While I am admittedly a cat person, I do like dogs and lots of dog people. I am not a great fan of the dogs that live up the hill from the parsonage (they bark a lot) and not having dogs relates more to the fact that they are a bit high maintenance. But I think that the "living creatures" that are around the throne in The Revelation might just be some of our cats and dogs that have (as a friend put it) "crossed the rainbow bridge."
The reason barking dogs came to mind today is that one of my friends (who was ordained Elder the year I was born, he is 91) has a saying I like for lots of reasons. Walter says, "the dogs bark but the wagons move on." In these words, I envision a wagon train in an old western, breaking camp with lots of activity, motion and barking dogs.
Last Sunday I reminded us that the Easter story should call us to action to be the Church Jesus authored. "Go to Galilee," He told the disciples. "Make disciples" (i.e., 'multiply and grow MY Church') he told all of those who had come to hear the marching orders of their Lord and Savior! I am sure there was a lot of discussion among those gathered. Some probably tried to interpret what Jesus said in the context of their desires. Some might have walked away, realizing that making disciples is hard, and sometimes thankless, work. Some did what the 11 apostles resolved to do ... they "acted" (that's what Acts is about).
Barking dogs constitute those 1st two groups of folks (and a lot of people in the Church today). Not to retrace the ground we have travelled, but there are a lot of people who reframe Jesus into their mindset and convenience. And some have walked away from teachings that Paul called "sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4:3)." We disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church over the issue of the cultural relevance, applicability and authority of what Jesus said. Let's take a bit of Matthew 28 and unpack this (Matthew 28:18b-20) ... "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And, surely, I am with you always, even to the very end of the age." 1) Jesus (not us, denominations, governments, schools, media, etc.) has all authority ... 2) Go and make disciples of all nations (we are moving, missional and mobilized by our leader) ... 3) baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (people are called into the church and into relationship with God [the Trinity] and one another) ... 4) and teaching them to obey everything I commanded you (we teach people to obey Jesus in their love for Him) ... 5) I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Jesus is permanent ... as long as we don't choose to expel Him from our lives). Barking dogs like to listen to their own voices, but they are not happy when the wagons move on toward their ultimate destination.
Other people (you can read about their story in Acts) believed, followed, worked and moved on with the wagons. Remember these few things ... the "wagon train," in my little parable, is the Church. The Church will always have barking dogs, upset when things start moving again. That's ok ... we can love them and hope that they choose to "come on along." But often we can't stay where we are and follow God to our destination with Him at the "end of the age." Love, Church, Follow and Life are all things that move forward. My feet (those dogs bark too often) and my faith must move with Jesus, who has laid out the race for me, for us and for the whole Church. I look forward to the journey with each and every one of you! Randy
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