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Verder geluister: Matteus 3:1-12
Written by webmeester on November 29, 2010 . Posted in Preekstudies, Verder geluister
Godsdiens kan nooit van politiek losgemaak word nie, want die Koninkryk van God, waaroor die evangelie van vrede gaan, het alles te doen met ‘n alternatiewe bedeling. Johannes die Doper draai nie doekies om nie, hy spreek die valsheid van die godsdienstige (politieke) leiers aan. Hulle speel die politieke spel tot hulle voordeel, hulle is nie eerlik om dit profeties te ontmasker nie.
Kyk of luister gerus na die 28 Nov 2010 preek uit Stellenbosch Gemeente waarin Dewaldt de Kock aantoon, met ‘n vergelyking uit die konteks van die Romeinse ryk, hoe sterk die taal en beelde van die evangelies die Romeinse Ryk se politieke ideologie opponeer het. Jesus is die Here, nie die Caesar nie, Jesus se verlossing, Jesus se ryk gee vrede, vir seker nie die van die Keiser nie.
Die punt van vergelyking, die aanknopingspunt vir ‘n preek kan verwysings na die gebrek aan vrede in ons land wees; die misdaad en korrupsie, die valsheid van ons politieke leiers –van die president en verder. Ons het helaas nie ‘n tekort aan voorbeelde nie, ook nie in die kerk nie!
In Palestina gedurende Jesus se tyd was die mense siek van die geweld en die teistering van volgehoue ekonomiese druk; die uitbuitery van keisers, konings en belastinggaarders wat hulleself verryk het terwyl die gewone mense – soos Josef van Maria– hulle erfgrond verloor het. Die kerk was deel van hierdie politieke spel. As Johannes dan die koms van die vrederyk verkondig, smag almal daarna en gaan om gedoop te word.
En Johannes ontmasker die valsheid van motiewe en godsdiens as mense kom om gedoop te word, maar nie werklik hulle lewens wil bekeer nie! Hy profeteer oor die implikasies van sulke valsheid.
NGK dominees en mense kom uit ‘n bedeling waarin die kerk hom met geestelike sake besig gehou het en nie ingemeng het in die politiek nie. Ons weet nou dit was ‘n fout. Ons sal moet hoor as Johannes roep: “Bekeer julle…”
Toepassings is legio. Eerlikheid is essensieel. Sterkte!
1–2 3 While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called “the Baptizer,” was preaching in the desert country of Judea. His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”
4–6 John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild field honey. People poured out of Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordanian countryside to hear and see him in action. There at the Jordan River those who came to confess their sins were baptized into a changed life.
7–10 When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It’s your life that must change, not your skin! And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.
11–12 “I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama—compared to him I’m a mere stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”
Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002, S. Mt 3:1-12