I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth…” vss. 12-13a
John 16:12-13
Jesus had given the disciples the basics; he’d told them to love one another unconditionally. Well enough, but it didn’t take long for them to discover that there were a lot more things to learn about being his followers, especially as they found themselves immersed in the craziness of this beautiful life. They had received a graduate level course in loving and had watched the master lover, but they really didn’t have a clue about how that might work in difficult circumstances with actual people. And then there was all the organizational stuff to be considered in missional outreach. There would have to be some standards for leaders–who would set those up? How flexible could they be? And then there were all the traditions that had guided their lives–they’d all been faithful Jews. What would they keep and what would they discard? And how could they make all these changes and still remain true to the gospel? They didn’t know it yet but Jesus had set in motion a revolution, and he hadn’t given them a guide. And that’s still how it is! Some days we’re blown away by the winds of change sweeping through the church–that’s how it is with the Spirit of truth. As the poet James Lowell wrote, “Time makes ancient good uncouth. They must upward still, and onward, who would keep abreast of Truth.”
Thought for the Day: What changes in the church are challenging me?
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