Rev. Reed Lee Pedersen's
God’s Son came into the world 2,000 years ago, yet his resurrection and ascension (celebrated May 10th this year) mark the fact that Jesus is with us even today and throughout history. Over those 2,000 years the world has changed, and so have we as people. In Norwegian mythology there is a play between fire and ice. Fire is the sign of chaos. It is always moving in a non-distinct pattern, always changing. Ice, on the other hand, is a sign of idleness. It is set and immovable. Interesting enough, there are both bad at their purest states. When they are in harmony water and life is abundant. If the world was only fire then it would be consumed with flames and chaos. It the world was only ice it would never move. It would only be stuck. Why am I bringing this up? People have a tendency to resist change because it is scary (it can even be chaotic), but when they become idle life passes by without them. Churches are the same way. Constantly churches find themselves seeking to relive the “glory days” of the church and resist change and also become idle. They are using the possum’s survival technique and playing dead with the hopes that the big scary bear called future will leave them alone. Change for the sake of change is certainly unnecessary but change is a necessity we all must learn to live with. We must learn to adapt and grow as human beings and as followers of Christ. This growth has led me to expand my viewpoint past the 99% white context I grew up in. It has allowed us as people to continue to push for equality among people of different races and genders. Hearing the good news of Jesus Christ from a perspective other than my own has opened me up in how I think about God. If Christ truly makes us new each day then we are called to be open to receiving newness. We are called to change the world for the better in the name of God. And if you fear this than listen to these words from Paul: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NRSV) In the midst of our fears to change in life and in our churches it is important that we remember who to focus on first. The Holy Spirit (commonly represented by fire) fills us with a heart and a mind in Christ Jesus. If we and churches do not follow the water we receive in baptism and an openness to change while being centered in Christ than we become idle, ice. We can only play possum so long before our bodies will stop pretending. It is the same with churches. Churches can only be stagnate and play dead for so long until they become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Points to Ponder:
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AuthorPastor Reed is a first call pastor at Augustana Lutheran Church in Andover, Illinois. Archives
July 2019
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