Friday, December 18, 2009

Chapter 13 - Engaging the Wider World

"After the resurrection of Jesus, his followers were faced with some hard choices." (p. 237) Yes they were; yes we are. As I read this chapter, I couldn't help but think that I was actually reading about the Church today. But I guess in a lot of ways, I was. The story of the first Church is our story too.

"[What] was so different about Jesus - and what was to set his followers radically apart from Judasim [/the world] - was the framework in which he set his teaching." (p. 238) Jesus, although He seemingly spoke in ways that may have opposed the Law or Torah, actually was talking about living in a way that pleases God rather than obeys the black and white of the written word. Today, Christians have the same struggle - to break free of codification and live as a people who have the "law in their minds and [written] on their hearts." (Jer. 31:33, NIV) God still judges our character by our inner nature, and not from our adherence to religious rules.

Yet, there are still many in the Church today, just as there were in those first days who judge others (inside the Church and out) on the merits of accomplishment. For many in the first century, the task to be completed was the loss of a little (yet surely painful) flesh. Today, in some circle we contest on the form of baptism, or the volume of water used. Is the "Torah" we have created in some areas today, and our obedience to it, any more pleasing to God than it was in those first days. It should be no wonder to us, that we see new congregations emerge from those who maintain the Law at all costs - this is what happened in Palestine those many years ago.
And yet, perhaps this must happen - perhaps it is a part of God's plan. If the local church (its buildings, programs, and liturgies) is a place of comfort and warmth, a womb if you please, then there must be a period of gestation, and an inevitable time of birth. Just as Peter was propped up and given the necessary strength to stand before the masses and preach by the Holy Spirit, should we surprised when such things happen today? Perhaps the local church is continuously "in the process of being born." (p. 243)

As our congregations grow, and diversify in character, should we expect that everyone found within them will always agree on every issue - sometimes even matters of serious importance. Just as conflicts arose in those early days which caused the Church to spread, perhaps today the same is happening. As painful as congregational separations are, dispersion of Christocentric, Bible preaching, evangelical local church groups may actually provide the world with more opportunities to hear the Gospel than would otherwise be possible.

Now I'm not saying that I'm certain of any of this, but maybe it's worth a little thought. Maybe we each need moments in our lives, like Peter, when God reaches through what we think we know, to teach us what we need to know.

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