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.
O Little Town of Bethlehem (S13 Episode15)
Inspirata Flourit (S13 Episode14)
The Mystery of Compulsion (S13 Episode11)
Compelled > Converted (S13 Episode10)
A Tactful Reduction of Options (S13 Episode9)
Tribute to Murray (S13 Episode8)
Your Questions, My Responses (S13 Episode7)
Things that Keep Me Up At Night (S13 Episode6)
What Should We Pray For? (S13 Episode5)
When Trees Fly (S13 Episode4)
Opening the Tuna Can (S13 Episode3)
What is Prayer? (S13 Episode2)
An Introduction to Prayer and a Personal God (S13 Episode1)
A Beautiful Thing (S12 Episode43)
Blood & Thunder - Mob Mentality (S12 Episode43)
Robbing Rembrandt & Stormy Seas (S12 Episode42)
Thinking Inside the Box (S12 Episode41)
Power Moves (S12 Episode40)
Experiments in Prayer (S12 Episode39)
A Sermon About Soup Sunday (S12 Episode38)
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