“Activism without deep spiritual resources inevitably draws from shallow wells that soon run dry–it cannot long be sustained. This it ceases to be active. Piety without a forthright cultural agenda inevitably capitulates to the prevailing pressures of the world–it cannot exist in a vaccum. Thus it ceases to be pious.” -George Grant, The Micah Mandate, xiii
Herod the Fox, Jesus the Hen, and the Exodus: Lectionary, Luke 13:31-35
In these few verses in St. Luke, the writer plays on the animal vocabulary to describe two opposing groups. In the process it also echoes the exodus motif.
In this text, Herod is described as a fox. A fox is known for its cunning and deceitful ways. Herod wants Jesus out of his way. As N.T. Wright observes, “Herod is a predator.” The Pharisees come along and ask Jesus to flee the fox and exodus from the town. On the other hand, Jesus describes his purpose in gathering Israel to a hen protecting her own.
Herod wants to kick Jesus out and Jesus wants to kick demons out (exorcism). Jesus wants to gather his brood, but they will not listen. They do not want Jesus’ hen-like protection, and so they will suffer destruction. Their home will be left desolate. The glory will exodus from Israel’s temple. Jesus will journey out of the region, so that He may depart to Jerusalem. Finally, Jesus will work on day one and two, but on the third day He will depart and cry It is finished.
The Obedient Son
Jesus is the obedient Son, and his obedience confirms his status as the Chosen One (cf. 9:31-35) who, entrusted with authority, has used his authority rightly and who extends his authority through the Holy Spirit in the church. –David Hester
The Church in History
The true Church is the Church in history theologically begun in the garden when the first priest, Adam, was created, and then she continued in all her imperfection from Father Abraham to King David to the Fall of Jerusalem, and then pentecostalized, glorified, made new by the power of the Spirit at the Day of Pentecost.
{From my Lecture: The Church as the Apologetic of God}
Liturgical Strategy
The worship of the Church accomplishes work in the world. Battles are won or lost as a result of how our churches worship God. Too often we act as though our differences over liturgy were simply differences over decoration, instead of differences over effective strategy in the midst of a fearful war. There should be no disagreement over whether the warfare of an army should be coordinated or not…when the choir in militant joy goes out as the advance guard of the army, then God’s name is glorified, and His enemies are scattered.
{Doug Wilson, Mother Kirk, 146}
The Historical Church
Those who are in the historical Church should not see that Church as defiled because it is earthly, but rather as immature because it is early.
{Douglas Wilson, Mother Kirk, 26}
The New Revolutionary
Being a revolutionary used to mean that you overthrew a government; now it means that you are a courageous enough visionary to have church on a golf course or in someone’s living room.
{Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck, Why We Love the Church, 57}
Unpacking Forgiveness
“Too many people dread learning about forgiveness. They fear they will learn what they ought to do and that what they ought to do will make them miserable.”
—Chris Brauns, Unpacking Forgiveness, pg.18
The Mandate of Creation
To be a Christian is to be obliged to engage the world, pursuing God’s restorative purposes over all of life, individual and corporate, public and private. This is the mandate of creation.
{Hunter, To Change the World, 4}
World-Makers
In the Christian view…human beings are, by divine intent and their very nature, world-makers.
{James Davison Hunter, To Change the World, 3}