Monday, June 02, 2014

John 7:37-39

Year A - Pentecost or Energy to Witness
June 8, 2014

Pentecost is not parochial. It is all too easy to think that our people have a lock on Spirit.

There seemed to a be certain willy-nilliness about the witnessing that went on as a direct result of tongues of fire stimulating human tongues. This is an implicit working out of, “Let anyone who is thirsty come.”

Of course there is the kicker of subsequent language about believing to be dealt with. It is certainly understandable why the church would want the “believer” language added. It means larger coffers and a control factor over new believers.

This believer talk takes place in the context of early church struggles. We know this from the asides regarding spirit and glorification. Bottom-line is that Jesus is inclusive and the church is exclusive. 

This is not a new phenomenon. A more recent one is the way in which we covered up Nelson Mandela’s revolutionary inclusiveness to talk mostly about how wonderful that he was released and then did so much. We have done the same with every prophet along the way, moving digitally from “Revile them” to “Venerate them” with no transition or recognition of a wholeness and the messiness of their humanity, virtues and flaws. 

For now a question of where on a continuum you take your stand.

Inclusive Pentecost - (1) - - - (2) - - - (3) - - - (4) - - - (5) - Exclusive Pentecost




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