The Early Church Christian social project was a unique kind of human community that defies categories. It had at least five elements:

• Multi-racial and multi-ethnic
• Highly committed to caring for the poor and marginalized
• Non-retaliatory, marked by a commitment to forgiveness
• Strongly and practically against abortion and infanticide
• Revolutionary regarding the ethics of sex

Each of the five elements was there because Christians sought to submit to biblical authority. They are all commanded. They are just as category-defying and both offensive and attractive today. The first two views (ethnic diversity and caring for the poor) sound “liberal,” and the last two (abortion and sexual ethics) sound “conservative.” But the third element, of course, sounds like no particular party. Churches today are under enormous pressure to jettison the first two or the last two, but to not keep them all. Yet to give up any of them would make Christianity the handmaid of a particular political program and undermine a missionary encounter.

~ Tim Keller

From our CBR yesterday in John 20, we discover an interesting fact: John is faster than Peter.  “So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.”  Maybe John was younger or Peter was out of shape like me.  I doubt that John was simply fueled by more zeal than Peter.  After all, John arrived first and hesitated, but Peter barged in the tomb.  The picture that came to my mind was this football referee.  Whether arriving first or second doesn’t matter, what matters is that I run without abandon like John and Peter towards the risen Christ.  Will you run to Jesus with me?  I’ll even let you beat me to him!

Wholeheartedly and out of breathe,

Steve