On Sunday morning we looked at the last meal Jesus ate with his friends and apprentices, the twelve men he intentionally invested three years of his life into so that they would move from being fishermen to the caretakers of the people’s souls and from wanting to make a nice life for themselves to those who would give up their lives so that justice, peace and the eternal lifefulness of heaven would come to all people on earth. That may be the longest sentence I’ve ever written.
Anyway, as Ken was teaching about the meaning and mystery of Communion, he snuck in a comment that stuck with me, “We have turned this thing Jesus did to bring us together and made it into something that divides us.” He’s right. All the theological debate – as important as it may be – about what Communion is or isn’t has, ironically, resulted in the opposite of what it was originally intended to produce. This may be the most contentious thing I’ve yet said in one of my blogs: We Christ-followers have a strange way of continuing the practice of the Pharisees –of making strong statements about who’s right and who’s wrong; about who’s in and who’s out; about why we’re right and in and why others are wrong and out.
I think these debates are the product of placing too much emphasis on doctrine and not enough emphasis on practice. As you’ve read through Luke, where has Jesus put the emphasis – on right doctrine or right practice? Is there a balance? Is there a leaning in one direction over the other? How do you see these two things (doctrine and practice) working together in the life of Christ?
Hopefully the above questions are enough to get you thinking. I look forward to reading what you post. My only request is that you season the truth with grace.
As always, if you have any great stories from DJ08 or the groups you’re a part of, post away!
Posted on
Mon, May 19, 2008
by Jason Brown