I'm always amazed how "things' seem to fall together. Here is a continuation of William Willimon's notes on who shall be saved. After a week at the ELCA Assembly it is a blessed picture to consider.
Picture Paul preaching this bodacious, universal claim to a little group of Christians huddled together at their house church in Colossae:
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers - all things have been created through him and for him...in him all things hold together... For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross" (Colossians 1:15-20).
To unite all things in him. To reconcile all to himself. All. Just when we settle in - just me and my friends who are saved - here comes Jesus proclaiming. "I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also." (John 10:16)
Time and time again it is so easy to be comfortable with what we have and who we are. I really do think that all of us would love to spend our time with those like us. That may be a large group or a small one. The defining point here is that they will be somewhat like us. Maybe we are drawn to one another because we have shared a bit of the same pathway on our journey through life. I could be that we shared an experience together - at the same place - in the same way - at the same time. Then again, it might be that once our comfort zone has been reached we settle down and attempt to keep what we have among us.
Then, we keep telling stories about this Jesus character who tickles us...makes us look around...invites us to open our eyes and look into the eyes of people who are not within the limits of our designated group. Jesus goes on and keeps talking about all. This all will not be like the "all" we consider "all of us." Rather, it is a never-ending all...an expansive all...an all that stretches each one of us so that we begin to catch onto this character of Jesus. This is how the church is formed. We are stretched beyond ourselves without losing our own gifts that are then shared with all.
This all stuff...this salvation that will not let us go...stands ready to move us within reach of one another and there we will see a glimpse of God's Reign as it becomes us.
Connection: Uniting does not mean we lose our self...but it does mean that we find more of ourselves within the full embrace of the other...who helps us see what our Lord sees in us. That is a different way to see where we are going.
Blessed Lord, re-united us even as we attempt to stay away and live for ourselves and only with those who keep us just as we are. Stretch us...again. Amen.
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