Week 19 - Hatred by the Synagogue - The Consequence of Compassion

Week 19 - Meant to post this last week but got tangled up with family road trip so here it is now.

I may not know what the future holds but I do know who holds the future (358.)

Our picture of the future automatically shapes the way we live in the present (360.)

The story that has creation for its first word, has creation for its last word (360.)"

The cities of man, he writes, have been built as part of our attempt to run from God.” Jacques Ellul (361.)

In the new city the forces of chaos are gone. What Jesus shows John is that God’s dwelling place is no longer an identifiable separate space with the city. God’s dwelling place is the city itself – everywhere. It is all Temple. (365)"

The whole city is sacred. (367)

Being Israel means giving one’s life away for the Gentiles. (368)

He stands at the very center of everything as the source of the glory of God (374).

The lamp is the lamb! (374)

My favorite quote (because it challenges my hard heart so completely) from the entire chapter (double mention here) - "Being Israel means giving one’s life away for the Gentiles. (368)"

This word of truth, compassion for the gentiles, literally got Jesus thrown out of the synagogue with the folks at the church seeking to kill him - Luke 4:28.

They loved him and accepted him until he preached on God's heart and compassion for gentiles and then they hated him. Like Jesus, love for those outside our synagogue (assembly) is what likely can and will bring the division and hatred that Christ promises those who walk His path. Incredible.