Bob Bliss and I noticed that in a meeting we had yesterday the theme of being disturbed came up on several occasions. I got to thinking about this and I think there is a tension between being comfortable and being disturbed that is worthy of investigation. Look at the ministry of Jesus. Jesus spent time making the comfortable feel disturbed and time comforting those who were disturbed. The Pharisees were spiritually comfortable. They needed a renewed sense of the disturbing aspects of their faith that they had come to view and commonplace. Then there were the tax collectors and “sinners” who lived very disturbed lives. Jesus spent his time comforting people like that. There are disturbing things in life they we should never grow too comfortable with. There are times we will feel disturbed about things (sin, injustice, etc) and know that in those times we might just be more aligned with Jesus than we have ever understood.
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Matt, great thoughts. Jesus’ “Woe to you” in Matthew 23 contrasts with “neither do I condemn you” in John 8. Perhaps in my preaching I should think more about this contrast in my application ending – disturbing those who are comfortable in my congregation and comforting those who are disturbed. I’m going to have to let that simmer and see what cooks up.
Let me know what you learn as you consider the possibilities.