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Holy Spirit, demographics, sociology
Holy Spirit, demographics, sociology Meditation: God's Demographics
Monday, January 28, 2013 at 09:26AM 
In our fractured society demographic studies are the sacred scriptures of politics, education, and marketing. The categories of Latino, African-American, Anglo, and Asian are too large: demographics break down ethnicities into subcategories of gender, age, sexual orientation, and coffee-habits. In the church, George Barna has made a career out of demographic distinctions. We live in sociological ghettoes, and those who sell goods, services, and philosophies can find all the figures they need to target their message.
Our Creator has a different demographic approach: oneness—the kind of oneness that spans the gaps and unifies people of every nation, tribe, and tongue. Consider, for example, how Jesus launched his church:
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven . . . Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs . . .
In that moment when God chose to launch his ends-of-the-earth initiative, he chose to bring people together. Jesus indiscriminately poured out a one-size-fits-all solution on everyone: the true demographic of the church is the Holy Spirit.
The earliest Christians learned again and again the work of the Spirit. The Comforter broke boundaries and distinctions worldwide. The Spirit of Christ favored one people, “neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female . . . all one in Christ Jesus.”
The Lord’s method was part of his message. One faith, one baptism, one hope, one Lord. The book of Revelation, that crazy picture of the moment when time itself is rolled up like a cloak, paints a picture of the Forever Days: there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
God is a sweet community within Himself: Father, Son, and Spirit. Even in the midst of the Trinity’s sharp distinctions and clear identity there radiates a oneness. Here is a lesson worth a week’s meditation: what keeps us from imitating his example?
Reader Comments (3)
Ray,
RE: “God’s Demographics”
I agree with the clear distinction you draw, pointing us all to oneness in Christ. I hear a similar sound to encourage believers around us to throw off meaningless ideas and rags of distinction when the one that reconciles us to the Father is Jesus Christ. I suppose my lack of humility is what keeps me from imitating Christ.
Thank you for the reminder.
Hi Gary: You're welcome! It seems to me most church disputes (those within a congregation, or those between different theological views) flow from this very issue. And yes, our pride doesn't help the issue, does it? :-)
As it works for me every day it becomes less about doing what is right and more about becoming what is right. That is how I know I am growing for the reviewed results from my actions become more and more constructive for the whole.
When I test against what and how another is doing I lose focus from my Counselor and redirect onto one of my siblings who is equally as immature in perfection as I. “Pride cometh before a fall” is when I believe I’m in competition and proudly exclaim, “I’m doing it better than you my beloved sibling; follow my lead and you will live”.
No denomination or member within the eternal church body now led and to be judged solely and finally by Jesus Christ is in a position to usurp our Lord Savior’s role … but we all still continue to compare our actions in judgment of another rather than simply ask the Spirit, “what shall I do now?”. “Sprinkled or Immersed”, “Wine or Grape Juice”, “Tough Love or Sacrificial Love”, “Body Enhancements or Plain”, “Saturday or Sunday”, “Paul or Peter”, “Party or Watch” all are now literally fighting arguments as to which man or woman we should follow within our self declared family our Father in Heaven … and all those arguments are totally insignificant when we truly accept baptism by the Holy Spirit in our spiritual heart and mind. The Holy Spirit is blasphemed when we know Him but belittle His power and ability to unite each of our hearts and minds with the hearts and minds of our Creator God.
Each of us has a different and strengthening task we can do for the family of God. Each of us is free to strike out on our own and there-by weaken our family because our strength is no longer available to the body of our family.
I will not imitate Paul, Peter, Jesus, or the Pastor who I love and know. Each of God’s children have a special and unique positive gift to bring to the body of Man and the family of God. We are stronger because we are different members of the body rather than all arms, or legs, or … . The mysterious bonding of all our different pieces and attributes into each of our obviously unique physical bodies is the physical example of the spiritual bonding into one productive and constructive body that the Holy Spirit can do for the body of Man. The Holy Spirit leads me tighter into that bond as I grow with Him. We all know and have yet to fully define that bond as love.