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Rob Bell at Mars Hill on 2nd May 2010 This hangs on three Biblical foundations. The first is the story of Jericho which is cursed by Joshua, is the cause of death in the family for the man who rebuilt it (1 Kings 16) and then becomes a place where there are bad stories swirling around about the bad effects of the water. What Elisha does is take salt (reminscent of salt in the offerings of the Torah) and a new pot (much riffing in the word "new") and does away with the bad narrative, and starts something new. The second is the dynamic between Deuteronomy 28 and 30. Deuteronomy 28 begins with blessings (a small number of verses) and then verse after verse of curses which build and build throughout the chapter. However, chapter 30 says something new, that even if the curses are all met, there is always the chance to turn to God which does away with the curse. The third is the New Testament call to Repentance which literally is about thinking differently. Bell makes the connections with the narratives that we build up around ourselves, when we say "just my luck" (what, you have luck, where did you get it from) or "this always happens to me". What we are doing is imbibing a pre-modern concept of cursing. And this story does away with that, through the kinesthetic actions of salt, new pots and water. 20 mins - the stories that we tell about ourselves I just can't get a break This kind of thing always happens to me Just my luck Like I expected anything else It's inevitable How Modern are we? How many people with a great sense of enlightenment actually speak terribly pre-modern, superstitious, curse-like language. Just how far have we come? 28 mins Jesus invites you to repent and see things in a whole new way. The people have all their stories, and Elisha says bring some salt, and some water, and a new bowl.
Some of you have bought into the notion of a violent god who is waiting to hurt The god of the curse, who puts some spells on you Some of you have been living a history that does not describe but which decides And Elisha says "Bring me some water"
If you have been living according to a destructive curse, which tells you you are unloved, that you live shame. 36 mins There is an old story about three disciples who used to gather on Friday nights with their Rabbi. And the Rabbi would open up this ancient mysterious book and read to them, and one night the three disciples are walking home, late at night from the Rabbi's home. And the one disciple says to the other two, "I am so sorry, it is clear that the Rabbi talked to me all night, and the two of you didn't get it, and I just feel so bad". And the second one says "What, are you nuts? I mean I think I was the one having to say something about it, because I was a bit awkward." And the third one says "You are both completely mad. It was clear to everyone present that the Rabbi spoke to me the whole evening, and the two of you were excluded and I am the one who really ought to be offering an apologies to the two of you." At which point the three students fell silent, because they realised what had happened. And the ancient tale ends with this coda "So it is with the Spirit of God. Each one hears what they needed to hear."
2 Kings 2
Blessing
Curse
Deuteronomy 28
Deuteronomy 30
Repentance
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I seriously enjoyed Cloud Atlas, and given the number of reviews in the front section of the book, I think I am just about the last person in Britain to do have done so.