No Perfection Here

Before the talking snake slithered into the Garden and spoke his seductive words, there was for the briefest of moments in all of time a place worthy of the name of Paradise, a place of true perfection.  In the same manner after the rushing wind rushed and the final flame of fire flickered there in the room where the disciples waited, there was for the briefest of moments in all of time a sacred community worthy of being known as the perfect church.  But, because those who were filled and touched by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit were mere mortals like you and me, imperfection quickly slithered into the room disguised as ego and self-seeking.

 

We want to point to the Day of Pentecost and declare the presence of the perfect church worthy of being modeled throughout the span of history.  The only problem with the picture of the perfect church is that it has the faces of men and women like us. Though commanded by Jesus to take the gospel into all the world, those gathered leaders seemed content with staying in Jerusalem.  The church became entrenched in the city so quickly that it took a wave of persecution to push it out into the outer reaches of the world.  And in Paul's letter to the Galatian Christians, he reminded them of how he took Simon Peter to task for his hypocrisy.  It may have been a sacred community created and sustained by the Holy Spirit, but it soon proved itself to be flawed like the people who were a part of it.

 

We sometimes find ourselves looking for the perfect church.  Some folks are constantly going from one church community to another in their pursuit of such a goal.  However, as long as those perfection seekers and folks like me are in it, the quest will continue.  This in no way negates the power and impact of the church in the world.  The church still continues even though the wind and fire is hard to imagine.  It continues despite us and because of the grace of God and the unquenchable power of the Holy Spirit.