This sermon blew my mind at the same time as leaving me with so many more questions. I feel like a way in which I have grown my understanding of God is through metaphors - is that wrong? When we sing the song lyric "I see your face in every sunrise" are we breaking the second commandment? I don't think that's the point DJ was trying to make. I think he was acknowleding that none of those things are God, so we can't hold onto them as if they are God.
For example, we have all met Jesus is some really intimate ways over the summer, in a houseboat/ski boat, on the water. Is that bad? No. But once we leave the water, are we limiting our relationship with Jesus based on what we experienced of him over the summer? Do we localize our relationship with him to under the roof of a houseboat? I think that's what DJ is challenging us to ask ourselves.
For me? Oh ya, for sure. When I reflect on my relationship with Jesus, some of my most meaningful growth-filled moments have been at Sonshine - but I desperately want to experience him outside of that box. What's the solution that DJ offers us? Jesus.
Other take aways...
- I loved that DJ started off by talking about how God can be a jealous God. If God was ok with us running off and worshipping other false idols, would he really love us as much as he does?
- I also loved DJ's clarifying note toward the end: this doesn't mean that God is prohibiting art of symbols of him - it means God's calling us to look to Jesus!
- Negative command turned positive: Do not make an idol for yourself... --> Behold my son - love him and you won't put me in a box.
Thanks for sharing everyone. Praying for you - that this week can be one in which we open any boxes we have put God into. That we can recognize where we have localized God and learn to look to Jesus.
-Ari
Thanks for sharing Ariana, I thought what you said about limiting our relationship with Jesus to houseboats can be so hard. I think it is definitely a challenge to readjust to finding God once leaving the water because I am trying to experience God the same way as I do in that place. Thanks for the reminder that we can experience God in so many different ways.
ReplyDeleteThx for sharing. As far as God in a box through metaphors. He uses the story of Elijah. If you took an hour or two when God doesn’t appear to Elijah in Earth Wind and Fire Elijah is desperately hoping to put God in Earth Wind and Fire on Mt. Sinai cuz Jezebal was still alive and coming for him. He goes to Sinai where God previously had done some crazy pyrotechnics in hopes that maybe he could get God to go nuclear again. I think that’s the key issue in Darrell’s sermon. Kind of like churches I’ve worked at in the padt twho tried to copy Saddleback cuz it had such explosive attendance growth. Instead of seeking intimacy w God in their zip code we were more focused on Rick Warrens latest moves and strategies. For me, using Elijah’s example, the message is pushing us to not turn metaphors into practical formulaic blue prints. The message served as a reminder that even the greatest prophets among us at times can be tempted to use metaphors to “work” God and forget that life is a process of uniquely and decisively surrendering to God’s work in us and through us.
ReplyDeleteSuper clear, Ari! You communicated that so well - Jesus gifts us with all of these imprints of him, but we can't forget that He is bigger than the imprint! I especially appreciated how you tied that to the summer. I think each of us relate to that experience.
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