I’ve done lots of hiking and camping in my day, and it doesn’t matter how comfortable the hiking boots, or how comfortable and light is the backpack and all the camping gear, after a while everything just gets heavy. When we talk about light burdens for people, I often wonder if we are just talking relatively. I wonder, really, just how freeing and liberating our communities are? Or, like this cartoon, do we continually compare ourselves to others and think that just because our burdens are different, that they are lighter? Freedom is freedom indeed. Light is light. Do we have the courage to forge new ways and truly liberate others and lighten their loads?
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David Hayward is an artist trapped in a pastor's body, stripping to the essential.
I wonder, David: We speak of many things within the Church, but usually cannot really put concrete definition to most of it. John wrote that “grace” came by Jesus Christ; and yet one can easily turn to the OT and read where “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord”, Moses speaking of God knowing him “by name” and of finding “grace in His sight”. Surely, then, what Jesus brings unto us is “something better”, as John puts it, grace “and truth”, actually grace “and” a whole lot of other things that come packaged in the reality of Christ “in” me! What the Body, for the most part, seems to have done with such gift is to have transferred the Gospel, lock, stock, and reality, to the Book, since it’s much easier for us to control our own salvation when we have our own “truth” neatly deciphered and available to justify ourselves as well as demand of others. Joplin once sang that “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose”. Close enough; but I’d dare to suggest it might also be likened to “grace”; and that Word speaks to me of our possessing it only in as much as we freely give it unto others.
I continue to come here and mostly just silently read from “afar”, but find much witness in such as you bring to the table. If much of what you write appears to be a stumble down the road, maybe that’s because Christ “in” me doesn’t equate, for any of us, to instantaneous revelation of the whole mystery. His Word declares itself to be “a lamp unto my feet”, a light upon the path before me, but let’s remember: He, Himself, is the light; and we, being human, will never possess more than a stumble down the path. What we have is each other and faith in that which He has already proven unto us….
“Our yoke isn’t easy, but our burden is right. And you do want to be right, don’t you?”
; )
aboslutey!
Those are all burdens of the law. The law can’t make you better (theologically) but only serve to kill you.
The gospel makes alive. The law brings death.
We use all those things at my church…but in order to cut the sinner off at the knees and expose him/her to their reality.
Then the gospel is announced (your sins are forgiven for Jesus’ sake) and the person is handed new life, yet once again.
Steve: Sorry. What?
Law/Gospel
All that crap is law.
Things that we should, ought, or must be doing…for improvement, righteousness…or whatever.
In our worship service, they (shoulds, oughts, musts) are only used to show us that we can’t do it. To kill us off to the (self) righteousness project.
Then Christ comes (in His Word and Sacrament), and forgives us our inadequacies and shortcomings (sin) and raises us to new life.
That’s the law/gospel paradigm.
A current post here:
http://utah-lutheran.blogspot.com/
may explain it better than I did.
David did we do a Vulcan mind meld or something lol. This cartoon is v. similar to a conversation I wrote about on my blog:
http://www.bignoise-enterprises.com/blog/?p=248
Love it!
I suppose that church, “Victorious Secret”, has this on its billboard: “Come to church this Sunday and get your very own, lightweight, one size fits most over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder!”
I am so glad His yoke is easy and His burden is light!
Once again…thanks!
EXPECTATIONS—–Go and make disciples—–yep, a burden
AGREE—–I am the way….
MORALITY—–Go and sin no more
EMBRACE THE VISION—–Teach them to obey….
GIVING—–Give and it will be given to you
GOALS—–The goal of this command is….
HOW TO FEEL—–Rejoice in the Lord always….
fishon
preach it NP!