Change

Jesus faced people’s slothfulness to change all the time. It seems that people were uncomfortable with the good changes as well. He cast out demons, healed the sick, forgave sins, and taught the Law in a way that demanded life change. Yet, there were was still a significant size crowd and highly respected group of people that did not welcome change and the arrival the Kingdom of God that was spoken in their language. This group of people seemed to miss it. This group of people is not merely the Pharisees, it was some of Jesus’ followers too. What was happening with these certain people, that they did not welcome change? We could say they were comfortable, they were lazy, or that they disagreed. But, I don’t think that is really getting at the heart of the matter. I think one of the heart issues was that they created something that worked, was good, and it clear and precise what people needed to do to be a God follower. So, when Jesus came into the picture, they took it personally because it challenged and deconstructed what they made.

I think that God still raises up people today to challenge what is, and I am beginning to think that this conversation is God’s doing for the Church that created a neat, clear, and clean system of doing Church. So, when people come and challenge what we have created we get miffed because it has become more about the system and the character of the system than Jesus. Even now with the emergent conversation, people are starting churches that are emergent, and are more concerned about being emergent than being Jesus. There is the guy, Sedmak, who encourages us to ask questions like, Who is Jesus to us? What does he look like? Why did he come to the place? What is his mission? Peace
josh