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« Mission | Main | Conflict »
The lectionary continues its parallel reading through Romans and Matthew, with the OT passage “matched†according to the Gospel reading. Tuesday I preached out of the Matthew passage at the Bread of Life. I was rather straightforward and honest about the passage. The response was very humbling from those who gather as part of our congregation there. I keep wondering whether we need to again start celebrating the Lord’s Supper before we eat the “agape meal†together for those so called.
The Romans passage provides the “foundation†for that which follows. Without the assurance that comes from the obedience of Jesus Christ, and faith in Him, the situations of the world and believer described in the Jeremiah and Gospel passage would be an act of despair rather than hope.
But we do not lose hope!
Romans 5:15b-19
The Romans passage tells a story of world history, a history in which we participate, a story that we have told for us in the Scriptures. It is important to note that “justification†means “forgiveness†and “to be made just/righteousâ€. Maybe you can sketch out the story that Paul is telling here, and the different “eras†that it represents. What are the key points in the story? Where do we live now (one might have to ask who “we†is)? How have we gotten there, whoever “we†is? What is the “free giftâ€? How does the passage presume that we participate in this free gift? What are the implications for our lives in participating within this free gift?
Jeremiah 20:7-13
The Jeremiah passage is one of the famous “lamentations†of Jeremiah. Crucial to reading the passage is where we enter it. What various categories, nouns, are in the passage? What are the persons/characters mentioned? What is the role of each character? What is the difference between the first person (I, me) and the none-divine third person plural (everyone/they/many)? How does the perception of “I†differ from the perception of “they†in relationship to the Lord/Him/You? How sees things more truthfully? Why praise the Lord?
Matthew 10:16-33
Here the “I†mirrors that in Jeremiah, while calling “you†to the same sort of perception, with resulting experience, as the “I†with “them†in the background. What is the relationship between “you†and “them� Why will “they†hate “you� Why should “you†have no fear of “them� Why is the highest virtue here “persevering to the end� How does Jesus presuppose is in “control†and “responsible� Who is the weaker party? What “virtues†do “you†need to remain true to the mission that Jesus sends? Why? Why would such a situation lead to deep rifts within families, even to the point of one turning the other over to death? Do “you†ever exhibit the antagonism that “they†do? Why or why not?
If we notice, the Scriptures never call us to “be responsibleâ€, though they do call us to mission of going out into the harvest. What is the difference between the two? Why do we fear appropriately? How does that relate to our usual fears?
Have a wonderful evening!
Posted by johnwright at June 19, 2008 2:05 PM
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