Remnant Theology

When the last wisp of smoke exhausted itself out the window of that Jerusalem room where the disciples had gathered and the holy wind finally ceased its blowing, something new and never before seen or known came into existence. Tradition marks this moment as the beginning of the church.  Missing is some divine decree declaring the existence, not of First Church Jerusalem, but First Church.  It would be some time before it wore the name Roman Catholic, and even longer before it was known as Methodist, or Baptist, or Lutheran, or whatever.   In that genesis moment we remember as Pentecost, the church stood ever so briefly in its purest form.    

When Peter started preaching his first out door post Pentecost sermon, the church had not been messed up by theological battles, policy issues, and anything divisive.  For the briefest moment it stood in history like the Garden of Eden.  Today's church has become far removed from that Garden like beginning.  It is rapidly becoming a church whose room is filled more with the common consensus than the Holy Spirit.   

As it struggles to live and exist far removed from its roots and its source of power, one of the things which gives us hope and encouragement for its future is something from the Old Testament called remnant theology.   When we read the prophets, we catch a picture of their despair over a people gone after other gods, but midst the despair they also proclaimed a word of hope as they spoke of a remnant people being raised up to live in faithfulness before the nations.  May it be so again.