Acts 17 reminds me of how radical the Gospel was and ought to be. We hear Jesus is Savior and Lord, & begin to debate the Trinity, once saved always saved, or the historicity of the Gospels. Early Christians preach Jesus is Lord and people riot because his Deity wasnt a question of theology, it was deeply political to them. It was the claim that Caesar was not rightful Lord and Savior of the world, son of the gods, as he claimed. It was a statement that God opposed his tyranny and oppression of others and that imperialism was one of the great evils God is at work to deliver us from. It was the claim that Gods way is found in resisting such oppression as Jesus did -- in being a servant to all, in welcoming the outcast, in helping the destitute find food and healthcare. No wonder people rioted! Sadly saddling our prayer Jesus is Lord with our doctrinal debates often keeps us from hearing this original meaning and questioning in what ways we allow oppression and empire to surface today. Lets rediscover Jesus is Lord as a way to stand against oppression of all kinds and point to the healing way of Jesus for this world.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 12:02:23 +0000
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