The Christian story provides us with such a set of lenses, not something for us to look at, but for us to look through (Lesslie Newbigin).
Die evangelie het twee vyande
Die evangelie is basies ‘n verslag van Christus se werk ten behoewe van ons. Dit is nuus, want dit gaan oor ‘n verlossing wat reeds vir ons bewerkstellig is. Dit is nuus wat ‘n lewe van liefde tot gevolg het, maar hierdie lewe van liefde is nie die evangelie self nie.
You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do. – Eleanor Roosevelt
Wat bedoel ons as ons van die evangelie praat? Nie alles wat in die Bybel staan, is evangelie nie. Die evangelie is ‘n boodskap van hoe ons van ‘n ramp gered is. Evangelie se agtergrond is ‘n nuusberig oor ‘n lewensveranderende gebeurtenis wat reeds plaasgevind het.
The fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you – Thomas Merton (Thoughts in Solitude)
Hoop is skaars
As ons praat van hoop is Sefanja nou nie ‘n boek waaraan ons onmiddellik dink nie. Nie minder as twee en ‘n half van die boek se drie hoofstukke gaan oor diegene wat ander gode as YHWH dien.
It is true that the Lord’s Supper is only for sinners. But within that group, it is only for repentant sinners. —Mark Dever
Is ons missioneel?
Missioneel is nie ‘n gebeurtenis in ons reeds besige lewe nie – dit is die manier waarop ons lewe. Hoe is dit moontlik?