Chapter 3: Magic

Mark here. Well, this is kind of an interesting week for me to do the initial post, since I have been preaching for the last month on the idea of new life in Christ, which is a key idea in chapter 3 of Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz. So I thought I would start by giving you some Scripture passages you may want to take a look at when you get time. They might provide some good insight or additional questions for us to talk about.

John 15:1-17; 2 Corinthians 5; Colossians 2:6-3:17

Miller quotes from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet:

Romeo: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptiz'd; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Miller, speaking of seeing this play as a teen, remembers thinking about this sentiment, "People really should put a limit on how much they give to emotion."
What role does emotion play in our relationship with God? Is it possible that we can give too much to emotion in our faith?

Miller writes, "I think the devil has tricked us into thinking so much of biblical theology is story fit for kids." His primary example: the story of Noah's ark. If you get a chance, read Genesis 6-9:17, the story of Noah. What does this story say to you as an adult? Do you agree with Miller's observation?

Miller observes that what helped him accept Christianity was when he learned the four elements of story: setting, conflict, climax, and resolution. Setting is where you are. Every story needs conflict, either internal, external or both. Climax is the point of decision that determines how the story ends. Resolution is the ending based on the decision made.
Can you see your own faith journey in these terms? What other models have you seen or heard? Were these helpful or harmful to your understanding of Christianity?

This chapter of Miller's book centers on tracing how he moved from viewing Christianity's promise of new life as a trick or illusion to viewing the reality of new life in Christ as a reality that he desperately wanted. Why do we as people sometimes view new life in Christ as an illusion? Are there times when we don't even want new life? What moves us to an understanding of new life in Christ as a reality that we want?