In Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, N. T. Wright challenges us to rethink our notions of heaven and the implications of the doctrine of heaven for the entire Christian faith.
In Chapter Five Wright asks what God’s purpose for creation is and how the resurrection fits into that purpose. First, he lays out two popular options for answer the question about purpose.
In the Hebrew language of the Old Testament, there were three Hebrew words used to describe the dark side of life.[1]
· One word carried the image of something once straight now no longer straight. It referred to straight things made bent. When the Hebrew authors of the Old Testament looked at life they saw things that seemed bent, twisted, or askew. Think about our world and national news. Doesn’t it seem like some things are askew? Think about what you experienced over the last month at work, at home, or at school. Doesn’t it seem like some things are twisted? Think about your own heart, your own soul. Doesn’t it seem that some things are bent?
Present Tense: The Calming Words of Forgive, Punish (Ex. 34:6-7)
God’s mission statement from Gen. 12 has finally been put into action–a new nation has been released from bondage to Egypt and sent to be a blessing to all nations on earth (Ex. 15, 16,… Complaining: The Greatest Threat to Mission?
Mrs. Kinder, my son Jacob’s second grade teacher, told us on orientation night, “I’m big on mercy. So, throughout the year, we’ll be having grace and mercy days.” What happens on grace and mercy days? … Grace and Mercy Day in 2nd Grade