We
were reading John 4 the other day & we ran across something really special
at the end of the chapter. A lot of times it gets missed because people know
about Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman & ministry in her town. This
nugget is only found in the last paragraph of the chapter. It’s the miraculous healing
of the royal official’s son & the immediate results. You can read it in
John 4:46-54.
One
of the blessings of ministering cross-culturally for many years is that it
opens our eyes to a lot of things we might never otherwise have seen. One of those things is more of a
collectivist view of self. What I mean by this is that Westerners tend to see
ourselves (& also read Scripture) in the light of an individualistic view.
In
many parts of the world, individuals get much more of their identity from a
group such as family.
So,
when we read Scripture, we tend to see it thru the lens of individualism. As a
result, our biblical understanding is affected. Also, our ideas about how to
live as disciples of Jesus & how to do ministry are affected.
Here’s
the end of the story in John 4:
So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself
believed and his whole household (verse 53).
And
his whole household.
Most
of us know the verses like Acts 16:31 (Believe
in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household) &
Joshua 24:15 (If it is disagreeable
in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves
today whom you will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord).
The problem is that we don’t necessarily see anything
there that as indicates a biblical value that should shape how we are to live
for God & do service for Him.
Will
the circle be unbroken? Hopefully not, either here or in heaven. An unbroken
circle made up of family members who love & follow Christ in both time
& eternity is precisely what Jesus gave His life to have.
Amen and Amen. Precisely why Americans need to get back to being a true family. Truly teaching our children and grandchildren in our own homes first about the Lord Jesus Christ and not expecting pastors and leaders of the church to do the job for us. It truly begins in the home with a mother and a father who desire to love and serve Jesus Christ. We so need to get it right at home first with our own families. I agree the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit set up the family unit for a reason. And I think the main reason was to show the world Love.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
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