hey jude: clouds without water
hey gang - here are a few questions for you to roll over as jvo leads us through this section of the book of jude
#1 what nuances from the text do you think jvo is uniquely able to bring out by virtue of his personality [i.e. what's his "take" on the book]? again, how does this flavor/perspective add to the previous weeks' teaching and what do you get from combining the two?
#2 tell me about the metaphors in these verses...was there one that you personally resonated with? is there one you find personally convicting? on you've been exposed to that's been hurtful to you?
#3 with only one week left in the series [after this one], where do you feel like we need to place our emphasis? i.e. how should the series wrap up in order to really be meaningful/useful to your own christian experience?
ok - thanks everyone for all your efforts here!
- david
#1 what nuances from the text do you think jvo is uniquely able to bring out by virtue of his personality [i.e. what's his "take" on the book]? again, how does this flavor/perspective add to the previous weeks' teaching and what do you get from combining the two?
#2 tell me about the metaphors in these verses...was there one that you personally resonated with? is there one you find personally convicting? on you've been exposed to that's been hurtful to you?
#3 with only one week left in the series [after this one], where do you feel like we need to place our emphasis? i.e. how should the series wrap up in order to really be meaningful/useful to your own christian experience?
ok - thanks everyone for all your efforts here!
- david
posted by david mcdonald at 12:19 PM
1 Comments:
1) I sure appreciate the way you guys keep it real, and simple, and honest for us. John explained the various metaphors used to describe leaders who were leading others astray but didn't stop there. He really made me think hard about how we put people (pastors and others) on pedalstals and do nothing to sustain them. It is so easy to point fingers and place blame on those who fall but maybe that same finger needs to point right back at us.If we asked ourselves what did we do to help support these people, we would probably come up with a very short list.
2) I most definitely have the clouds without water metaphor stuck in my head. As John was speaking it was very easy to visualize this metaphor. After service on Sunday I had to drive to Adrian and I kept noticing the different shapes of clouds and the paths they make. Just like people. I was reminded of a mission trip to Mexico several years ago and how hot and dry it was. There were plenty of clouds in the sky but no rain. How much easier our work would have been if just a little rain would have fallen to soften that rock-hard dirt we were trying to dig in. But how much harder it would have been for those adoring, kind people had we not been "clouds" with water. I think this metaphor is going to stay with me for quite some time. Just a glance in the sky will remind me to seek out others who are clouds with rain but more importantly to continue to strive to be like Jesus.
3)I guess what just hit me (again) is realizing that I fail every day in some way. Ok, maybe not complete failure but a definite recognition of areas that need improvement. So if I've fallen into one of Jude's warnings...how do I get out? How do we help others from falling in? How do I teach my children the rather sophisticated message of Jude?
Sidebar - John what a beautiful song you wrote and performed!
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