Be honest.
Do you ever get the feeling that Jesus would never choose to hang out in the places we’ve built for him? Do you ever feel like Jesus’ message of radical love, mercy and forgiveness has been drowned out by the voices of judgment, condemnation, and stagnant ritualistic religion? Do you ever get the sense that the church was never meant to be about helping itself, but about helping the world? Do you ever get the nagging feeling that Jesus never intended the church to be comfortable and controlled, but instead an untamable movement that challenges the way things have always been done? Have you ever longed to be a part of a community that isn’t afraid to experience God in new and creative ways? (Yeah, us too.)
6 comments:
First off...nice words in your lesson Babe. Towards the end of Mark I am reminded of my lack of faith sometimes when I think MY plan is better than God's! Has he ever let us Drown??? NO! May I "Be Still" and cling to Him.
The beginning of Chapter 4 reminds me of Godspell. (How could it not... Most of my (random) thoughts on this Chapter stem from the fact that Jesus spoke in parables...these sometimes riddles...of a life lesson that leaves even the disciples confused at times. I think it is important for the greenroom launch team to be exploring the Words of Christ and ask questions...so that we too can be prepared to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to A2. For so long (I believe) Jesus has been misrepresented to the acting/creative community and that is why I am embracing this incredible opportunity to shine His light and represent Him well in this new movement. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.
Dee I love your prayer about being still. This challenge the both of you have given of reading one chapter at a time and only the one chapter. So often my mind gets clogged going in different directions and thoughts. Then I try to make time seperate from everything else to do this one task and it is much more difficult than I think it should be. If I may join you in your prayer Dee that I may "still" my heart and my mind to meditate on that which He says.
Okay, here's my big, scary thought about parables. In Mark 4, Jesus plainly states the reason for parables are so people '...may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!' Now starts this tough journey into what seem to be the contradictions of Christianity. In a religion that teaches salvation for all, here is an instance where, it seems, Jesus is clearly separating his disciples from the rest of humanity, hoping that they WON'T be saved. Why?! Any thoughts?
Having said that, the parables in this chapter are some of my favorite, and speak volumes for where I think the greenroom should go. Take for example the mustard seed. WE are that mustard seed. Just a tiny group of devoted followers, planting ourselves in Ann Arbor...and it's only through God's Grace, and the inexplicable power of His Kingdom, will we grow into a big, wonderful movement, full of "branches" where all of God's children can come rest in it's shade. At least thats what I pray. I just feel blessed to be a part of it. thanks!
Thanks for not dodging the questions Aral. It's important that we wrestle with the difficult and challenging passages of the bible. That's exactly what God wants us to do. How else are we going to grow closer to him? You're right. Jesus' statement in Mark 4:12 seems completely out of character for Jesus. Anytime we come across a passage that doesn't seem to match up with the surrounding actions and words of Jesus, we must carefully examine the true nature of the statement. So let's look at it.
First of all, Mark originally wrote his gospel in the Greek language. Now, the Greek word for "otherwise" is μήπως (mepos). μήπως can also be translated as "perhaps". So Mark 4:12 can also be read this way: "So that they may ever be seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; PERHAPS then they might turn and be forgiven."
If we read it this way, Jesus seems as if he is longing for a change of heart on the part of those who have rejected the Kingdom of Love.
Something else to remember; Jesus is speaking from the words of Isaiah, the old Testament prophet. In the 3rd century B.C. the Hebrew Old Testament scriptures were translated into Greek. The Greek version of the scriptures was called the Septuagint. It was abundantly more popular than the Hebrew scriptures during the time of Jesus. Now in the Septuagint, this passage from Isaiah (that Jesus is referring to) reads like this: "And God said go and say to the people "'You shall hear indeed, but you shall not understand; and seeing you shall not perceive.'" For the heart of His people has been gross, and their eyes have been closed; otherwise at any time they would see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and should be converted and I shall heal them."
The Greek version communicates that it is not God who intends for people to be blind to the truth, but it is the people who have MADE THEMSELVES spiritually blind. It also shows a desire on the part of God to be the healing agent to those who would turn back to Him.
One last thing; We must remember it was the religious leaders that Jesus was referring to when he speaks of the spiritually blind and deaf. The religious leaders thought they already knew all there was to know about God. Their hearts were unwilling to see God in a new light. They were completely unwilling to open their hearts and minds to the grace-filled Kingdom of God. They saw Jesus as a threat to their way of life. Jesus did not come for the self righteous, but he came to save those who were humbly searching for God in the midst of there sin and suffering.
Are we willing to open our hearts and see the Father the way Jesus wants us to see him?
Babe, as you know, I too believe that Jesus has been misrepresented to the creative artist community. As a matter of fact, when I read the gospels I see Jesus, in many ways, looking like a creative artist himself.(maybe this is why most of our friends in the arts still have a high view of Jesus) He was always creatively thinking outside the box, using drama and storytelling to teach about God, rebelling against the consumerism and commercialism of the day, and never spoon feeding his audience but challenging them to see things differently.
Is there any other ways Jesus looks a lot like an artist?
"Jesus veiling the truth from unbelievers this way was both an act of judgment and an act of mercy. It was 'judgment' because it kept them in the darkness that they loved (John 3:19), but it was 'mercy' because they had already rejected the light, so any exposure to more truth would only increase their condemnation." ~ John MacArthur Study Bible note on Matthew 13:3
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus told parables to crowds of various people; not just the religious leaders. Those who believed did so because their eyes & hearts were opened by God (they were drawn to the truth). Those who did not had hardened their hearts against God (including but not limited to the religous leaders). The "mystery" (v11) refers to the kingdom of heaven which Christ was communicating in parables. This mystery was revealed to those who believed and concealed to those who rejected Christ.
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