Cool Stott quote on incarnational mission:

And now he calls us to enter other people's worlds, as he entered ours. All authentic mission is incarational mission. We are called to enter other people's social and cultural reality: into their thought-world, struggling to understand their misunderstandings of the gospel, and into the the pain of their alienation, weeping with those who weep. And all this without compromising our Christian beliefs, values and standards.

The Living Church, 20-21

So, I think Britt referenced Philippians 2:6-7 when discussing the Word taking on flesh, and I had a few musings on the topic. Recently, I picked up The Shack and browsed through it again. In the book, Jesus makes the statement that he lived as the perfect human because anything divine he accomplished was not on his own, but rather only through fully relying on God. I don't know if the book is utilizing the concept of kenosis, that Jesus "emptied" himself of his divinity, but that concept is a fallacy of Jesus' dual nature as fully God and fully human.

In my bible reading this morning, I dwelt on John 5:19-30. Do you think the interpretation The Shack presents of Jesus only performing miracles via his reliance on the Father is a possible valid interpretation? I would love to hear any thoughts!

Concerning the last post,

I would be careful with a lot of what "The Shack" says. I haven't read it, so I cannot say I fully understand its position; But from what I've heard, there is some emergent theology in it and some weird perspectives on the Trinity. So, this book definitely needs to be closely lined up with scripture (like everything!)

As you pointed out in the John passage, it seems as though it is pretty clear form verse 19 that Jesus "can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing." What's beautiful is that this is a sweet picture of the Trinitarian relationship. As Seamands in his book "Ministry in the image of God" would say: This displays Christ's "glad submission" to the Father.

But concerning Jesus' own will to do works on His own initiative, it seems as though He can do that as well. Just a couple verses down, in verse 21 it says "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He (Jesus) wishes. (v22) For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son."

Crazy. Jesus is in submission, But also gives life to whom He wishes. It's a beautiful mystery to me.