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Chosen to be Chosen
By daniel | July 26, 2005
In a discussion on John 3, we've been looking at some of the expectations of Israel toward their coming Messiah, and the Kingdom he was announcing. Seems like the people were expecting the coming kingdom to bring them security as a people and blessings for themselves. In this way, being chosen, or being a “good Jew,” was the final goal. Jesus repeatedly tells Nicodemus that this is off the mark, progressively simplifying it until it is in terms that Nicodemus understood — which was unfortunate, because as the teacher of Israel, he should have understood more of the intricacies of what Jesus was saying. (You can even tell in the dialogue that Jesus is getting a bit frustrated.)
Jump to modern day. Is the goal of the Church to be the church? Just to get in? Just to be ok? Does it strike us as perhaps too small a goal for Jesus just to keep me from fire? Certainly he does care about me, but I know he cares for my lost neighbor, too. I also know he cares for His creation, and for those suffering people I haven't even met. His plan has got to be bigger than just me and you. Thankfully, it is, and obviously so. The point Jesus makes to Nicodemus, and to us, is that we are blessed to be a blessing — we are chosen for a purpose. This purpose is the redemption of the whole world. It came through Israel in the form of Jesus, though they expected it to be through them, for them. Let us not make the same mistake of insisting that the “making new” of the world is through us for us as well. Indeed, it is by Christ, through the Church, to the world. May we find ourselves moved by His goals, and not ignorant of them.
Topics: Spirituality - Thoughts |
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