ETC 4420 Day 5 (7pm)

Following in the way (Mark 10.46-52)

Remember Mark 10.40-45 as we think about the encounter between Jesus and blind Bartimaeus, the crowd and his disciples.

What does Jesus not do that shows him to be unlike the Gentile rulers of his day and ours?

How does Jesus reveal his humility as he serves the blind man?
How does Jesus lead towards the coming of God’s kingdom?
How can we follow the example that the blind man sets?
What can we learn as leaders from the example that Jesus sets?

Religion and the State

This is a tricky area for Christian leaders, wanting to learn from Mark 10.40-45, and to avoid the behaviours and attitudes that we see in the world around us, while following the teaching and example of Jesus. It’s one thing to see the issues, it’s another to lead wisely and well in the midst of them.

The big picture

What groups of people have been in charge of which parts of the world, and for how long?

Twenty minutes worth watching sometime.

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Religion and the government through scripture

Here is a start, showing some of the contexts in which ‘thinking about how to relate to the state’ took on different meanings in different settings. You could add to this list.

Genesis
Exodus
Numbers
Joshua
Judges
1&2 Samuel
1&2 Kings
Jeremiah
Daniel
Ezra and Nehemiah
Esther
Matthew
Revelation

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Former ETC faculty member: Steven Bryan

His book on these issues is excellent. Really.

Cultural Identity and the Purposes of God: A Biblical Theology of Ethnicity, Nationality, and Race (Crossway, 2022)

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Andy Naselli’s article describes seven different ways that Christians think about the relationship between religion and government. There are pictures!

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Reflection

What have you learned through the prayers you have written?
What has been valuable about the Lord’s Prayer as a framework?
What has Paul’s example, sharing the prayers he prays for his friends, suggested to you?
How do you respond when someone tells you they are praying for you, and then tells you what they are praying for you?

Where does Jesus do this?

Homework

Imagine that Bartimaeus has been transported to Ethiopia, to spend the rest of his life here as a Christian pastor. We have also found a time machine that brings him through the centuries to the present day.

He is now seventy, facing his mortality, and he has decided to write a letter to his younger self, as a way of expressing his thankfulness to God for what he has taught him. We have managed to obtain a copy of his letter. You will see what bothers him.

He is a member of the church where you are serving as one of the elders. He is much respected by everyone. He has asked you to pray for him, specifically that God will help him to avoid the sins of older men.

What are the sins of older men?

Imagine that you have already written a prayer for him to pray, and he has told you that he is grateful for it, and he is using it each day.

Imagine that you have already written a prayer that you are praying for him, and you have shared it with him, and he has told you that he has been encouraged by it.

Your homework is now to write a prayer for yourself, as you serve as a pastor to a man who is old enough to be your grandfather. What are you going to ask God to help you avoid? How are you going to ask God to help you to serve the senior saint who has humbly asked for your prayers? How will Mark 10.40-45 help you?

Read the letter that Bartimaeus has written to his younger self, and write a prayer for yourself, asking God to help you as you serve him in these remaining years of his life.

Bartimaeus writes to his younger self

Now you are ready to write a prayer asking God to guide and shape you as you serve an older man, by listening to him and by praying for yourself as you pray for him.

Please email your response to [email protected] by 5pm before we meet at 530pm

ETC4420 (530pm) sessions

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