Sunday's courtroom drama message by Susan and George provoked lots of great observations and questions for me. (Thank you for the gift of sitting in the pews this week, friends!). So I thought I'd make this week's worship post a hop skip and jump through this chapter, touching on my thoughts as I listened. You add yours in the comment section!
I've long subtitled John 9 as "Adventures in Missing the Point." (read John chapter 9 to see if you agree)
George and Susan's version really reinforced that for me. (Check out www.injoy-karen.blogspot.com for another version of this). It seems like a collision of received truth, codified in tradition, vs. encountered truth, in flesh and blood. Its not that one is better than the other. The question seems to be (along the lines of our conversaitonal approach to this gospel), how do they communicate.
The once-blind man couldn't seem to care less what the religious authorities think. What matters to him is that he can see. He knows, with ever breathing vibrating cell in his body, that his life had been radically changed because he has been radically changed. Every time he repeats the story, he grows more confident in the telling.
Question 1: What good news has changed your life?
Question 2: Who have you told and how has telling it affected you?
The religous authorities aren't really interested in this man's experience at all. They're trying to figure out what Jesus is up to. And he's not there to ask. Of course, the man born blind couldn't see until after Jesus healed him.
Question 3: What prevented the leaders from "seeing?"
Question 4: What are they afraid of?
Once the man has witnessed, publically, to his experience, they call him a disciple.
Question 5: Are you a disciple?
Question 6: What's the point of the story as you read it, and what might you or I be missing?
When United Methodists receive new members, we're asked to affirm our discipleship will include your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness.
Question 7: How would you write the next chapter in this man's life? What form might his gifts and service take now that God's story has written healing into his life?
Question 8: What might the next chapter in your own life look like as you think about these four aspects of discipleship?
I've long subtitled John 9 as "Adventures in Missing the Point." (read John chapter 9 to see if you agree)
George and Susan's version really reinforced that for me. (Check out www.injoy-karen.blogspot.com for another version of this). It seems like a collision of received truth, codified in tradition, vs. encountered truth, in flesh and blood. Its not that one is better than the other. The question seems to be (along the lines of our conversaitonal approach to this gospel), how do they communicate.
The once-blind man couldn't seem to care less what the religious authorities think. What matters to him is that he can see. He knows, with ever breathing vibrating cell in his body, that his life had been radically changed because he has been radically changed. Every time he repeats the story, he grows more confident in the telling.
Question 1: What good news has changed your life?
Question 2: Who have you told and how has telling it affected you?
The religous authorities aren't really interested in this man's experience at all. They're trying to figure out what Jesus is up to. And he's not there to ask. Of course, the man born blind couldn't see until after Jesus healed him.
Question 3: What prevented the leaders from "seeing?"
Question 4: What are they afraid of?
Once the man has witnessed, publically, to his experience, they call him a disciple.
Question 5: Are you a disciple?
Question 6: What's the point of the story as you read it, and what might you or I be missing?
When United Methodists receive new members, we're asked to affirm our discipleship will include your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness.
Question 7: How would you write the next chapter in this man's life? What form might his gifts and service take now that God's story has written healing into his life?
Question 8: What might the next chapter in your own life look like as you think about these four aspects of discipleship?
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