A Knife at the Table

If Covid has taught us anything, it is that people do not change their minds easily. We can be loving and gentle in our speech and advance our clever arguments backed by data, and people will still believe what they want to believe. Jesus understood this. Luke tells us that during the Triumphal Entry, when he should have been reveling in the crowd's praise, Jesus was weeping and said:
"How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes." Luke 19:42 NLT
One of Jesus's more famous stories is about a rich man and a poor beggar. When both men die, the poor man is with Abraham, and the rich man is in a place of agony and flame and calls to Abraham for the poor man to come to his aid. The rich man's request prompts a conversation between Abraham and the rich man with this chilling conclusion:
"And he [the rich man] said, 'Then I request of you, father, that you send him to my father's house- for I have five brothers-in order that he may warn them so that they will not come to this place of torment as well.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!' But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'" Luke 16:27-31 NASB2020
Jesus spoke and taught among the people, he worked miracles and fulfilled scripture to prove he was God, but people did not recognize him because his approach to power did not align with their understanding. This book reflects on Jesus's methods of managing political power and contextualizes some of his speeches to illuminate how his power-loving antagonists might view them. I hope this book will shine new light on Jesus and his ministry and awaken you to the idea that his ways are not our ways. Then, maybe our ways should change to be more like his.
I pray that in reading this book, you will be awakened to what the Holy Spirit is actively doing in your faith community in hopes that you will partner with him to bring God's Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.