Getting our "Middle Eastern Glasses" on!
I'm stoked for this study. Excited to get my "Middle Eastern Glasses," as DJ would call them, on
and to share in the experience with all of you.
Three things stood out to me in this section of reading:
1) The importance of recognizing author intention: This is something I so often overlooking when reading the bible--the simple question of "why did the author include these specific details, and what is his purpose for doing so?" Bailey referenced the end of John that talks about not enough room in the world for all the books that would be filled if everything was recorded, and it opened my eyes to how often I overlook little sections or pieces of the bible that actually are essential to the understanding of the passage.
2) "No wars should be fought and no blood spilled over the earthly city, for Luke tells his readers that the glory of God shone, not around the city, but around the child" (55). When we look to the Son, we see the glory of God. Nothing else we look to can fulfill us. The readers expected a savior from oppression that would deliver them from their pain and suffering in the ways they were being oppressed. They expected the glory and power of God to be displayed in this very hope. But Jesus came and disappointed this hope. He came to save them from sin. and not just the sin of the oppressor, the sin of the oppressed as well. Whaaaaaatttttt?!?!?! This is a good reminder to me this week to check where I am putting my hope: Am I putting my hope in the person of Jesus, or in what Jesus will do in my life on this Earth.
3) I touched on it in the last point a little bit, but Bailey brought up something that my eyes have been opened to pretty recently. The weight of shame in Middle Eastern culture. I was listening to a DJ sermon a couple weeks ago on the parable of the friend in need from Luke 11 that went into depth about the cultural context of shame and the extent that people would go to avoid shaming their names in this culture. Bailey talks about this being one of the reasons that Jesus ended up on the cross. People didn't like it when Jesus called them sinners. They wanted to be saved from their oppressors, who were the sinners in their eyes. But Jesus coming and telling them that they too are sinners and in need of a savior from that... Didn't go over so well.
Just thought I'd share some of my thoughts!! Hoping to see you all next week!!!
and to share in the experience with all of you.
Three things stood out to me in this section of reading:
1) The importance of recognizing author intention: This is something I so often overlooking when reading the bible--the simple question of "why did the author include these specific details, and what is his purpose for doing so?" Bailey referenced the end of John that talks about not enough room in the world for all the books that would be filled if everything was recorded, and it opened my eyes to how often I overlook little sections or pieces of the bible that actually are essential to the understanding of the passage.
2) "No wars should be fought and no blood spilled over the earthly city, for Luke tells his readers that the glory of God shone, not around the city, but around the child" (55). When we look to the Son, we see the glory of God. Nothing else we look to can fulfill us. The readers expected a savior from oppression that would deliver them from their pain and suffering in the ways they were being oppressed. They expected the glory and power of God to be displayed in this very hope. But Jesus came and disappointed this hope. He came to save them from sin. and not just the sin of the oppressor, the sin of the oppressed as well. Whaaaaaatttttt?!?!?! This is a good reminder to me this week to check where I am putting my hope: Am I putting my hope in the person of Jesus, or in what Jesus will do in my life on this Earth.
3) I touched on it in the last point a little bit, but Bailey brought up something that my eyes have been opened to pretty recently. The weight of shame in Middle Eastern culture. I was listening to a DJ sermon a couple weeks ago on the parable of the friend in need from Luke 11 that went into depth about the cultural context of shame and the extent that people would go to avoid shaming their names in this culture. Bailey talks about this being one of the reasons that Jesus ended up on the cross. People didn't like it when Jesus called them sinners. They wanted to be saved from their oppressors, who were the sinners in their eyes. But Jesus coming and telling them that they too are sinners and in need of a savior from that... Didn't go over so well.
Just thought I'd share some of my thoughts!! Hoping to see you all next week!!!
Kyle - great stuff! I especially liked #2 - where so we place our hope, faith, love?!?! We can so easily get caught up in mis-directed worship and end up missing Jesus!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Kyle. Regarding point 3 -- I sometimes pray for God to remind me that a good question is to ask, "how can God hang out with sinners?" BUUUTTT an even better question is, "how can God hang out with ANY OF US?!?" --- I believe the answer to this question is ......."100 per cent grace!"
ReplyDelete