Jesus began his ministry by calling men and women to follow him and be his disciples. Today, the invitation of Jesus remains the same. Jesus came eating and drinking; he entered into and shared life with everyone–even messed up, confused, rough, wicked people. Jesus does not limit his invitation to those who have a nice, clean life and background. God is not offended by our wounds, our past, or our failures. Nothing prohibits Jesus from calling a person to follow him.
Some of the passages in the Bible don’t sit well with most modern readers. Passages like the imprecatory Psalms, the story of Judah and Tamar, Jesus dismissing the gentile woman at the dinner table, and Jesus’s command to hate our families. By exploring several parts of Scripture that challenge our understanding of the Bible and of God, we can strengthen our faith and find unexpected blessings in his Word.
