Here Again
by Dale on Mar.05, 2010, under Church, Gospel
Think this through carefully…
Jesus announces that “the Kingdom of God is at hand.” What does that mean?
I believe Jesus’ disciples were right on target in expecting this would be a real kingdom that would make a real difference in human history, politics and culture. However, Jesus corrected them because they had the wrong idea of what kind of Messiah (king) would rule the kingdom…Jesus announced the arrival of a real, political kingdom under the rule of the Holy Spirit! Not a “spiritual” kingdom, as if it would exist only in some idealistically ethereal or spiritual realm. No, the kingdom of God is political in the classical sense which concerns the manner in which real people form real communities and arrange their common affairs…The rule of God (the kingdom) is not far off in the heavens! The kingdom of God is right here with us now just as His Holy Spirit is right here with us now! If we believe one truth, how can we deny the other?
Now, let’s meddle…
- How do so many Christians justify supporting our national war policies when these foreign policies so clearly conflict with the teaching of Jesus to love our enemies, to be peacemakers, to seek reconciliation, turn the other cheek, walk the second mile, etc.?
- Are the teachings of Jesus applicable? Or is there a compelling reason to ignore or contradict them? Is the Kingdom of God real? Or is there a compelling reason to ignore or negate the love of God?
- Is military service a valid career choice for any Christian? Or does the title Prince of Peace only reflect up?
It’s real easy to declare that the teachings of Jesus were meant only for personal relationships and don’t really apply when we sell ourselves to the military complex…even that begs questions of whose possession we are; did Jesus purchase us with His own blood? How then can I give myself to another if I no longer belong to myself? Are we citizens of the United States or the Kingdom of God? Can we be both even though we must choose one or the other when our loyalties conflict or contradict?
Or can we just go back to just splitting our loyalties in terms of whether or not we will engage the spiritual with the mortal realm, which begs questions of fidelity and salvation, and just how Christian we want to be.
Here!
by Dale on Feb.24, 2010, under Gospel
Mark 1:15 (New International Version) — 15“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Mark 1:15 (The Message) — 15 “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”
Mark 1:15 (The Latest EbenDale Version) — 15“The time is now! God’s kingdom is here … put your right hand in and shake it all about….
While Jesus was talking about peace and reconciliation, turning the other cheek, walking an extra mile and other similar issues, one has to eventually wonder how we ever get so wrapped up in things like war, a hostile take-over or fighting among ourselves, suing one another and other similar issues; as if the teachings of Jesus apply only in theory, or individually at best –– especially to those individuals for whom these values don’t (yet) negatively effect their quality of life. But is that what Jesus really meant? (really?)
Well, let’s just get it out in the open: although Jesus’ message was meant to be understood personally, it was never intended to be understood as a private message. What kind of Good News would that be? How is it really Good News if it isn’t shared openly? And what good is a message that doesn’t make any difference in the quality of peoples’ lives?
Let’s get this straight here in the beginning; Jesus called his message the “Gospel,” a word that commonly referred to imperial proclamations, usually about something that would change everyone’s life for the better. That kind of background gives the “Good News” Jesus was proclaiming a very strong political context. So, notice in the brief history of the Hebrew people, that it is dominated by captivity, defeat, exile and occupation by foreign governance.
———————————————————————————————–
~2000 BC — Abraham–Isaac–Jacob–Joseph–
– Egyptian Captivity — Moses — Exodus — Land of Promise –
~1000 BC — Saul — David — Solomon == Kingdom United
– Kingdom Divided — Assyrian Conquest/Exile (721 BC) — Babylonian occupation/Exile (586 BC) – Greek occupation (333 BC) – Roman occupation (63 BC) –
~1 AD — Jesus –
———————————————————————————————–
So, Mark begins his story with the ministry of John the Baptist, and it is quite literally surrounded [or bracketed] by the notion of this Gospel/Good News, (cf. vs.1 & vs.14). Furthermore, the simplicity of Jesus’ message is as personally incredible as it is politically revolutionary…. and, in all honesty, the Gospel Jesus shares doesn’t add up to any kind of addition to, or extension of, the religious rituals of Judaism –– and it certainly doesn’t lend itself to what would eventually become the megalithic religiosity of institutionalized Christianity…Jesus is simply teaching people how to live in ways that honor our creator, God.
Image what would happen if everyone began to live The Way Jesus says the Kingdom of God is.
DULL?
by Dale on Feb.19, 2010, under Gospel
.Matthew.15.16.
◊
New International Version (©1984)
“Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them.
♦
New Living Translation (©2007)
“Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked.
♦
The Latest EbenDale Translation (©2010)
“You just don’t get it, do you?” Jesus asked.
♦
Ever tell a joke and nobody laughs?
Give instructions and people just stare at you like zombies?
Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples asks the 64 thousand dollar question, “Hey, JC. What are you talking about?”
People who knew Jesus best weren’t making the connection.
He told them a story…and they didn’t get it. He had to explain it to them….
Here we are, ~2000 years later and assume we know everything… we could be more careful with our assumptions.
If we have a religious tradition that makes only reverent and honorable interpretations of what Jesus said, but doesn’t teach what Jesus taught, with the same verve as to make the same kind of challenges to our traditions…are we really getting it? Really?
I’m not inspired much by conspiracy theories, so WHAT IF…
→ …the core message of Jesus has been unintentionally misunderstood? …or even intentionally distorted?
→ …only part of the message of Jesus has been passed along all these years while other parts have been ignored?
It wouldn’t be the first time someone thought they understood something only to discover they really didn’t, really!
Have you really understood what Jesus did that made people mad enough to have him, not just killed or snuffed-out, but publicly crucified?
What if the core message of Jesus was not as plainly stated as it seems? We already know that Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples asked for further explanation…. When did we get so close that now we can think we understand it all?
I’ve begun working on a series of Bible Studies for Sunday mornings that ask the supra-thinkable question:
Is there possibly more to what
Jesus said than what we’ve
always thought he was saying?
Some theologians have gone as far as to say there is a message within the message…a “secret” message that could really change the way we think about Jesus, the Church…and especially the Kingdom of God. Really!
I pursued what initially appears to have been a similar course of study more than twenty years ago called “A Third Look” as a way of seeing the gospel through the eyes of oppressed, third-world Liberation Theology and want to return to a similar kind of re:exploration of Jesus’ Gospel for our 21st century sensitivities.
