Our society continues to try to find ways to put us at odds against each other, as if binaries are the way of God. The apostle reminds us in Ephesians, that such division is not of God - on the contrary, in Christ, we have a peace that breaks down the divisions and reconciles us as one body in a new creation. This is the peace of Christ.

The change in how we do worship over the past year brings up some necessary questions. How and why do we worship? Can we really worship at home on TV? Can we worship on a big screen at church? This week we begin a look at what constitutes worship, beginning with praise.

Yes, it's July 4, but that doesn't keep the prophet from speaking truth. The honest truth is, America isn't #1. Even as great as we might think ourselves to be, even the prophet couldn’t stand on his own feet without the breath of God in his lungs.

I believe we have to ask questions, not just of others, but of ourselves. To ask ourselves if the people, ideological positions, or personalities we align ourselves with reflect the love, grace, and acceptance of Christ.

If it is the sin of seeking the knowledge of God that brings death in the Garden, it will be the knowledge of God that gives life through Christ. It is this knowledge of the divine that Paul believes we receive in the gifting of the Spirit.

Life in the Spirit isn't just about our corporate identity, it also defines our personal identity. Being in the Spirit means being transformed, being shown, being called, being identified, being gifted, and being included as those who radiate the image of God in the world.

Following the gifting of the Spirit on Pentecost, we enter into an extended season in the Church, which we call “Ordinary Time.” It is a time to reflect on the life of Christ as a model for the life of the Church. This is the life of one living in the Spirit.

As we celebrate Pentecost, it's helpful to consider the difference between the power of God in Christ and the power of God in the Holy Spirit. Understanding how the Spirit empowers the us is essential to claim our identity as the Church. The power of God in Christ is what makes new life possible. The power of God in the Holy Spirit is what equips us to proclaim the power of God in Christ.

The Church has this historical problem of thinking that our knowledge of Christ gives us power over the rest of humanity. But the ascension makes clear: Jesus doesn’t embed himself in us. Jesus doesn’t even stick around so that we might chain him up in our limited ways of understanding. No, Jesus ascends.

Perhaps this biblical story of the Jerusalem Council - this argument over the basic claims of the gospel - is more relevant to our time than we might think at first. The debate over accepting the Gentiles into the early Christian church gives us some helpful tools for engaging in dialogue over change in the church today.