December 13, 2006
Who is this Jesus guy anyway?
When you hear the name, Jesus, what comes to your mind? Savior, King, Friend, That cool guy with a beard? Are there particular scriptures about Jesus that you find meaningful? Are there stories about how you have experienced Jesus in your own life that you could share with others? Tell us what you think.
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5 comments:
This really isnt a story or anything but what I think a lot of people forget is that Jesus was not teaching the priests and people who were religious leaders but the people who needed to be taught to. He was with taxpayers, criples. fishermen, and lepors. What we need to realize in our own lives is that we should not just spread the word to those we find convienent but to those who really need it.
I definitely agree! In fact, often the "religious people" weren't all that keen on Jesus. He seemed too radical to them. He didn't do things the way they had always been done! He shook things up and that made the "church people" uncomfortable.
So what does that mean for us? We often stay in the groups that make us most comfortable and chose the paths that are the easiest. Perhaps we should look at our lives at the start of this new year and try to find some ways to connect with those who really need it. Any suggestions?
I've been thinking a lot about Beth's question about what this means for us.... Maybe it means that it's a mistake for us to assume that the church can give us all the answers. Maybe it suggests that we need to learn to listen for Jesus' voice both inside and outside the church. Some people might be nervous about this and wonder how we will be able to tell what is and what isn't Jesus' voice, but maybe the things that rainman is reminding us about Jesus can help us to recognize that that we can't be any more certain about that with the "church's" answers than with the "non-church" answers. Either way, whether listening to voices inside the church or outside the church, we have to work at figuring out how to discern what is and what isn't Jesus' voice. These are just my thoughts. I'd love to hear what others think as well!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. These are some very good points. I would add that I agree that we can hear the voice of Jesus both within and outside of the formal church structure that we have. While the church is flawed, I believe that Jesus is still able to work through it when we are listening to his voice and following his direction. I also believe, however, that Jesus is not limited to the church to do his work and that he is at work in the lives of people who do not even yet realize it. This is why it is important for us even in the midst of our daily activities to be always looking for what God is doing in our midst.
Finally, I believe the issue of discerning Jesus' voice wherever we are is an important and ongoing reality both inside and outside of the church. I would offer three things that I believe assist us in this work. 1. Study of scripture: If we know what Jesus did while he was here, we will be more able to recognize what he is doing now. 2. Community discernment: None of us have the ablity to clearly hear God 100% of the time, but by discerning together, I believe that we are more able to sort out what God is saying to us. 3. Practice & Quiet: I believe that as we spend time in quiet seeking God's voice and as we practice looking for what God is doing, we will be more able to recognize it. Responses?
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