Musings of a peripatetic wannabe-sage: splat-poetry

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LET THE CONFLICT COMMENCE

Matthew 11-12
Character Set: Religious Leaders

Law keepers,
guiding,
leading,
protecting,

but

somehow
Law was put
over
Law Giver,

ritual
over
mercy.

Confrontation.

Let the conflict commence.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

"new testament"

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

THIS IS OUR MISSION

Matthew 10

So what?

Proclaim Jesus:
Kingdom Bringer
Blessing Giver
Ultimate authority
God-with-us, always.

In him,
by him,
with him:

We follow
We proclaim
We immerse
We instruct--

this is
our
mission.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

LESSER THINGS BANISHED

Matthew 10:26-42

Global proclamation
focused
on open receptors.

Lesser fears,
banished.

Lesser loves,
banished.

Jesus first.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

NOW & NEXT

Matthew 10:5-25

Now - Next
First - Second
Present - Future
Punctiliar - Continuing
Jew - Gentile and Jew
Proclaim the Kingdom - Proclaim the Spirit's words

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

NAMED APOSTLES

Matthew 10:1-4

Disciples,
called to follow.

Twelve,
called to come,
given authority,
named apostles.

These twelve,
some famous,
some disappear,
all sent.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

NO AGNOSTICS

Matthew 8-9
So What?

Words,
lived,
proved.

This One,
teaching with authority,
now heals
with authority.

Son of God:
acknowledged by demons,
glimpsed by followers,
rejected by religious.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

THE TRUST PART

Matthew 8-9
Character Set: Disciples

Called,
so follow.
Called,
so do.
Called,
so trust.
Called,
so be.

Simple?
Yes.
Easy?
No.
Impossible.

That's the trust part.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

DRAWN IN BY MARVEL

Matthew 8-9
Character Set: Crowds

Emotionally moved,
drawn in
by marvel,
by amazement,
by fear.

Giving glory,
sometimes rejection,
yet not
following.

Not volitionally moved.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

WHAT NOW?

Matthew 8-9
Character Set: Scribes and Pharisees

Centuries of
upholding the marks
of Jewishness,

confronted
by new marks:
inside first,
outside second,
Messiah central.

What now?

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

LIVED TRUTH

Matthew 7:1-29

This
lived truth,
too hard,
but not alone.

Do the Father's will:
trust Jesus
know Jesus
enter the narrowness
be true inside and out.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

MAYBE WE GET IT

Matthew 6:19-34

Three "therefores"
and maybe
we get it:
"do not be anxious..."

Easier said
than done.

Funny,
though,
opposite of
anxiety
is not faith
but
seeking the kingdom.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

RECOGNITION

Matthew 6:1-18

Recognition
is its own reward
when sought,
and meager at that.

But then,
the untried
giving-
praying-
fasting,
excused by schedule:

is that any more excusable?

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

DEEPER

Matthew 5:17-48

NOTE: I changed the timings on my lectio-divina-splat-poetry timer (yes, I use a timer), resulting in more reading/thinking time and less writing time. Hopefully this will mean shorter, yet deeper, splats...only time will tell.

Wholeness:
commanded,
enabled,
longed for,
lived.

He fulfills, deepens
Torah,
TaNaKh.

Trust his fulfillment.
Strive to trust.
Then be.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

BEING OVER MERE DOING

Matthew 5:1-16

Odd happiness,
found in poverty
and such,
but true happiness.
These facts,
declared,
challenge
being over
mere doing.

Being salt:
flavorful
and
functional,
not bland
and
useless.

Being light:
revealed
and glorifying,
not hidden
and
useless.

Might there be a theme?

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

KINGDOM PROCLAIMER

Matthew 4:12-25

Kingdom proclaimer
proclaims:
"Repent,
for the kingdom of heaven
is at hand."

Kingdom proclaimer
calls:
"Follow me,
and I will make..."

Nets dropped.
Caller followed.

Kingdom proclaimer
teaches
and
heals

and crowds
follow.

What did they expect?

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

THE SON PREPARED

Matthew 3:1-4:11

Through water,
like Israel,
the Son is baptized
by this
latter day Elijah;
camel's hair for clothes,
and grasshoppers for dinner.
John immerses,
the Son arises,
the Father proclaims,
the Spirit anoints
and then
thrusts
into the wilderness.

Through the wilderness,
like Israel,
the wandering
survived
and redeemed,
the tested Son
sees temptation through
its end.

The tempter defeated.
The Son prepared.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

...AND YET LORD

Matthew 2:13-23

When Herod is troubled,
no good can come of it,
and yet,
God deflects the
threat of death
and fulfills prophecy:
hopeful prophecy,
tragic prophecy,
revolutionary prophecy.

This Messiah,
called from Egypt
like Israel's children,
saved from the slaughter
in Ramah,
sent as a light to nations in darkness,
this Messiah,
still a boy
and yet
Lord.

Did he know?

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

WE BEGIN TO CHOOSE

Matthew 2:1-12

The two ways,
hinted in the contrast:

King and leaders
troubled;
Magi
worship,
obey,
bring gifts,
and rejoice.

A contrast,
a turning of the tables,
pointing to
a revolution.

"Behold,
I make all things
new."

So we
begin
to choose.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

THIS ONE COMES the beginning

Matthew 1:1-25

It begins normally enough,
declaring the heritage
of this One.

But embedded
is a richness:
Messianic prophecies,
fulfilled.
Davidic prophecies,
fulfilled.
Abrahamic prophecies,
fulfilled.

This One who comes,
Anointed,
Enthroned,
Blessing Bringer,
Light to Gentiles,
Kingdom Announcer,
Savior.

This One
comes
through woman,
by Spirit.
Nurtured
by Joseph,
man of God,
man of trust,
man of obedience.

This One--
born,
diapered,
suckling--
is
God With Us.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew

PUNCTUATED

Matthew 5:1; 7:28-29; 10:1-4; 11:1; 13:1-3, 53-58; 18:1; 19:1-2; 24:1-4; 26:1-2

Like prayer beads,
punctuated,
this good news
tells
and teaches.

Disciples come,
crowds come
to be taught,
to hear
a prophet,
the Messiah.

Teaching flows
to telling:
this prophet
lives,
walks,
heals,
confronts,
dies,
rises,
commands.

Tag(s):

gospel of matthew