Micah 1-7

This is Tuesday's reading, but I wanted to get it in front of you, thus completing this blog for our class.

You have made it to the final reading of our "Teach the Bible Class." My favorite verses of this prophecy are found in Micah 6:6-8:

"'What what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?' He has told you O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Micah is another early prophet who speaks to both the north and the south.

After Micah shares judgment on the north (1:2-7) and the south (1:8-16), he shares judgment upon the social sins among the people. As United Methodists, we do believe that there is social as well as individual sin (including that in our membership vows), and salvation is needed from both! More to the point, Christians have this interesting way of separating the two - so that individual salvation often does not lead to social salvation. This is contrary to the Old Testament prophets and to Jesus Christ.

At the end of chapter 2 (vs. 12), we have the prophetic concept of "the remnant" (included in 4:7; 5:3,7-8; 7:18), which is spoken of by the prophets more than 60 times. Remnant refers to that which remains or is leftover. God does not seem to require a majority vote to get things done. All He needs is a remnant, a faithful and resilient minority. I shared in an earlier blog my call from God to be an agent for the renewal of the mainline Church. A friend of mine asked me a few years ago, "What if you stand before the conference at your retirement and the United Methodist Church as well as the other mainline churches are smaller than when you entered?" I couldn't answer that one well at that time. In my earlier years, I really did think the whole mainline Church was going to renew. The prophets, Church history, and now my own experience together show that God will renew the Church through a faithful and resilient remnant. Our job is to be part of God building the remnant. I'm still working on this and I invite your thinking as well.

Chapter 3 tells the problem of false prophets who mislead the people by telling htem everything is OK when things are not. This is one of my major quarrels with the prosperity gospel, that it hides from the injustice (avoiding our responsibility to change that)and the very real ugliness around us (avoiding the faith challenges in taking those things head on), creating a false world. Chapter 4 should sound familiar, in that the image is the same as Isaiah 2 (which you read nearly a week ago - "of course you remember!"). The rhythm of punishment and return from exile finishes the chapter.

In Chapter 5, we have a Messianic passage that Matthew quotes (verse 2). When you get to verse 4, you can recall our readings from Isaiah as well as in the gospel of John about the Good Shepherd. The last section promises wrath against the invaders, which will also be included in 7:8-13.

Chapter 6:6-8, quoted above, is a great summation of the lessons learned in the fall, exile and return. The rituals were about creating a kind of people who were in a loving and holy growing relationship with a holy and loving God. They were not primarily about proper execution of the rituals (the professional hazard of being religious). Once the northern and southern kingdoms no longer had the place or ability to do the rituals correctly, they were brought a new understanding of who they were and what they were to do. The three princles are clear, simple and often difficult to follow: act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. Notice how counter-cultural they are to society's way(act according to your own best interests, "no mercy," and stand proud), and how much these principles of Micah are like the ministry of Jesus.

Chapter 7 repeats themes we have already seen, but do notice 18-19,

"Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea."

What a great place for my sin and for yours, for the sins of our community, our state, our nation and our world.

Thanks for being part of this wonderful biblical journey. I hope you have had half of the God-surprises I have had in this course. God bless you all.

Will Cotton
March 9, 2009

Jonah 1-4

Today, you get to relax a little and read only four short chapters with only 48 verses. Many people, upon reading Jonah, debate with each other whether a great fish or a whale would have the stomach for such a meal. If they read it carefully, they will notice that the fish does vomit Jonah up on to the dry land (smelly but undigested!). But you have read enough Hebrew narrative by now (repeated phrases, three days and nights, etc.) that you know that the writer does not care whether we believe scientifically that the event happened. He has a story to tell and it is a powerful one. A proper question is "Is this a prophecy or a story about a prophet?" It is more a story about a prophet, but the Hebrew Bible places it among the 12 minor prophets (minor meaning shorter not less significant).

Chapter 1 tells the command to go to Nineveh. In the map above you see where ancient Nineveh was. It was the capital city of Assyria, the people who invaded the north and took it over in 722 BCE. This was during the Iron Age and their use of chariotry made them feared throughout the known world. They were intimidating and brutal. They would eventually be conquered by the Babylonians and the Medes, but at their peak (during the time of Jonah) they were a dominant force. For a Jewish prophet to be called to Nineveh by God was simply unacceptable. So Jonah goes in the opposite direction. Most of us have taken the opportunity to run from God, only to find out that God seems to be quite tenacious (what some preachers have called "the hound of heaven."). The picture is dramatic. They unload cargo and cast lots to find who is the source of the storm. Even casting lots identifies Jonah (it seems that God's people don't get away with much!). Jonah has to talk them into throwing him overboard, but the storm becomes so great they have no choice. God provides a great fish to swallow Jonah. How long was he there? Sacred story.

In chapter 2, Jonah gets religion again, offering a Psalm of Thanksgiving to God (using words from Proverbs, Psalms and Isaiah). Aside from the scriptural quotes, the text of Jonah's prayer is quite funny. The fish gets divinely inspired indigestion.

In chapter 3, God calls Jonah again. He preaches a message that they have 40 days to repent. Wonder of wonders, the people actually do repent and God spares the city. You would think Jonah would enjoy the success, but no, he is angry in chapter 4. The reason he ran in the first place is because he thought they would repent and be spared. Jonah has a giant pity party. God gets him for his wrong values - concerns over a bush and his own comfort vs. concerns for the lives of 120,000 people. God is challenging Jonah to forgive, but he refuses. After all, they don't deserve to be forgiven or given a second chance. In the end, Jonah is pathetic.

In a part of the world that has such a long sense of history and corporate memory, this story speaks a difficult word. But it's the one that is as important today and it was 2700+ years ago. Nineveh is in present day Northern Iraq, just north of Mosul and goes up into Kurdistan. What happens if the rival countries of the middle east were able to forgive and learn a sense of corporate forgetfulness? If they don't, my guess is no peace accord will last long.

Hosea 1-14

You are being asked to read the entire prophecy of Hosea. Since the reading is long, you may want to separate it into two days. From Ezekiel we are stepping back 200 years and moving from being in exile in the south under Babylon to being threatened with exile in the north under Assyria. The prophecy is a protest of an alliance created by Jeroboam II with the nation of Assyria. Practically, speaking this was a good move, and likely saved the northern kingdom from being taken over for a generation. But to Hosea, this was crawling in bed with a harlot, a deal with the devil.

The prophecy begins with a vivid and disturbing object lesson. Hosea is told by God to find a prostitute named Gomer and marry her. For the man of God to go see a prostitute yet marry her would be unthinkable, which is Hosea's point. What Israel has done is unthinkable and astonishingly wrong. His wife's full name is Gomer bat Diblaim and is known in literature of the time as a Canaanite cult prostitute involved in the sexual worship of Ba'al and Astarte, two fertility gods who were considered husband and wife. The Golden Calf of Exodus 32 in the days of Moses would likely have been in the form of a Cannanite Ba'al. Then notice the symbolic names of their children: Jezreel (meaning "God sows" - a harvest of punishment to come and a recall of sinful history that started the family reign of Jehu's dynasty), Lo-Ruhamah (meaning "no mercy", merciless punishment coming), Lo-Ammi (meaning "not my people" in constrast to "I will be your God and you will be my people"). Yet, in chapter 1:10, there is still the promises of restoration. This is further stated in 2:16, "On that day, say the LORD, you will call me, "My husband" and no longer will you call me "My Ba'al."

Now let's skip to the beginning of chapter 3. Is Hosea being commanded to go and love another adultress, or is it Gomer? Most commentators think this is a restatement of his marriage to Gomer, and this time it is to tell the story of redemption. He pays for her, gives her a time of purification and then takes her as his own wife. The one who was sinful is brought into a covenant relationship. The one who is without hope or a future is given a whole new life.

The harlotry of Israel is found in three things: her forgetfulness of the LORD in providing, guiding, protecting and establishing them as a people, her idol worship following the gods of the area, and her making an alliance with a nation that worships other gods. The rest of the prophecy continues the rhythm of unfaithfulness, punishment, grace and restoration.

Chapter 4:1-3 uses powerful language. The unfaithfulness and the violence of the people recalls the murder of Abel by Cain, where "the ground cries out to God." In North America among Native-American tribes, at the birth of a child the umbilical cord is still buried in the ground to remind the people that they are one with the land. Hebrew understanding is similar that we are dust (Adamah) and to dust we one day return and the land cries out when there is murder and violence. Here, even the fish of the sea are perishing. This all reminds me of Paul's word in Romans where "all of creation is in travail" awaiting the redemption of the children of God. This raises the question of whether there is cosmic pain because of personal and corporate sin. From polluted waters, cancer-causing air, to global warming, we know this to be literally true. But how else might creation itself be suffering from the sinfulness and unfaithfulness of God's people?

Notice that Hosea is an equal opportunity offender, indicting both the northern and southern kingdoms. Chapter 7 reminds me of Jonathan Edward's sermon in early Americana, "Sinners in the hands of an angry God." You can picture the searing heat of the furnace prepared by God's kindling wrath. The end of chapter 7 calls into question the alliances that eventually both kingdoms make in order to survive. The northern kingdom makes an alliance with Assyria, while the southern kingdom makes alliances with both Assyria and Egypt.

Hosea 11:1 is a familiar verse to us because of the Christmas story. In Matthew's gospel when they return from Egypt after Herod's death, this verse is quoted. Hosea 14 then gives a final call for repentance, a return to the Lord. God is both the punisher and the redeemer, a God of wrath and gracious mercy.

For teaching purposes, having studied together the prophecy of Hosea, you are then able to apply contemporary questions for learning, just as I did with Hosea 4 above. Some questions could be: How is Israel today still being unfaithful to God and trusting in her history and her alliances? More to the point, how are we as the USAmerican Church doing the same thing? What does redemption look like in a broader scope, not just my personal redemption? In II Chronicles 7:14, God says to Solomon,

"If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face, then will I hear from heaven and heal their land."

What part might repentance and spiritual revival play in healing the seemingly insurmountable problems of our day? Will we continue to prostrate ourselves before our own technology and our military preparedness and our ability to spread Americana around the world or will we turn to God? How might we be playing the role of the harlot? What if the church started to really raise that question? Are we willing to be called unpatriotic and unAmerican? Are we willing to be prophetic, and if so, how?

Ezekiel 1-5, 33-37

I have added chapter 5 to your assignment so that the vision there would be complete. In the words of the 70's, Ezekiel is a "trip." You wonder if he either had too much sun or was smoking something. Ezekiel is an exilic prophet, in that he himself was exiled to Babylon. In chapter 1, you are introduced to the "four living creatures covered with eyes," which are also in the book of Revelation. The common ground these two books share is that both are written in exile(John was on Patmos in exile during Revelation). a second part of the vision are wheels within wheels, from which
we get the famous African-American spiritual, "Ezekiel Saw de Wheel." For Ezekiel this becomes an experience of the glory of God. This is huge. From your previous readings, the glory of God is what came down on the Tent of Meeting in the tabernacle in the form of a cloud or, in the case of Isaiah, in the temple (which people believed housed God's glory). The glory of God is no longer restricted to a place. As I write this, I am reminded of John 1:14, "And the word became flesh and dwelt (literally 'made his tent') among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth."

This is all part of Ezekiel's call story (like Isaiah 6, like Jeremiah 1, like Samuel, like Moses, like Elisha, like the disciples, like you), more fully desribed in chapters 2 and 3. Notice the designation "son of man," which Ezekiel uses over and over. Jesus' form of the son of man seems to be more related to Daniel's version (Dan. 7:13). Notice also the role of the spirit of God in his ministry. He is told to eat a scroll which has a sweet taste, but the words of it are bitter (again common ground with Revelation). Now that I have mentioned Revelation twice it would be good to note another kind of biblical literature, what is known as apocalyptic literature (apocalyptic means "hidden"). Revelation is often called "the Apocalypse." It is found in a more developed way in Daniel and Revelation, with some of it in Zechariah and Isaiah. It makes use of visions, word pictures and symbolic use of numbers as a form of code language to communicate a message to the readers of the prophet or writer, but that would not be so obvious to the captors. In Revelation this becomes a fine art with a 21 chapter protest to the rule of Rome ("the whore of Babylon" on seven hills) and the proclamation of a rider on a white horse as "king of kings and lord of lords" (a description of Jesus when Caesar already claimed that title). Revelation is written to seven struggling churches who are also in occupied territory so that they will remain strong in the face of persecution and threat. We can see why John would use some of the imagery and language of Ezekiel.

The role of the watchman in chapter 3 is repeated later. To not pronounce judgement and disaster when you know it is coming is to be an unfaithful watchman and accountable to God. I can't help but wonder how the church has refused to play this prophetic (read controversial) role and where God might be holding us accountable. Chapters 4 and 5 describe how he is to lay on one side for 390 days for the punishment of Israel (northern kingdom) and then 40 days on the other side (for each year of exile for the south). He is to eat food that is cooked over fire with manure in it (certainly not a sweet aroma!), to show how God's people have become defiled among the nations. The language here is vivid, exaggerated and offensive.

We skip to Ezekiel 33 (seven years later) and see another side of this prophet. While odd and offensively confronting, this prophet is not without hope. The role of the watchman is given again in a more expanded version. In my first church, I preached a sermon from this passage entitled, "Where Are All the Prophets?", about the need for Christians to play a prophetic role in their world.

Ezekiel 34 is a passage that has always haunted me as a pastor (pastor means "shepherd"), as the spiritual leaders fail to carry out their God-given role: to protect, guide, heal, care, and feed. Yet, the role of shepherd is not limited to those who are paid in an official position. So I am willing to share my accountability with you, those who teach and care for the young, the middle-aged and the old around you. Nor is the setting only in the church (the place of worship), but also in the world around us. Jesus talked about the lost and broken people of his day as "sheep without a shepherd." Ezekiel and Jesus would look at our world today and say something very similar. How are you and I called to respond?

Ezekiel 35 promises that those who have overrun God's people will pay for what they have done and Ezekiel 36 gives a vivid portrayal of redemption by God of his people. The prophet sees the behavior of the people while they were in their own land and while they were in exile as a violation of the third commandment. They have "profaned the name of the Lord wherever they went." So it is not just with our speech that we take the name of the Lord in vain, but also by our actions. For the sake of God's own nature, he is going to restore and redeem Israel, not because they deserve it. Verses 26 has a powerful image,

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a hearth of flesh."

Is this not a wonderful description of what the saving work of God does in us - taking our hardness of heart away and teaching us a new sensitivity to the things of God and the brokenness of people, freeing us to fully love?

Chapter 37 is the basis of another African-American spiritual, "Dry Bones" (the ankle bone's connected to the shin bone...). It is a vivid picture of hope in which dead dry bones are made alive again by the Spirit of God and raised up as a mighty army. This passage is often read at Easter in some churches. The words of Ezekiel 37:14a are something God does in his people over and over, taking them from dryness and deadness to new life and significance. I love the words, "I will put my Spirit in you and you will live." The other thing I notice is the echo here from Genesis 2, when the creature of dust is transformed into a living soul by "the breath of God." The old hymn sings, "Breathe on me, breath of God, fill me with life anew; that I may love what thou dost love and do what thou dost do." We truly are alive only by the Spirit of God. Have a Spirit-filled day.

Isaiah 40-44, 55-61

The opening verses of Isaiah 40 are also the opening texts of Handel's Messiah, with the opening recitative "Comfort Ye",aria "Every Valley", and choruses "And the Glory of the Lord," "O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings," and "He Shall Feed His Flock." They are quite often the verses with which we open the season of Advent. Matthew sees in Isaiah the ministry of John the Baptist. The image at the beginning of Deutero-Isaiah is the clearing of the way for royalty to arrive, and the royalty is none other than God Himself. Verse 22 is interesting, "It is he who sits above the circle of the earth." Do you think Galileo may have had some folks before him who thought the earth was spherical?
Some of you with some astronomy background may want to add your knowledge!

Isaiah 42, along with Isaiah 9, 11 and 52-53 are strong Messianic passages. As Christians, we read them and we see Christ there. But if you were talking to Jews, they would give you another viewpoint - the prediction of a special monarch to reign over Israel or, in the case of Isaiah 52 ("the suffering servant"), a symbol of Israel herself. This passage is exultant and 42:9 is a reminder to me that God is always doing "a new thing," and prayer (listening as well as talking), reading God's Word, and paying attention to what is happening around us, we can be perceptive. The people in Isaiah's day were not able to perceive because they were not viewing their life from a perspective of a growing faith in God. Faith really is a way of seeing life. The 24th and 25th verses of chapter 42 raise an important question for teaching purposes. Isaiah cries out,

"Who gave up Jacob (the symbol of Israel) to the spoiler and Israel to the robbers? Was it not the LORD (notice the caps), against whom we have sinned, in whose ways they would not walk, and whose law they would not obey?"

With Peter, Jesus said, "I have given you over to Satan to sift you like wheat" (Luke 22:31). Does God punish us in this way or do we punish ourselves? By not allowing for punishment, are we trying to make God into a spoiling indulgent relative?

Isaiah 43-44 closes with great hope. For me that is the main shift from Isaiah to Deutero-Isaiah. These are exilic prophecies, meant to give people hope during their time of exile in Babylon (586-534 BCE). Notice the language of restoration of relationship with God. The concern even amidst the hope is that the people in exile will fall into idol worship. The story in the book of Daniel of the great statue and the fiery furnace give the real challenge of idolatry in Babylonian religion.

III Isaiah prepares the people for the return from exile. Isaiah 55 is another classic from this book. Verses 1 and 2 describe a consumption era to a tee, with all our material goods and yet left unsatisfied. This one blesses me for its devotional value. I should read it about once a week as it moves me from my need to focus on God to joy that joins with all creation.

Chapter 56 highlights the need for obedience. We separate listening from obedience but the bible does not for the prophets or for Jesus. Chapter 57 visits themes seen before, but chapter 58 takes on some important issues. Fasting has long been a spiritual discipline encouraged (I did not say universally practiced!) by most religions. Motivation is important. Some fast to show how dedicated they are or to get an answer to prayer that we want or to lose weight. But fasting is not be for any of those reasons. Fasting is an act of self-denial so that we are not governed so much by our desires, hunger being the least of them! We begin to examine what we say and do and why. We begin to open our spiritual ears and hearts so that God is better able to guide and empower us. The people in Isaiah 58 were fasting but their lives were in contradiction to the intentions of a fast. They were still selfish, violent, power-hungry, and wicked. Our spiritual walk with God is supposed to make a real difference in our day to day arenas of life: work, neighborhood, family, school, community. Isaiah cries out

,"Is not the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?"

We could ask the same thing of the rest of things we do in religious devotion - worship, prayer meetings, bible study, holiday mission efforts and celebrations, etc. I don't like this passage. It is simply too convicting. Chapter 59 calls further for the justice work of the people of God. How would you teach this part of Isaiah? How do you get this past feeling guilty and talking about what we "should" do?

Chapter 60 gets us back to hope and we are relieved. More Messiah material in verses 1-3. Notice the repeat of the cedars of Lebanon and the ships of Tarshish, images of ideal strength and prosperity. The message is clear, "Yes, it has been horrible, but the greatness to come will be so much better than what was bad." For teaching purposes, you may want to address the whole idea of "positive thinking". Is the prophet just wishful thinking out load or can people hope for something dramatically better? What evidence is there of that?

When Jesus announced the opening of his ministry at the temple, he quoted Isaiah 61:1-2. The chapter is another high point of praise and joy in Isaiah. From your reading of Isaiah, you get a good overall view of what the prophetic message was: don't worship idols, practice true faith, get your life right, and God will get you through the tough times (and woe to those who come against God's people!)?. Now it's on to Ezekiel and Hosea. Things are going to get strange!

Isaiah 1-6

The book of Isaiah covers about 120 years, written to three different groups and in three different styles. That's why some scholars write of Isaiah in chapters 1-39, Deutero-Isaiah (II Isaiah) in chapters 40-54, and Trito Isaiah (III Isaiah)in chapters 55-66. You may remember that Elijah had a school of prophets under him, one who was Elisha. The same seems to have been true of Isaiah. The 66 chapters of Isaiah represent the maximum length of what could be included in a single scroll. Psalms' 150 chapters were actually written on five scrolls. Technically, there are five books of Psalms, with many writers involved (Moses, David, Asaph and others are named while other Psalms remain anonymous. God's Spirit has inspired them all as surely as he has inspired the three writers in Isaiah.

One confusion that often happens with prophets comes from modern times. Jeanne Dixon was considered by many to be a prophet and so many of us have been taught that a prophet is one who predicts or foretells the future. The biblical prophets are not foretellers (futurists), they are forthtellers (who proclaim God's corrective word to the people, often in first person). Even today, in a charismatic or Pentecostal worship service, you can hear prophecies shared that are given in language, "Thus saith the Lord, I...." In those special times when I feel the Lord speaking a prophetic word to a group or an individual, I generally will say, "I believe the Lord may have a word for you. You test it and see if it is so." Speaking for the Lord in first person is not comfortable to me.

Wendnesday's reading is given as the Northern Kingdom is threatened by Assyria, but his prophecies will go to both the north and the south. Isaiah opens up with prophecies upon the south. Notice the writing is in first person. The prophets are in an era where they soon will no longer have a temple to go to, places where they can offer sacrifices, or the freedom to celebrate their feasts. Because their worship,sacrifices and feasts have not have been accompanied by righteous acts and compassion for the poor, they are considered a mockery and are refused by God. The good news in chapter 1 is found in verse 18,

"'Come now, let us argue it out,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.'"

The KJV and other translations say, "Come, let us reason together..." I have a feeling that the NRSV quoted above is a more accurate reflection of the Hebrew. The back and forth rhythm of condemnation and restoration will be characteristic of Isaiah throughout.

The first verses of Isaiah 2 are often recited during Advent, words of promise and hope. The use of Zion (which we sing of in hymns) is an ideal city, Jerusalem restored and holy. From 2:5-4:1, there is a fierce condemnation in which the power of God's wrath is put up against symbols of majesty and strength in that day: the cedars of Lebanon and the oaks of Bashan, the mountains, and the great ships of Tarshish. The description of the "daughters of Zion" is quite detailed, a picture of selfish arrogance and coldness of heart. Later, the daughters of Zion will be redeemed and come to rejoice again. Notice the imagery of Exodus in Isaiah 4:5.

Prophecy is mostly in the form of Hebrew poetry (not the rhyming kind), with an obvious ebb and flow. Isaiah 5 begins with the unfruitful vineyard (didn't Jesus talk about that in John 15?), a description of Israel's faithfulness. Notice the connection of authentic faith and social justice in 5:8ff. In the Jesus movement of the 70s and the me-generation of the 80s, faith was largely removed from social justice. Today's youth have started to recover the blend of the two in Christian witness. Isaiah would be pleased. Isaiah promises invasion from beyond, which happened just shortly after this writing from the Assyrians in 722 BCE. The south would fall later, but was often occupied before 586 BCE.

Isaiah 6 is one of the true classics, and is read at every United Methodist ordination service. King Uzziah's death is the setting. The decor of the temple comes to life with flying seraphs, one that touches Isaiah's tongue with a hot coal. Ouch! Common in prophecy is an actual event that is meant to communicate something symbolic. Here Isaiah experiences a dramatic picture of forgiveness and restoration. God asks him, "Whom shall I send?" Isaiah responds, "Here I am, send me." The song, "Here I Am, Lord" was inspired by this text. It's interesting that the ordination service finishes this passage at verse 8. But what follows is just as important. Speaking God's word does not promise responsive ears or obedient behavior. In fact, it often will draw anger and persecution. I do not believe that God makes people dull, or their ears deaf, but we do choose to be that way and God gives us the freedom to do so. I also think that's what Exodus meant when it said, "God hardened Pharaoh's heart." God was simply allowing the hardness of heart that was already there to show itself and eventually to be plagued and judged. I do close by asking this question, "Where is God sending you?" Furthermore, are you willing to go even if there isn't the promise of success or responsiveness?

Acts 25-28

The plot to have Paul killed in Jerusalem is a persistent one. Paul finally pulls out his "trump card" and appeals to Caesar, his right as a Roman citizen. The appeal sticks for Festus because the charges were rightly seen as religious ones, not civil, and not worthy of the complaints.

Paul's speech and the reaction of King Herod Agrippa is a classic. He recalls his early history as a zealous religious leader much like those who want to kill him. He did the same kinds of strategies: entrapment, forced blasphemies, etc. Then we read the third telling of Paul's Damascus road experience. The telling of what Jesus says is expanded yet again.

"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and stand on your feet...I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me."

Then Paul says words that make me think anew about my own call from God,

"So then King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven."

I haven't been blinded by a light, heard an audible voice of Jesus or been knocked from my horse, but I do have a founding vision and call to ministry to which God holds me accountable. It is for the renewal of the mainline church. When I first received that call from God, I thought that the renewal would have already happened in 25 years. Instead, I have found that much of the mainline Church would rather choose its comfort over doing what is necessary to reach a new generation for Christ. At St. Luke's we are going against that kind of current, but it is not quick nor easy. During days of misunderstanding and resistance I have to be reminded of God's call and determine again to "be obedient to the heavenly vision." The same is true for you. God has a purpose and call on your life. Finding out what that is often takes time and some trial and error. But once you find your purpose in Christ, you then will have to take up your cross daily and tenaciously do what obedience calls for. Festus calls Paul a nut. Paul, in his writings, calls himself a "fool for Christ." But Agrippa is a Jew, at least in part, and will not be persuaded. Agrippa finds no fault in Paul, but Paul's appeal is what keeps him from being released.

In chapter 27, Paul sets sail as a prisoner to Rome. He finally is going there. It was not the way he planned, but he will have an audience with the top leadership of the empire. He stops at many places he planted churches on the way. A hurricane-force storm develops and eventually there is a shipwreck near the island of Malta. A centurion (centurions are almost always regarded positively in the New Testament) spares Paul from the plan of the soldiers to kill all the prisoners. An escaped prisoner could result in the loss of position if not the life of those who stand guard.

While on Malta (a picture of his catacombs above), a poisonous viper comes out of the fire and bites Paul on the hand. But Paul shakes it off as if nothing happened and the people think he is a god (sounds like the tag ending to Mark's gospel or some West Virginia worship services!). Upon arrival Paul is put under house arrest for two years. Most scholars believe that the letters to Timothy and Titus were written from the Roman prison. Philippians was also written from prison when he was in Ephesus. Isn't it amazing how God uses our lowest times for his greatest glory?! According to tradition, Paul eventually was beheaded killed for his allegiance to Christ by the Roman empire. But the written ending of Acts is actually quite open-ended. It seems to leave open that there will be other Acts of the Holy Spirit done through the people who name Jesus Christ as Lord. It assumes there will be an Acts 29, the one you and I write.

Acts 21-24

I neglected to note that in the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th chapter we have the start of Paul's Third Missionary Journey (which lasted approximately four years). Scholars tend to date the first journey from 46-48 CE, the second from 52-54 CE and the last from 54-58.

Significant Events in Paul's Third Missionary Journey*
54 A.D.
Paul begins his third missionary journey. He leaves Antioch and goes to Ephesus.

Priscilla and Aquila are already in Ephesus and make contact with Apollos. After teaching him thoroughly about Christ, they and the brethren send Apollos to Corinth.

55-56 A.D.
Paul continues to stay in Ephesus.

57 A.D.
In the Spring at Ephesus Paul writes 1 Corinthians.
In Summer he leaves Ephesus for Troas. He proceeds to Philippi.

It is in Philippi during the Autumn that it is believed Paul wrote II Corinthians. Titus arrives in the city.

In the Winter Paul goes to Corinth, where he writes the book of Galatians.

58 A.D.
In the Spring Paul writes the book of Romans.
Paul leaves Corinth and goes to Philippi and Miletus.

In the summer (Pentecost) Paul arrives in Jerusalem. He is arrested and sent to Caesarea.

The last eight chapters are the beginnng of the end for the life and ministry of Paul. Much like Jesus before him, he has fixed his eyes on Jerusalem. Even Agabus' vision of persecution and imprisonment and the pleas of the Christian community do not deter him. When Paul gets to Jerusalem, he is warmly welcomed but also warned that a growing Jewish Christian movement and a growing Gentile Christian movement have set up mistrust. Obviously the church rumor mill has a L-O-N-G history! It's been said of United Methodists that you can believe and do anything and be one of them. The Jewish Christians had "heard" something similar about the Gentiles. For expediency's sake Paul and his fellow leaders are obliged to shave their heads and go through purification rites so their faithful intent can be validated. But the Jewish temple leaders are ready and set up a disturbance to get Paul put in prison.

In Acts 21:37-22:21, Paul gives his testimony. It has developed some clarity since Luke's version of it in Acts 9. Notice that Paul includes his call to the Gentiles in his testimony. Two things emerge here. First, the most important thing you and I have to offer is "the gospel according to us," our faith story. It certainly must be measured against God's Word so that we aren't just creating something odd or self-glorifying. But each of us has a story that is unique and it communicates God's love uniquely with people. Second, we gradually become clearer about God's purposes for us as we go along. In the gospels, there is some evidence that Jesus even experienced that. In 22:20, we find out that not only was Paul there at the stoning of Stephen, but was the one that approved it. I can't help but wonder if "the glowing face of Stephen as he was being stoned" isn't something that haunted Saul and became part of his conversion experience. With the Jews, he spoke Aramaic and placed himself on common ground with them. He probably called himself Saul. When he is threated with imprisonment and flogging,he conveniently references his Roman citizenship. He is Paulus.

After being released for being a Roman citizen, the commander decides to mediate the situation by bringing the Sanhedrin and Paul together. Paul (Saul) uses the opportunity to play divide and conquer by claiming that he was there because he believed in the resurrection (something Pharisees believed and Sadducees did not).
Paul, in the midst of this crisis, receives a vision that tells him, he will be making testimony in Rome. It is clear from the book of Romans that Paul had always wanted to go there, perhaps even to convert Nero himself. A plot is hatched to have have a meeting where Paul would have opportunity to clarify himself with the religious leaders, another opportunity to kill him. Thanks to his nephew blowing the whistle on the plan, Paul, for his own safety, is transferred to Caesarea, to be tried by Felix the governor.

Chapter 24 gives us another name for the Christian community, "the Way." Paul has now been before fellow Jews and persecutors and made his testimony. He has done the same with his commander and the governor. He will continue up the political line, all the way to the top. Paul, rather than seeing these obstacles as defeats, sees them as opportunities to tell his story.