Pastor Joe Burnham and a Reconstructed Abundant Life
Jesus’ response to the man born blind moves to reveal him as someone made in the spitting image of the divine. At least that is a playful way to talk about Jesus’ actions that answer the question, “What now?”
When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes.
John 9:6, NRSV
We are born in the void. We return there even after presence finds us. So how does God light up the darkness? We see it described metaphorically in the Genesis account. Jesus does this work throughout his time on earth. He also invites his followers to participate in it. But how are we to live in to this call to light up the darkness?
Before exploring where we ended last time before we consider how the man born blind uses his freedom, it is important to reflect more on life in the void. This is especially true for those born into the void who never experienced an early return to presence.
This topic is important to me because, as mentioned, I spent decades in the darkness and I know others are currently dwelling there. For those who are trapped there, I want to use this post to do two things. First, I want to let you know that while each experience is different, you are not alone. Second, I will help make sense of what is going on at a biological level.
[Read more…] about Life in the VoidIs there a better question to ask about the man born blind? The disciples saw the man and from their world of transcendent-enchantment asked, “Who sinned?” The assumption is that it must be the man or his parents. In our world of immanent-disenchantment we ask, “Who’s to blame?” We use frameworks like meritocracy and victimhood to help us figure out the answer.
But is there a better question that we should be asking in this situation?
[Read more…] about A Better QuestionThe question, “Who sinned?” launches us into a multi-week exploration of the local context of John 10:10 and Jesus’ offer of an abundant life.
[Read more…] about Who Sinned?Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?
John 9:2, NRSV