the middle children of history » falseprophets http://www.middlechildrenofhistory.info Sat, 20 Nov 2010 04:06:44 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 The Truth and False Prophets (Matthew 7.15-20) http://www.middlechildrenofhistory.info/2010/07/19/the-truth-and-false-prophets-matthew-7-15-20/ http://www.middlechildrenofhistory.info/2010/07/19/the-truth-and-false-prophets-matthew-7-15-20/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 06:36:48 +0000 Toby Neal http://www.middlechildrenofhistory.info/?p=346 False_prophets_by_elfbornThe philosopher Michel Foucault says that claims to know the truth are always grabs for power. You simply cannot separate truth and power. Behind any metanarrative there lurks a power play, knowledge claims are violent impositions by powerful institutions, universal truth claims are simply masks for ideology and the will to power. I think we know this to be true, and have seen this play out politically in nations and organisations.

Yet Christians believe they have been given a true story which, far from being a tool to legitimize power, ‘presents a vision of community life which resists claims to power by modelling itself on the self-giving and powerlessness of Christ.’[1] The truthfulness of this story does not make it violent. On the contrary this story is about the cross where the violent took our Lord and killed him so that those who were oppressed would be liberated.

This is part of the sermon I recently preached on Matthew 7:15-20. As you listen you will find out why I found this teaching of Jesus very confronting.

The Truth and False Prophets (Matthew 7.15-20)
MP3 | St Philips, York Street (6PM) | 4 July 2010

[1] Graham Tomlin, The Power of the Cross: Theology and the Death of Christ in Paul, Luther and Pascal (Carlisle, Cumbria, U.K.: Paternoster, 1999), 99.

]]> http://www.middlechildrenofhistory.info/2010/07/19/the-truth-and-false-prophets-matthew-7-15-20/feed/ 3 The Real and the Imitation Kingdom (in Revelation) http://www.middlechildrenofhistory.info/2009/12/04/the-real-and-the-imitation-kingdom-in-revelation/ http://www.middlechildrenofhistory.info/2009/12/04/the-real-and-the-imitation-kingdom-in-revelation/#comments Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:24:16 +0000 Toby Neal http://www.middlechildrenofhistory.info/?p=158 king

From Jesus’ Revelation to John:

Kingdom of God

Kingdom of Satan
Real Trinity
Father, Son [Lamb], Spirit		 1:4-5 Imitation trinity
dragon, beast, false prophet		 16:13; 20:10
Real saviour
Lamb standing, as though it had been slain		 5:6 Imitation saviour
Many-headed beast with mortal wound healed		 13:3
Real worship
Lamb is worshiped		 ch. 5 Imitation worship
Beast’s image/statue is worshiped		 13:15-17; 14:9, 11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4
Real worshipers
have the name of the Lamb on their forehead		 7:2-3 Imitation worshipers
have the name of the Beast on their forehead		 13:16-18; 22:3-4
Real church
Chaste bride in white / godly persecuted woman		 19:7-9; 21:2, 9; 22:17, ch. 12 Imitation church
Drunken prostitute in purple and scarlet		 17:1-6
Real clothing
Dressed in purity, white robes washed in the blood of the lamb		 3:5, 18; 4:4; 6:11; 7:9, 13-14; 19:8, 14 Imitation clothing
Dressed in oppressive luxury		 17:4; 18:16
Real community
of chastity, truthfulness and endurance		 14:4-5 Imitation community
of murder, fornication, sorcery and falsehood		 21:8, 22:15
Real city
New Jerusalem: justice & peace		 ch. 21-22 Imitation city
Babylon the Great: violence & injustice		 ch. 18

Outcome

Receive resurrection life 2:11; 20:5-6 Endure the second death 20:14; 21:8
Get to eat at the wedding supper of the lamb 19:9 Are eaten at the war feast of the lamb 19:17
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