a quote

at 01/15/09 7:41PM
"We must prayerfully seek after new wineskins in order to engage and incarnate the gospel to our fragmented and increasingly fractured world."

I felt like this was worth sharing today after i read an excerpt of this book. I think it is a relevant metaphor to the state of todays church, and idea of Jesus. Its not that Jesus isn't enough or the church is insufficiant, but the Jesus that we sometimes portray is not the real thing and the church often is a turnoff to people that actually need it and want it if they knew what it really had to offer for them. Our perception of Jesus must be corrected in order for the world to know who he truly is. He is the answer to pain and suffering, and the church is the house for broken and hurting. Jesus came to seek the lost, heal the sick. When we became part of his church, we were healed through Jesus' blood, and because of that, our purpose becomes to imitate the Son. Are we too focused on self indulgence in the church? on figuring out the can and cant's? We would never say that was our purpose, but when we feel like we're farther away from God, we tend to relate that to lack of study and time with the church, but Jesus says that when you feed the poor and help the widows, you will know Him. It is important for the church to hold itself together, but not at the cost of becoming an island. We need to rethink the skin in which we are wrapped in and judge it on the basis of Christ as it was purchased at a very high cost. A fractured world needs a God willing to give his own life. It cannot find redemption by humanity's standards, but by a Savior who is willing to forgive even before he was asked.


end of ramble


jpm
  • cmvermont
    what book?
    by cmvermont at 01/15/09 7:48PM
  • abs
    I loved the Camp DVD! I've watched it 4 times!
    by abs at 01/15/09 8:09PM
  • yakattack
    I'm impressed. I kinda just clicked on your white name on my links to look at your obamicon and get it over with and really got something real out of you. I mean, we have wonderful conversations like this alot, but not very often do you write it down. P.S.-i tend to agree with your ramble
    by yakattack at 01/16/09 9:27PM
  • shamgar
    Much better, I agree totally. I was reminded of Emily Dickenson's (the poet) view of church. We don't represent Jesus as we aught. His church is not supposed to be an island, nor is it an A-la-carte moral guide. We must become imitators - living sacrifices - for Christ to de-fragment the state of many churches today.
    by shamgar at 01/20/09 2:10PM
  • rica5219
    so I haven't talked to you in forever, but I like your ramble here. I've heard the quote before, "The church should be a hospital for the sinners, not a hotel for the saints."
    by rica5219 at 01/21/09 2:17PM
  • thecellardoor
    yeah there's a really good NOOMA video on that very topic. You can check out his (Rob Bell's) stuff at nooma.com. It's definately worth checking out.
    by thecellardoor at 01/21/09 3:47PM
  • tymathy
    no plans yet besides working. why?
    by tymathy at 01/21/09 5:06PM
  • atlantaboys
    excellent ramble, Joel
    by atlantaboys at 01/21/09 5:55PM
  • tymathy
    tell me when and whom and what! i'm excited about seeing you. as far as the church thing, i think you're right. we do need to reevaluate ourselves and see if we are what we think we are, or know we should be, but consider if Christ would agree. it doesn't take any creativity, just sincerity.
    by tymathy at 01/23/09 9:33AM
  • tymathy
    it's a hard line between God's mercy in the gospels, and God's unrelenting extension of authority in I Sam, but i believe that a seeking heart can agree the two, and lovingly accept God's mercy by submitting to His authority
    by tymathy at 01/23/09 9:34AM
  • rosemary
    good thoughts!
    by rosemary at 01/23/09 10:41AM
  • chekit
    no joke. but if she gets me that instead of cadbury eggs i'm divorcing her. mmm...I would marry a cadbury egg.
    by chekit at 01/26/09 11:24PM
  • chekit
    ps. this is the first year that I havent seen your camp video and that just makes me down right sad
    by chekit at 01/26/09 11:25PM
  • thecellardoor
    Florida is good. It's finally warming up :) it had gotten into the 20's at night last week, kicking Global Warming in the butt i suppose...
    by thecellardoor at 01/28/09 10:16AM