Stand Firm and Be Saved – Matthew 9:35,10:8-23

In this episode, we answer a question from a Tumblr follower about how the concept of being saved is uncomfortable. To this person, it feels like they have done something wrong hence, they need to “be saved”. This question actually ties in perfectly to the question we answered from last week: that’s at queertheology.com/332.

We also queer this week’s text from Matt 9:35,10:8-23 where we talk about how we are sent out to do the work and proclaim the good news. We are also reminded that if we want to transform the world, it will be an uncomfortable and scary process to go through. 

In this episode, we talk about:

• How are things in Minneapolis going? [0:40]
• Is the momentum of Black Lives Matter slowing down in LA? [2:32] /li>
• The work doesn’t stop “mattering”, it takes decades [4:21]
• Tumblr question on why we need to be “saved” and what did they do wrong? [6:38]
• The conservative view of salvation [7:05]
• An alternative idea of salvation [8:37]
• Our experiences and environment shape us and our values [9:14]
• The dual meaning of salvation [9:53]
• We queer the lectionary texts from Matt 9:35,10:8-23 [11:15]
• Communism and the lectionary text [13:30]
• Find connections between the Bible and lived experiences [14:39]
• Proclaiming the good news and being saved [16:14]
• The pain of the process [16:33]
• Why is this passage a blueprint? [17:01]
• Memes on approaching change [18:00]
• On stepping outside your comfort zone and expanding it [19:33]
• The transformative power of doing things that scare you [19:54]

Articles mentioned in this episode:

Why Did Jesus Die (webinar)
Prison Abolition

Additional Resources:

• Pamela Lightsey: Our Lives Matter: A Woman: A Womanist Queer Theology
• James Cone: A Black Theology of Liberation | The Cross & The Lynching Tree
• Here’s a NPR interview with Rev. Cone
• “Why Anti-Racism Must Be Part of Our Faith” – IGTV video from Rev. Jacqui Lewis
• Black Lives Matter
• The Movement for Black Lives
• Critical Resistance – an international movement to end the Prison Industrial 
• Black Visions Collective, Reclaim the Block, MPD150 – learn from Minneapolis groups that have been doing this work for years
• Sister Outsider – essays and speeches by Audre Lorde
• Color of Violence a collection of essays by INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence
• That’s Not How That Works podcast – an exploration of diversity, inclusion, and equity and how these things show up, (or don’t) in our personal and professional communities
• Still Processing – a New York Times culture podcast
• “Divine In The Differences” featuring Indigo Rose – Queer Theology podcast episode looking at Romans 1:24 – 2:8 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 (with some original poetry!)
• The Next Question – a web video series exploring how expansive racial justice can be
• Kat Blaque – YouTuber & children’s illustrator
• Evelyn From The Internets – digital storyteller, filmmaker, and comedian
• Meaning Through Movement – a series of virtual fitness & mental health events with Alison Mariella Désir and special guests
• Anti-Racism Masterclass with Rev. Jacqui Lewis
• Lisa Sharon Harper – theologian, writer, speaker, and activist
• ARROWS – entrepreneur, storyteller, and fashion icon (also YouTuber)
• Purity Culture on-demand workshop with Lola from No Shame Movement

If you’re looking for books, check out these Black-owned bookstores

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Matthew 9:35,10:8-23

Jesus traveled among all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, announcing the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness.

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and throw out demons. You received without having to pay. Therefore, give without demanding payment. Workers deserve to be fed, so don’t gather gold or silver or copper coins for your money belts to take on your trips. Don’t take a backpack for the road or two shirts or sandals or a walking stick. Whatever city or village you go into, find somebody in it who is worthy and stay there until you go on your way. When you go into a house, say, ‘Peace!’ If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if the house isn’t worthy, take back your blessing. If anyone refuses to welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or city. I assure you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than it will be for that city.

“Look, I’m sending you as sheep among wolves. Therefore, be wise as snakes and innocent as doves. Watch out for people—because they will hand you over to councils and they will beat you in their synagogues. They will haul you in front of governors and even kings because of me so that you may give your testimony to them and to the Gentiles. Whenever they hand you over, don’t worry about how to speak or what you will say, because what you can say will be given to you at that moment. You aren’t doing the talking, but the Spirit of my Father is doing the talking through you. Brothers and sisters will hand each other over to be executed. A father will turn his child in. Children will defy their parents and have them executed. Everyone will hate you on account of my name. But whoever stands firm until the end will be saved. Whenever they harass you in one city, escape to the next, because I assure that you will not go through all the cities of Israel before the Human One comes.

Photo by Koshu Kunii

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