Coming or Going?

 John 6:56-69 is our lectionary Gospel text for Sunday, August 22.

Jesus had His best day and worst day on the same day.  He raised an army of 5,000+ and fed them, but then He talked to them until they were offended and many or most left.  His 12 and some others only remained with Him.  Jesus turned to Peter and said, "What?  You're still here?"  And Peter made His confession that only Jesus had the words of eternal life.

Thousands left because He told them the truth.  (Read that again, pastors.)

But then, as the disciples, turned Apostles lived what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled as Kingdom of God values, thousands were touched and moved and gathered to live in Jesus' Way.  The First Century community, movement of followers of Jesus changed their world and ours.

This message of Jesus came under empire's corruptions among the religious leaders and in the religious institution.  It was a new iteration of an old song.

In our iteration of empire, the desolating sacrilege was not Rome's entrance into the Temple cult, but Reagan/Falwell getting together to twist the Word of God to fit empire values - the ideals and values for greed, lust for power over others and desire for status above others which is still empire.  Jesus' Way did not fit in with their ideals or pieties and did not get them what they truly treasured, so they changed it.  They gave lip service to Jesus while giving their devotion to empire.  It was/IS their golden calf - their Ba'al gods' promise of providing what the people want.  They had "itching ears" to hear what they wanted and gladly are "blown about by every wind of doctrine" that will serve their desires.  Laissez-faire Capitalism, Military/Police might, Fame, False Superiority and Bigotry are their gods.  Holding the many down, back and out for the sake of the few "elites" is still the goal of empire, and the divisions, hatreds, violence, depravation and destruction of God's children and God's creation are the biproducts. 

So, many are offended with Jesus. or just continue to give Him lip service while giving their devotions to Ba'al/empire.  Tony Campolo once said, "Sometimes for the church of Jesus to thrive, the right people must come, and sometimes the right people must go."  Would that the purveyors of empire would just leave and take the name "Christian" off their twisted cult beliefs, ideologies, words and actions.  Then, the followers of Jesus could transform the world.

But many hear us calling ourselves "Christians" and associate us with what they are doing.  Instead of "People of the Way of Jesus," we are lumped in with them, in their perspectives.

It is time to distinguish ourselves from the empirical, American civil religion, right wing institution that claims Jesus name, and live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for us, as we have witness in the Gospels, on how to live the Kingdom values of Agape Love and Grace in the world.  Then lives will be transformed, communities, the church and the planet.

Pastor Jamie