Resurrection Again

For anyone who was thoroughly confused by my post yesterday about resurrection, here's what I was talking about:

I think resurrection is not merely the resuscitation of a corpse. It also entails God putting Israel back together again. Remember Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones? God accomplishes this through Christ, and Christ through the Apostles, and builds the Church upon this foundation. As God was doing this God was vindicating the Church as the means by which Israel was being reconstituted.

Hope that clears things up for anyone who may have been a bit befuddled.

Resurrection

Then Moses said to them, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.'" The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died.-- Exodus 32:27,28

Those who accepted his [Peter's] message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.-- Acts 2:41

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"-- Revelation 21:5a

Resurrection: reconstitution of Israel, vindication of the Church, new creation!

Answering my own question (thanks Chris!)

So, how do we feed Jesus' lambs today? Seeing that lambs were sacrificed in Jesus' day out of mutual self-interest, I would say that us pastors have to stop sacrificing those entrusted to us for the sake of our own egos. We have a tendency to corral people and jam things down their throats. Instead, we need to lead people to the oases in the desert and let them explore the landscape, walk in the water, and frolic in the pasture. Lambs don't have to be told to eat. When it's really good stuff, they indulge.

One thing that I'm going to try to do this year, as I start Crossways (a two-year survey of the Bible) next week, is to assist people in the art of making discoveries in their Bibles. I will do this by telling the story of the Bible rather than merely rehearsing doctrine.

I'll write more if I think of anything else!

Feed My Lambs

Jesus said to Peter, "Feed my lambs." He didn't say, "Hawk your wares on my lambs.", or, "Divide my lambs into labor gangs."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." How do think this should be done today?

Tigers!

The Detroit Tigers have clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 1987. I was in college when the Tigers won the World Series in '84, and it was simply a blast!!

Please join me in rooting the Detroit Tigers on to a World Series Championship! I will be eternally grateful!!