NT - As a disclaimer, I first learned about Rob Bell from my friend Margaret who is an incredible Bible teacher. She told me the story of Rob Bell’s yoke and I didn’t believe it. I’ve read that passage in Matthew a lot – I come from farming stock, you see, and I thought it meant just what it says – to be yoked like oxen or in the case of poor Georgia sharecroppers, mules.
But I’ve watched Rob’s videos and I find them fascinating for his historical information. This is part two of this sermon. I highly recommend part 1 and 3 as well. When you do a search for Rob on Google, please be aware that there are loads of people out there saying ugly things about him and his theology. I popped into to a few of the blog posts but I don’t think I want to hear more. I am much more interested in learning myself than tearing others down.
Psalm 14 hits really close to home with the No God idea. I have recently watched a PBS special with the Stephen Hawking discussing whether or not there is a God. I also have people I love saying those things. I said those things. It is really hard for me to think that they are ‘vile’ or ‘not doing good’. This is a really hard conundrum for me and one I am glad I do not have to solve. Can you be a good person and say and believe there is no God? And what, exactly, am I supposed to do or say when those ideas are presented? For right now, my response has been mixed. The older I get, the less I feel I have to defend but I do really want to share how awesome it feels to have God present in my life. I hope you feel the same comfort. May your readings and meditations be a blessing to you.
These sons of Jacob were quite a group. I know that the young man raped their sister but he then wanted to marry her. He really must have wanted to marry her to get his father, brothers and all the othe men in the town to be circumcised. That surely took some convincing. Then Jacob's sons killed all the men who had just been circumcised and looted the town. I doubt that they did this out of loyalty to Dinah. More likely just an excuse to take over the town. And where was Joseph at this time?
ReplyDeleteWe don't often talk about the side of Jesus that we find in the passage from Matthew today. This is Jesus as Judge. This passage ties in nicely with the Psalm 14. There are people who have not heard about God and Jesus and they will be judged one way. And there are people wo have heard about Jesus like us and virtually everyone that we come into contact with. Those people who have heard about Jesus and have not believed will be judged harsher than the people of Sodom who were burned alive. Yikes.
I enjoyed the video clip. The yoke of Jesus was certainly lighter than the yoke of the Phariesses. If we take on the yoke of Jesus (wear it like oxen) our burden will never be more than we can bare.
ReplyDeleteReadings done, need to watch the video clip later tonight.
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