Cultural Blindness

“The disciples came up and asked, “Why do you tell stories?” He replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward a welcome awakening. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they’re blue in the face and not get it. I don’t want Isaiah’s forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don’t hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don’t see a thing. The people are stupid! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won’t have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won’t have to look, so they won’t have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them. “But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance.” Matthew 13:10-17 MSG

Jesus taught people in the first century. Jews who had preconceived notions about who the coming messiah would be and what his kingdom would look like. They were wrong on both accounts. He wasn’t a political hero who would overthrow the oppression of Rome. His kingdom wasn’t a plot of land in the Middle East.

His parables were hard to understand because the people thought one way and Jesus brought another way. The way of the kingdom of heaven and a king who ruled hearts and not land masses.

What are the cultural blinds spots we have? Political? Certainly. People think Jesus should be elected and change America. Not gonna happen. Religious? Certainly. People think God is a wrathful God who tortured his son instead of us to satisfy his anger. Far from the Truth.

Jesus, as Peter tells us in Acts was killed by us. Paul tells us sin and death died with Jesus. The gospel writers tell us Jesus is alive. The result? Death and sin are dead. We no longer have to live under their power. We have the option to live with our hearts ruled by a risen King who loved us and gave his life so we could live. Yes, he is a king. But not of a plot of ground, but of our hearts. Do you have eyes to see? Ears that hear? The king of love calls you. What will your answer be? I pledge allegiance to a country without borders and without politicians, to a risen King who loves me beyond reason!

And you?

Love ya

,

Dave