I don't know if you're preaching on Easter Sunday? And I don't know what your congregation is like, but imagine you're preaching in an honour-shame context on Easter Sunday. What would you say? How would you explain the efficacy of the work of Christ on the cross?
- You wouldn't mention Christ 'paying the price for our sins'. Noooo
- You would mention restoration to a new family, the family of God
- You would mention a sense of belonging to that family
- You would mention that Christ's death took away our (collective) shame and restored honour to both God and to us (collectively)
- You might mention that Christ (as representative of a new humanity) succeeded where both Adam (representative of humans) and Israel failed
- You might mention that as our elder brother Christ paved the way for us to share the honour that belongs to him
- You probably would mention that we now have access to the Father, and have the same right to the privileges that Christ won for us as Christ does. We live and have our sufficiency 'in Christ' (through his work etc.)
I know that when we want to explain the cross we always mention the price having been paid. But please try and think outside the box? The effort will definitely pay off.
Oh and you might want to refer to the victory Christ won on the cross, over evil, death and shame. Many honour-shame cultures also contain elements of power-fear also.
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