Yes, it's true, I didn't blog yesterday. Of course, I don't know if anybody is actually reading this anyways, so I guess it's not that big of a deal anyways. Since I did two OT scriptures yesterday, I thought I'd do two NT today...
Biblical Texts: Luke 16:19-31 and Luke 18:18-30
Last weekend I heard the typical church sermon on money: give 10%, invest and spend wisely, and don't be too into your cash (whatever that means). These sorts of sermons are always Biblically based; and by being Biblical, I mean quoting Proverbs, Malachi, and making mention of Abraham and Genesis. I have never, in my entire life, heard a sermon on money that was based on the teachings of Jesus. The reason why, of course, is stories like the two listed above, which don't really match the way we live. They call us to change. Of course, this means they need to be explained away.
I've heard so many Christians proof-text or common-sense-talk away these passages that it makes me want to give up on them altogether. In Luke 18, Jesus says "it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." First of all, there was no place in Jerusalem called "the eye of the needle," if you are familiar with that myth. That lie was started in the middle ages and has no historical backing. Second, the lives of many of the world's poor are just as bad now as they were then. But the rich in the time of Jesus were not nearly as comfortable as the middle classes in America. Kinda makes you think...
And that's when we go back to Luke 16 to see that not only does Abraham condemn the rich man who refused to help Lazarus, but he points out that the man and if the man had listened to Moses and the prophets, he would have known and repented!
Think about that for a minute...
If he would have really known his scriptures, it would have shown in the way he treated the poor. I don't even want to get into where this train of thought takes me...
Secondary Text #1: From globalissues.org
Half the world (nearly 3 billion people) live on less than $2 a day.
Secondary Text #2: Ralph Waldo Emerson
The greatest man in history was the poorest.
Peace,
Matt
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1 comment:
just wanted to give you a few words of encouragement. 1st - i'm excited for your experiment. mexico is one of those second world countires where on our block a million dollar home literally sits across the street from a shanty built of scrap metal, wood and cardboard. 2nd - great seondary texts. hang in there.
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