Rush

 Acts 2:1-21

The church pushed outside its doors. Its a hard concept. Let go our fears, let go of our own ideas, let go and let God lead us outside. Not just to come and do what we want, but to proclaim good news.

This Jesus came and even though you killed him, he loves you. God loves you, just as you are. God blesses you and who you are. God sees you when no one else does. Jesus suffered and knows your suffering. You are not alone. Good news in action.

The church has stayed indoors too long. Too long the excuse has been because we are better inside. We might be contaminated outside and not follow Jesus. We don't need to talk with those outside our doors. We know what is right and wrong. This is a church that is just as afraid as those disciples were in an upper room. Afraid of losing our identity, instead of becoming known. Afraid of becoming something different than what we have always been. Afraid of preserving something which was never meant to be preserved or protected or theologically explained.

We are struggling with this soon at our own general convention. Even though we are the way of love, if you have listened to any of Presiding Bishop Curry's sermons we are still debating whether to have open communion. This is when all who come are invited to the table for communion. Brother Roger the creator of the Taize community in France believed this was the place where people first meet Christ. Because the community fought over whose communion service was right, or who would be allowed to partake, they set up separate services. Brother Roger never attended the service because he didn't believe we were to be separated. 

It is the same way now. We have to be baptized in order to understand the sacraments. At least this is the argument coming forth. It ignores how we divide people, the ones who are in our place and the ones who are outside. The Spirit comes where it will. In a world which is so focused on division isn't it time we opened ourselves to sharing? This is exactly what Pentecost does. Brings us out to share the good news. Like division doesn't matter. Like everyone understanding doesn't matter. Because we scatter the seed liberally onto the ground and God will take care of it.

We don't get to control the seed, how it grows, what type of soil. Our mission is to love and love greatly. This is the new commandment Jesus gives before his death. Love one another as I have loved you. The outcast, the ones who aren't worthy, the ones we don't like, we are to love and this is a tall order because it goes against everything society tells us right now.

When we love this radically we will find ourselves pushed outside the doors. We will be sharing good news that we don't see the way the world divides. We will be welcoming all to come and join us at the table because Jesus doesn't throw gates up. Because here is a place where all are loved, all are accepted, all are joined together in this work.

One of the most basic songs I learned at Baptist camp spoke of love and the man who sang it joined us in worship and song for an event with our youth together. It spoke to me of how our divisions don't matter. The church is stronger when we get over our fear and go. Go and bless others, go and tell the good news, go and spill out Gods love liberally. Because it will be a blessing to us and to all who can stand in its light. Be this church, go!