Acts 10-14I just hate it when God refuses to follow the rules!
But that was the theme I kept hearing throughout these passages. (OK, I got ahead yesterday, but the same thing is going on there at the end!) God's spirit is not confined to just one group. We have the story of Cornelius and the Gentiles there, of Peter telling his friends about his experience; of Paul and Barnabas missionary journey to the Gentiles.
And there was great opposition--both from the Jews and the church. "They" were not worthy; "We" are the chosen ones, the right ones; we can't let them in!
I am so glad that we no longer have those arguments in the church! Oh how I wish!
What would happen if we listened again, and every time gentile was used, we substituted "gay?" What if instead of gentiles receiving the spirit, we substituted women? What if those that we want out--for whatever reason--were welcomed in? Now I understand why people were opposed! We get upset when we arrange the sanctuary a different way. These "apostles" were rearranging life as they had known it!
I need to remember that today as I go and listen about how the internet is radically transforming the way that church is being done, how it will be done. Perhaps I should leave my rocks outside--just in case!
1 comment:
I don't know whether it's comforting or sad that there have always been arguments in the Church from the very beginning. It sure didn't take them long to start disagreeing on things, and a lot of these were people who had actually known Jesus personally! If they couldn't get it straight, no wonder we get so confused!
The rule-breaking God -- I love that! I remember very well our discussion in Dr. Goodman's class about Peter and Cornelius. Scripture (which at this point was the Old Testament, all they had) was very clear about not eating unclean foods and not going into the homes of Gentiles. It made you unclean. Peter knew that very well. It took God three times (Peter's magic number apparently) to convince him otherwise! But as Dr. Goodman pointed out, if he had been solely dependent on scripture for guidance, he would never have gone. He wasn't reading scripture at that point, he was reading Spirit, and it ran directly contrary to what was written down! That is scary, dangerous stuff if you really think about it!
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