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LiveBlogging the Good News Tour – Manuel Silva

Good morning and welcome to live updates from the Good News Tour. I’ll be sharing updates in real time of the presentations in Loma Linda this weekend, both the Good News Tour and Desmond Ford’s presentation at the Campus Hill Church this afternoon at 3:00. I hope to be able to share not only reports throughout the day, but also (if all goes well) video clips with interviews of some of this weekends participants.
I am writing from the Loma Linda University Church where the Good News Tour is in full swing.
During the 10:00 Sabbath School hour, Manuel Silva follows a dramatic retelling of Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables–the scene in which the bishop forgives Jean Valjean for attacking him and stealing his silver.
Silva, a Canadian who has been arrested for suspected terrorism warmed up the crowd by assuring everyone that he is not a terrorist. Good to know!
His presentation this morning leans heavily on a metaphor of a “hacked humanity”. Satan has dowloaded a virus into all of us, Silva says. “Me-itis” (inflamation of the me?) is the essential human problem.
Silva’s Christology includes the idea that Jesus carried “me-itis” within himself, but was able to quarantine the virus. Talking with Silva backstage after his presentation, he states that he will not say that Christ had a propensity to sin, but rather the possibility of sin.
Jesus not only quarantined “me-itis” but also neutralized it through his death. The virus had to die, and Jesus’ death accomplished that, revealing the awful effects of sin. Did Jesus die to satiate the wrath of God? “No, no, no,” Silva shouts, “that’s not even ethical.”
Sin had to killed in the flesh, and Jesus, taking humanity’s place killed the “me-itis” virus. By his obedience he saved us.
Extending the metaphor further, Silva says that Jesus is the heavenly “tech support guy.” Humanity must download the anti-virus software and refresh our screens.
Up next, University Church senior pastor Randy Roberts is up next with a message entitled “Down the Up Escalator.”
Check back for more updates on this Good News Weekend live from Loma Linda, California!

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