The Idealist and the Idiot
"Jesus threatened people with inclusion."
That was a quote from our Sunday School class yesterday. I have no idea where Bill Starr came up with it, but I like it. - Google is a great thing - I just found it and no wonder I liked it: Brian McLaren's A Generous Orthodoxy.
Think about the implications:
To the Pharisees, Saducces, Scribes, Zealots, Essenes, and whatever other groups existed then - Jesus threatened them by including the sinners, the weak and the dangerously theologicially mis-informed.
To the Rich - Jesus threatened them by including the poor, the lazy, the homeless.
To the healthy - Jesus threatened them by including the lepers, the lame, the sick and the dying.
To the self-righteous - Jesus threatened them by including the unrighteous, the self-loathing, the meek and the hated.
And it works in exactly the opposite direction, too
To the Unrighteous, self-loathing, meek and hated - Jesus threatened them by including the self-righteous...
And you can go right back up the list...
You see, inclusion has to work both ways. If I am selfish, I have to recognize that the selfless are also loved and welcomed by Jesus. If I am poor, I have to recognize that the rich are also a part of the kingdom of heaven.
That's how kingdoms work. In one way or another, the people in the land are added, the borders are extended. Jesus' kingdom isn't any different. I worship with people I don't socialze with - who I probably wouldn't ever socialize with. They belong to country clubs and service clubs. They belong to welfare lines and social security. They belong to NA and AA and the NRA and the DNC. They run for political office. They don't even vote... There's a whole world of people that I don't have any social, political or economic ties to whatsoever - but they are my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Jesus has threatened me with inclusion, too. Really, how do I make conversation with the CEO of a major corporation? What do I say to a single mother who still can't make it with three part-time jobs? How do I connect with the schizophrenic and the alcoholic?
Only in Christ. Only in His grace. It really does cover the selfless and the selfish, the idealist and the idiot.
I pray every day that I am worthy of inclusion - and able to include...
That was a quote from our Sunday School class yesterday. I have no idea where Bill Starr came up with it, but I like it. - Google is a great thing - I just found it and no wonder I liked it: Brian McLaren's A Generous Orthodoxy.
Think about the implications:
To the Pharisees, Saducces, Scribes, Zealots, Essenes, and whatever other groups existed then - Jesus threatened them by including the sinners, the weak and the dangerously theologicially mis-informed.
To the Rich - Jesus threatened them by including the poor, the lazy, the homeless.
To the healthy - Jesus threatened them by including the lepers, the lame, the sick and the dying.
To the self-righteous - Jesus threatened them by including the unrighteous, the self-loathing, the meek and the hated.
And it works in exactly the opposite direction, too
To the Unrighteous, self-loathing, meek and hated - Jesus threatened them by including the self-righteous...
And you can go right back up the list...
You see, inclusion has to work both ways. If I am selfish, I have to recognize that the selfless are also loved and welcomed by Jesus. If I am poor, I have to recognize that the rich are also a part of the kingdom of heaven.
That's how kingdoms work. In one way or another, the people in the land are added, the borders are extended. Jesus' kingdom isn't any different. I worship with people I don't socialze with - who I probably wouldn't ever socialize with. They belong to country clubs and service clubs. They belong to welfare lines and social security. They belong to NA and AA and the NRA and the DNC. They run for political office. They don't even vote... There's a whole world of people that I don't have any social, political or economic ties to whatsoever - but they are my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Jesus has threatened me with inclusion, too. Really, how do I make conversation with the CEO of a major corporation? What do I say to a single mother who still can't make it with three part-time jobs? How do I connect with the schizophrenic and the alcoholic?
Only in Christ. Only in His grace. It really does cover the selfless and the selfish, the idealist and the idiot.
I pray every day that I am worthy of inclusion - and able to include...
posted by Pastor Bill at 1:17 PM
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