Jesus’ parable is about how Israel, the manager in the parable, had not been a good steward of her calling to be a light to the world. Jesus’ teachings made it clear that Israel’s days were numbered; she was in danger of losing God’s favor. The Pharisees responded to this problem by trying to become even more strenuous in their keeping of every dot and tittle of the law. Jesus’ response was that if you keep doing what you're doing you'll keep getting what you're getting. Jesus’ story suggests that perhaps it is time to throw caution to the wind and try something else.
The face of the Christian church has changed considerably in the last fifty years. Like the Pharisees in Jesus’ parable the mainline denominations have become so self-centered and caught up in their own traditionalism they are keeping out of their churches the very people Jesus called them to seek and find. As a result the work of growing the Kingdom has been taken up by newer, independent churches, which have thrown off the traditional ways and have found new ways to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to a lost and dying world.
But by his teaching on faithfulness which follows this parable Jesus makes clear he is not throwing the baby out with the bath water. Jesus affirms the teachings of the Old Testament and shows that with the coming Kingdom of God, which was announced by John the Baptist, there is a new way of incorporating God’s ways into our lives. Jesus was speaking to a culture that was caught up in performance based acceptance. Your worth was determined by what you did and how well you did it. Ultimately your worth was determined by your wealth, which came primarily through the ownership of land. Jesus was announcing a new Kingdom where a person’s worth was determined by God’s unconditional acceptance. Thus, material wealth is no longer needed to validate the value of our lives. Material wealth can now be used to share God’s blessings with others. God’s unconditional love and acceptance creates within us the desire for our lives to be marked by fidelity to God in all of our relationships.
What word or phrase in these verses
attracts your attention?
Reflect on that word or phrase.
What insights come to you?
How does this passage touch your life today?
28-Jan-12 Luke 16:19-17:10
No comments:
Post a Comment