meditatio at the water's edge

More stuff I've written for the conference tomorrow (today?)...man, it's late. Go here for the whole thing, but here's an excerpt...

Being Part of the People of God. Jesus called his apprentices to be people who would repent of (“re-consider”, “think again”) their alternate approaches to being the people of God and to trust him and his way—to do what he did and obey what he taught. Jesus said that those who placed their confidence in him and obeyed what he taught would enter into and receive the kingdom of God (see Matthew 5-7).

As Jesus’ apprentices placed their confidence in him, they would experience the long-awaited forgiveness of sins and the corresponding return from exile—God’s presence would be among them and his law would be written on their hearts (see Jeremiah 31:31-34).

This is the picture of the people of God—a group of people among whom God dwells, through whom God brings blessing and restoration to human life (and to creation) as they are re-formed in the image of their Creator. This is what Jesus was calling people to participate in—this is what the church must be participating in as well.

As the community of Jesus’ apprentices live in this reality, they continue Jesus’ work of proclamation (in word and deed) of the present and coming rule and reign of YHWH. Thus, part of the nature of apprenticeship (and part of being the people of God) is cooperating with God’s mission for the sake of the world....