As I read through yesterday's post I am sure something got lost in the transmission. Looks like part of a sentence was deleted.
The beatitudes speak to folks who find themselves on the bottom of this world - economically, socially, religiously, etc. These are the people that this world assess as losers, not worth counting, unimportant. Jesus tells them that in God's eyes they are favored, especially loved, and are important in this new world that Jesus inaugurates. This is the justice of God - the justice that Micah speaks of in chapter 6.
How can God's favor make a difference in a life that is suffering: grief, poverty, abuse?
Thank you Pastor for this past weeks post. It helped me have a much deeper understanding of service (especially since Brenden was there and I couldnt focus as much as i would have liked!) I look forward to this week and getting a discussion going!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I loved the reference to Dietrich Bonhoffer!!!! He's my favorite Theologian and I have taken so much from his writings! I have recommended "the Cost of Discipleship" and "letter and papers from prison" to many people! I will post my thoughts to 'radically Different' tonight for you to read although i'm very excited to start this weeks lesson!
~Jerilyn
Bonhoeffer is a complex person who lived in complex times. He was a part of the secularized German church - that is, his family would not have renounced their Christian beliefs but their faith was family oriented and quite private. Bonhoeffer's own spiritual awakening came much later in his life when he embraced the living of the faith as a necessary part of confessing the faith, which, heretofor had been more of an intellectual activity for him.
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