(This is part of the continuing conversation we started this week about the vision of Ikon Community)
Jesus Christ is the prototype of the Church.
Theologian Chris Wright says Jesus is the “hermeneutical coherence” through which all disciples must read the texts that “lead up to” and “on from” Christ. In our case, this means developing a prophetic imagination that is able to grab hold of Christ’s example to be a foundation for our own gathered lives as missional pilgrims in 21st century America.
Not surprisingly, examples of Christ acting as a missionary to his own culture are everywhere in the gospel narratives, but I’ve chosen a specific passage to highlight because I believe it reveals so much about Christ’s overall posture toward the people of God, the world, and the gospel itself: John 5:1-30.
In this passage Jesus comes to the pool at Bethesda and encounters a cadre of sick and disabled people. This is much like the world in general – broken and in need of redemption – and Jesus meets those needs, bringing healing to one lame man in particular, liberating him to walk (John 5:5-8). This is the powerful demonstration of the eschatological Kingdom breaking into the present; the good news has come.
That alone is an expression of God’s mission. However, we learn something of Jesus’ theology in this passage as well. When pressed by the Jewish leaders to answer for his Sabbath-breaking healing efforts, Jesus responds, saying, Continue reading…
Technorati Tags: Christopher Wright, Church, Jesus, John, mission, missional
