This morning I participated in a Bible Study on Acts chapter 6. We talked about the appointment of the 7 to do service for the widows and those who were being overlooked. In doing this we took a side step to talk about the apostles…
The apostles took it upon themselves to create, or continue, the structure Jesus had put into place with the 12 disciples. The apostles said they needed to replace the spot left vacant by Judas. Could you hear one of them saying, “this is the way it has always been, we can not do it any other way.” So they decide to choose a replacement, and they start to list the requirements for the person to replace Judas. They said the person must be someone who was with Jesus and stayed with him from his baptism through his ascension. Does any one see or hear a problem with this?
Who among the 12 did this? The 11 when Jesus was arrested, the 11 scattered and left him. Peter the one who is speaking at the beginning of Acts, denied Jesus 3 times. They all left him and did not stay with him. They locked themselves in the upper room, after they knew he was raised from the dead. They are placing standards on the person, that they themselves did not fulfill.
Is this not what we as the church do all the time. We expect people to live up to a standard before they are welcomed, or a part of the community. Everyone is welcome, and everyone is needed. Standards of inclusion would exclude all of us. God does not judge us as we deserve, but through the eyes of Jesus, who sees us through the grace of faith that flows through the cross.
Let us not set standards on who is welcomed, but help each other to see the other through the standard of grace through faith.
aSacredRebel 