Folks, you have been summoned to serve as members of a jury this Sunday at Nexus. As we explore the tensions we experience with God, this week we want to explore the question: is God cruel?
To do that, we are going to put God on trial for the cruel story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice (kill) his son Isaac. Is God guilty? The answer may seem obvious. Anyone, or any deity, that asks a father to kill his son, seems guilty of cruelty, at the least. Case closed.
And yet, this Sunday I will be acting as the defense attorney for the story. I intend to bring forward evidence that would suggest, beyond a reasonable doubt, that something is amiss here. Further, I intend to showcase that while the story may seem grisly on the surface, a closer look might reveal there is some actual good news to be found.
Now, you can thank Kristen for sparing you from my flair for the dramatic. I intended to show up in my best Columbo costume (raincoat, cigar, ill-fitted suit, and thick New York accent) but she thought the idea corny. While I disagree, she made me self-conscious, so you are just getting plain old Brad serving as defense lawyer.
You folks get to serve as the jury. Now, if you want to be prepared jurists, a simple reading of Genesis 22 should do the trick. As it reads on the page is all the prosecution needs to make their case. Can I prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that this grisly story on the surface might be good and welcome news about God? You be the judge.
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Leave Your Skin Behind (S9 Episode 5)
A Burning Bush & The Structure of Self-Doubt (S9 Episode 4)
To look for the Thousandth Time (S9 Episode 3)
Hoist the Jolly Roger (S9 Episode 2)
The Kingdom of God Is Like…A Pirate (S9 Episode 1)
Pick A Plot Line: Part 2 (S8 Episode 37)
Pick A Plot Line: Part 1 (S8 Episode 36)
Huckleberry Finn, Choices & Developing Your Character (S8 Episode 35)
Architecture of Story (S8 Episode 34)
Golf Ball (S8 Episode 33)
Wrestling with Thoughts and Prayers (S8 Episode 32)
Four Things to Wrestle With (S8 Episode 31)
"Let's Get Ready to Rumble" (S8 Episode 30)
An Ugly Love Story (S8 Episode 29)
Life on the Run (S8 Episode 28)
The Wrestler (S8 Episode 27)
In Horus We Trust (S8 Episode 26)
Special Speaker Dawn Hill (S8 Episode 25)
Hornet Nests, Dear Deer, and Pinky Toes (S8 Episode 24)
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