Churches are in such a strange and complex situation. We want to be the church; that one Jesus himself said he would build. The oddity is that church is the slipperiest of all slopes in that it can so subtly slide into the very thinking that crucified the head of the church; Jesus.
It is easy for churches--any brands, any doctrines--to slip right into the very personalities that would cause us to be ineffective. Where we would wish to follow Jesus, instead we shift to appearance and safety. Jesus, the head of THE church, did nothing from appearance of pleasing others nor did he guard his words and actions to play it safe.
In essence, Jesus was regarded as barbaric to religion. The latter is the group that put him away....they assumed. They detested him for ruining the smooth and pious style of their spiritual(?) walk. Jesus blew into Dodge and ruined what religion had worked so diligently to build.
Erwin McManus makes a noteworthy point, A barbarian invasion is taking place right now. They are coming from the four corners of the earth and they are numbered among the unlikely. From the moment Jesus walked among us the invasion began. And just as with those who crossed paths with Him here on earth, those who are most religious will be most offended and indignant. Barbarians are not welcome among the civilized and are feared among the domesticated. The way of Jesus is far to savage for their sensibilities.
We just must be on our spiritual toes regarding the church today. If it is to be of Jesus it will most likely not be what the brotherhood--any one's brotherhood--will want. He is too disruptive. He is too energetic. He is to much like His Father.
When we take up our crosses and follow him, it is not because the doctor used the word malignant. It is because we are going to the challenged for believing in the radical Son of God and his ways.
We must always be reminded of the sobriety of this call from above. Slumber has draped our pews. Safety first has become our motto.
Yet....the Kingdom of God is awake and at risk.
May we have the courage to enter in...again today.
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