Readings:
Genesis 26 and 27
Matthew 10
Genesis:
Eventually, the people will be sent to Egypt during a famine, but not this famine. It is interesting that the text makes it clear where you are NOT to go. It would be like someone saying, "make sure you don't go to Montana".
"Okay. Hadn't really been planning on it, but thanks for the tip."
Isaac does have to leave the land Abraham wanted him to stay, and is instructed to become a sojourner again.
Isaac prospers in Gerar, causing the local inhabitants to say, "we can just look at you and tell that God is on your side". The 'prosperity gospel' is alive and well in the attitude of the Philistines. Material success has long been connected to God's favor. It seems in juxtaposition with our chapter in Matthew (see below), however. How often do we assume that prosperity equals God's favor? Or worse, that difficulty and poverty are signs of God's dis-favor?
The text returns to Jacob and Esau. Jacob has already stolen his brother's birthright in chapter 25. But in chapter 27, with his mother's help, he steals Esau's blessing as well. In verse 38, after Esau and Isaac realize they've been duped, again, Esau asks the question I want to ask. "Have you only one blessing, Father?"
Why can't the blessing be given, correctly, to the son Isaac intended to give it?
Isaac answers him, but do you consider the answer in verses 39 and 40 to be a blessing?
Matthew:
In this chapter, Jesus sends his disciples out to do their work. Remember that in the previous chapter, he has compassion for the crowd because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he is now sending out some shepherds to help out.
But he wants to make sure that nobody has any illusions about the consequences of shepherding his sheep. You can expect hatred, persecution, and trouble--even from your family.
This section is troubling, but try to keep the entire chapter in mind when you are reading through it. Because as he says, "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword"(v. 34), he also says, "Do not be afraid" (v. 31).
Jesus doesn't want his disciples to go into their discipleship without full knowledge.
And think about how this difficult section could actually be encouraging. Yes, this will be hard. Yes, you might be persecuted. Yes, your family might even turn against you. BUT, the reward is great for those who shepherd his sheep. "and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” (v. 42).
This chapter should, perhaps, cause us to reconsider the gifts we give people when they join the church. Maybe crash helmets would be more appropriate gifts than what is sold at the average Christian gift store.
Showing posts with label blessing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blessing. Show all posts
June 6, 2009
Readings:
Genesis 12 and 13
Matthew 5
Genesis:
Covenant was introduced in the Noah story, but this is the beginning of the Abrahamic covenant. Buckle your seatbelts for the rest of this Genesis ride, folks! Abram is sent by God to a new land. He will be a blessing. Abram is prototypical in this story, as are most characters in Genesis. This means that these characters stand for more than just themselves. The story of Abram is the story of the people of Israel. Throughout the rest of this narrative, listen for words of blessing, for providence, for promises being made and kept, and for God's faithfulness in the midst of human's humanness.
12:10 the NRSV translates a Hebrew word as "reside there as an alien". The other translation is "sojourner". Much of the story of Israel is of being "sojourners" or "strangers in a strange land". How does that, even today, shape the experience of the nation Israel?
Matthew:
This begins the Sermon on the Mount. There is actually a mount. It is very near Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Some translations differ from the NRSV on the word "blessed are..." in the beatitudes. The word could also mean "happy are..."
Notice the similarities and the differences between Matthew and Luke's account of the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew's account is much longer, to start with.
But there is very much a sense of radical realignment of how things are supposed to be. "Happy are you who mourn." Really? How?
I would argue that all people who advocate non-violence are influenced by Jesus' message here, because Jesus is forcing people to see the world differently. Where the world says "might makes right", Jesus says, "blessed are the peacemakers."
For example, look at 5:41--"and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile". It was practice for Roman soldiers to ask people to carry their baggage for them. But they could only ask you to carry it for one mile. So, if you voluntarily carry it the second mile, the Roman soldier would actually be in the position of begging you to stop carrying their luggage. In a culture of honor and shame, you would have much more honor from carrying something the second mile than you would in resisting to carry it in the first place.
Genesis 12 and 13
Matthew 5
Genesis:
Covenant was introduced in the Noah story, but this is the beginning of the Abrahamic covenant. Buckle your seatbelts for the rest of this Genesis ride, folks! Abram is sent by God to a new land. He will be a blessing. Abram is prototypical in this story, as are most characters in Genesis. This means that these characters stand for more than just themselves. The story of Abram is the story of the people of Israel. Throughout the rest of this narrative, listen for words of blessing, for providence, for promises being made and kept, and for God's faithfulness in the midst of human's humanness.
12:10 the NRSV translates a Hebrew word as "reside there as an alien". The other translation is "sojourner". Much of the story of Israel is of being "sojourners" or "strangers in a strange land". How does that, even today, shape the experience of the nation Israel?
Matthew:
This begins the Sermon on the Mount. There is actually a mount. It is very near Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Some translations differ from the NRSV on the word "blessed are..." in the beatitudes. The word could also mean "happy are..."
Notice the similarities and the differences between Matthew and Luke's account of the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew's account is much longer, to start with.
But there is very much a sense of radical realignment of how things are supposed to be. "Happy are you who mourn." Really? How?
I would argue that all people who advocate non-violence are influenced by Jesus' message here, because Jesus is forcing people to see the world differently. Where the world says "might makes right", Jesus says, "blessed are the peacemakers."
For example, look at 5:41--"and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile". It was practice for Roman soldiers to ask people to carry their baggage for them. But they could only ask you to carry it for one mile. So, if you voluntarily carry it the second mile, the Roman soldier would actually be in the position of begging you to stop carrying their luggage. In a culture of honor and shame, you would have much more honor from carrying something the second mile than you would in resisting to carry it in the first place.
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