[Mockingbird] Rich Young Ruler

[Sarah H.]

a sermon lately reminded me of this song... the church needs to hear this!!!

[*dan]

I don't see what's so controversial about this song in particular. It isn't pushing some sort of agenda other than what Jesus said with a little expansion.

The message of the song is "I want the things you just can't give me", really. Or, that if you can't give up your stuff for Christ, then he sure is going through your trash.

[Sarah]

I don't have a problem with too much of it, but the idea of moving out of Jesus' neighborhood is ridiculous to me.  Like Jesus is only present where the poor are, and living in a not-so-poor neighborhood is less holy or something.  That's the main part I don't like.  And I'm sure he wasn't really even trying to say that, but it just rubs me the wrong way.

I'm all for moving wherever God calls us to be.  Right now that's somewhere close to our seminary, which happens to be in an affluent area.  The apartment community we live in within this affluent area isn't affluent at all, but it's not "poor," either, and the idea that this is somehow less "Jesus' neighborhood" just isn't...right.  Jesus is here, too.

Other than that I think it's a very good, challenging song.  Especially the "I want the things you just can't give me" - cuts to the core.

[Sarah H.]

I don't have a problem with too much of it, but the idea of moving out of Jesus' neighborhood is ridiculous to me.  Like Jesus is only present where the poor are, and living in a not-so-poor neighborhood is less holy or something.  That's the main part I don't like.  And I'm sure he wasn't really even trying to say that, but it just rubs me the wrong way.

I'm all for moving wherever God calls us to be.  Right now that's somewhere close to our seminary, which happens to be in an affluent area.  The apartment community we live in within this affluent area isn't affluent at all, but it's not "poor," either, and the idea that this is somehow less "Jesus' neighborhood" just isn't...right.  Jesus is here, too.

Other than that I think it's a very good, challenging song.  Especially the "I want the things you just can't give me" - cuts to the core.

I think he's challenging the church in outreach and diversity.  So often I cling to the things/people similar to me.  When it comes to "Jesus' neighborhood" I feel uncomfortable too when I hear that phrase, but I think Derek is making a point that goes along with Matthew 25 talking about the goats and sheep. 

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

 37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

 40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 

So Derek's not saying that we all belong in the city to minister to the poor, but that when we ignore the poor entirely & don't follow Jesus' example of loving everyone, including the poor, that we are doing the same to Jesus. 

Does that make sense?

[karibeth]

When I read the lyrics, I don't think of it as a literal neighborhood.  I see it more like, "By focusing so much on slick marketing and soundbites and making members feel good, the church has moved away from many of the things that should be important."  And in this song, he's specifically talking about ministering to the poor.

[jholland]

When I read the lyrics, I don't think of it as a literal neighborhood.  I see it more like, "By focusing so much on slick marketing and soundbites and making members feel good, the church has moved away from many of the things that should be important."  And in this song, he's specifically talking about ministering to the poor.

That's an interesting perspective.... I hadn't thought of it in any sense other than the literal interpretation up to this point.

Jeff

[Josh H.]

When I read the lyrics, I don't think of it as a literal neighborhood.  I see it more like, "By focusing so much on slick marketing and soundbites and making members feel good, the church has moved away from many of the things that should be important."  And in this song, he's specifically talking about ministering to the poor.

in the relevant podcast, interview/article, and in the podcasts with don miller, derek seems to be pointing to exactly what you are saying...that the story of the rich young ruler is a story about idolatry, and for the young ruler, his idol was his money...and it sounds like from derek's point of view, that the church surely has certainly struggled with money as idolatry, but money isn't the only thing the church has fallen captive to...

that all to say, that i think that the song is still hitting most of us where it hurts, that for many or most of us, it very well may be a literal neighborhood we've moved away from...