In but not Of (David Gore • John 17:6-19)

As followers of Christ living in the wake of two millennia of Christian influence in our culture, it can be difficult to appreciate the radical nature of the shift in understanding of God that Jesus brought about. Jesus exposed the secret hidden in the archaic sacrificial mechanism... victims of sacrifice are not guilty as charged and they do not deserve to die for the people. If you feel as though you have always known that, consider the ways you prefer to blame others rather than take responsibility for things. This is the same sacrificial impulse! It is in us all, and Jesus calls us to move beyond it. Instead, Jesus represents the loving, gracious, forgiving heart of God. There is still a sense of judgement. But it is not exclusion by God. With Jesus there is only the inherent judgement on those who miss out because they decide for themselves not to follow in the life he offers.