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Levi C. Jones
Communicating the Gospel
Mandate to Difference Journal

Chapter 1: What are the three urgent issues “where we may take into account this regime

change”?

The first area that we can take into account this change begins with our desire for more.

We live in a very consumer driven society that constantly desires more stuff. It is a hoarding

mentality. It asserts that my needs and wants are greater than the needs of others. Furthermore,

it is a method of gaining power and status within our society. However, Jesus reminds us that

“where our treasure is there our hearts are also.”

This regime change in our lives empowers us to love as we have been loved. This is

especially relevant in those relationships with people that we don’t necessarily desire to love. It

is always easy to love those who love you, but God does not allow us to simply stop there. If we

do not love someone, then the love of God does not reside within us. If we are not willing to

extend forgiveness, we ourselves will be unable to receive forgiveness. It is a call to love in a

sacrificial way.

Finally, we find that this new regime empowers us to live without fear because ultimately

God is watching over us. He is intimately involved in the lives of the weak and the

marginalized. The powers of this world cannot overcome God and His redemptive plan for His

people. We know, furthermore, that God’s good creation was designed to provide for us

abundantly. It is His love that moves us beyond fear of what tomorrow may hold, instead,

relying upon God to sustain us. We no longer have to rely on our own strength and power to

safeguard our lives. Rather, we become solely dependent upon this God of love for our very life

and its daily needs.

 Just a note, some of the language and posturing in this article resembled Brueggemann’s

article, “Myth of Scarcity, Liturgy of Abundance.” The idea behind that article is that God has

made Creation bountiful and plentiful. Therefore, there is no need to hoard all of the resources.

In fact, hoarding is what creates poverty and “scarcity.” It is the “myth” of supply and demand

that our culture deems is the way the world works. However, Brueggemann suggests that God

has not made the world work by such principles.

Chapter 2: What does the “city” represent for Brueggemann and what are the

relationships of Joshua, Solomon, Josiah, and Jeremiah?

Essentially, the city is representative of three things, according to Brueggemann: the

monopoly of technology, the oligarchy of monetary resources, and a center of multivalent voices

and alternatives. In a sense, the city is representative, quite often, of everything that is against

the keeping of Torah. It is the culture of covetousness that denies neighborliness. There is great

opportunity and advancement that happens within these urban centers. However, the city most

often desires autonomy from the restrictions and guidelines given in the Law. As such, these

centers of urban life quite easily become areas of oppression, poverty, and slavery. In other

words, it comes to embrace practices that are in direct violation of God’s ordained purpose in the

world.

Joshua, Solomon, Josiah, and Jeremiah all represent ways in which the Israelite

community has envisioned the city. Some of these leaders initiated changes in the city in

accordance with the Torah. Others, such as Solomon, embraced a Canaanite city-state model

that propagated the usury of people.

Joshua and the conquest describe an outright revolt against the Canaanite city-state.

Rahab is the best demonstration of the types of oppression being used in that culture. Israel
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systematically destroys the urban centers that have embodied a politic of slavery. The Joshua

narrative is one that deals with the city with a separation ideology. Israel is to come out and

remain apart from those systems and cultures.

Solomon, on the other hand, is an example of the repercussions of embracing the

Canaanite city-state. The land is no longer the land of promise and gift that God has given them.

Instead, it has become the City of David. The royal dynasty uses building projects and the

Temple as imperial legitimacy. Solomon “takes” and “takes” from the citizens of the land, so

that they become enslaved to the monarchy. Of course, this is the very thing God warned them

about when they desired to place a king on the throne of Israel, to be like other nations. And,

Solomon has come to embody the very nature of Egypt that had enslaved Israel for four hundred

years. Solomon’s concern became about living lavishly, showing off the opulence of his

kingdom. In the end, his heart is turned away from God to the gods of his foreign wives.

Josiah later comes along and reverses much of what the city had become initially under

King David and Solomon. Josiah structures Jerusalem under the guidance of the Law. It is

believed that Josiah discovered Deuteronomy 12-26, which caused a great revival in the land.

The high places were torn down, worship was centralized, and neighborliness was re-constituted

as the priority for this covenantal community. Israel was to live in the land on God’s terms. The

result is a city that is opposed to multiplying the problems of the Canaanite and Egyptian models

of the city.

Unfortunately, this revival was not sustained. Jeremiah, the prophet, was called by God

to speak out against the city due to its neglect of the Torah. Consistently, Jeremiah rants against

the way that the city has taken advantage of the weak and the poor. The city will not stand. It

will be conquered and destroyed due to its wickedness. However, that is not the final word
spoken over the city. God will restore the city and empower it to be different. It will be holy

unto the Lord. God’s plan will be fulfilled in its midst. We have not been called to live for

ourselves and to acquire wealth at the expense of others. God as Creator can restore this

community to a life-giving, life-blessing center. However, to arrive at that destination, we must

ultimately conduct ourselves in ways that are conducive to Torah, loving God with all that we

are and loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Chapter 3: What is the significance of “Sabbath” for the one who proclaims good news?

Sabbath for the one who proclaims good news is about speaking Truth. We are all

victims to the pharaohs of the world. They place heavy burdens upon us. We find ourselves

living under anxiety due to false expectations. We despair because we see no future or hope

beyond our current situation.

Yet, it is the Sabbath that allows for re-creation. It is a wonderful sense of renewal in our

lives. Moreover, it is the freedom to speak truth about those situation and circumstances that we

find ourselves in, hurting and hungering for something better. We have experienced the pain of

being marginalized. We know the seduction and shame of not meeting our culture’s standards.

We feel the press of Pharaoh’s demands on our backs. It is from that tension that we most

keenly become aware of God’s presence in the midst of death and destruction.

Sabbath is the breaking in of God on the mundane, over-bearing rigor of life. It is the

“Friday” people of God living toward Sunday’s conquering of death. It is the redeemed people

of God singing with one voice about the triumph and victory we receive through Jesus. It is the

understanding that we have received a burden we must bear, but one that is infinitely lighter than

the oppressive burdens of Pharaoh. It is the call for those who find themselves wearied by the

“rat-race” finding solace in the open arms of a loving Savior and Friend. It is a simplistic trust in
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the Creator who sustains all things, speaking life through His Spirit into the world. It is the

acknowledgement of a God who brings life, light, and structure from ex nihilo and chaos.

Chapter 4: How does the concept of “exile” function for the church?

Brueggemann writes, “The reason that Sabbath is a radical discipline is that it is a

regular, disciplined, highly visible withdrawal from the acquisitive society of production and

consumption that is shaped only by commodity. Work stoppage and rest are public statements

that one’s existence and the existence of one’s society are not defined by the pursuit of

commodity, and that human well-being is not evoked by commodity but precisely by the

intentional refusal of commodity” (59).

One possible note of application, especially where the minister is concerned, is the

attitude of productivity. The minister often feels a responsibility for getting everything done and

prepared each week. Many times, pastors are “work-aholics.” So, in many ways, Sabbath is the

understanding that our value is not wrapped up in how much we accomplish. Rather, our value

ultimately comes from the One who gives us life. With that said, we then preach the Gospel

through what we live out in our relationship with God. We are living for “Sunday,” in some

sense. We understand that Sabbath is the shadow reality of the Kingdom of God that we will one

day experience. It is from this hope that we proclaim the Good News of God’s redemptive work

in the world.

Secondly, Sabbath empowers us to take the relationship God has extended to us and

extend it to others. We are dispossessed people, living in the land of exile. We are foreigners in

a strange land. We can identify with those who also find themselves on the outskirts and on the

fringe of society. We understand the plight of the outcast. And, we become the “feet that bring

good news.” We are ambassadors of Christ sent into the world to gather the people into the
covenant community of God. We live with openness to others who are not like us. Furthermore,

we are free to live, not according to commodity, according to the Law of Love toward our

neighbor.

Finally, Sabbath frees us from the mold of the world. We understand that we were

created in Imago Dei. As such, God has created us to relate freely with Him. Sabbath

recognizes our dependence upon God, not the world and its systems of power and control. As

such, we are empowered to live a life of prayer, not only for ourselves, but for others. In this

way, we are empowered to live in the world on God’s terms, no longer controlled by the

dominant culture.

With all of that said, understanding that we are living in exile drastically changes the

mission of the Church in the world. As Brueggemann suggests, we are in the world to gather

those that have been displaced due to exile. We are all exiles in one way or another. Whether it

is those on the fringes of society or those in the dominant culture simply hoping to maintain the

status quo, fearing change, everyone experiences exile. The only hope for salvation is God. God

alone is able to free us from the bondage of our enslavement to our culture.

The Church, therefore, has a ministry to those who are outcasts and those who find

themselves fearing about tomorrow. God has given us a future and a hope which must be shared

with others. This is not an “us versus them” mentality, which the Church often characterizes. It

is not shunning those who endanger the “holy seed.” Rather, it is about bringing those people

into the fold, loving them, and embracing them in the community.

It is especially important to remember that we too were exiles before God saved us.

Similarly, we are still exiles waiting for the final consummation of God’s redemptive plan. We

are strangers in a foreign land waiting for the gift of the Promise Land, the coming of the
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Kingdom of God. And, God’s gifts are not ours to own… God’s gifts are always given to be

given away and shared. It is especially true in light of God’s advocacy for the “least of these” in

society.

Chapter 5: What is Brueggemann’s thesis regarding the church and dialogue?

First, and most importantly, God is a God of dialogue, not monologue. By His very

nature, God is in constant communication, for that is what it means to be Love. Love is always

flowing to and from someone, never static. As a result, humans designed in the image of God

are wired to live in dialogue, both with their Creator and humanity.

However, due to the nature of sin, our lives often become monologues. We believe we

are self-sustaining. We become absorbed by our own “self.” We assert implicitly, if not

explicitly, that we are self-contained entities. As such, we feel that we are the end of the line on

all matters. Along with this thought process come the affirmation that individualism is the

modus operandi of life. Our culture’s propaganda of individualism produces isolation and

loneliness. There is little concern for others. And, we are only concerned about others if it

directly affects us.

This mentality has produced the effect of authoritarianism that quickly shuts down any

debate from opposing voices. The dominant voice will not be silenced but will seek to maintain

and conforms others to its image. However, God does not take that approach with humans. In

fact, it is often human cries and complaints that encourage God to move and act in the world.

The dialogue, however, is not simply one-way (as indicated by the word dialogue). Rather, it is

the very nature of call and response. God calls and we respond. We cry out and God responds.

In all matters, God is glorified by the mouth of the redeemed. Furthermore, the people of God

are vindicated. They are answered as they cry out in despair, which then turns to praise.
 The monologue of prominent culture seeks to confine the voice that challenges its

authority. Such challenge is repressed by the use of coercion and violence. It is little wonder

then, take such an approach, the Church has quite frequently resembled the world more than it

has resembled Christ. It is this fact that calls the Church to account. The Church is to be a revolt

against the monologue of self. Rather, it is an open dialogue with God and with humanity as we

seek to live in community together.

That does not mean that we turn a blind eye to the sin that is so prevalent in our society.

Rather, a dialogue pushes the Church to live counter-culturally. It is not simply about being

“right.” Most importantly, it is about living truly human lives and affirming the worth of other

humans that God has created. It is the understanding that to give voice is to create possibility.

The Church is a creating agent used by God to speak to the world about Himself. We are bearers

of the message, the mouthpiece God uses to speak Truth back into the world. It is the people of

God speaking to God on behalf of a broken world, praying for divine action. In addition, it is the

gathered community telling the story of God’s deliverance, rejoicing and praising Him for

intervening.

Chapter 6: What is the role of hope and imagination for the people of God?

Hope and imagination are the possibility of looking beyond the current circumstance. It

is the ability to see a future. It is decidedly counter-cultural in that it is not bound by what

society says is possible. More importantly, it is viewing all of life through eyes of faith.

Brueggemann suggests that there are five elements to the despair that our culture

bombards us with: security, ideology, technology, certitude, and commodity. These are all

intimately linked. In essence, our society claims that security is the ultimate goal. This does not

allow for multivalent voices, only monologue. In order for this monologue to continue, there is a
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supreme ideology that is prescribed to. It is the religion of the masses that is not capable of self-

reflection, only non-discerning practice of the ideology. Technology is then developed, usually

in the interest of military, to help maintain that sense of security. It becomes a further method of

control, which does not consider the cost to humanity or economically. This “control” gives us a

false sense of certitude that ultimately cannot be satisfied. Therefore, the cycle continues to push

for more security and control. We thus turn to commodities, which give us temporary

satisfaction. However, this too is a dead-end road to satisfaction. The more that we acquire, the

more we desire. It is the law of diminishing return at work.

Hope and imagination allow us to think “outside the box.” God gives us the capability to

see a world and a future unlike that of our current state. It allows us to see the possibilities rather

than the monotonies. We are able to push past the fear of the future into a hope that moves us

toward the future.

Christianity and Judaism, according to Brueggemann, are both faiths of hope and

imagination. When the great men and women of faith found themselves in difficult spots, their

faith allowed them to look beyond the veneer of the present to a future reality. It allowed Israel

to see freedom from the bonds of slavery in Egypt. It empowered the Israelites to move beyond

the Babylonian exile to the day they would return to the Land of Promise. This faith moved a

people to see dawn despite the darkest hours of life. It put a song in the mouths of Paul and Silas

as they sat in prison. We are a people of hope and imagination.

As God works in our lives, we are able to envision a future and a hope beyond the

promise of death and destruction. We clearly see the promise after death given by the Creator of

life. It is not a hope that can be divided. Instead, we find ourselves being gathered together as

the redeemed community of God living to One hope. The Church understands that God guides
and sustains us and that it is He who brings forth new possibilities by speaking a Word of

creation to us. From darkness springs light. From death, new life is given.

We are a community that is living between the “now and not yet” reality of the kingdom

of God. God has given us the promise of hope. We now live from that hope into a future that

has been prepared for us. It is not a hope that can be divided. Rather, it is through the Spirit that

all are given this hope and the imagination to see with eyes of faith a new future beyond our

current state.

Chapter 7: What does it mean to say that worship is an act of “poetic imagination”?

The poetic imagination is the ability to look beyond what is possible to a God that opens

up new possibilities. It is not being consumed by the present pharaohs in our lives, seeing a life

that is abundant as the goal. Life is not simply about the “brick quotas.” It is not simply about

the accomplishment of tasks. Rather, it is finding life a possibility despite being surrounded by

chaos and destruction.

The poetic imagination gives voice to the saving acts of God. It is the gathered

community rejoicing with one voice, remembering the past events in light of God’s redemptive

work. An alternative world is constructed and offered to those who find themselves in bondage

to the pharaohs of the world. However, it is not an obsession about these pharaohs; rather it is a

preoccupation with the Creator.

The world often constructs reality, offering it as the ultimate vision for life. However, the

poetic imagination is not drawn into the deception and falsehood of popular culture. Rather, it is

a “sub-version” reality that is given voice. It breaks through the façade of falsehood.

Imagination de-masks the pharaohs for what they are – puppets. God is glorified as the king

over creation. The unfulfilling nature of commercialism is brought to its knees. The need for
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genuine relationship is brought to the fore.

In all of this, we see the imagination bring forth a new reality that we can dwell in. The

imagination is not something that is simply wistful and fanciful. Rather, it is the Spirit of God

dwelling in the lives of His people, breathing new life into the community. The word of God

speaks into the void, creating new realms of possibility in our daily lives. We find that the old

has passed and the new has come. We are created as new creatures. We are given a new heart.

What had once been closed off, we find being opened up through Jesus by the Spirit.

Too often, the Church finds itself merely shadowing and mirroring the current culture.

The Church has become violent, greedy, manipulative, and comfortable. But, when the Church

finds itself truly fulfilling its calling, it is very subversive. It is a hub for creativity and

imagination. Transformation happens when people are able to move beyond what the world tells

them is possible to what God reveals is possible. Within these two viewpoints is a world of

difference!

Chapter 8: What does it mean to be re-nepheshed?

For six days God labored, but on the seventh day He rested. Creating requires something

of the Creator, something of His life to be infused into the creation. It is a draining business to

be so intimately involved and connected, breathing life into all being. It says something that God

chose to rest. He is not simply a God of tasks and quotas. He is not simply about the

accomplishment of tasks. God takes rest… enjoying the fruits of His labor.

We were created in the image of our Maker. We were designed to labor in creation,

adding value back into the world. However, like the Master Potter, we are in need of refreshing.

God created us, not simply for the accomplishment of tasks, to enjoy creation and the Creator.

To simply labor would leave us broken, depleted, unoriginal, and exhausted.

 However, the pharaohs of the world step in and place taskmasters over us, driving us to

produce more and more. There is no Sabbath rest where the world is concerned. No, it’s about

the bottom line and the fulfilling of quotas. The labor that should be used to add value becomes

the method by which life is devalued. The result is devastation and oppression. Our nephesh is

crushed. Our very being is denied because we deny the image in which we were made.

Sabbath is a ceasing of labor. It is a total dependency upon the God of creation. After

all, Jesus reminds us that we “do not live on bread alone, but on every word from the mouth of

God.” Our productivity is not that which sustains us. God breathes life into us… and continues

to do so. That is Sabbath. It is rest from our labors, finding our being in Him, and having life

breathed back into us. It is the Sabbath that reminds us that we were created to relate, not simply

to create.

Pastoral ministry can quite easily sink into a constant barrage of tasks to be completed.

The pastor is to be available at all times and for all purposes. We are stretched to the limits and

called to go beyond. At least, that’s the message that is often implicitly understood. Burn out is

the inevitable result. However, ministry is not simply about the accomplishment of tasks.

Sabbath reminds us of that.

We can only give away what we have received. The minister’s primary task is to be in

proper relationship with God. Yes, we are called to be poured out, but you can only do so if you

are in turn being filled. Sabbath provides that filling. The Spirit breathes new life back into us

so that we are able to once again labor in creation. Our being is re-constituted to a proper

balance.

Pastors that live under the impression that ministry is about the accomplishment of tasks

become pharaohs themselves. They set taskmasters over their volunteers, badgering them to
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produce. Life is squelched out of the workers. The Church becomes an oppressive system in the

midst of a world of oppressive systems. When Church and culture operate in visibly similar

ways, such as these, people quit. Their nephesh give out because they have no resources upon

which to draw. And, worst of all, they believe that is the Christian telos because that is what is

being modeled in the public, in the pews, and in the pulpit.

Sabbath reminds us of our priorities. We are saved from Pharaoh. We do not have to

participate in those systems of destruction, manipulation, and enslavement. Rather, we are called

to live in radically counter-cultural ways. We praise God for His deliverance, we gain strength

from His strength, and we discover our purpose.

Chapter 9: What cycle is broken in the threefold circle of emancipation – Sabbath – year of

release – Jubilee year?

The threefold circle of emancipation is an act in juxtaposition to the use of coercion that

is often exhibited within our world. Sabbath, the year of release, and Jubilee are all about

forgiveness. Debts are forgiven. Debtors are released from the bondage of their burden. Life is

re-constituted through the extension of forgiveness.

Deuteronomy is constantly calling Israel to remember their bondage in Egypt. The

system of exploitation embodied in Egypt was the basis for Israel’s enslavement. Taskmasters

were set over the Israelites to ensure productivity and cooperation. The human spirit is broken

under such circumstances, rendering them weak and compliant. Coercion is the pharaoh at work

among the community of such commerce.

Remembering such turmoil in the life of the Hebrews was not simply a fanciful trip down

memory lane. No, it was a call to embody a different politic in the life of the community. Israel

was to live on Sabbath time. Even aliens that found themselves in servitude to Israel were to be
permitted rest and even sanctuary from enslavement! How does such a novel idea even get

conceptualized in the midst of nations that practiced coercion and exploitation?

The idea of freedom and life find itself most eloquently vocalized in Sabbath. God rested

and set apart a day of rest for humanity. Sabbath is a day for remembering who the Creator is

and who provides sustenance, blessing, freedom, and life. God alone is worthy of such

affirmation. As such, Sabbath calls us to live radically different lives than that of popular

culture’s employment of coercion. Rather, we participate in the divine life-giving, life-blessing

pronouncement over creation.

Sabbath then frees us from the violence of self-certitude and self-justification. We are

freed from the need to ensure our security because we rely upon God as our provider. We

remember and re-live our exodus story, praising God for His mighty arm of deliverance. And,

the community is empowered to live counter-culturally to the modus operandi of culture, namely

acquisitiveness.

It is in these acts of forgiveness directed toward our neighbor that we find forgiveness

being granted to us. Participating in the redemption of others, finds us experiencing redemption

ourselves. We are forgiven as we forgive. Does that mean that the debtor, stranger, or foreigner

remain outsiders? No, rather, they are treated as one of the community: equal.

Finally, Sabbath breaks us of the need or desire to live up to the expectations of others…

even ourselves. These expectations are often false and act as living pharaohs over our lives.

They push us to attain or achieve more. Or, perhaps, they move us to be people pleasers. Sadly,

we are more concerned about living up to everyone else’s expectations, or our own, that we

neglect God’s expectations. And, unlike false expectations, God is not a taskmaster seeking to

bury us, but to give us rest. We find that there is a burden, but it is light. And, despite that
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burden, God provides rest.

Chapter 10: What is the significance of the bread at the center of the table?

Bread at the center of the table signifies the central issue of our faith. Although

Brueggemann does not state this, I believe that the bread is equally in reach of those who gather

at the table. Bread deals with many issues. It is the earthy stuff that sustains us physically. It is

the ability economically to provide. And, it is the mystery of salvation whereby God became

incarnate. It is the celebration of communion where bread is blessed, broken, and given to

others.

Bread in the Scriptures speaks of God’s provision and abundance. It is also this same

bread that allow the disciples to become distributors of the grace that is given to them. It is the

power of life-giving creation. It is the God who draws near. And, it is the gathered communities

shared reception of table fellowship. Bread is the most basic need of every human, from the

greatest to the least. Jesus is the bread of life by which those needs are met in every way.

As Brueggemann asserts, “It is the Friday mystery that the bakeries owned by the empire

cannot nourish us. It is the Sunday mystery that loaves do indeed abound, and we, in our

research and in our faith, bear witness to the truth that the world and its bread are under

alternative management. It is the beggars and the lepers who surround our work and who stand

at the edge of our study, monitoring us, calling our most erudite research and our most esoteric

investigations to stay connected to the holy gift and to the deep crisis” (187-88).

Bread is at the very center and core of our research, study, and preaching. We must never

allow it to become an ethereal reality that neglects the hungry. The goal is not simply academic

rhetoric and acumen. Instead, our study should inevitably move us to act and engage our world

in concrete ways. It should draw us closer to the holy without sweeping us away from the dregs
of society who must be fed. Sometimes our study and writing is so heavenly minded that it’s no

earthly good. Focusing on bread guides our studies to not simply stop at intellectual assent, but

to live it out daily… even as we receive our daily bread.

Chapter 11: What do you see as the two or three most significant “theses” from

Brueggemann on the use of the Bible in the church?

First, we all live as part of some narrative. It is what shapes who we have become. There

is a dominant narrative that pervades our culture. Brueggemann believes it is “therapeutic

technological consumer militarism.” In other words, it is about comfort and control. This script

is found wanting. It does not provide what it promises, leaving us feeling more insecure.

Scripture is important because it unveils the masked lies that dominant culture seeks to

promote. It names the falsehood, revealing its deathly nature. The fallen powers, as some would

call them, are shown for their deceit and destruction. We are made aware that we have fallen for

the trap. We have become implicated in the machine of such “consumer militarism” that

deconstructs neighborliness.

Secondly, Scripture, the alternative script, holds forth a counter meta-narrative. It shows

us that there is a different reality than the one to which we have become enslaved. Having de-

masked the popular script of culture, we are now able to move toward a different telos. God

empowers us to live a different politic – not party-line. We become part of a new script,

discarding the falsehood of our previous script.

Finally, Scripture is most important because it reveals the “Main Character.” God’s

character and nature are revealed in Scripture so that we might be able to relate to Him. In the

text, we find a God who breathes new life, redeems His people, and empowers ministry. He is

not powerless, like the idols we find in the false scripts. No, He is mighty to save. And, we find
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that an encounter with this God does not allow us to remain the same.

So, in conclusion, Scripture is vitally necessary to the Church because it reveals the

falsehood of the world’s narratives, it provides an alternative reality in which to live, and it

reveals the character and nature of the Main Character who breaks down barriers, breathes new

life, and redeems us!