We started a new series in Bible Study last night - Stories in the Bible I ought to know. The participants shared in our opening they were thinking of Jonah and the whale, or Ruth, or David and Jonathan. I had selected the story of Jesus' crucifixion.
While we all know the story of Jesus' crucifixion, our reading of it last night brought out many of the bits and pieces which often go unnoticed. There are many, many little details in the biblical story - each with the ability to stimulate endless discussion. Studying these can be helpful - and noting which of these stands out in our own memory exposes the theology we prefer.
Last night I attempted to quote a passage from Paul which gives support to the story of Jesus' crucifixion as the story we Christians most need to know and speak. This morning, my cycle of readings took me there. It is I Corinthians 2:1-2. Paul writes: "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."
Do not shy away from opportunities to speak of God and about Jesus. You may have overheard persons who seem to know all of those bible stories and a huge amount of church history. But knowing and telling the story of Jesus Christ, and him crucified, is all that is needed.
Every day I attempt to understand and to work out what it means, that Christ was crucified. I have come up with a lot of eloquent answers and I have read a lot of impressive books. But every day this story touches my life again and I have to discover how it will impact me.
I don't need to know much more - or anything more.
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