Ruth 1:1-18 Mark 12:38-44 Joan Chittister said life is made up of a series of defining moments. Some of the moments are shared experiences: the great depression, Pearl Harbor, 9/11 – these are a few of the big ones that come to mind. All of us experience them together and, not only do they contribute to the formation of who we are personally, they shape the culture we are all a part of. But other experiences are personal: an illness you experienced, a conversation you had with someone, a marriage, a job, a child – things that become part of the story of who you are. And that is what it is – a story. I think one of the defining features of being human is the search for meaning. It is important for our lives to have meaning, and so we look for it in our experiences, we make […]
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Identity – Who We Are in Christ, Part 4: Citizens of Heaven
Mark12:28-34 To what can I compare this scene in Mark 12? I am remembering the experience I had about 20 years ago of being examined for ordination on the floor of presbytery. It is an experience one goes into with fear and trembling. Picture this. As you, the examinee, stands in front of the gathering, they proceed to ask their questions: Where do you stand on eschatology? Would you say you’re a premillennialist? Postmillennialist? Amillenialist? Are you more a Zwinglian or a Calvinist on the matter of the eucharist? Or, heaven forbid, a Lutheran??? Do your views on God’s sovereignty and human free will conform more to a Reformed or an Arminian theology? And then one person stands up and says, “Tell us something about God’s love.” This scribe who approaches Jesus in Mark 12 is that person. This scribe knew the answer to his question before he asked Jesus, […]
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