Marginal Christianity

Israel in exile heard these words through the prophet Isaiah: “ How beautiful upon the mountains      are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news,      who announces salvation,      who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” The “good news” Isaiah announced as promise Mark proclaims as fulfilled. Fulfilled in Jesus Messiah, Son of God. In fact, he apparently created the genre of “gospel” as an account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth as the fulfilment of God’s story with Israel and the world. The word “gospel” refers to an announcement of an event that changes things in the wider public world. That’s what it meant when the Romans used this word to announce a great military victory, the accession of a new emperor, or the birth of an heir to the sitting emperor. Mark believes that the world has been changed by who and what happened through this Jesus. In this statement, the title to hi...

http://www.jrdkirk.com/2014/05/09/son-god/ MAY 9, 2014   J. R. DANIEL KIRK 1 COMMENT There once was a person who received the Spirit of God. With the reception of this Spirit, the man became something he was not before: God’s own son. Knowing that God was father, and protector, and deliverer, he implored God for deliverance in the face of suffering: Abba! Father! But deliverance, and entry into glory, would only come after suffering. This person, of course, is any person who has been united to Christ. This biography of adoption, hope, importunity, suffering, and glory, is Paul’s description of people who have received the Spirit (Rom 8:12-17). Every Christian. But perhaps you heard another story? Perhaps you heard the story of Jesus? Perhaps you heard the story of Jesus at his baptism being given the Spirit, and the voice from heaven saying, “You are my beloved son?” Perhaps you got annoyed that I said this was a becoming, rather than an affirmation of wha...