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Words From the Middle

At the intersection of Sacred and Profane

2017/04/16

Meaning can be tricky

It can be problematic admitting ignorance or asking some questions. Not in the sense that you are displaying ignorance and as such may be considered unlettered or unlearned. Rather, when you ask a question you can’t always predict exactly what your hearers might think you mean. I remember a long time ago I was leading a Bible study for the youth of the church I was attending. One evening, as part of a general discussion on grace and salvation and other weighty subjects I said something to the effect of “I don’t understand why Jesus would die for someone like me.” All well and good, a reasonably straightforward expression of the wonder of the Incarnate Christ dying for someone who was a sinner. I don’t know exactly what got back to some rather scandalized parents but it was related to me as, “You said that you didn’t understand why Jesus would die for sinners! What makes you think you are qualified to lead a Bible study if you don’t know even this elementary thing?!” As it turned out, the people involved had an issue, or issues, and were happy to “misunderstand” what I said.

I tell you all of that by way of introduction to assure you that I have a pretty good idea what’s going on with Easter Sunday. I am not baffled by the mechanics of Easter. I am aware of the theological implications of Christ’s Passion. However, that doesn’t mean that it is a bad idea to ask ourselves again in relation to Easter, “But what does it mean?”

As may be obvious to anyone who has been following along for the past few months of my preaching, I have been struck by new implications from and about very familiar stories in Scripture. I have enjoyed these moments not because I have approached the Lectionary texts from the perspective of familiarity but rather from the perspective of the question “what might I have never noticed or thought about before?” I can’t speak for everyone who has listened to me but I have found some new ways of thinking about familiar things and for which I am grateful to the Holy Spirit to opening my eyes to what was there all along but I didn’t see before. This may or may not be another one of those weeks but it was worth the exercise.

Knox Presbyterian But what does it mean? (to download, right click and select “Save Link As . . .”)

https://s3.amazonaws.com/wftm.media/wp-content/uploads/170416_Knox.mp3

St. Mark’s Presbyterian But what does it mean? (to download, right click and select “Save Link As . . .”)

https://s3.amazonaws.com/wftm.media/wp-content/uploads/170416_St_Marks.mp3

Happy Easter!

Article by Barry / Easter, Preaching, Year A / Easter, Easter Sunday, Passion, preaching, resurrection, Resurrection of our Lord, Resurrection of the Lord Leave a Comment

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