In Explaining Jesus | Experiencing Christ, we will together explore how understanding the historical Jesus can shape our own faith, actions and experience with him today.

__

What’s the Issue Anyway?

We can be _____________ by faith or reason.

A christianity unwelcoming of reason is a tool to gain ___________, maintain _____________ and impose _________.

What Wisdom does an exercise on the question “Who is Jesus?” offer us today?

Mark 8:27-30, Matthew 16:13-20, Luke 9:18-20

Explaining the Historical Jesus: “How _______________ is it that the Historical Jesus asked the disciples a question about his identity?”

Experiencing Christ: “Who do you say that Jesus is amidst _________ fears, persecutions, ideas of God, and hopes for the future?”

Jesus left behind him _____________ not memorizers, _____________ not reciters, _____________ not parrots.” –Dominic Crossan, The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant

Explaining Jesus and Experiencing Christ is about answering the question, “Who do you say that I am?” while embracing _________ reason and faith.

What will we explore in the weeks leading up to Easter?

Week 02: Explaining that the historical Jesus was a man of the ___________ invites us to experience the living Christ as a spiritual reality today.

Week 03: Explaining that the historical Jesus challenged the politics of _____________ with the politics of ________________ invites us to experience the living Christ as a compassionate guide on the narrow peacemaking path.

Week 04: Explaining that the historical Jesus was a _____________ voice to his people invites us to experience the living Christ as a call to change personally and corporately.

Palm Sunday (Week 05): Explaining that the historical Jesus ________________ his people invites us to experience the living Christ as empowerment to challenge structures that oppose peace on earth.

Experiencing the living Christ while always searching for the historical Jesus:

Empowers us to resist _______________ ________________.

Frees us to boldly ask tough questions of our ________________, our ________________ and ________________.

Gives us permission to live a radical and _____________ faith grounded in compassion and inclusion.

What is God inviting you into today?

1. Attend the next four weeks with an open mind to understand the historical Jesus and an open heart to experience the living Christ.
2. Be mindful of anyone in my network who might benefit from this topic and make them aware of this series.
3. Read the gospels of Mark and John this week, being mindful of the differences and similarities in their stories of Jesus.

Thought-provoking questions:

1. Do you feel you lean more towards faith or reason in your spiritual life? How could you benefit from balancing the two?
2. Do you have any fears in thinking about following Jesus as a combination of understanding the historical Jesus and experiencing the living Christ?
3. Why do you think so many forms of christianity are afraid of reason or difficult questions around the texts of scripture and the life of Jesus?
4. What is the difference between truth and fact? Which do you think is more valuable in our spiritual lives?
5. Have you ever been silenced by someone when you asked a question that you believed was a legitimate, rational question of God, the Bible, or faith?