Posts tagged Bible
thoughts on “Jesus Loves You…” by Craig Gross and Jason Harper – PART 2
Feb 11th
I find it interesting and completely hypocritical that some yell the loudest about this area of culture, all the while ignoring other blatant cultural atrocities. Why pick on this sin as opposed to others? I have never seen picket signs and petitions protesting overeating or gossip or adultery.
Most won’t find it too shocking to learn that the “area of culture” Craig is referring to here is the homosexual community. I think if we are honest, we could say that the Christian community as a whole has been mean, uncaring, unloving and quite un-Christlike towards the homosexual community – regardless of our differences or beliefs. I do think Craig is right in this, we have picked on this more than anything else (outside of the abortion issue) for awhile now. I too, have yet to see someone picket overeating, gossip, adultery, speaking truth without love, pride, etc… is that because those are less grievous in our “sin” ranking system?
There is a way to disagree (right now at least) and hold the views that we do without being unloving, disrespectful, hateful, etc… I believe we are called to be different in how we respond and treat people – I’m afraid we have credited the reactions of people too often to persecution or not liking our beliefs, and not enough to a response to the lack of respect and love we show to others. Sure, there are some that don’t like the beliefs that we hold from the Bible or don’t buy into God/Jesus… there will always be that. I’m just not sure it ever excuses us from treating others with respect and love, not with malice and prideful judgment as if we somehow merit more of God’s love than someone else… we’ve all been invited to a party, a life, that we did not earn no matter how well you think you live.
He said that i, as a pastor, would be more embraced by the porn industry than he would be at a church… ‘My world loved you more than your world loves me.’ sad, but true.
These two comments came from Ron Jeremy, the Porn King. Is there some truth to this? I think there is. Craig talks a lot about how skeptical those in the porn industry have been of him and the XXXChurch, but he has still found this to be more true in his world. They have been far more respectful, open to discussion, willing to share deep and personal information and take a look at Craig’s message of Jesus’ love and grace for them – than Ron has experienced with many Christians.
It is easy to group people as a whole, and I know many Christians/Churches who would welcome someone like Ron Jeremy in and be Jesus to him. And I know there will be some who want nothing to do with God or what Craig/XXXChurch are doing and saying. But since I follow Jesus, my focus is on our response as Christians to those who have not bought into the whole God/Jesus thing (for whatever reason).
Truly think about it… How would you respond if Ron Jeremy showed up to your church, small group, sunday school, home church, outreach event, singles group, etc…
Ok, so you think you can stomach it (as if that’s all we are called to do… stomach it…)
What if…
…President Obama walked in. I’ve seen many of my facebook friends wish for his personal (not just political) demise, or he be shipped off to Haiti, or even wish for God to take him too like Michael Jackson or Farrah Faucet. Oh, many times in joking, of course… Most would at least show respect for his position, but what about him as a human – just like you or me. There’s a big difference between disagreeing with his policies or direction, and tearing down and wishing ill on a another human being and his family…
… how about if Adam Lambert showed up. Saw the boards light up last year with praise to God for “making” Adam lose American Idol because he’s gay, even though his More >
thoughts on “Jesus Loves You…” by Craig Gross and Jason Harper – PART 1
Feb 8th
Doesn’t matter what you do or who you are: Jesus. Loves. You.
And there’s the summery of the book. See ya!!
Just kidding… well in a way I am. I wanted to pull a few quotes and thoughts from the book I liked (and make a few comments if needed), but essentially that is it – Jesus Loves You (hence the title 
).
The book is broken up into 10 chapters, or the stories of 10 different types of people the authors are with. They tell stories of their relationships with each type of person and why Jesus loves them (they do say over and over that Jesus loves everyone, it just so happens that the book takes a look at these 10 types specifically). Here’s the stories/chapters…
- Jesus Loves the:
- …Bitter and Betrayed
- … the Disconnected
- … Broken
- … Forgotten
- … Skeptic
- … Glutton
- … Crook
- … Outcast
- … Porn Star
- … Religious
After finishing the book one of my first thoughts was… “in the circles I grew up in and still to this day somewhat hang out in – many of them would think that there is More >
Jesus Creed Blog: “Friday is for Friends: Rachel Held Evans”
Nov 11th
Image via Wikipedia
My friend Kevin sent me a guest post by Rachel Held Evans on Scot McKnights blog, “Jesus Creed“.
Interesting post, that I’ll copy below. But I was also intrigued by a comment made by Bob Smallman about her post. Here’s what he wrote:
Along these lines is a comment by Rebecca Manley Pippert that I came across some years ago: “Jesus always seemed to be doing two things: asking questions and telling stories. Christians always seem to be doing two other things: giving answers and ‘preaching.’ “All four are necessary — at the right time and in the right place. But we tend to forget that the God of the Bible was an extraordinary communicator; we ignore Jesus’ example of how to start conversation, and we jump in prematurely with answers and sermonettes before the listener’s curiosity is aroused.”
What are you thoughts/initial reaction to this comment? Do you agree with his assertion that Jesus spent more time asking questions and telling stories; while Christians give answers and preach more? Are all four necessary, or do we only need a few now? Other observations?
To keep the comments in context, here is Rachel’s post (there is also a link to it on the “Jesus Creed” page hosted by Beliefnet.com”:
Friday is for Friends: Rachel Held Evans
Friday November 6, 2009
Categories: Bible
Hello, my name is Rachel, and I’m a recovering Bible snob.
I haven’t always been this way. As a child, the stories of the Bible enthralled me. I believed in them the way one believes in dinosaurs, Camelot, Abraham Lincoln, and other magical things that happened once upon a time.
As a teenager, the Bible evolved into a collection of affirmations designed to ease my angst-riddled existence (a hermeneutical shortcut Scot refers to as “morsels of blessings and promises” in The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible
), and in college, it served as my favorite answer book (Scot’s “big puzzle” shortcut).
How has your approach to the Bible changed over the years? Have you ever found yourself behaving like a Bible snob? How do you engage Scripture analytically without losing your childlike fondness for its stories?
It wasn’t until my early twenties that I began wrestling with the blue parakeets–those troublesome passages of Scripture that didn’t fit my theological grid, that seemed primitive and suspicious in light of modern science, that bothered my conscience, or that appeared contradictory. I went from loving the Bible to hating it for all the doubts it raised in my mind.
Thankfully, and by the grace of God, I learned to read the Bible in a new way. With the help folks like Scot, N.T. Wright, and Eugene Peterson, I began to think of the Bible as a collection of stories, stories that God uses to tell a grand Story in a variety of ways and expressions. Because language is always shaped by context, God spoke in Moses’ days in Moses’ ways, in Jesus’ days in Jesus’ ways, and in Paul’s days in Paul’s way. This approach–(what Scot refers to as the “Wiki-story” approach)–helped me make peace with the Bible.
But there was one problem.
It seemed I had very little patience for folks who read the Bible differently than I did.
“He’s reading WAY too much into the relationship between Adam and Eve,” I’d think to myself during a wedding ceremony. “She did NOT just More >
are we called to a culture war?
Jul 24th
- Image by drain via Flickr
i’m not sure how complete this thought is – but it’s been on my mind a lot lately after seeing many posts from christian friends on facebook and blogs…
so, is our calling as Christians to be at war against the prevailing culture around us? i’m serious too… is that what Jesus came for? is that what the scriptures teach us to do? is that what the early church did? is that what the Apostle Paul wrote letters to address the early church to do? was that the goal of his and the disciples journeys – to change the behavior of the culture, especially those who did not profess a faith in God?
again, this is not a flippant question – it’s an actual question.
is the “Good News” really all about:
+ making sure Gay Marriage doesn’t happen;
+ that we picket and call those who get an Abortion “sinners and whores”, but do absolutely nothing to walk with them before or after – just throw condemnation on them and feel better and holy about ourselves cause we aren’t sinners and murders like them;
+ we leave for dead and turn our backs on those who fall More >
did i fail?
Jul 13th
- Image by Saunderses via Flickr
from the time you are old enough to understand “evangelism” in the Southern Baptist Church – you learn or get the impression, right or wrong, that it is up to you to “complete the sale” or the “blood in on your hands”.
if this sounds like jiberish to you – that’s probably good. essentially, if you do not go out and share your faith with people and they die not knowing and go to hell – it’s all your fault. their blood is on your hands. you and you alone are responsible for their eternal torment.
now don’t get me wrong… if your faith is that important to you – then it’s worth sharing. and if it makes that much difference in life, it’s our privilege to live it and share it. but as Christians, we also realize that God has given everyone a choice whether to follow Him or not – right??? (depending on if your stance is more towards Calvinism or Arminianism, you could answer that either way).
so to my story…
i had the opportunity to sit with a friend and wonderful patient of hers, whose has a terrible disease (Lou Gehrig’s disease, or medically termed “Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis“). This cool lady asked my friend if she knew of someone she could talk to because she wanted to make peace with God before she leaves this world. as nervous and scarred as i was, i had the opportunity to spend about a couple of hours with her one night – listening to her stories of life, her questions of the future, her funny jokes, her struggles, her catholic backround, her belief in God, he anger with all this, her hope their is a reason for all this and her fears.
i guess where i’m getting to is this: we didn’t go over the four spiritual laws… she didn’t pray the prayer before i left… i don’t know where she truly stands with Jesus (although she did express and share of her belief in God)… but no completion of the evangelical sale was made…
so, did i fail? is her eternal blood on my hands because i didn’t lead her through the Roman Road or pray through a tract? where does God come in when it comes to drawing people to Him – is it in our hands or His? is it really my job to determine if she’s right with God or not? is her expression of belief in God enough for Him? what is God’s responsibility in all this?
if those questions sound flippant… there was a time when they would have been. but they are not now… in the Bible it talks about how we plant and water, but it is God who makes it grow – and that wasn’t just a metaphor for plants and crops… but I think for people too. but the whole “blood on my hands” and my responsibility stuff comes flooding back. and this faith in God and Jesus thing is so important to me.
i believe whole-heartedly that i was blessed and honered to get to spend time with this lady and my friend – talking about something that i love and that is my life… Jesus. i shared why i follow Him and what a mess my life was and would be without Him. i shared how little hope i’d have for my past present and future without it… because that is the whole truth. my life revolves around it – and it is my whole life. it’s who i am…
my friend told me that this sweet lady loved our time together and that that is the most peacefully she has slept in so long. does that mean anything, i don’t know… but i am choosing to truly believe that God has a role in the whole thing and that it is truly between her and Him in the end… as it is with all of us.
i’m glad i got to listen and to serve this lady… it was an honor.
honestly… thoughts? this is a true wondering – not a slam on church or the southern baptists or the four spiritual laws thing… just a “where do we come in and where does God come in”? how responsible are we as apposed to God’s role in it all?
p.s. – here is a video from the comedian Penn Jillette – talking about a guy who gave him a bible and how he showed real care for him – and how if truly is this important to us, that we must hate people if we don’t share.
thoughts on this too?
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the furious longing of God… part 2
Jun 25th
- Cover of The Furious Longing of God
to continue the posts after i just finished “the furious longing of God” by Brennan Manning; here’s the 2 part in a 2-parter on the things that really hit me in what he wrote. i’ll again do a quote/excerpt from the book and put a few comments below!
“My God, My Abba, Why, Why have You forsaken Me now”. St. John of the Cross said it will never be given to any human heart to understand the depth of desolation, utter abandonment, incredible loneliness, and complete forsaken that lay behind Jesus’ cry. But even in that cry, there is no indication that Jesus ever lost trust or hope or confidence in His Abba”
it’s kind of hard to fathom what Jesus could have felt. The weight of his task at hand, the emotions and thoughts of a human being going to die, the divine nature that was so in sync with the Father that has now been split… the sins of the world – past, present and future. for me, it kind of puts the petty things i complain to God about that He didn’t give me what i wanted or felt like He’s not hearing me.
Jesus said you are to love one another as I have loved you, a love that will possibly lead to the bloody, anguished gift of yourself; a love that forgives seventy times seven, that keeps More >
