community

well, honestly, chapter 30 was like listening to a one hour sermon that could have been condensed to 15 min and the main point would still get across. of course, what i got from this chapter is that the main way that Christ would be preached in our everday lives is to be out in the community. if Christ is shown through our lives in us everyday, then that should natually affect our community for the better.

back

It's been awhile since I've posted... I'm back!

Anyways, it's been a crazy weekend. To sort of "piggyback" off of Abe's post, it sometimes hard to imagine Jesus "calling me out" when I read the text of the Sermon of the Mount because when I read Scripture, I sometimes forget to personalize it. To me, one of the themes that Bonhoeffer always seems to emphasize is that the authenticity of our faith is directly linked to how we take it in and follow Christ's example and commands. The implication of course is that the greatest level of "taking something in" is to personalize it - that we have to answer Jesus' call on a deep level.

faith and The Matrix

I liked chapter 27 (hopefully i'm reading the right chapters). Talks about how the calls the disciples received to follow Him is the same as the calls we receive. The illustration and thought that came to mind was from the movie The Matrix. In the movie (not talking about any of the sequels) it's interesting to see where each person first accepts the truth that Neo is "the one." And it is interesting because Morpheus who is the one who follows the idea that Neo is the one and seeks him out and brings him into the real world and begins to train him and everything actually comes to the final realization only after Neo comes back to life and kills Agents Smith. Morpheus actually says "I don't believe it." (or something like it). It's like he was Peter after Christ was crucified. Ok maybe the parrallels aren't completely there but u get my point (hopefully).
Ok I would add more thoughts but it's 11:58 so I just better hit the "publish" button...

kalloiga la llamada

yeah, what the heck does that title mean?
it's hard to logically look to the Bible as Jesus' call for yourself if you look at it as text. But when you choose to believe, you are believing in God's Word as Truth, and in it, Jesus' call to be more than just any other human being going through the motions. being a disciple of Christ demands your soul, your life, your all.

so what is he saying

is what we hear from God today the same as what he has always said. each person interprets what he reads and hears differently. we read it today and the desciples heard it back then. but is it really the same? it is. it's a matter of just hearing something and following with your heart. he also gives us a gift of a new life when we hear and proclaim is calling. to that, we shall be greatful and to continue to listen and serve. keep your eyes peeled, ears open and be ready to act upon the call of God.

wisdom vs. wisdom

In chapter 24, "The Suffering of the Messengers," I'm sure the point of this chapter is to encourage followers to rest steadfast in the wisdom of God and not the world's. The Bible says that the messengers of God's word will have opposition till the end. So, for us that have chosen to follow, it becomes an everyday struggle of relying on our own wisdom and God's wisdom, but we often go towards our own wisdom. The Bible has God's wisdom, so in order to be wise, a disciple must be in his Word.

the message

God has given us the greatest gift, His son Jesus. He sent Jesus for a purpose, and He saved us also with a purpose. We are His messangers, to proclaim to the ends of the earth the good news of Jesus.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. -Matthew 5:14-15

For the glory of God

The messenger are selfless and determined. They are unfazed by the people harassing them as they spread the good news know that they are delivered by God and protected by his hands. The anguish in the process is well worth the outcome. To live an eternal life and to be with the father is enough to keep them going. Looking and people today, there are very few willing to sacrifice and risk as much as they did for anything, let alone anyone. We need to have that passion and desire in order to even come close. They messengers need to be be respected and recognized for what they did. God will come again and we need to be ready like the messengers were and are.

ze apostles

What I'm reminded of in this chapter is the power Jesus imparts over his disciples - power over unclean spirits and over the devil. This often gets forgotten, maybe because of the supernatural sense of it, or is not really taken seriously. And when this power is used by believers, the motives of the 'user(s)' is often put in question. Well, yes, we should make sure people and things are tested. But if this is imparted on all disciples, then we should use it like we mean it. At the same time, I believe Satan definitely wants us to doubt this power and downplay it, cuz that's want he does best. punk.

the harvest

this is a short chapter, but nonetheless an insightful and encouraging one. it is encouraging to know that Jesus is Lord over the "sick and poor" and will not forsake them. they are the harvest, and i pray that i can have more courage be one of the "pickers" so to speak.

we are the vessel

many times we try to hard to be Christians and to evangelize and disciple. but in actuality we need to be patient and wait to be called upon by God. in order to truly serve you must only do what and when he appoints. this is how we can be messengers. and in this task we may not get anything out if it nor get any response. it is a thankless task to be the vessel of God.

I AM the law! part 2, the revenge

Well, I guess this isn't a direct 'part 2' of my previous 'I AM the Law' post, but I thought I'd reuse the title since the topic of judging others is brought up again in chapter 18. The main point was to
was a nice wrap up in the end of the chapter, reminding us what the greatest commandment is - to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul, and then second to that, to love our neighbors as ourselves.

I agree that as Christians, we set ourselves apart, but in many circumstances we are very judgemental when we actively 'set ourselves apart' from the world's ways in everyday situations. We usually don't even think about the unintentional damage that we do for the sake of being 'christian.' shame on us.

yeah, late post again, and it's 11:52pm now, so there.

what sets you apart

to be desciple, you do not have your own image. you are a direct channel of God and do as Christ would do. you also have no special power or privilege for being a desciple. you are just another person just with a special connection. it must be hard to be a desciple and to give up one's self image. i know i cannot do it. it takes a lot of discipline and focus. i do not have the mental capacity nor the toughness to seperate myself from the world and worldly things. in order to be divided from church and the world, you must do this. this defines you as a christian and a person of God. One step at a time will get you there if you want to get there.

Matt. 7, verses 13-23

This initial sequence of verses in chapter 19 is a fascinating one. It explicitly implies that the road to ruin is the easy path to take, and that the righteous path is the one that's the tough course to stay on. It goes on to emphasize how important it is to be wary of "false prophets" out there who are out to deceive and mislead the populace for the sake of their own selfish gain, monetary or otherwise. It's sad to think there are people out there who are like this, who will purposely attract the generosity of the masses for their own misguided, diabolical ends. To counter this, it further suggests that one always be on the lookout for "fruit," and whether it is good or bad may lend some insight. I can't help but think of televangelists in this light, but at the same time I'm in really no position to judge. Just to watch out intently like a sniper for the "Carmen Miranda" so to speak.

fasting

"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." -Matt 6 v.6

This is a frequently referenced verse of the Bible, and it makes me think about the purpose of the act itself and the motives people have for carrying it out. I think the obvious answer is to draw closer to God, showing that the participant's dependence is in Him and not themselves. It's purpose is not to show how tough you are among your fellow men in a ridiculous spectacle, but to display who is truly in control, which should be God and not the misguided egotist.

being carefree

It seems as though a lot of times I lose that connection of God having power in my life and me actually living that faith in Him out in my everyday life. Like that knowledge that God always has my back should lead me to not worry and even take more risks. Yet I worry, I stress and I am afraid of failure.

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Philippians 4:13

in the closet faith

A lot of the time, many christians remain in the closet. hiding their faith and not opening up and sharing about it. maybe it's more than about the faith but maybe one's character. yesterday, i saw shadowlands, a play about cs lewis' life. i got a glimpse on his faith and how he lived. he was a christian through and through but when is came to relationships, he had to make choice about about showing his love of someone who was not available. his friends tried to keep him straight but the heart won over and he did what made him who he was. even the strong can sometimes take a step back to cover up the rest of life. personally, it happens to me too. a lot depends on the situation and how we feel. we need to feel more open more.

the natural

well, at first this chapter seemed a bit repetitive and going no where, and finally he got to the point. Bonhoe, made it clear that our lives shouldn't be striving to be "extraordinary" for the sake of it, but that our normal lives should be so "extraordinary" that it's normal and ordinary. It kind of seems like it contradicts itself, but it makes sense. I believe that if we're to live the "extraordinary" lives that we're meant to be, then it has to be all the time.

yeah i know, i made this entry down to the wire and as i type this it's 12am... suckas.

tunnel vision

So we have to let our lights shine on top of a hill but it can't be visible (to us). I guess it's just a natural thing to do as a human to concentrate and focus on ourselves. It's also hard when you put yourself in a leadership role because a lot of people are looking at you to act a certain way. Like if a military leader shows weakness or doubt then his troops might falter. So as a leader you might be too preoccupied on how your troops are perceiving you. But the best military leaders in history probably didnt become bogged down in how they look but were focused on the objective to be accomplished. Must've took good discipline.

the visible invisible man

Jesus cautions us to seek God first in all our endeavors; in obediance, humbly following after Him and seeking to further His kingdom and glory. Otherwise we run the risk of doing things for the sake of being seen; to be acknowledged by men, seeking self glory.

humbleness and spontaneous

in order to be righteous with God, you must use the extraordinary gifts that he has given us. but we must do it with humbleness and with spontaneity. it shall not be pre-meditated or that would be considered your own virtue. so in order to truly be what God wants of us, we must hide in the shadows and only do what God wants when he wants.