One Bible study that I teach is with some lower-level English students, and we generally use all methods of communication available--English, Japanese, facial expressions, gestures, sounds, visual aids of various kinds, etc. I have, at various times, hopped across the room and played dead on the floor in an attempt to communicate meaning. :)
We have just begun studying the Sermon on the Mount in this Bible study, and it's...not easy. After several attempts yesterday to explain the section above in both languages and still receiving confused looks, I realized that my brother was actually sitting right next to me. The poor boy had to undergo some rough words for a bit, as I tried to depict what it might mean to call a brother a fool and have that be equal to murder in God's eyes. :) I was in the middle of a tirade against him when a student broke in by asking incredulously, "Wait...so if this is against God's law...you guys never fought or yelled at each other as children?!"
After laughing, we explained that of COURSE we'd yelled at each other as children--that was pretty natural. Jesus' message showed us that we can't follow God's law perfectly--that even in the deep places of our hearts and minds, we are sinners needing a Savior. The punishment that we deserve to receive was taken by Jesus on the cross, and it's only when we recognize and realize that we are forgiven that we begin to start realizing what it means to have hearts of love for others as well.
Something clicked together: THIS was why we were always talking about Jesus' death and resurrection...THIS was why we celebrated Christmas and Easter... After a few questions, silence with a look of deep pondering settled over the faces and room.
I think most Japanese people who have heard of Jesus describe Him to me by saying, "Oh, yeah, I know Jesus--He told us that love is most important, and we are supposed to love our enemies." Then a lot of people I have met have followed that statement with a comment along the lines of, "Jesus is the same as Buddhist teaching. It also teaches us to be kind to everyone."
I confess that even as I respond with, "Oh? Can you tell me more about that?", inside I'm thinking, "There is more to the story than being kind..." I've been praying that as we study the Sermon on the Mount, we'll learn where the power to love enemies and where kindness really comes from...
As I stacked the Bibles and put things away, I overheard a student speaking out-loud to her child thoughtfully, "We learned something important tonight...what should we do about it?"
"Believe," my heart begged. God, give life and faith to believe...
We had a Bible study with the college students at ATCC last Spring on the "Hard Teachings of Jesus" Matt 5:21-30 and 5:43-48. How do you respond to those statements of Jesus? After many students fumbled around with responses like, "well, we have to try not to be angry with our neighbors. . . and get better at praying for our enemies," I drove the point home: verse 48 "You must be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect. Perfection is the standard by which we will be judged.
ReplyDelete“Who, then, can be saved?” “With God, all things are possible.” - Matt 19:25
"Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Christ Jesus our Lord!" "There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." - Rom 7,8
Praying with you, Haidee, that as people in Japan, in Alexandria, and everywhere in between study the Sermon on the Mount, that the Holy Spirit would teach them where the power to love enemies and demonstrate genuine kindness comes really comes from. . . .