The Politically-Incorrect God

Aim: To learn to live with faith's counter-intuitive vision.

Doctrine: God would have His church bless the very world that oppresses us, because this glorifies and ''exonerates'' the Lord, and because by this obedience, the gospel spreads.

Exegesis: Three ways God surprises us, His people: by communicating with us when we are ''down and out'' (vv. 1-4); by encouraging our productivity when we are far from ''home'' (vv. 5-6); by shocking us out of our natural religious sensibilities (vv. 7-9).

Further application: How to practice God's strange commands: by not feeling sorry for ourselves, and recognizing that our Christ-life fully transcends the fallen world.

Key verse: v. 7 ''But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.''