The readings for days 16 to 20 (from Monday 25th February) are:
Psalm 2 Psalm 22 Psalm 69 Psalm 110 Psalm 118
8 comments:
Anonymous
said...
It seems that the writer of EJ wants to encourage debate here. The Communist regime in Russia was not brought down by the the resistance of the Church. The Church as a body did nothing, although individuals and small groups did and paid with their lives. Communism was bought down by arrogance as Psalm 2 predicts.
It should be remembered that democracy as political system is under the authority of the majority, otherwise it is not a democracy. Where democracies go wrong as Psalm 2 shows is when those elected to positions of power also fail to aknowledge the authority of God.
Without getting all complicated for a Monday I agree with Malcolm. EJ does seem to make some questionable calls with his politics. That said ultimately God has authority over us all, authority over everything infact. Its not something that can easily be summarised on a page and I guess thats why EJ doesn't bother.Mainly I guess because the psalm does it for him. In terms of biblical history the Israelites moved from a theocracy to a monarchy at their request but through Gods involvement. I've always assumed we have a democracy as this is Gods will. So whilst he doesn't use politicians like puppets on a string he has authority over us having this system and if it became corrupt he could topple it through people,events etc. That seems to be what this verse is saying.God did topple communist Russia just not necessarily through Christians. Historically God has allowed non Christian/Jewish groups to act to achieve his will the Babylonians for example.
I think this Psalm does act a great trailer for Jesus, even if it is not the theme of this week. I love the psalms as they reflect Gods relationships and power in a very human relatable way.
Good morning folks; it's a beautiful one, enough to 'lift our spirits'. But oh! Psalm 22 describes just how David felt when he wasn't able to appreciate a sunny day, and how desperate and awful it is to be at rock bottom in our lives. It's so interesting to read the verses that relate clearly to Jesus,so long before he even came to our world, and especially to understand that he too, felt desperate and alone on the cross, when he used verse 1 to call out to God in anguish. I find that so helpful; to realise that Jesus really does understand how we feel when we're in despair, even when we think no-one else can. And then David goes on in the psalm to praise God for his help in the past, and we read how he is able even in deep distress, to trust God and hope for an end to his troubles. What a great psalm! In my experience, to have Jesus to hang onto through desperate times is indeed, a life saver. It reminds me of that song we sing: 'For this I have Jesus'.....we don't sing it enough!
Although the Psalms of David have been used in public worship they are also intensely personal. Do I have the confidence to question God in this way? Would I be happy to sing a modern hymn that starts 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'! But they do reflect my real life experiances, and it heartens me that they always end with confidence in, and thanks to God.
Discussion question 2 this week raises the issue of whether supposed references to Christ in the bible are coincidences. My argument is that the bible is primarily concerned with those things that are outside the material world, which are therefor hidden, it is going to contain hidden truths. What we would call signs. This does not convince atheists, however. What would other people say?
Well Malcolm, I put my faith in the Bible,prayer and experience. My friends who don't believe aren't swayed by Bible facts or prayer but testimony.Correcting their misconceptions of the Bible is just a curiousity for them. I wouldn't show them references to Jesus in the OT as a way of explaining my faith. UNLESS I wanted to point out how the Bible was one consistent whole. I don't like the idea of the Bible having 'hidden' meanings, all too Gnostic for me. If nothing else this weeks readings, of which are only a few of the 300ish references to Christ in the OT, demonstrate overtly that Jesus is the OT anticpated Messiah. These references help confirm and explain who Jesus is. For 1st century Jewish christians believing in the ressurection was a self explanitory act. Their beliefs anticipated its meaning through references like we have read today and their understanding of sin. For them death and sin were interchangeable. For Jesus to come back from the dead was obviously to have defeated not just death but sin.That this pointed to Jesus also being the son of God would have been obvious because as we have seen his acts were consistent with how God acts in the OT. Much of the NT is for our, as in gentile, benefit explaining Jesus, God and salvation was in ways that acknowledge we don't have the same wealth of understanding as the Jews have and had. The Bible OT and NT are therefore Blatant in their truth telling. The Bible explains spiritual truth and earthly conduct equally so all can understand God. Atheists and believers get stuck because parts of these explanations make references to once common cultural understandings that don't exist anymore. For example what is a Samaritan? How did they relate to the Jews? Why include them in a Parable and not a Roman? etc etc
When I try and explain Chritianity to a non believer I try and either explain it in a modern context OR explain these cultural references. I would never just rattle off a few Psalm references and expect the person to do take a leap of faith on that basis. As Christains through testimony, acts of love, taliking through life experiences and Biblical explanation we can make Jesus real to others. Quoting the bible to someone who doesn't believe, hasn't experienced Christian love who doesn't know the cultural context is not going to work. My faith is not based on Psalmic references but having experienced all these qualities I have just mentioned they help to reinforce what I believe.
Just a quick note to thank Malcom and Just James for their ongoing blogging - it gives me another insight into the readings and has become an 'essential' part of the whole EJ experience for me.
Following on from Malcolms last comment it made me think of Prince Charles speaking about Prince Harry's recent tour of duty. He spoke of being to now truly understand how families of our soldiers oversea's are feeling - because he has experienced this for himself.
In the same way that we can share our love and understanding of being in a relationship with Jesus because we have experienced this, so to does Jesus understand our feelings (of joy and happiness but also of sadness and despair) because He has experienced all that and so much more.
How amazing that we have such a living relationship with a God that loves us and understands us.
When you read this please pray for all our troops abroad and their families.
Thankyou for yesterdays comments. I take James's comment, but when I used the word 'hidden' I did not intend it in 'I have a secret' way the Gnostics used. The Bible can be used at three levels, firstly a good yarn, secondly for spiritual guidance for those at the time the book was written and thirdly a spiritual truth for all eternity. It was the last of those levels I was thinking about.
There are atheists who are not prepared to listen, but then there are narrow minded religous people too. But there are also atheists who do engage in honest debate. After a lengthy discussion I had with one atheist he said reflectively 'You will know if you are right, if I am right I will never know'.
8 comments:
It seems that the writer of EJ wants to encourage debate here. The Communist regime in Russia was not brought down by the the resistance of the Church. The Church as a body did nothing, although individuals and small groups did and paid with their lives. Communism was bought down by arrogance as Psalm 2 predicts.
It should be remembered that democracy as political system is under the authority of the majority, otherwise it is not a democracy. Where democracies go wrong as Psalm 2 shows is when those elected to positions of power also fail to aknowledge the authority of God.
Without getting all complicated for a Monday I agree with Malcolm. EJ does seem to make some questionable calls with his politics. That said ultimately God has authority over us all, authority over everything infact. Its not something that can easily be summarised on a page and I guess thats why EJ doesn't bother.Mainly I guess because the psalm does it for him.
In terms of biblical history the Israelites moved from a theocracy to a monarchy at their request but through Gods involvement. I've always assumed we have a democracy as this is Gods will. So whilst he doesn't use politicians like puppets on a string he has authority over us having this system and if it became corrupt he could topple it through people,events etc. That seems to be what this verse is saying.God did topple communist Russia just not necessarily through Christians. Historically God has allowed non Christian/Jewish groups to act to achieve his will the Babylonians for example.
I think this Psalm does act a great trailer for Jesus, even if it is not the theme of this week. I love the psalms as they reflect Gods relationships and power in a very human relatable way.
Good morning folks; it's a beautiful one, enough to 'lift our spirits'. But oh! Psalm 22 describes just how David felt when he wasn't able to appreciate a sunny day, and how desperate and awful it is to be at rock bottom in our lives. It's so interesting to read the verses that relate clearly to Jesus,so long before he even came to our world, and especially to understand that he too, felt desperate and alone on the cross, when he used verse 1 to call out to God in anguish. I find that so helpful; to realise that Jesus really does understand how we feel when we're in despair, even when we think no-one else can.
And then David goes on in the psalm to praise God for his help in the past, and we read how he is able even in deep distress, to trust God and hope for an end to his troubles. What a great psalm!
In my experience, to have Jesus to hang onto through desperate times is indeed, a life saver. It reminds me of that song we sing: 'For this I have Jesus'.....we don't sing it enough!
Although the Psalms of David have been used in public worship they are also intensely personal. Do I have the confidence to question God in this way? Would I be happy to sing a modern hymn that starts 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'! But they do reflect my real life experiances, and it heartens me that they always end with confidence in, and thanks to God.
Discussion question 2 this week raises the issue of whether supposed references to Christ in the bible are coincidences. My argument is that the bible is primarily concerned with those things that are outside the material world, which are therefor hidden, it is going to contain hidden truths. What we would call signs. This does not convince atheists, however. What would other people say?
Well Malcolm,
I put my faith in the Bible,prayer and experience. My friends who don't believe aren't swayed by Bible facts or prayer but testimony.Correcting their misconceptions of the Bible is just a curiousity for them. I wouldn't show them references to Jesus in the OT as a way of explaining my faith. UNLESS I wanted to point out how the Bible was one consistent whole.
I don't like the idea of the Bible having 'hidden' meanings, all too Gnostic for me. If nothing else this weeks readings, of which are only a few of the 300ish references to Christ in the OT, demonstrate overtly that Jesus is the OT anticpated Messiah. These references help confirm and explain who Jesus is. For 1st century Jewish christians believing in the ressurection was a self explanitory act. Their beliefs anticipated its meaning through references like we have read today and their understanding of sin. For them death and sin were interchangeable. For Jesus to come back from the dead was obviously to have defeated not just death but sin.That this pointed to Jesus also being the son of God would have been obvious because as we have seen his acts were consistent with how God acts in the OT.
Much of the NT is for our, as in gentile, benefit explaining Jesus, God and salvation was in ways that acknowledge we don't have the same wealth of understanding as the Jews have and had. The Bible OT and NT are therefore Blatant in their truth telling. The Bible explains spiritual truth and earthly conduct equally so all can understand God. Atheists and believers get stuck because parts of these explanations make references to once common cultural understandings that don't exist anymore. For example what is a Samaritan? How did they relate to the Jews? Why include them in a Parable and not a Roman? etc etc
When I try and explain Chritianity to a non believer I try and either explain it in a modern context OR explain these cultural references.
I would never just rattle off a few Psalm references and expect the person to do take a leap of faith on that basis. As Christains through testimony, acts of love, taliking through life experiences and Biblical explanation we can make Jesus real to others. Quoting the bible to someone who doesn't believe, hasn't experienced Christian love who doesn't know the cultural context is not going to work. My faith is not based on Psalmic references but having experienced all these qualities I have just mentioned they help to reinforce what I believe.
Just a quick note to thank Malcom and Just James for their ongoing blogging - it gives me another insight into the readings and has become an 'essential' part of the whole EJ experience for me.
Following on from Malcolms last comment it made me think of Prince Charles speaking about Prince Harry's recent tour of duty. He spoke of being to now truly understand how families of our soldiers oversea's are feeling - because he has experienced this for himself.
In the same way that we can share our love and understanding of being in a relationship with Jesus because we have experienced this, so to does Jesus understand our feelings (of joy and happiness but also of sadness and despair) because He has experienced all that and so much more.
How amazing that we have such a
living relationship with a God that loves us and understands us.
When you read this please pray for all our troops abroad and their families.
Thankyou for yesterdays comments. I take James's comment, but when I used the word 'hidden' I did not intend it in 'I have a secret' way the Gnostics used. The Bible can be used at three levels, firstly a good yarn, secondly for spiritual guidance for those at the time the book was written and thirdly a spiritual truth for all eternity. It was the last of those levels I was thinking about.
There are atheists who are not prepared to listen, but then there are narrow minded religous people too. But there are also atheists who do engage in honest debate. After a lengthy discussion I had with one atheist he said reflectively 'You will know if you are right, if I am right I will never know'.
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