DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE KNOWS?
by Bob Wickizer
Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:26-27, 2 Samuel 12:1-31, 2 Samuel 13:1-22, 2 Samuel 14:1-33, 2 Samuel 15:1-37
Do You Know What He Knows?
Bob Wickizer
2 Samuel 11:26-15
This seems to be Muhammed Ali week and like any major news event, I must confess that after a while I grow tired of the daily news barrage. But this week I heard a snippet about the great boxing inspiration that made me think about Jesus. The journalist being interviewed noted that Ali was of course a minority and he said, ''all minorities use their bodies to get anywhere... it's all they have.'' The best schools were generally closed to minorities. Businesses were nearly impossible to break into, so sports (and entertainment) became the primary routes that all minorities followed on their path to better things. The journalist continued by saying ''For a boxer, you sacrifice your body again and again because you believe you have a greater calling for yourself and your people.'' In that sense Jesus was also a minority and he would understand Ali's calling to lift up his people much more than any of us might want to admit.
Today's gospel is about Jesus' body in ways that will surprise and possibly shock you. On the surface the lesson seems straightforward about sinfulness and forgiveness, but there is a lot more going on here that is important for us to ponder. Remember that Jesus is a religious minority who wants to return Jews to faithfulness in God and righteousness in their behavior. His only tools for teaching are his body and his words.
The story begins with Simon, a faithful Jew who has worked and studied to the point that he is now a well-respected Pharisee in his village. He has more income than most of the villagers and he has heard a lot of rumors about this itinerant rabbi from Galilee. Simon is eager to meet this firebrand rabbi so he invites Jesus to dinner. Simon hopes they can enjoy an evening of relaxed dining, good food and good conversation. Simon has struggled with certain parts of the Torah and he hopes that perhaps Jesus can shed some light on it. Simon has heard that this ra ...
Bob Wickizer
2 Samuel 11:26-15
This seems to be Muhammed Ali week and like any major news event, I must confess that after a while I grow tired of the daily news barrage. But this week I heard a snippet about the great boxing inspiration that made me think about Jesus. The journalist being interviewed noted that Ali was of course a minority and he said, ''all minorities use their bodies to get anywhere... it's all they have.'' The best schools were generally closed to minorities. Businesses were nearly impossible to break into, so sports (and entertainment) became the primary routes that all minorities followed on their path to better things. The journalist continued by saying ''For a boxer, you sacrifice your body again and again because you believe you have a greater calling for yourself and your people.'' In that sense Jesus was also a minority and he would understand Ali's calling to lift up his people much more than any of us might want to admit.
Today's gospel is about Jesus' body in ways that will surprise and possibly shock you. On the surface the lesson seems straightforward about sinfulness and forgiveness, but there is a lot more going on here that is important for us to ponder. Remember that Jesus is a religious minority who wants to return Jews to faithfulness in God and righteousness in their behavior. His only tools for teaching are his body and his words.
The story begins with Simon, a faithful Jew who has worked and studied to the point that he is now a well-respected Pharisee in his village. He has more income than most of the villagers and he has heard a lot of rumors about this itinerant rabbi from Galilee. Simon is eager to meet this firebrand rabbi so he invites Jesus to dinner. Simon hopes they can enjoy an evening of relaxed dining, good food and good conversation. Simon has struggled with certain parts of the Torah and he hopes that perhaps Jesus can shed some light on it. Simon has heard that this ra ...
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