Road to the Cross: The Flip Side

Welcome To REUNION

We are glad that you are here. We hope that you feel save, welcomed and relaxed. We are going to read the Bible, pray, sing a few songs and listen to a short Lead In. We might even have discussions

But.. you’re invited to participate as much as you want.

No expects you to speak or share. We do invite you to remain present. We believe that remaining present - even in our minds - is an act of love.

NOTES: John 2:1-22

• God Told Me: Did God really? How can we tell, how can we know?

  • Being a prophet is a danger and undesirable role because a prophet is called to critique or provoke their own community.

    • False prophets are motivated by self: arrogance, entitlement and pleasure from the conflict they create in their critique.

    • True prophets might name a sin but in doing so call others back to their true identity.

      • You are not a liar. You tell the truth. Our family tells the truth.

• Jesus fulfills all three old Testament roles: King, Priest and Prophet.

  • Everyone loves Jesus the King and Priest. People hate Jesus the prophet.

    • John introduces us to Jesus the prophet in John 2 right next to Jesus at the wedding.

      • Jesus turns water into wine and then shows up with a whip?

• Jesus Cleanses the Temple:

  • Passover: Thousands of Israelites travel to Jerusalem to offer “blemish free” sacrifices.

    • You need a better sacrifice - pay more!

      • salesmen would resell “blemished” sacrifices to others.

      • The whole system had become a scheme, a sham, a sin. What was supposed to be place of reconciliation became a place of power, coercion and manipulation.

    • Ritual: A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, or actions

      • What was suppose to be “acts of love” for God can become self absorbed actions for us.

  • Jesus prophetic protest: this is not who you are!

    • is again the mindset: as long as we do these things (sacrifice, pray etc) in the Temple we can do whatever we want to whomever we want out there.

    • The Temple had become their den: a place of safe retreat from the accusations of others.

    • Wrath: is not a angry reaction to someone’s wants/dreams/agenda etc being infringed upon but instead a loving response to protect the things/people you love from harm

      • We yell at our kids in wrath when they run into the street.

      • Jesus uses a cord: a material used to make papyrus and baskets. Not a horse or roman whip.

        • used to clear the livestock NOT PEOPLE.

    • Jesus Protest is a prophetic call for the people of Israel to be the people of Israel. Stop going through the motions of temple worship and come back to God. Take your worship seriously.

  • So what?

    • Are we falling into ritual?

    • Are we going through the motions?

    • Are we approaching Sunday gatherings, the communion table or any other aspect of our apprenticeship as a “see I did this” with zero intent to allow our connection to God to transform our love for others?

    • FLIP SIDE: It’s exciting to pray for God to flip the tables of the oppressor out there but here at REUNION we are learning to submit our lives to the prophet in here, in our own lives. It’s easy to point the finger but it’s the challenge of the an apprentice to look in the mirror.

Discussion Questions:

• What is your reaction to the Spiritual Practice from Sunday morning?

  • What stood out to you and why?

• What do you wonder, think or know about Prophets?

  • how does the idea of Prophets calling others back to their identity and relationship with God “soften” their message?

    • Example: We tell the truth. We value the truth. We do not lie. We are not liars so.. tell the truth VS You are a Liar, You Lie, You cannot be trusted until I know you’re telling the truth.

• Wesley mentions John artistic interpretation of Jesus story.

  • How does this idea of altering the story’s “timeline” make you feel

  • How does this artistic allowance help or hinder your view of scripture?

    • How does this clarify or muddy the authors definition of truth?

• Rituals are not bad but they can be.

  • Are there rituals, or rhythms of your apprenticeship that you’ve seen change from acts of worship to acts of self indulgence? (IE: Worship Wars)

• Jesus cleansing the temple: Please Read John 2:13-22

  • how do you react to this story in contrast to Jesus turning water into wine?

  • Jesus is upset people believed that what they did with God made no impact on how they interacted with others. The ritual saved them so to speak.

    • how do you react to this prophetic comment?

    • Jesus flips the tables because they served no genuine purpose.

• Loving God leads to loving others:

• Do you notice oppression and injustice taking place in our communities?

  • What would flipping the tables look like as we stand with those marginalized?

• Wesley said “it’s fun to point at the finger outside at others but as apprentices of Jesus we must also look in the mirror.”

  • How do you react to this statement?

  • Do we have systems that marginalize people?

    • How so?

    • What suggestions do you have to rectify the problem?

• “It’s me, Hi, I’m the problem it’s me.” - Taylor Swift

• as you consider your own lives are there tables or rituals you find yourself just going through the motions?

• Is Church your “safe place” to escape the role you play in maintaining or creating injustice?

• Is your love for God transforming your love/protection of others?