Friday, September 18, 2009

Having been turned inside out . . .

Here's a snip from the introduction to Michael Horton's new book: The Gospel-Driven Life: Being Good News People in a Bad News World:
We don’t find the truth about God, ourselves, or the world by looking within, but by being drawn outside of ourselves. Having been turned inside out, we look up in faith toward God and out toward our neighbors in loving service and witness. Surprising news has a way of focusing us on something “out there” in the real world rather than on our own assumptions, experiences, and speculations. Only the Spirit, working through the gospel, has this kind of power to bring about a new creation in the midst of the old. Gradually, we discover that the world outside is more interesting than the inner world of narcissistic preoccupation. It is a liberation that we never expected, much less achieved for ourselves. It’s a gift. It is the marriage supper that is promised in the gospel and of which the Spirit gives us a foretaste in this present age. While our consumer culture offers instant gratification in drive-thru spiritualities, the gospel seats us at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as the Triune God serves us with his heavenly gifts.

1 comment:

lore said...

Bob, I was wondering if you could email me the information on that home group in Portland. I'm headed there sometime this fall to check it out and I'd like to connect with some local churches as well as some community groups. My email is lore@unskewed.com. Thanks!