Today’s Readings: Psalm 12; Exodus 3:19-35; Luke 11:14-26; Romans 10:21-11:6; Psalm 1
If you don’t read Scripture carefully, it’s easy to miss some of the subtle – but important – differences that exist. Take a concept that is conveyed in today’s passage from Luke for example. In today’s passage, we are told Jesus said: “This is a war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse” (Luke 11:23 – The Message). There is a very different take on this concept contained in the Gospel of Mark. In the 9th chapter of Mark we are told that Jesus and his disciples had recently encountered a man who was driving out demons in Jesus name. The disciples told Jesus they asked the man to stop. Jesus reply? “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us if for us” (Mark 39-40 – The Message). Some get drawn into what I feel is a sort of artificial debate about which expression best captures Jesus’ point: is Jesus’ point the one contained in Luke (“If you’re not for me, you’re against me”) or is it the one contained in Mark (“If you’re not against me, you’re for me”). Here’s my position in the debate: they both capture Jesus’ point. You see as I read the passages, I realize that Jesus was speaking to two very different situations. In the passage from Mark Jesus was speaking about a man who was doing good in Jesus’ name. In the passage from Luke, Jesus was speaking in response to a controversy that some had created in order to undermine his credibility. Different situations; different ways of making his point. So what does all of this have to do with our lives today? Well, the exercise I just led you through reminds us that our faith and its expression is often contextual. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all way of approaching our faith. Sound bites may work for candidates in elections, but they fail miserably when trying to convey the depth and complexity of our faith. Today I hope you’ll join me in giving thanks for a faith that not only recognizes the different circumstances of our lives, but actually speaks to them directly as well. Til next time…
If you don’t read Scripture carefully, it’s easy to miss some of the subtle – but important – differences that exist. Take a concept that is conveyed in today’s passage from Luke for example. In today’s passage, we are told Jesus said: “This is a war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse” (Luke 11:23 – The Message). There is a very different take on this concept contained in the Gospel of Mark. In the 9th chapter of Mark we are told that Jesus and his disciples had recently encountered a man who was driving out demons in Jesus name. The disciples told Jesus they asked the man to stop. Jesus reply? “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us if for us” (Mark 39-40 – The Message). Some get drawn into what I feel is a sort of artificial debate about which expression best captures Jesus’ point: is Jesus’ point the one contained in Luke (“If you’re not for me, you’re against me”) or is it the one contained in Mark (“If you’re not against me, you’re for me”). Here’s my position in the debate: they both capture Jesus’ point. You see as I read the passages, I realize that Jesus was speaking to two very different situations. In the passage from Mark Jesus was speaking about a man who was doing good in Jesus’ name. In the passage from Luke, Jesus was speaking in response to a controversy that some had created in order to undermine his credibility. Different situations; different ways of making his point. So what does all of this have to do with our lives today? Well, the exercise I just led you through reminds us that our faith and its expression is often contextual. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all way of approaching our faith. Sound bites may work for candidates in elections, but they fail miserably when trying to convey the depth and complexity of our faith. Today I hope you’ll join me in giving thanks for a faith that not only recognizes the different circumstances of our lives, but actually speaks to them directly as well. Til next time…
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