Worst. CHOW. Ever.
It was one of those nights where I felt like I was talking to an oil painting. Most of our talkative people weren't there, so I was a little worried going in that I would ask questions and then hear crickets chirping. But I thought that with 5 other people there I could at least get some conversation going. Wrong. I taught Matthew 22:1-14 (Parable of the marriage feast) then jumped to chapter 23 where I did verses 1-12, 23-28, 29-36, (Jesus pissed at the Pharisees) and then 37-39 teasing the lead-in to Chapter 24. There is some seriously harsh stuff in here which you'd think would lead to some feedback. It went like this:
Me: Anything stand out to you in this parable?
Group: .........................(lots of tired eyes looking at me)
Me: The King kills them and burns down their city, any thoughts?
Group:.........................
Me: What does the king want here?
Group: ....long pause..... "to throw a party?"
Me: Yes, thank you.
Me: 'Strain a gnat and swallow a camel', thoughts?
Group:..................
Me: 'Brood of vipers', 'whitewashed tombs', 'work anecdotes', 'your house is left to you desolate', anything out of the ordinary?
That was pretty much the evening. Kind of goes to show how you never know how something will go over. When doing Romans, I had chapters that I absolutely dreaded but which led to interesting insights. This was a case where people were either tired or didn't have anything to say about the material. Everybody says "good lesson" afterwards, but it still feels like a complete flop.
So now I'm not sure where to go with it. I was going to do Chapter 24 next, but now I'm not sure. 24 is a very interesting chapter, and I've spent a lot of time studying it and have a lot of resources on it. This one would work well with a quiet group, because it would be a lot of Greek words, and how phrases are used in the prophetic sections of the OT. I think I can teach it without it being a "here let me push a theological system on you" situation. I was originally going to skip the entire section because of the hype that surrounds that passage, but it seems like a glaring omission since the last 2 or 3 weeks have kind of led up to it. Enough rambling. Anyways, you win some you lose some.
2 comments:
sell the end of chapter 24 and chapter 25 as the "real end times" stuff.
Maybe that will get people's attention.
I wouldn't take the group's reaction or laque there of too serously. To lead something means to be out in front, not nessecerly to worried about what the discussion is. It reminds me of how you explained your father's visit to the group. As I recall he did most of the talking and there was little discusion. The problem is people feel intemidated in the presants of a master and don't wish to stick there necks out for fear of redicle. You personally have a reputation of being able to slice what someone says apart like a rapter that hasn't eaten in weeks. This I think makes people uncomferable speaking out on a subject they know less then you about. Don't take me to serously, it may be only my perceptions
Nick
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