARLIE: So… you are a spiritual shepherd.
When I announced that I will have an interview with you. We got emails and phone calls from all over the world. Many of them wanted me to ask you this question. “Who are you?” I guess their question is what are you claiming for yourself?
Jesus: Yeah. I know. But my answer here will be only this shepherd stories. These metaphors explain who I am. If you don’t mind, let me answer them with another shepherd story.
(Looking a TV camera screen) Whoever watching and wondering, visualize this with me.
I am the Good Shepherd. Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. I am a real shepherd, because the sheep mean everything to me. That is it.
CHARLIE: Yeah. You are saying you are a spiritual shepherd or a spiritual president even?
Jesus: Yes, Charlie. But I like to call myself the Good Shepherd, if you will, because I do something that only a good shepherd can do. Or, I should say, I am the good stockbroker, because I do something that only the good stockbroker can do.
I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. There is a relationship build in. I am using the word, “know” meaningfully here.
Let’s say, the Father knows me and I know the Father. In the similar degree I know my sheep and my sheep know me. Because of this knowing and loving, I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself even if it is necessary.
(Pause) I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I am going to gather and bring them, too. They'll also recognize my voice. And they all will be one flock, under one Shepherd.
When my Father realizes that I am willing to do this, my Father loves me even more. He asks me, “Are you freely lay down your life?” I say, “Yes! I will lay it down. I know that no one can take it from me.” My father approve of me, saying, “Yes, you have the right to lay it down; you also have the right to take it up again. It is all up to you.” So, you will see that after everything is done, I will take it up again.
Narrator: Jesus is interviewed by another TV news program. They show this conversation. After reviewing this specific conversation, they want to talk about it. The room is arranged like a conference room.
The anchor #1: You are strange. I don’t understand what you are talking about.
The anchor #2: I am not sure. But I know you are smart and try to explain something very profound. After all, people want to see the one who open blind eyes. (The audience laughs)
The anchor #1: Jesus, we invited a religious group here tonight. They are called, the Sabbath Keeper. They have been troubled by you proclaiming yourself as God. Tonight they are going to ask some questions to you if you don’t mind.
A Sabbath Keeper: How long are you going to keep us guessing? If you're the Leader, tell us straight out.
Jesus: I have told you. You have seen and heard everything I have done. What you have heard on everyday news proves that my Father have sent me to do these things. My actions speak louder than words.
The anchor #2: everybody knows now that you like to use the shepherd analogy. Can you tell us another shepherd analogy?
Jesus: Yes! Of course!
I know that my sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected by my love. My Father knowing all this put them under my care. That proves that my Father and I are one heart and mind.
Narrator: Many Sabbath Keepers throws their hands in the air. Some of them shows that they are very angry and throwing objects to Jesus.
Jesus: (avoiding objects) I have done many good things. For which of these acts do you throwing things at me?
Sabbath keepers: We're not against anything good you did, but for what you said. You know you are calling yourself God. Don’t you know that?
Jesus: I'm only quoting the Bible, where God said, “I tell you—you are gods.” If God called your ancestors “gods,” and the Bible doesn't lie, why do you yell at the unique One the Father consecrated and sent into the world? Is it only because I said, “I am the Son of God”?
Listen, if I don't do the things my Father does, well and good; don't believe me. But if I am doing them, put aside for a moment what you hear me say about myself and just take the evidences that are right before your eyes. Then perhaps things will come together for you, and you'll see that not only are we doing the same thing, we are the same—Father and Son. He is in me; I am in him.
Narrator: They tried jumped at him. But Jesus barely slipped through their fingers.
JESUS (V.O.): I ran away. Then I went back to the place where John first baptized, and stayed there. I felt nice. I felt like I can breathe again. A lot of people followed me there. They were saying,
The Person #1: John did no miracles, but everything he said about this man has come true.
The person #2: Yeah. That is so true.
