faithrunner

This past Sunday I ventured into the topic of war as a follower of Jesus . If you want to hear the message, which includes a FaithStory from a couple whose son is serving in Iraqa and a reading from a letter of a s oldier who fought in WWII explaining his view on the war, go here . My premise was that Jesus introduced the "reign of God," in an occupied country who tried to liberate itself several times from its oppressor. From Judas ben Mattathias in 167 BCE to Judas of Galilee in 6 CE, efforts to liberate Israel were part of Israel's fabric of life. Jesus led in this context of war and conflict. Jesus led the movement of God with various options to establish an earthly kingdom: the Zealots , who wanted to overthrow the occupying Romans and were in the infant stages of the movement; the Herodians , who sympathized with the Romans and who feared Jesus' movement ( Mark 3:6 ); and the religious leaders , who had developed a symbiotic relationship with their oppres...