WEAKNESS TO THRIVE (12 OF 49)
Scripture: 1st Corinthians 1:18-31
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Weakness to Thrive (12 of 49)
Series: Lectionary, Year B, Lent 03
Christopher B. Harbin
1st Corinthians 1:18-31
The gospel is counter-cultural. Well, it is much more than that. It is counter-intuitive. It is counter-instinctual. It runs against so many of our human notions which extend from culture to culture and society to society. Often as not, we simply ignore those aspects in which the gospel would call us to give better account of ourselves, our attitudes, our words, and our actions. We live in a world of cognitive dissonance, where we echo gospel principles of grace, while desperately attempting to wield the power of violence as a means of justice. How can we hope to thrive in a life of faith when we are so prone to consider embodying the gospel as foolishness, weakness, and at best naive?
Those religious leaders who turned Jesus over to be killed were only too willing to make use of Rome's sword to carry out what they believed to be God's will. The zealots who persecuted Paul were ready to use any violent means in their quest to rid the world of Paul's preaching. Peter found himself at odds with Jesus by wielding a sword to protect him from the violent injustice directed toward Jesus. The same Jesus, however, categorically refused to wield that kind of power. While he had ample authority to call down angelic legions to fight in his defense, he determined that the gospel was not advanced by violent means, power to harm, or threat of death.
Power and force were the provenance of Rome. They were the soldier's stock in trade. They were the main tool by which Rome held the Jews and so many other peoples in check. They were the tactics the Jews wanted to depend upon to gain release from their overlords. Time and again, however, Yahweh's victory had been granted the people without the use of force. They had been redeemed from Egyptian bondage without weapons of any kind. They had defeated Jericho with a march, shout, and the blowing of trumpets. Gideo ...
Series: Lectionary, Year B, Lent 03
Christopher B. Harbin
1st Corinthians 1:18-31
The gospel is counter-cultural. Well, it is much more than that. It is counter-intuitive. It is counter-instinctual. It runs against so many of our human notions which extend from culture to culture and society to society. Often as not, we simply ignore those aspects in which the gospel would call us to give better account of ourselves, our attitudes, our words, and our actions. We live in a world of cognitive dissonance, where we echo gospel principles of grace, while desperately attempting to wield the power of violence as a means of justice. How can we hope to thrive in a life of faith when we are so prone to consider embodying the gospel as foolishness, weakness, and at best naive?
Those religious leaders who turned Jesus over to be killed were only too willing to make use of Rome's sword to carry out what they believed to be God's will. The zealots who persecuted Paul were ready to use any violent means in their quest to rid the world of Paul's preaching. Peter found himself at odds with Jesus by wielding a sword to protect him from the violent injustice directed toward Jesus. The same Jesus, however, categorically refused to wield that kind of power. While he had ample authority to call down angelic legions to fight in his defense, he determined that the gospel was not advanced by violent means, power to harm, or threat of death.
Power and force were the provenance of Rome. They were the soldier's stock in trade. They were the main tool by which Rome held the Jews and so many other peoples in check. They were the tactics the Jews wanted to depend upon to gain release from their overlords. Time and again, however, Yahweh's victory had been granted the people without the use of force. They had been redeemed from Egyptian bondage without weapons of any kind. They had defeated Jericho with a march, shout, and the blowing of trumpets. Gideo ...
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