Greece/Turkey with Crossroads Bible Church

June 24 - July 4, 2017

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A New Lens

Today we picked up a new lens to see the Scriptures. Before I say more, please know that our Crossroads group is a community of disciples that already love the scriptures, and so today we arrived to the city of Corinth and the steps of the Acropolis with a deep and committed passion for the Bible- what can I say, “we love the word!” It’s just that our lens is largely shaped by our context- many of us live in Grand Rapids, MI in 2017. And it is our time in history and the geographical place in which we live that has largely formed much of the way we read, interpret and embody the Holy Scriptures. This is not a bad thing, no way, but this is just the lens in which we see the Scriptures. Yet today we picked up new lens, gained a new perspective or better yet we've got a new eye for the world of the Bible. Our new lens emerges out of walking where Paul walked and looking at what Paul saw almost 2,000 years ago. Simply put, our new lens for seeing the Scriptures is seeing it through the historical lens in which Paul and Luke (author of Acts) did the work of gospel ministry and then they were inspired by God to write.

Here’s two concrete examples that capture what I mean. First, in the Archeological Museum in Corinth, we saw scores of clay body parts (legs, hands, feet…) that ancient Greeks and Romans brought to the Temple of Asclepius (the god of healing) as offerings to ask Asclepius to heal their physical injuries and illnesses. Rod and our Greek tour guide, Aliki, told us that archeologists found hundreds of these clay offerings at the site. We looked at these terra cotta pieces and then wham, Rod reminded us that Paul used the wonderful, albeit clear, image of how we are the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). No joke, this is a new lens to see a biblical image of the Church! Just imagine Paul’s original audience of Corinthian believers that would have heard Paul use this image for the first time, they would have known about the local pagan practices, yet Paul (by the power of the Holy Spirit) helped them see their true communal identity in Christ.

Second, the Acropolis in Athens is incredible. I mean, the construction of the Parthenon and the rest of what’s left on top of this rocky hill is shear awesomeness- true feats of construction unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Ask the rest of the group- I was speechless and nearly walked smack dab into a group of tourists because I was so awestruck! The magnitude of the place was so distracting. Yet, it was in this very place that Paul looked around saw the same things I gawked at, and unlike me he didn't get distracted but instead he shared the Gospel with the Athenians- he preached the Good News of God’s incredible love with reckless abandon. I need this same focus- I need to remember that God has called me, and all of us, not to get distracted with cars, a new house or even delicious bacon (love bacon!) but instead I need to pay attention to the people around me that desperately need to hear good news. Yep, God continues to surround me with people that deal with loneliness, anxiety and the consequences of their sins, yet these are the very people that desperately need to hear the Good News revealed in the Scriptures. Another example of the new lens in which we see the scriptures.

Alright, that’s enough- I promise to share more when I get back! Till then, please continue to pray that we, a group of friends that love Jesus, will continue to pick up a new lens for reading the precious Scriptures. Oh and Erik got his luggage today! Thank you for praying!

-Ken

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