Mark here. With David teaching the Great Light Seminar right now, I will facilitate the rest of the discussions on "Blue Like Jazz". With only 1 chapter left to go, some may wonder, "What next?" Well, let me tell you! We will next move into a discussion centered around Leonard Sweet's new book 11. In this book, Sweet uses Biblical figures to identify 11 relationships we need to have in our life in order to be who God intends us to be. This book should provide a wonderful opportunity for Biblical principles to intersect daily life. It will hopefully also generate a lot of discussion.
In starting with 11, David and I have decided to cast a wider net. We have always said that the discussion on this blog was open to anyone. We are going to be much more intentional about promoting that over the course of the next few weeks.
If you are in the Young Adult Sunday School class at First Baptist Elon, David and I will be getting books to you shortly. Otherwise, anyone can pick up a copy of the book at any Family Christian bookstore. As always, we will try to facilitate the discussion in a way that anyone can participate, even if they do not have the book.
Now, on to a discussion based around chapter 19 of Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz.
Miller tells a story about Nathan, a genius who talks like Elmer Fudd. Miller fears that if Nathan was to come to his church, people would label Nathan and make fun of him because of the way he talks and never learn that he was a genius. Have you ever labeled someone and then learned something about them that totally blew up your label? Why do you think we sometimes make judgments about someone without really knowing them?
Miller writes, "I pray often that God would give me the strength and dignity to receive [my friends'] love. My friend Julie from Seattle says the key to everything rests in the ability to receive love ...". Why does it take strength to receive love? Why does it take dignity to receive love? Why is the ability to receive love so important?
There are 2 passages of Scripture that Miller either directly quotes or, I believe, lie underneath his writings in this chapter.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
"One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, 'Which commandment is the first of all?' Jesus answered, 'The first is, Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.'" - Mark 12:28-31
It occurs to me that one of the first songs the church teaches children is "Jesus Loves Me". Most children learns that God loves them before they learn that they are to love God. Is it possible to love God without first coming to the realization that God loves us?
If we are struggling with the fact that God loves us, how does this affect our faith and our relationship to God?
Are our relationships to others affected by our understanding that God loves us? How?
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If we are struggling with the fact that God loves us, how does this affect our faith and our relationship to God?
After reading this chapter last Saturday night I started to think, "do I have this problem?" I was in Rock Hill Sunday morning for Sunday school and this topic again came up. I realized that I knew God loved me, but I was having trouble believing it. I think that I have trouble with accepting His unfailing love with no conditions. I know that I do not love unconditionally and I think that because of that it rolls over into my relationship with God. It is almost as if I can't accept His love for free. I do not have to do anything. The price was already paid, all I have to do is learn to accept it. SR
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