Today we will move into a look at that 'stumbling block.' There are a series of texts in the apostolic witness which give evidence of a particular theological understanding of Jesus' life and death and attribute this understanding to Jesus before his death. These are texts which show Jesus' life and death as related to a prophecy in Isaiah 8:14: "Behold I am laying in Zion a stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make men fall." This is juxtaposed with Isaiah 28:16: "Behold I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame." The two quotations are related in the apostolic witness to Psalm 118:22: "The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner." I do not always like when folks reach back into the Hebrew Scriptures to try and say that they were predicting the coming of Jesus - as if their life of faith was really bankrupt. Instead, these kinds of passages are speaking about the character of the people of God. A character that is - always is - the foundation of life shaped by the non-violent, contrary life of God's people who are giving witness to the Reign of God - in the flesh. This is a contrary life in that it will reject blame - rivalry - war - and dominance over others. It is contrary in that the ways of the powers of the world will reject it - for many reasons. Some will say it is foolish - such love, ha. Some will say it is contrary to the way of holiness - a stumbling block - such unending forgiveness, ha. And yet, these words from the Psalms are calling out a character - available to the people in the days of the writer of the Psalms. The use of such images were to send up a signal that might simply be saying: "This is the character - we must look at it again" - "This Jesus who was brutally killed on the cross for living within the Reign of unending love and forgiveness was it - the Reign alive." From that connection, comes the storytelling we receive from the early disciples. They were empowered to see it and then pass it on. A contrary, wonderful building - that really has been around for some time - but always needed and always will need -life. Connection: We have so much to put to life - it really is exciting and it really is the power for life that is still driving a whole new world of life in the midst of our brokenness. O God of life, by the power of the resurrection take hold of us again this day so we will see the way and begin again the first steps of new life. Amen. |
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