Simply Jesus - #3

I read the chapters this afternoon and completely spaced on writing a blog. Still processing some thoughts. This will be short and may be a bit scattered. I'll add more in the comments later. (I am super pumped about reading the last couple of chapters.)
I enjoyed chapter 11. The idea of time moving somewhere was fascinating to me. Two thoughts about looking at time in a linear fashion. It gives great insight into the Old Testament (an idea fleshed out in part in chapter 12). The stories of old mean something and were part of God's ongoing, creative work. As Jesus' life here on earth is a part (the climax) of the ongoing, redemptive process, so too are we called to be a part of the story. God's time meeting our time (perfectly exemplified in Jesus) is happening. The story is unfolding. Will we participate? Mother Teresa said, "I am but a pencil in the hand of God" (or something close to it).

Deism affects a lot of people in our culture. What does Jesus' life say about Deism? God is concerned about the here and now as much as he is about the 'great, gettin' up mornin'. Jesus seemed to be focused on the Kingdom at hand as well. In Christ, 'time is fulfilled.' The good news is about today and tomorrow. Furthermore, deism pins God distant from suffering. Jesus' life paints a different image. God is not distant to our suffering. He moved into our neighborhood in order to suffer with us. How else does Deism affect perception of who God is and what Jesus' life means for us?

Mark

My resolution

I have tried commenting on the last post a couple times tonight, but for some reason my screen goes white when I click to comment.

I love to start new things. It's fun and easy. Finishing is another story. It's not that I don't like to finish things, it's just that I rarely do. Books are the worst. I cannot tell you how many books I have started and not finished (including a couple other N.T. Wright books). This is one of the reasons I wanted to start this blog...accountability. So, I am determined to finish this text and I thought I would set a schedule for myself. I know we are all busy. This is something I need to do. I broke down the final couple of chapters to give us a little more time with the material. I am not expecting you guys to post or comment more than you have been (or at all). In fact, I'll be the first to post unless one of you beat me to it. Check-in on Thursday...if you don't see a post or comment from me, bust me. I'm serious. Hope we can revisit much of what we have already read and questions that have been raised after we finish the text.

Ch. 11-12: Thursday, Jan. 19th
Ch. 13-14: Monday, Jan. 23rd
Ch. 15: Thursday, Jan. 26th

Thanks brothers!
Mark

Simply Jesus 2- Now and then

Ok...here is the start so we can start the discussion. I will post more later with quotes and such from the book. Feel free to add quotes you thought were good before I do if you want.

I love a few things and found them helpful as I was reading. 1st, his idea of where hope comes from. On pg 63 I believe, Wright says. "so where did the hope come from? How in earth do You sustain hope over more than half a millennium while you're watching one regime after another come and go, some promising better things, but all letting you down in the end? How can you go on believing, from generation to generation, that one day God will come and take charge? Re-living the Exodus Answer: you tell the story, you sing the songs, and you keep celebrating God's victory, even though it keeps on not happening."

Hope comes from immersion in a story that gives identity and ethic. I think that is from Bib Faith with Tim Green. The story of the Bible gives identity and ethic. It also gives hope. Because we serve the creator God, because we know that the earth is not like he created it to be, because we have the promise that It will not always be like this, we have hope that it is true and will not always be like this. (I could obviously write more and do not feel like I am doing it justice, but this is why we have conversation.). So more on that later.

On another thread,I love Te flow that goes through history and those who were hopeful Messiah's...the battle and cleansing/rebuilding of the temple. Made a lot of sense and it was cool to see how it has played out throughout history. Also cool to see how this Kingdom is different in how it was excited and carried out.

Also, more on that later.

So, write away and respond...I will try to write more later tonight.