People

Luke 8:1-4 (The Message)

He continued according to plan, traveled to town after town, village after village, preaching God's kingdom, spreading the Message. The Twelve were with him.

There were also some women in their company who had been healed of various evil afflictions and illnesses:

Mary, the one called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod's manager; and Susanna—along with many others who used their considerable means to provide for the company.

As they went from town to town, a lot of people joined in and traveled along.

Today, we encounter a slight break from the action, for Luke to do a bit of bookkeeping.

He takes a moment to catch us up on exactly where were are: traveling, gathering momentum, encountering and including some notables.

Jesus' followers were men, and women. The women are noted in scripture. This was revolutionary thinking and practice for the time, place and culture. But we shouldn't be surprised.

Contrary to what the people thought then, and many still try to believe now, Jesus, and his kingdom, are all about inclusion.

And look what beautiful things happen when you open the doors wide to all of God's people: Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna all bring powerful witnesses, and apparently great material as well as spiritual resources.

They, "used their considerable means to provide for the company."

A great church, mirroring the Kingdom of God, provides a place for everyone. The poor don't have to be held captive by the same of poverty, and the rich can be freed from the pride that sometimes follows stuff. Everybody has something to share.

Our church, just like the community in which we're located, is incredibly diverse.

On my street, 2 miles from my office at SOTH, there are black, brown, yellow and white families living side by side. There are people with prestigious degrees from famous universities and there are hard-working, blue collar laborers. There are long-time southerners, and brand new immigrants to the U.S.

Across the street lives a family from Haiti. Next door, a family from Gloucester, England. Our other neighbors have lived in Detroit, and Washington, D.C.

At our neighborhood pool, you might hear English, French, Spanish and a variety of other languages and dialects I can't recognize.

Folks, that's the kingdom.

Men and women. Rich and poor. Native and foreign.

But not ever "in," and "out."

Everybody's in. And we all have gifts. Watch what God can do among us, as we follow Jesus along the path he's blazing...together.

Prayer: God our Father, you love all of your children the same. Your nature is to include us all. May we learn that lesson, with great joy, day by day, as we discover the gifts of our brothers and sisters around us.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.