The Book That Won't Be Domesticated

I had an occasion not so long ago to speak about Jesus, using the story of Jesus' resurrection from a tomb, as conveyed by a tax collector known to us now as Matthew. I've been doing what I do for three decades, so I've focused on this resurrection story from the Bible many times. Approaching it this time I thought, "I know this account backwards and forwards; I don't see what could be said about it that hasn't been said before." Then something happened to me that happens quite regularly with the Bible. Something almost leaped off the page that I had never noticed before. As Matthew describes the experience of women who found Jesus' tomb empty and encountered a messenger from God, he says, "So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples." (Matthew 28:8 - New Revised Standard Version.) Every other time I had glossed over the fact that the women experienced both terror and great gladness at the same time. They didn't wait for fear to leave them before they moved forward in faith. I believe the Holy Spirit wanted me to see this, both for my congregation and for me, personally.

That's the nature of this thing called the Bible. It is vibrant and dynamic, and God speaks through it. I never can plumb the depths of it. Just when I think I have parts of the Bible figured out, something like the above happens to blow apart the containing walls I've built around it. When we reduce the Bible to being only a rulebook, when we limit encounter with the Bible to rote memorization, when we use it only as a club to beat up those who don't think like we do, we don't even begin to experience God speaking through us through this powerful medium.

I'm always impressed by durability and vitality. The Bible has endured a lot over the centuries: misuse, disuse, ridicule, dismissal, criticism, proof-texting, minimizing, etc. etc. Yet God keeps using it to speak in ways that break free of human confinements.

In our church fellowship we promote specific ways to take the first steps in hearing God speak through the Bible, and we would be happy to coach anyone who is seeking. I'll see you on down the river.