The Way: Prologue

How many of us regularly read the Prologue to a book?  I must admit that I often skip over those few pages to get to the "real" story, which should in my mind begin in Chapter One.  But time and again I have to go back to the real beginning to grasp a key piece of information - one that makes everything else fit into place.  That is true with this study.  And so, we start this week not with Chapter One, but with the Prologue to Adam Hamilton's book, The Way Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus.  We start here because there are things that have happened before Jesus' baptism and temptation.  There are relationships which have long been formed.  And there are people who came before looking for exactly what Jesus had to share... a message of new life and a new kingdom and a new reality.

This week we will read together the Prologue to the study.  This will give us the opportunity to get familiar with the author, his perspective, and give us some historical background for the beginning of Jesus’ ministry at his own baptism, discussed in Chapter One.

Jesus's ministry starts at his baptism by John in the Jordan River, but what do we know about this John, and what role did baptism play in first century Israel?  Here are some questions you can think about as you read the Prologue and we begin our Lenten journey together.

1. What do we know about the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist?
2. What can we assume with some certainty?
3. What role did John have in Jesus’ ministry?  How did he pave the way for Jesus’ ministry to begin?
4. What is baptism?  What was it's purpose in first century Judaism? What are some of the images that come to mind?
5. In addition to baptism, what was John inviting the people to do with their lives?
6. What kinds of people were coming to John for baptism and a word of wisdom?
7. Why start a Lenten study with a conversation about baptism? 

Feel free to leave your comments below.

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As we begin to think about Jesus's ministry, it's important to remember that he did not preach and teach and live in a vacuum.  Jesus was very much a man who knew the religious traditions of his time.  And he responded to the status quo with a new interpretation of the scriptures, all based on his own relationship with God.  Time and again, we will see that Jesus stand traditional Jewish teaching on its ear, and he will use all kinds of  ways of doing this.  We traditionally think of Jesus as a preacher and teacher, but even more he was a story teller.  He painted a picture with words and inspired those around him to strong emotion... to many his teachings were a revelation on the Kingdom of God.  To other, he was a trouble-maker who needed to be silenced, at all costs.  And eventually he was.

As we begin our study together, let us think of this time as a kind of Lenten discipline... to read, to study, and to grow in our faith in Christ.  As you read the lessons, think about what Jesus said.  Ask yourself, "How would people have heard this if they were present with Jesus?"  And then ask yourself, "How does can I make this lesson real in my life?"  That is the way that change happens... that is the way we become followers of The Way.

Closing Prayer:

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy:
We look at Jesus, and we look at ourselves,
            and we confess the great difference.
Deliver us from our violence;
           conform us to His love.
We admit our helplessness apart from Your grace.
We thank You that through the resurrection 
           Your grace abundantly pardons and transforms us!
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. (by Dennis Bratcher www.crivoice.org)

Peace, Deb