From Ben Myers' sermon here:
When we talk about God, when we write books and attend lectures, and read discussions about this question, “Does God exist”—as Christians when we talk about God we’re not talking about some kind of intellectual hypothesis. We’re not talking about a speculative idea that may or may not have certain arguments for or against it. We’re not talking about a psychological technique for coping with the difficulties of our lives. And when we talk about God, we’re certainly not talking about a supreme being that is so infinitely remote and distant from our world that all we can do is kind of look through our little theological telescopes and try to make a few connections.
As Christians—as followers of the Lord Jesus—when we talk about God, we are talking about one who has entered into the very fabric of our world, who has come as close to us as we are to ourselves, a God who has become incarnate. When we talk about God, ultimately, we are always talking about Jesus. For the God of the gospel is the God who has come among us in Jesus of Nazareth. We believe in God because of Jesus.
Jesus is the one who showed us the face of God—Jesus shows us the truth of God, Jesus shows us the love of God. Jesus is God’s smile beaming at us out of the depths of eternity. Jesus is God’s love wrapping around us, seizing us and not letting us go. Jesus is God’s grace, reaching into the darkest and most shameful dimensions of our experience. Jesus is God’s healing, binding up the wounded. Jesus is God’s goodness, in a world full of chaos and disaster and catastrophe. Jesus is God’s great strength for the weak. Jesus is water for the thirsty, and when you drink that water you will never thirst again. Jesus is bread for all those who are starved and hungry, famished for something good and something true. Jesus shows us God. He is not God’s explanation, he is not God’s argument, he is not God’s debate. He is God’s simple, great, loving act, showing us, Here I am, here you are. In Jesus, God shows us God. That I believe, is the whole secret of the Christian faith.
What a magnificent title!
Only in Jesus' verifiably Spirit-active, perfect and diacritical death on the cross is there God’s smile beaming at us out of the depths of eternity. AMEN.
I love this!
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I like a LOT but..
1."When we talk about God we’re not talking about some kind of intellectual hypothesis."
And 2."Jesus shows us God. He is not God’s explanation, he is not God’s argument, he is not God’s debate. "
Why does it have to be an either/or in both of these sentences?
Actually when we talk about God we ARE talking about a hypothesis, but it's not just a hypothesis. It's so much more. Yet just because it's so much more doesn't suddenly negate the fact that it is also a hypothesis, right?
With the second one, isn't Jesus big enough to contain ALL of those things, ie explanation, argument etc? Again, I don't see why it always have to be a choice between the two, as if by providing a reason for the hope or an argument for the hope we're somehow compromising Jesus. Maybe we don't like the word, 'argument' and we prefer 'story' or 'smile' but Jesus is big enough to be God showing us God and also be the defining argument for God, right?
Also I'm guessing it's the same Ben Myers that wrote this recent review of 'Love Wins' http://www.faith-theology.com/2011/09/will-hell-be-empty-rob-bells-love-wins.html
Not sure what you think of that review but i wasn't impressed...
Michael,
I don't understand. An unknown God cannot be proved by a second-hand Jesus. Can he?
Just love it so much..you really made my day through this post.I feel something inner strength after reading this post.Theses words take me more closer to our lovely Jesus.He is the power the almighty that we even don't have the words to explain it in.He is unconditional love of us.He is the love,peace and everything to us.I just want to say thank you so much for sharing this post....
Lots of Love and Blessings..