July 15, 2013
Dear Family,
This
week we processed through things about the Spirit. We ended up in an all out
fistfight and five people flew home on Friday… Kidding, totally kidding, but
totally possible.
But in all reality it was great! We looked at scripture and
how the Gospels describe the Spirit and how they describe what the Spirits role
is. I am wrestling with how we leave the Spirit out of things so much, yet how
so very key the Spirit is to, well, everything Christian. Every one of you
probably has different views, but we can discuss those later! We came to the
conclusion that the Spirit is the primary “discipler”, we see in Scripture that
He is ultimately the one who “…will teach you all things and bring to your
remembrance all things that (Jesus) said to you.” John 14:26 Scripture says
that the Spirit reveals the things of God to us. Does that mean if we are
empowered by the Spirit we are going to end up like “those weird” Christians? I
am by no means saying “those weird” Christians are in the right or are really
being lead by the Spirit or whatever. I am simply saying that the Spirit has a
HUGE part in the Gospel and in God’s plan of redeeming the world and we cannot
miss that.
I
finally hit a point where I just needed to sit by myself and not do anything.
There is so much we have been going through and learning it is hard for me to
process it so quickly. So I had to just sit with some scripture this week and
let the reality of it sink in. Things are moving so quickly I feel like most of
this processing will happen once I return home, but for now I work with what I
have.
Throughout our time here we have been
reading through a book, “The Mission of God’s People” by Christopher Wright. It
is very pithy, “seminaryish”, and textbook like, BUT good nonetheless. He does
a very good job of taking a biblical look at what the purpose of God’s people
is. He comes to the conclusion that we, the Church, are made to bless the
nations, walk in God’s ways, and represent God to the world. TRUST me when I say
this is TOTALLY scratching the surface! These conclusions are much deeper and
wider and more friggen awesome than I just explained! In reading this book
there is one thing that has continually stood out to me, and it is this. If
people are going to understand the Gospel they MUST understand the story of the
Old Testament! In the book Wright finds all of his conclusions by looking to
the Old Testament. Look at the list I wrote up above, does that not sound like
things from OT passages? And those things that God wanted His people to be are
the same for us, the Church, today. This is because instead of God seeking to
set a people apart for Himself through the OT law, He is now looking to set a
people apart for Himself through Jesus! His desires are the same; just His
means of accomplishing it are different. Therefore, if this is true, than
people who are being discipled MUST know the OT story or else we may not be
able to make full sense of our purpose as disciples of Jesus!
I love it, I have talked too much, and I am out of breath.
Peace, Shannon
If you have a second check this site out, Download the sermon by Justin Westcott, and listen to it. It is good. http://somatacoma.org/resources/sermons-training/series/current/
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