Posts tagged as:

message

Reading vs Hearing

September 21, 2009

written by Stephan Joubert

Stephan JoubertTo read one uses one’s eyes, and to listen one’s ears. Reading is a form of exercise, and requires different skills than hearing. For most of us the bible is just a ‘reading’ book. Nevertheless we find lots of scripture telling us to listen to the Lord. This means that in addition to reading and understanding, you should also hear and listen. Jesus often gave instructions that those who have ears must hear. Thus, the bible is a book to listen to, not just to read… Originally, the people heard the bible with their ears. Hearing is the primary revelation instrument of God. Therefore, learn to listen carefully. Learn to listen in a way that the word of the Lord overwhelms you. You have to listen in a way that you personally meet the living God over and over again in the bible… behind all the letters on paper!

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My favorite, highly-dangerous quotes (part 1)

September 17, 2009

written by Stephan Joubert

Stephan JoubertRecently somebody asked me what some of my favorite quotes are. The following one immediately came to mind: “People and institutions do not like to be kept continually on the alert, and they have constantly devised screens to protect themselves from too much heat­. In fact, they have even managed to reduce Jesus’ red-hot message, which promised to kindle a fire throughout the world, to room temperature.” This is a quote from around the middle of the previous century by a well-known German Biblical scholar, Ernst Kaesemann. In a collection of essays on Jesus and the early church this student of the well-known theologian, Rudolf Bultmann, engages in a discussion of the church’s understanding of Jesus. Then he makes the astounding observation that they have reduced the red-hot message of Jesus to mere room temperature.

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