We cannot close out the world. Geo-politically, it is impossible. Economically, it is disastrous. Technologically, it is absurd. More important, for the Kingdom-focused follower of Jesus, it is antithetical to the Missio Dei.
At any and every crisis, a crossroads emerges: perpetual isolation in fear or growing cooperation in hope.
The early church struggled with shaking the bonds and extending the boundaries created by nationalism, cultural-ism, racism, and religious chauvinism.
They built bridges and tore down walls.
In extending its own reach and embrace, there needed to be an accumulation of defining moments, lived-out stories, and expanding relationships infused by manifestations of the Holy Spirit at work among people groups that were outside the original disciples' comfort zones.
The patience and systematic workings of God exceed ours by far, but this is how the church became an international movement, indigenous in every culture where it was planted.
We are still working on this, but there was a time and have been times when it really worked.
This is the missional movement and moment.
It was preceded by crisis and it created a crisis of its own.
Acts 10:46b-47:
" Then Peter said, 'Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?'”
Peter sensed that racial, national, and cultural exclusivity, privilege, and chauvinism was not only an offence to humanity, but a hindrance to God and God's purposes and mission.
"How could I ... ?"
That was the awakened response of a man whose eyes were being opened to a mission that was much larger than his own context.
Acts 11:16-17:
"And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God? "
