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 her, because this glorifies and ''exonerates'' the Lord, and because by this obedience, the gospel spreads.

Exegesis: Three ways God surprises His people: by communicating with us when we are ''down and out'' (vv. 1-4); by encouraging our productivity when we are alienated 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: quit feeling sorry for myself, and recognize that the heavenly life fully transcends the fallen world.

Key verse: v. 7 ''And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.''