I’m reading Richard Hays’ important work, “The Moral Vision of the New Testament.” Just tonight I came across some good zingers that I want to share with you. Hays is discussing the “Jesus of history,” or the “historical Jesus.” This means he is using the New Testament both as a religious text and a historical source to piece together the actual events of the life of this man we call Jesus of Nazareth.
“The Kingdom of God belongs to the poor, the outcasts, the weak, the children. Wherever the church becomes acclimated and deferential to conventional human authority that rests upon pride and coercion, it has lost continuity with the Jesus of history.”
“Jesus of Nazareth died on a cross. Those who follow him can hardly expect better treatment from the world. Insofar as the community of faith follows the path of the Jesus of history, it should expect suffering as its lot.”
Wow – that’ll make you think…
the rev. jimmy abbott 
Wow…you are certainly right. It made me stop and think about what I should or should not be expecting out of life. Yes, that was a zinger or two!
“The Kingdom of God belongs to the poor, the outcasts, the weak, the children. Wherever the church becomes acclimated and deferential to conventional human authority that rests upon pride and coercion, it has continuity with the Jesus of history.”
This confused me until I read this page. The missing word is “lost” (continuity). Your are so very right. We loose continuity daily and must struggle to remember what is important.