Comments for One Little Word http://onelittleword.org Theological Podcasting and Conversation Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:00:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on Less Sex; More Bible; That’s What My Church Needs by Ed http://onelittleword.org/?p=653&cpage=1#comment-79 Ed Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:00:50 +0000 http://onelittleword.org/?p=653#comment-79 Nicely done Dave. Such a difficult, divisive subject, and you go and admonish us that we're to focus on Christ and the Gospel versus the issue...sheesh ;-) You do bring up another point though - that unless this (or any other) issue directly prevents us from learning what God would do with us and prevents us from deeper fellowship with him, we are bound to keep our focus on Christ and learn what he will teach us. Let others get stalled by the arguments - Christ calls us forward even when the seas around us turn stormy and wild. It reminds me of Jesus calling Peter to come out of the boat. Peter's focus determined whether he would walk on the water or sink below the waves. Perhaps our focus will determine whether we walk with Christ or sink into dissension... Nicely done Dave. Such a difficult, divisive subject, and you go and admonish us that we’re to focus on Christ and the Gospel versus the issue…sheesh ;-)

You do bring up another point though – that unless this (or any other) issue directly prevents us from learning what God would do with us and prevents us from deeper fellowship with him, we are bound to keep our focus on Christ and learn what he will teach us.

Let others get stalled by the arguments – Christ calls us forward even when the seas around us turn stormy and wild. It reminds me of Jesus calling Peter to come out of the boat. Peter’s focus determined whether he would walk on the water or sink below the waves. Perhaps our focus will determine whether we walk with Christ or sink into dissension…

]]> Comment on Less Sex; More Bible; That’s What My Church Needs by andrewnak http://onelittleword.org/?p=653&cpage=1#comment-78 andrewnak Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:36:55 +0000 http://onelittleword.org/?p=653#comment-78 I think you begin to persuade me. I think you begin to persuade me.

]]> Comment on Passion Sunday / Palm Sunday (4/5/2009) by grandpa john http://onelittleword.org/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-51 grandpa john Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:02:05 +0000 http://onelittleword.org/?p=230#comment-51 Although I know the outcome and that Jesus will raise from the dead, I don"t like reading what happened that day. I get angry and it makes me sad. Why didn"t Pilate act lke the fair man I think he was? Why did he let the chief priest convict Jesus with no evidence. Why did he let the crowd push him into letting Barabbas go free and not Jesus. I really think he wanted to free Jesus. I just want to grab Pilate by the shoulders and shake him! Why do I feel that way? Am I alone? Wish we were going to be there during holey week. thanks Although I know the outcome and that Jesus will raise from the dead, I don”t like reading what happened that day. I get angry and it makes me sad. Why didn”t Pilate act lke the fair man I think he was? Why did he let the chief priest convict Jesus with no evidence. Why did he let the crowd push him into letting Barabbas go free and not Jesus. I really think he wanted to free Jesus.
I just want to grab Pilate by the shoulders and shake him!
Why do I feel that way? Am I alone?
Wish we were going to be there during holey week.
thanks

]]> Comment on The Third Sunday in Lent (3/15/2009) by Dave Risendal http://onelittleword.org/?p=177&cpage=1#comment-49 Dave Risendal Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:45:40 +0000 http://onelittleword.org/?p=177#comment-49 I think you both make good points, and I would add one additional comment: that it is important for us to read the text in the midst of a faith community. When we only study the Bible on our own, or when there is only one source of Biblical authority that we acknowledge, we run the risk of ending up like Jonestown or Waco. But when we read together with other faithful students, we broaden our perspective, and become more likely to hear what God is actually trying to say to us. We'll never see the full breadth of what God is doing, of course. But the wider our conversations range, the less likely we are to be completly blinded by our own perspectives. I think you both make good points, and I would add one additional comment: that it is important for us to read the text in the midst of a faith community. When we only study the Bible on our own, or when there is only one source of Biblical authority that we acknowledge, we run the risk of ending up like Jonestown or Waco. But when we read together with other faithful students, we broaden our perspective, and become more likely to hear what God is actually trying to say to us. We’ll never see the full breadth of what God is doing, of course. But the wider our conversations range, the less likely we are to be completly blinded by our own perspectives.

]]> Comment on The Third Sunday in Lent (3/15/2009) by Ed http://onelittleword.org/?p=177&cpage=1#comment-48 Ed Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:26:28 +0000 http://onelittleword.org/?p=177#comment-48 Andy, I think that your questions are exactly why we can't study the Bible, Christ or anything else about our faith without the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we might get lulled into wanting to make it an intellectual exercise which is far easier than listening for God's Spirit and acting accordingly. The Holy Spirit is what makes Christian faith alive instead of a just study of a really important book and person from 2,000 years ago. Without the Spirit we just have a debate about our American Jesus.... Andy, I think that your questions are exactly why we can’t study the Bible, Christ or anything else about our faith without the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we might get lulled into wanting to make it an intellectual exercise which is far easier than listening for God’s Spirit and acting accordingly. The Holy Spirit is what makes Christian faith alive instead of a just study of a really important book and person from 2,000 years ago. Without the Spirit we just have a debate about our American Jesus….

]]> Comment on The Third Sunday in Lent (3/15/2009) by andrewnak http://onelittleword.org/?p=177&cpage=1#comment-47 andrewnak Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:46:34 +0000 http://onelittleword.org/?p=177#comment-47 How can we escape the predicament of meeting Christ on our own terms? We process everything that comes to us not only through our personal biases, intellect, emotions, etc., and all of these are based within the broader context of our American culture. How can we know the Jesus of all nations and peoples? How can we know the Jesus of time and eternity from our narrow perspective? On the other hand, aren't these questions directionally backwards? Isn't it God who finds us, comes to us, meets us where we are and for who we are? How can we escape the predicament of meeting Christ on our own terms? We process everything that comes to us not only through our personal biases, intellect, emotions, etc., and all of these are based within the broader context of our American culture. How can we know the Jesus of all nations and peoples? How can we know the Jesus of time and eternity from our narrow perspective? On the other hand, aren’t these questions directionally backwards? Isn’t it God who finds us, comes to us, meets us where we are and for who we are?

]]> Comment on The Third Sunday in Lent (3/15/2009) by Dave Risendal http://onelittleword.org/?p=177&cpage=1#comment-46 Dave Risendal Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:02:35 +0000 http://onelittleword.org/?p=177#comment-46 That's the rub, isn't it? I know which face of Christ I want to see and when. (And in my prayer life I take great pains to explain that to God.) But to meet Christ on my terms is not to meet Christ. In Bible study today I asked the group this question: "If Christ was perturbed about something in the worship life of first century Israel, and that's why he responded so brashly in this Gospel, what do we suspect might be offensive to him today in our worship life?" We had a hard time coming up with answers to that one. Seems to me that the season of Lent is a great time to ask that of ourselves and of our congregations. Thanks for the good comment, Ed. That’s the rub, isn’t it? I know which face of Christ I want to see and when. (And in my prayer life I take great pains to explain that to God.) But to meet Christ on my terms is not to meet Christ. In Bible study today I asked the group this question: “If Christ was perturbed about something in the worship life of first century Israel, and that’s why he responded so brashly in this Gospel, what do we suspect might be offensive to him today in our worship life?” We had a hard time coming up with answers to that one. Seems to me that the season of Lent is a great time to ask that of ourselves and of our congregations.
Thanks for the good comment, Ed.

]]> Comment on The Third Sunday in Lent (3/15/2009) by Ed http://onelittleword.org/?p=177&cpage=1#comment-45 Ed Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:33:12 +0000 http://onelittleword.org/?p=177#comment-45 Great message this week Dave! How to reconcile which Christ really comes to us, what he really wants as opposed to the one we want to see, that's the real question isn't it? Although it's easy to see Christ in our terms (I.e. the kind hearted Norwegian or the fiery hellfire and brimstone preacher), to have him "change" to meet us on our terms, Christ comes on HIS terms and expects us to change. How utterly inconvenient...... ;-) ~Ed Great message this week Dave! How to reconcile which Christ really comes to us, what he really wants as opposed to the one we want to see, that’s the real question isn’t it? Although it’s easy to see Christ in our terms (I.e. the kind hearted Norwegian or the fiery hellfire and brimstone preacher), to have him “change” to meet us on our terms, Christ comes on HIS terms and expects us to change.

How utterly inconvenient…… ;-)

~Ed

]]> Comment on The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany (2/15/2009) by Dave Risendal http://onelittleword.org/?p=162&cpage=1#comment-43 Dave Risendal Wed, 11 Feb 2009 22:16:27 +0000 http://onelittleword.org/?p=162#comment-43 Hi Ken, Very rich passage. Thanks for your comments. I've been talking with people the past couple of days about this exchange between Jesus and the leper (and the eventual priest). It seems to me that the NRSV lightens up the impact of the leper's challenge. "Thelow" is stronger than "if you choose." "If you desire." "If you care." The leper is challenging Jesus ("Do you really care about me or not?"), and Jesus responds with deep seated compassion. He then challenges the religious leadership. Not only does he break the law (by pre-empting the preist's responsiblity to decare this leper cleansed) , but he sticks it in their face by directing the leper to go to the priest and make the appropriate contribution "as testimony." I've already been made clean. I've already been healed. I'll drop my coin in the coffer, but your system has been put on notice. Your time is short. God is begining to move in an entirely new and wonderful way. No wonder they killed him... Dave Hi Ken,

Very rich passage. Thanks for your comments.

I’ve been talking with people the past couple of days about this exchange between Jesus and the leper (and the eventual priest). It seems to me that the NRSV lightens up the impact of the leper’s challenge. “Thelow” is stronger than “if you choose.” “If you desire.” “If you care.” The leper is challenging Jesus (“Do you really care about me or not?”), and Jesus responds with deep seated compassion. He then challenges the religious leadership. Not only does he break the law (by pre-empting the preist’s responsiblity to decare this leper cleansed) , but he sticks it in their face by directing the leper to go to the priest and make the appropriate contribution “as testimony.” I’ve already been made clean. I’ve already been healed. I’ll drop my coin in the coffer, but your system has been put on notice. Your time is short. God is begining to move in an entirely new and wonderful way.

No wonder they killed him…

Dave

]]> Comment on The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany (2/15/2009) by kmstrecker http://onelittleword.org/?p=162&cpage=1#comment-42 kmstrecker Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:50:32 +0000 http://onelittleword.org/?p=162#comment-42 Hi Dave, This passage tells us a lot about Jesus' determination to bring wholeness. For Mark, to place this story at the beginning part of his Gospel is very provocative. The leper knew that Jesus could help him. The words "if you choose" talks about the intentionality of Jesus and the faith of the leper. Jesus' instruction to "say nothing to anyone" would have been important for Jesus mission, but the leper could not hold it in, then Jesus reputation could have been saved. Instead, the religious leadership were justified in condeming him as a "sinner" as well. The "What would others think?" did not deter Jesus from this bold move. How often we consider what others think about our actions. Ken Hi Dave,
This passage tells us a lot about Jesus’ determination to bring wholeness. For Mark, to place this story at the beginning part of his Gospel is very provocative. The leper knew that Jesus could help him. The words “if you choose” talks about the intentionality of Jesus and the faith of the leper. Jesus’ instruction to “say nothing to anyone” would have been important for Jesus mission, but the leper could not hold it in, then Jesus reputation could have been saved. Instead, the religious leadership were justified in condeming him as a “sinner” as well. The “What would others think?” did not deter Jesus from this bold move. How often we consider what others think about our actions.
Ken

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