Manning, Brennan. The Ragamuffin Gospel. Multnomah Publishers. 2000.
Comment. Henry
Brennan lives in Louisiana. His ministry arises out of Willie Juan Ministries. He was trained as a Catholic priest. His presentation is a radical (ragamuffin) view of the gospel that focuses squarely on God’s mercy and love and Christ’s demonstration of that mercy and love to ‘ragamuffins’ during his earthly ministry. This is a delightful thought- provoking read.
God’s grace and love is unconditional, without respecter of person. It is good news! “Creation discloses a power that baffles our minds and beggars our speech.” (36) In the gospel of grace there is no dichotomy between God’s power and his love.
The gospel is powerfully y portrayed in Jesus’ meal-sharing, a custom of his day reserved only for those who were intimate. Jesus’ actions communicate love, acceptance, and forgiveness. “Repentance is not what we do in order to earn forgiveness; it what we do because we have been forgiven.” (74) The gospel is all about love that drives out fear. Fear keeps us from honesty. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ. Believe it! “Dear Lord, grant me the grace of wonder.” Joshua Abraham Heschel. Practicing “evangelism by concussion” (121) is part of the gospel.
When our actions do not match our words we become guilty of severe hypocrisy. Freedom that Christ offers has always been threatened by those who feel that such a gift is too difficult to handle without outside control and/or management. Christ’s freedom is very empowering. Such freedom is not without failure which leads to growth and maturation.
“Christianity (the gospel) is not primarily a moral code but a grace-laden mystery; it is not essentially a philosophy of love but a love affair; it is not keeping rules with clenched fists but receiving a gift with open hands.” (204)
www.henrydirksen,bolgspot.com
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
A Love Worth Giving. Max Lucado.
Lucado, Max. A Love Worth Giving. Living in the overflow of God’s love. W Publishing Group. 2002.
Comment. Henry.
Max has given us his ‘exposition’ of 1 Corinthians 13. His illustrations and insights are inspiring and make scripture come alive. When we receive (God’s) love and don’t share and/or practice that love we live a lie. Max helps us to understand God’s love in such a way that we will discover that it is “a love worth giving”.
Based on Luke 7:47, Max talks about loving based on love received from God. Patience is God’s “premier expression of love”. (14) It cannot be given until it is received. With patience comes understanding. Another expression of love is kindness. We demonstrate it as we experience it.
Love does not tolerate a ‘pecking order’ of relationships or rudeness of any sort. We are all affected by the malady of self-seeking which has no part in love. “What we don’t have is so much less than what we have.” (69) Anger cannot survive in the presence of love. Rather than focusing on the wrongs (wrongdoers) of life focus on the blessings (God’s mercies). Love delights in truth. The love of Christ is truly into ‘all things’. ! Corinthians 13:7. Love protects. It endures and never fails.
Max includes a discussion guide for those who would like to use this book as a learning/teaching tool.
Comment. Henry.
Max has given us his ‘exposition’ of 1 Corinthians 13. His illustrations and insights are inspiring and make scripture come alive. When we receive (God’s) love and don’t share and/or practice that love we live a lie. Max helps us to understand God’s love in such a way that we will discover that it is “a love worth giving”.
Based on Luke 7:47, Max talks about loving based on love received from God. Patience is God’s “premier expression of love”. (14) It cannot be given until it is received. With patience comes understanding. Another expression of love is kindness. We demonstrate it as we experience it.
Love does not tolerate a ‘pecking order’ of relationships or rudeness of any sort. We are all affected by the malady of self-seeking which has no part in love. “What we don’t have is so much less than what we have.” (69) Anger cannot survive in the presence of love. Rather than focusing on the wrongs (wrongdoers) of life focus on the blessings (God’s mercies). Love delights in truth. The love of Christ is truly into ‘all things’. ! Corinthians 13:7. Love protects. It endures and never fails.
Max includes a discussion guide for those who would like to use this book as a learning/teaching tool.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Assumptions That Affect Our Lives
Book Review
Overman, Christian. Assumptions That Affect Our Lives. Pub. Micah 6:8. 1996.
C.O. – Director of adult education at North Seattle Christian Fellowship.
Comment. Henry
Christian’s book comes out of a concern about the state of affairs spiritually in America. (Our situation in Canada is probably worse.) He identifies assumptions that he feels are responsible for this state and traces where these assumptions come from. I am sure the situation has changed considerably since the writing of this book. As far as he goes with the topic, Christian has made a practical contribution to the challenge of being relevant in our culture.
We make life decisions based on assumptions that may require some examination in order to live fulfilled lives. Many of our cultural assumptions come from the ancient Greeks and Hebrews. The Greeks valued the form. The Hebrews valued essence. Our (American) culture is displaying Greek similarities just before its destruction.
It was the ancient Greeks who first came up with notion of life Nature being responsible for the origin and propagation of life. The Hebrews believed in and worshipped a God who created nature and who continues to maintain it. “Without God life has no meaning or value.” (53) Only man in God’s creation bears his distinction.
Greeks based the concept of truth on reason. Hebrews based truth on revelation which gave direction to reason. True freedom can only be experienced within the protection of “transcendent laws and orderliness”. (90) Under the authority of God man has been given ‘dominion’ over the earth.
One of the dramatic indicators of the decay of our culture is the erosion of the sanctity of life. The Hebrews differed from other nations because of their family values. Our culture values self-expression mor than self-control.
The Hebrews did not produce many philosophers. They had a balanced view of the spiritual and the physical. The influence of Plato and Aristotle are a part of our cultural dualism of the sacred and the secular. “The voice of the church was relegated to a narrow sphere of life known as ‘religion’.” (172) Some suggestions are made to help deal with the sacred-secular challenge.
Our culture has relegated the kingdom of God to the religious and private areas of life. The separation of church and state should legitimize the separation of God from civil government. The founding fathers considered education to include the sciences, arts, and religion. “The Hebrew model of education rests upon a moral base, not an academic one.” (225) An interesting defence is made for the values taught by the Puritans. Deism, Darwinism, Neopaganism, and the influences of Roman and Greek culture are identified as reasons for America getting off track. If the Hebrews could experience restoration with all that they were into, there is optimism for a spiritual restoration for our nation (culture).
www.henrydirksen.blogspot.com
Overman, Christian. Assumptions That Affect Our Lives. Pub. Micah 6:8. 1996.
C.O. – Director of adult education at North Seattle Christian Fellowship.
Comment. Henry
Christian’s book comes out of a concern about the state of affairs spiritually in America. (Our situation in Canada is probably worse.) He identifies assumptions that he feels are responsible for this state and traces where these assumptions come from. I am sure the situation has changed considerably since the writing of this book. As far as he goes with the topic, Christian has made a practical contribution to the challenge of being relevant in our culture.
We make life decisions based on assumptions that may require some examination in order to live fulfilled lives. Many of our cultural assumptions come from the ancient Greeks and Hebrews. The Greeks valued the form. The Hebrews valued essence. Our (American) culture is displaying Greek similarities just before its destruction.
It was the ancient Greeks who first came up with notion of life Nature being responsible for the origin and propagation of life. The Hebrews believed in and worshipped a God who created nature and who continues to maintain it. “Without God life has no meaning or value.” (53) Only man in God’s creation bears his distinction.
Greeks based the concept of truth on reason. Hebrews based truth on revelation which gave direction to reason. True freedom can only be experienced within the protection of “transcendent laws and orderliness”. (90) Under the authority of God man has been given ‘dominion’ over the earth.
One of the dramatic indicators of the decay of our culture is the erosion of the sanctity of life. The Hebrews differed from other nations because of their family values. Our culture values self-expression mor than self-control.
The Hebrews did not produce many philosophers. They had a balanced view of the spiritual and the physical. The influence of Plato and Aristotle are a part of our cultural dualism of the sacred and the secular. “The voice of the church was relegated to a narrow sphere of life known as ‘religion’.” (172) Some suggestions are made to help deal with the sacred-secular challenge.
Our culture has relegated the kingdom of God to the religious and private areas of life. The separation of church and state should legitimize the separation of God from civil government. The founding fathers considered education to include the sciences, arts, and religion. “The Hebrew model of education rests upon a moral base, not an academic one.” (225) An interesting defence is made for the values taught by the Puritans. Deism, Darwinism, Neopaganism, and the influences of Roman and Greek culture are identified as reasons for America getting off track. If the Hebrews could experience restoration with all that they were into, there is optimism for a spiritual restoration for our nation (culture).
www.henrydirksen.blogspot.com
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