Finally Paul arrives in Rome. We know from Christian tradition that Paul died in Rome, beheaded for his faith in Christ. But that is not how the book of Acts ends. In fact, it implies that Paul would eventually be released. Everything comes full circle as he speaks to Jews in Rome. They are unaware of the plot against Paul. He presents the gospel to them and the response is mixed (some converting and some not). Throughout the entirety of his ministry, Paul was unable to get the positive response he yearned for from the Jews. Verse 28, in contrast, presents the reality of his ministry, that his ministry ended up mainly touching Gentiles.
The book of Acts ends with a triumphant finish with Paul still presenting the gospel,even under house arrest. Again, the Acts of the Holy Spirit continue...
The open-ended character of the end of Acts leads me to think that the rest of the history of the Acts of the Holy Spirit is still to be written be each generation of Jesus-followers. If you and I were to write the St. Barnabas version of Acts 29, what might it discuss?
It has been a great joy to share in this study with you. I look forward to our closing class tomorrow and our celebration of Holy Communion.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
“If Not for The Courage of the Fearless Apostle” (Acts 27:1-28:10)
The Shipwreck (27:1-44)The detainment of Paul is one of a friendly prisoner relationship. Julius allows him to meet with friends at Sidon. They switch ships in verse 6, but the problem was that it was too late in the season for safe travel. The goal was to reach Phoenix (not Arizona), but they don’t make it. Southeast of Crete, they are blown way off course (for fourteen days!) and end up shipwrecked on Malta. Paul had advised them not to leave Crete, but they went on anyway. He does tell them to take courage, that all the passengers would make it. Giving the word of assurance and comfort to people in distress is an important ministry. You and I live in very anxious times, where the spirit of fear is dominant. Speaking the word of peace and being an unanxious presence in challenging situations can be one of our most powerful moments of ministry. Though no sermon is preached, the act of giving thanks would have been a strong and comforting point of witness.
“Ministry on Malta” (28:1-10)In West Virginia, snake-handling is still a practice of some of the religious folk. The watching crowd goes from thinking the gods were against Paul to thinking he was a god himself (when the poisonous vipers bite has no affect on him). This reminds me of the closing verses of Mark’s gospel, which many believe to be an extension from a later writing in 16:17-18, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well.” Paul’s last ministry stop before getting to Rome is a great time of miracles for the governor’s father and everyone else on the island. In Acts 1:8, Christ says that his disciples would be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth. The shipwrecked folks must have felt they at the end of the earth, but even there the power of God was at work.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Paul Before Agrippa (Acts 25:23-26:32) Friday & Saturday's Readings!
The trial before Agrippa is one of the great moments in the book of Acts. Festus gives his non-commital position to Agrippa and invites there feedback before sending Paul to Rome. Once again, he gestures before he gives his formal testimony. Paul begins with his B.C. story, but not before interjecting his comment about the resurrection, once again setting his accusers back on their heels. He then shares that he was very much like his accusers. In this telling, he is more graphic about the role he played in having many Christians put to death (rounding them up in other cities, forcing confessions and casting votes in favor of their execution). He mentions that this was done in cooperation with the high priests (who are respresented among his accusers).
The details of his Damascus Road experience both parallel and add information to what was in Acts 9. For Festus, Paul's testimony seems over the top and he accuses Paul of insanity. But Paul appeals to Agrippa who is part Jew and married to one. He uses the high Jewish understanding of the prophet as a way of appealing for Agrippa to consider Christ (with Agrippa pushing way Paul's urging with sarcasm). He is acquitted by both Festus and Agrippa, but Paul's appeal to Caesar makes that all irrelevant. He is now off to Rome.
The details of his Damascus Road experience both parallel and add information to what was in Acts 9. For Festus, Paul's testimony seems over the top and he accuses Paul of insanity. But Paul appeals to Agrippa who is part Jew and married to one. He uses the high Jewish understanding of the prophet as a way of appealing for Agrippa to consider Christ (with Agrippa pushing way Paul's urging with sarcasm). He is acquitted by both Festus and Agrippa, but Paul's appeal to Caesar makes that all irrelevant. He is now off to Rome.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Proclaiming Jesus to Gentiles and Kings - Acts 25:1-22
If the opponents of Paul are one thing, they are persistent. They request that Paul be brought back to Jerusalem (so that they can carry out the ambush and murder strategy). Paul smartly refuses to go to Jerusalem to be tried by appealing to Caesar, a right he has as a Roman citizen. His accusers will continue to play without a “home field” advantage.
The appeal leads to encounter with King Herod Agrippa II, the last of the Hasmonean family that ruled Palestine with an iron fist and became incredibly rich. Agrippa was known for his strong relationship with the governors and the Roman leadership hierarchy. By the time of Paul’s appeal, Agrippa would have been in power for 15 years. Festus had little regard for the Jews or the Christians and really just wanted to dispose of the case. Agrippa, on the other hand is intrigued and wishes to hear Paul for himself. What an opportunity – to present his witness and his case to the governor and the puppet king in Palestine at the same time. He is indeed fulfilling the words God spoke to Ananias in Damascus,
The appeal leads to encounter with King Herod Agrippa II, the last of the Hasmonean family that ruled Palestine with an iron fist and became incredibly rich. Agrippa was known for his strong relationship with the governors and the Roman leadership hierarchy. By the time of Paul’s appeal, Agrippa would have been in power for 15 years. Festus had little regard for the Jews or the Christians and really just wanted to dispose of the case. Agrippa, on the other hand is intrigued and wishes to hear Paul for himself. What an opportunity – to present his witness and his case to the governor and the puppet king in Palestine at the same time. He is indeed fulfilling the words God spoke to Ananias in Damascus,
“This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.” (Acts 9:15)Who would have thought the path to fulfilling those words would have happened this way?
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Paul Before Felix - the Governor (Acts 24:1-27) Today's Reading!
The case is presented by Tertullus a trumped-up lawyer for the Jewish leaders is remarkably brief, flattering of the governor, and trite in content. There is obviously no case.
Paul’s defense simply takes on the accusations by referring to his most recent actions, which were not the least contentious. The falseness of the accusations becomes obvious.
Again, Paul adds some more “divide and conquer” here. Felix wants to handle this as a quick case, but there seems to be a personal issue when Paul brings up Jesus. He is married to a Jewess and the words of Paul about judgment and lack of self-control speak powerfully enough to him that he dismisses Paul. But in the end, Felix is corrupt. He will free Paul from the whole mess for a price. The problem is that Paul has already been bought.
Notice, again, how the Christian movement is characterized. “The Way” is seen by the Jewish leaders as a corrupt sect of their faith. But for Paul, Christ is the way to salvation and he shares that designation with pride. Felix ends up being a transitional figure and passes the baton of trying Paul to Festus. He keeps Paul in prison, to appease the Jews and maybe one certain Jew in his own house.
The pace of Acts is moving quickly. The plan of God can seem so slow at times and then when it moves, look out. Thanks for your patience, while I have been catching up to our scripture readings.
Paul’s defense simply takes on the accusations by referring to his most recent actions, which were not the least contentious. The falseness of the accusations becomes obvious.
Again, Paul adds some more “divide and conquer” here. Felix wants to handle this as a quick case, but there seems to be a personal issue when Paul brings up Jesus. He is married to a Jewess and the words of Paul about judgment and lack of self-control speak powerfully enough to him that he dismisses Paul. But in the end, Felix is corrupt. He will free Paul from the whole mess for a price. The problem is that Paul has already been bought.
Notice, again, how the Christian movement is characterized. “The Way” is seen by the Jewish leaders as a corrupt sect of their faith. But for Paul, Christ is the way to salvation and he shares that designation with pride. Felix ends up being a transitional figure and passes the baton of trying Paul to Festus. He keeps Paul in prison, to appease the Jews and maybe one certain Jew in his own house.
The pace of Acts is moving quickly. The plan of God can seem so slow at times and then when it moves, look out. Thanks for your patience, while I have been catching up to our scripture readings.
Paul the Shrewd - Acts 22:22-23:35 (November 8th and 9th Readings!)
The student of Gamaliel and architect of the early church was certainly no dummy. The crowd is more determined than ever to have Paul executed (talk about a “feeding frenzy”). Notice how dehumanizing the crowd has become (again, collective egoism). Once you’ve dehumanized the opposition, you can do anything to him or her. Just as with Jesus, the Roman officials try to appease the angry crowd with a flogging. Flogging was also the most effective way of getting to the truth. Many did not survive a flogging (done with a “cat of nine tails” – a whip inlaid with bone and metal). Only, in this case, Paul invokes his Roman citizenship. He was not born in Jerusalem, just raised there. He was raised in Tarsus as a Roman citizen. His name, Paul, was a Roman designation. How slick and humorous of Paul to play his citizenship card at just the right time as a “by the way…is it right to bind and flog a Roman citizen?” He has successfully divided the Romans from the Jewish leadership.
Then Paul, in his defense before the Sanhedrin, made up of the liberal Pharisees (who added liberally to the law, allowed for belief in resurrection and were less friendly to Rome) and the conservative Saduccees (who were purists with the law, did not believe in resurrection and were strongly allied with Rome), plays "divide and conquer" with them as well. Paul nearly is torn apart in the violence of their debate. The authorities put him in confinement for protection. God encourages Paul and tells him Jerusalem was just a stop on the way to Rome.
The plot thickens as an extremist group sets up to ambush and execute Paul. For his safety, he is sent under armed guard to Caesarea to be tried by Felix the governor. Isn’t it interesting how God uses even pagan uninterested persons to carry out his purposes? If only we could see the way God sees. This all looks like a circus and an unnecessary one at that. But there is a plan in operation, and it is big.
Then Paul, in his defense before the Sanhedrin, made up of the liberal Pharisees (who added liberally to the law, allowed for belief in resurrection and were less friendly to Rome) and the conservative Saduccees (who were purists with the law, did not believe in resurrection and were strongly allied with Rome), plays "divide and conquer" with them as well. Paul nearly is torn apart in the violence of their debate. The authorities put him in confinement for protection. God encourages Paul and tells him Jerusalem was just a stop on the way to Rome.
The plot thickens as an extremist group sets up to ambush and execute Paul. For his safety, he is sent under armed guard to Caesarea to be tried by Felix the governor. Isn’t it interesting how God uses even pagan uninterested persons to carry out his purposes? If only we could see the way God sees. This all looks like a circus and an unnecessary one at that. But there is a plan in operation, and it is big.
Acts 21:1-22:21: Into Hostile Territory (November 4th, 5th and 6th Readings!)
Paul has two prizes in mind as he comes to his last chapter of ministry, conversion of the leadership of Jerusalem and conversion of leadership in Rome, possibly even of Nero himself. But like his Savior (“who set his face toward Jerusalem” - Luke 9:51), he goes there knowing that life-threatening opposition awaits. His goal is to be there by Pentecost, which will also heighten his danger, a time of great crowds and little protection from Roman authorities against Jewish extremists. That is confirmed by the Christians in Tyre, who urge him “in the Spirit” not to go to Jerusalem. Even the prophet Agabus tells of Paul being bound and handed over to government authorities. Is it possible that Paul was going into danger unnecessarily? Did Luke have his own reservations about the wisdom of Paul’s timing? Was Paul just bullheadedly determined? I think we have to leave room for this possibility. Discerning the guidance of the Spirit is not easy and we can begin to speak in God’s stead rather than speak for him. I am constantly aware of that possibility in my own ministry (because I have confused my words and God’s words more often than I want to admit).
Paul’s time with the Jewish leadership is warm, but they also question the wisdom of his presence there in light of the propaganda being circulated about him advocating total abandonment of the law of Moses (an exaggeration, but a powerful one, especially in the rumor mill!). Paul and his companions are encouraged to shave their heads (they don’t ask Paul to, so perhaps there was no hair left to shave!) and undergo purification rites for the celebration of Pentecost, as a way of demonstrating that they were not hostile to the law of Moses. It does no good, as extremists incite the crowds to lynch Paul and for his own protection, Paul is arrested by the Roman authorities. Those who arrested him are not sure that he wasn’t a terrorist they had been searching for.
Paul makes the typical motion to a crowd that he wishes to speak and finally the crowd is silent. The re-telling of his conversion experience adds that 1) Paul had been a student of the highly respected Gamaliel , 2) that those who were with him on the Damascus road saw the light but did not understand the words of the voice that spoke to him, and 3) that he had a vision that told him to get out of Jerusalem and becoming a preacher to the Gentiles. This telling also shows some of the remorse Paul had for his orchestration of the stoning of Stephen. Notice that his testimony is as vibrantly powerful nearly 30 years later as it was in the beginning.
One of the special experiences of my life was to hear one of my mentor pastors, on his 32nd anniversary of his call to preach, tell his call story. His heart still rejoiced to tell it and his lip quivered with passion and awesome gratitude. I said to myself, “When I get that far along in my ministry, I want to be like that, with that kind of heart and passion.” I was called to ministry in the fall of 1975. It’s been 35 years now, and the heart still rejoices and the lip still quivers. As one of our people said to me after a communion service this past Sunday, “It still never gets old, does it?” He was right. Thanks be to God.
Paul’s time with the Jewish leadership is warm, but they also question the wisdom of his presence there in light of the propaganda being circulated about him advocating total abandonment of the law of Moses (an exaggeration, but a powerful one, especially in the rumor mill!). Paul and his companions are encouraged to shave their heads (they don’t ask Paul to, so perhaps there was no hair left to shave!) and undergo purification rites for the celebration of Pentecost, as a way of demonstrating that they were not hostile to the law of Moses. It does no good, as extremists incite the crowds to lynch Paul and for his own protection, Paul is arrested by the Roman authorities. Those who arrested him are not sure that he wasn’t a terrorist they had been searching for.
Paul makes the typical motion to a crowd that he wishes to speak and finally the crowd is silent. The re-telling of his conversion experience adds that 1) Paul had been a student of the highly respected Gamaliel , 2) that those who were with him on the Damascus road saw the light but did not understand the words of the voice that spoke to him, and 3) that he had a vision that told him to get out of Jerusalem and becoming a preacher to the Gentiles. This telling also shows some of the remorse Paul had for his orchestration of the stoning of Stephen. Notice that his testimony is as vibrantly powerful nearly 30 years later as it was in the beginning.
One of the special experiences of my life was to hear one of my mentor pastors, on his 32nd anniversary of his call to preach, tell his call story. His heart still rejoiced to tell it and his lip quivered with passion and awesome gratitude. I said to myself, “When I get that far along in my ministry, I want to be like that, with that kind of heart and passion.” I was called to ministry in the fall of 1975. It’s been 35 years now, and the heart still rejoices and the lip still quivers. As one of our people said to me after a communion service this past Sunday, “It still never gets old, does it?” He was right. Thanks be to God.
Wrapping Up the Third Missionary Journey (20:1-38) November 3rd Reading!
“Falling Asleep in Church” (20:1-12)While I am tempted to talk about how falling asleep during a sermon can be deadly, it would open the opportunity for you to talk about how sleep-inducing preaching can be. Plus, I am one who can fall asleep any time I am still, whether at a ball game, a movie, or in someone else’s preaching. I once had a Greek professor who fell asleep in his lectures. I have not accomplished that feat, but I have some years of ministry left. Fortunately and miraculously for Eutychus, he survived falling asleep in church. The event happened in Troas, which is the place where Paul had the vision that he was to go to Macedonia with the gospel. Now in his last part of the third missionary journey, Macedonia seems to be the only place that is relatively safe for him to do ministry.
From now on things start to heat up for Paul, whether it’s persecution from Jewish zealots (looks like they were laying in wait for him in Syria – the place he was headed when he had his conversion and always a place where he was considered “a marked man”) or conflict with ruling authorities. Two things to notice here: 1) the group of leaders continues to expand with some familiar names and also some new ones, and 2) the telling of Acts is now in the first person plural “we.” Either Luke has change sources and is recording notes from a diary or he is writing directly from his experience. Colossians 4:14 tells us that Luke was a doctor and dear friend of Paul. In II Timothy 4:11, he is mentioned as the only one being with Paul in Rome just before his death. Interestingly, that same verse highlights John Mark (the one he parted ways with after deserting him during the first missionary journey) and his desire to see him, saying “he is helpful to me in my ministry.” Luke is mentioned again in the tiny letter to Philemon (vs. 24), listing him with Mark as well as Demas and Astarchus. Give that information of his late participation in Paul’s ministry, I believe we are getting first-person reporting from Luke in this part of Acts. It would only be about 3-5 years after Paul’s death, that Luke would put together Luke-Acts.
“Final Goodbyes to the Ephesians leadership” (20:13-38)Paul gives a defense of his character in ministry and gives encouragement to the leaders as well as exhortation to be faithful in their leadership. He warns that tough times are coming and that they will be surprised at who falls away, even some of the most faithful. Paul has spent more time among the Ephesians than any other church and the depth of his passion for them is palatable.
Monday, November 08, 2010
Ephesians 5 & 6: More Instructions on Holy Living - November 2nd Reading!
The Imitation of Christ - Ephesians 5:1-20Many of the early church fathers emphasized the holy life as an imitation of Christ. Christ was not only the Son of God, he was also the model of how life could be lived. Not only is the imitation of Christ a holy life, it is also a life of self-giving and self-sacrifice. The contrast here is life as darkness and life as light. The Christian lifestyle is not something that is developed in single great experiences, but rather is developed moment by moment. Instead of drunkenness and self-indulgence, we moment by moment seek to be filled with the Spirit. The chief expression of our life together in the Spirit is our worship. How can we nurture in one another a sense of the holy in our worship services?
A Submission Match (5:21-6:9)This passage has been one of the most misunderstood passages of the Bible and used by leading people in relationships for justification of oppression and abuse. The translators of the Bible have unwittingly contributed to the problem by misplacing the paragraph break between verses 21 and 22. The original Greek manuscripts did not have paragraph breaks or even word breaks and were all in capital letters. So translators must read context and patterns of speech of the time to determine the breaks. I believe that verse 21 is the topic sentence for all that is to follow: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Seen in that context, Paul's discussion is revolutionary in the relationships of the time.
The husband-wife relationship during New Testament days was highly proprietary, with women had neither voice nor standing in society. Paul's presentation of the husband's submission role as one who loves his wife as Christ love the Church (a life of total self-giving and self-yielding) is strikingly revolutionary. The approach used by Promise Keepers to this passage emphasizing the singular authority of the husband in the home is a misreading.
The parent-child relationship was one of absolute power and children were treated very poorly. Children are to sumbit to their parents, but parents are to act on behalf of the growth of their children in the Lord. Any parent knows the difficult balance of disciplining a child with needed firmness without exasperating them. The role of father in USAmerican society is undergoing strong redefinition. But the assumption here is that fathers will be spiritual leaders, something churches have not taught or encouraged very well.
Many are offended that Paul does not counter slavery in this passage, but his purpose is clear. He is not going to be able to end slavery in his day, but he can be part of revolutionizing the relationship. The slave submits not as a statement of weakness but as an act of strength. He serves not because he must, but because he chooses to as an act of faithfulness to Christ. The master on the other hand is only in a superior role in society, not in the kingdom of God. The slave is the master's equal, again a revolutionary concept.
Fully Armed - Ephesians 6:10-24This imaginative exhortation to authentic Christianity uses the metaphor of the Roman battle armor. Each part of the armor stands for a resource needed to live a strong Christian life: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of readiness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation,and the sword of the Spirit. In all of it, he exhorts them to keep prayed up, for themselves and for each other.
But this battle with situations and people is actually a higher spiritual battle. Once we see it that way, we don't have to feel so personally threatened. There are many teachings on "spiritual warfare" in charismatic and Pentecostal settings. While I am not one who sees the devil in every struggle, I do believe there is a spiritual dimension to the challenges we face.
How is your life in Christ going? How are you growing in holiness? What kind of things are you doing to protect yourself from complacency and compromise? Are you putting on the full armor of God? And who says the Bible is impractical or irrelevant? This part has been uncomfortably so.
Ephesians 3 & 4: Authenticity Faith Under Pressure - November 1st Reading!
“The Big Picture: 3:1-13”When tough times come, one of the great sources for persistence is seeing the big picture. Paul writes from prison, but he knows who he is and what his mission is. So out of his difficulties, he is able to encourage the church in Ephesus. Victor Frankl in his classic work, The Search for Meaning, found that the sense of having a future of purpose was the difference in the survival or not of many concentration camp detainees. It is worth asking what the bigger picture of your life is and even what the bigger picture of St. Barnabas is. Then whatever challenges we face as individuals or as the church are able to be managed better.
“A Great Prayer: 3:14-21”This passage is one I like to preach when I am finishing ministry with a Church. It shows the care of extended time together. His prayer is exultant as he prays for them to know the fullness of God’s love: width, length, height, and depth. His doxological close is one of the great ones of the Bible, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” Paul has lifted up the greatness of God’s power and the church as the reflection or radiance of that greatness.
“Unity in Diversity: 4:1-16”We have talked in the class about the need to be “rowing in the same direction,” even though we will bring different approaches, backgrounds and opinions. We are not called to a unity of opinion and methods as we are called to a unity of direction under the guidance and power of one Spirit. On our money, the phrase “e pluribus unum” is displayed, which means “out of many, one.” One of the regrettable things in our government’s history, is that this generation will be known for its diversity and difference, but not for unity of direction or Spirit. My prayer is that we will pray for leadership that will go beyond polarized difference to cooperative diversity. A further regret is that often churches are just as polarized and “stuck” as our federal government. What is needed is an openness to one another and a humility that allows God to create a powerful unity that takes strength from the diversity of gifts and backgrounds of people in the name of Christ.
In the musical, A Chorus Line, the opening number is “One,” the theme song of their unity as a song and dance team. Here Paul emphasizes ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE God and Father of all that makes them ONE body and ONE Spirit. This is how God sees the Church. Whether we realize it, we are ONE, whether we see things alike or even like each other.
“A Call to Authentic Living: 4:17-32”The immoral lifestyle of the people of Ephesus was legendary. They were self-indulgent and given to the fulfillment of personal sensual desires. Again, the parallels to Roman society and 21st century Americana are obvious. Their consciences had been dulled and they had lost their sense of right and wrong. Therefore, to follow Christ, means defining yourself over against the mores of that society. Paul uses the experience of changing clothes, taking off what was corrupt (our BC lifestyle) and putting on new clothes in holiness and righteousness (our AD lifestyle): high honesty over lying, anger management over violence, and hard work over theft. Our speech is also to be a reflection of our AD life. When we live worldly lives when we claim to follow Christ, we grieve the Holy Spirit. We inhibit the power of the Spirit and the power of our witness and the impact of our work suffers. Verse 32 is worth our memorization, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” But don’t expect the world to congratulate us when we act that way. It will be a witness against their way of life and so they malign it and treat it as weakness. In truth, it takes incredible strength to follow in the way of Christ, a strength that requires the power of God working in and through us moment by moment.
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Grace and Peace - Ephesians 1 &2 (October 30th Reading!)
Whereas the Corinthian Church was wild and contentious, the Ephesian church is remarkably steady (similar description in Revelation 2 by John). The leadership that developed here formed a strong foundation for the church. It’s interesting that on our trip, both Mary’s house and John’s house were in Ephesus (remember that John was put in charge of Mary at Jesus’ crucifixion - John 19:25-27).
First, our destiny involves being chosen by God for a relationship with him. Second, we are destined to become holy and blameless. Third, we are destined to be redeemed (made right with God, restored to our glory as created children of God). Fourth, we are destined to glorify God in all things. When we cooperate with God in this destiny, then the power of God is set loose in us by the Spirit – the power that raised Christ from the dead.
Ephesians 2:8-9 is a good passage to commit to memory: “For it is by grace that you have been saved by faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. It is not by works, lest any one should boast.” We are who we are by the grace of God and we will become what we will become by the same grace. The United Methodist statement of faith in our Discipline is entitled “Grace Upon Grace.”
Paul calls for unity between those who are Jewish Christians and those who are Gentile Christians. The source of that unity is Christ and he is warning them not to default back into past divisions (cultural issues can be the hardest in the Church). What kinds of cultural divisions do you see at St. Barnabas? How should they be addressed and overcome?
Ephesians 1 (A people of destiny)In class, we have talked about holding contrasting views in tension in order to arrive at the truth of something (Hegel’s “dialectical tension”). The dialectic here is between “God’s choice” and “human freedom.” The fundamentalist movement that took hold in the US about 90 years ago, emphasized that God’s grace was “irresistible.” I do believe that God’s grace is indeed very persistent, but I do not believe it is irresistible. Love has within it “the freedom to choose.” I cannot force you to love me anymore than you can force me to love you. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were free to choose from the tree of knowledge, even though it was forbidden. Bottom line for me: Yes, I have been given a destiny, but I can choose to participate in that destiny or not.
First, our destiny involves being chosen by God for a relationship with him. Second, we are destined to become holy and blameless. Third, we are destined to be redeemed (made right with God, restored to our glory as created children of God). Fourth, we are destined to glorify God in all things. When we cooperate with God in this destiny, then the power of God is set loose in us by the Spirit – the power that raised Christ from the dead.
Ephesians 2 (BC/AD)B. J. Thomas had a pop Christian song that sang, “What a difference you made in my life.” Doug Oldham, the robust baritone who sang with the Gaithers, wrote a book entitled, That Man Doesn’t Live Here Any More,telling the story of his former alcoholic and physically abusive life and how Christ delivered him. Similarly, we shared our BC/AD experiences in class. Paul tells us in this passage that we have been “made alive” in Christ. I hope you have recently taken time to thank God for the difference He has made in your life. If not, stop reading and do it now.
Ephesians 2:8-9 is a good passage to commit to memory: “For it is by grace that you have been saved by faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. It is not by works, lest any one should boast.” We are who we are by the grace of God and we will become what we will become by the same grace. The United Methodist statement of faith in our Discipline is entitled “Grace Upon Grace.”
Paul calls for unity between those who are Jewish Christians and those who are Gentile Christians. The source of that unity is Christ and he is warning them not to default back into past divisions (cultural issues can be the hardest in the Church). What kinds of cultural divisions do you see at St. Barnabas? How should they be addressed and overcome?
"No Bad News" - Acts 19:23-41 (October 29th Reading!)
The word "gospel" (in Greek, euangelion)means "good news," but the good news we proclaim is not good for everybody. There are many people who gain power and make money off the world the way it is. In this passage, the invitation for people to leave their pagan gods and follow Christ meant that those who benefited from that worship would lose business. Demetrius, the silversmith and his friends had a thriving business, felt threatened by a gospel that had as one of its major ideas, no worship of idols.
Demetrius stirs up a riot to protect his way of life. Reinhold Niebuhr, in his book, Nature and Destiny of Man, talks about “collective egoism.” For him, “egoism” (me choosing my selfish ways) is at the heart of sin and “collective egoism” is what happens when sin gets into groups. His thesis was that the sinfulness of groups is more than the sum of the sinfulness of the individuals involved. I regret to agree with him. When I have been involved in group misbehavior, most of us would not have had the courage to do it on our own. Add to that the energy and emotion of crowds and great harm can be done. I have seen it at athletic events, political rallies, and regrettably, at quite a few church meetings. In this chapter, the worshippers of Artemis are ready to lynch Aristarchus and Alexander, with Paul being unable to help them. Fortunately, the city clerk stepped in and most likely saved a couple of lives.
In this passage, the Christian movement is called “the Way,” considered at that time to be a Jewish cult. The reason for the rescue by the clerk was to keep the peace. One of the characteristics of oppressive systems is that they make “keeping the peace” the priority (part of the whole problem at Jesus’ crucifixion and Pilate’s dilemma). One of my favorite musicals is The Wiz, a modern version of the Wizard of Oz. The movie version starred Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the scarecrow, Nipsy Russell as the tin man, and Lena Horne as the good witch. The theme song for the wicked witch of the West in her sweat shop of mice was “No Bad News,” a show stopper that sang over and over, “Don’t give me no bad news.” Oppressive systems and systems that want to stay the way they are tend to stifle any criticism as “overly negative” or “bad attitude”. When Dorothy arrives and the wicked witch of the west is killed, ethereal music begins and each of the mice begins to take off his or her costume (the symbol of their slavery) and what follows is a ballet followed by an exuberant dance of liberation entitled, “Brand New Day.” You and I stand for that “brand new day” in Jesus Christ, and at times it will bring us into conflict with a “no bad news” world. The world prefers “don’t rock the boat,” tamed Christians that will speak positive words but never challenge the way things are. Sometimes we preachers have done that with lay people. And sometimes lay people have done that to preachers as well as to new people who have different ideas. What is this brand new day that God is calling to us as United Methodists?
Demetrius stirs up a riot to protect his way of life. Reinhold Niebuhr, in his book, Nature and Destiny of Man, talks about “collective egoism.” For him, “egoism” (me choosing my selfish ways) is at the heart of sin and “collective egoism” is what happens when sin gets into groups. His thesis was that the sinfulness of groups is more than the sum of the sinfulness of the individuals involved. I regret to agree with him. When I have been involved in group misbehavior, most of us would not have had the courage to do it on our own. Add to that the energy and emotion of crowds and great harm can be done. I have seen it at athletic events, political rallies, and regrettably, at quite a few church meetings. In this chapter, the worshippers of Artemis are ready to lynch Aristarchus and Alexander, with Paul being unable to help them. Fortunately, the city clerk stepped in and most likely saved a couple of lives.
In this passage, the Christian movement is called “the Way,” considered at that time to be a Jewish cult. The reason for the rescue by the clerk was to keep the peace. One of the characteristics of oppressive systems is that they make “keeping the peace” the priority (part of the whole problem at Jesus’ crucifixion and Pilate’s dilemma). One of my favorite musicals is The Wiz, a modern version of the Wizard of Oz. The movie version starred Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the scarecrow, Nipsy Russell as the tin man, and Lena Horne as the good witch. The theme song for the wicked witch of the West in her sweat shop of mice was “No Bad News,” a show stopper that sang over and over, “Don’t give me no bad news.” Oppressive systems and systems that want to stay the way they are tend to stifle any criticism as “overly negative” or “bad attitude”. When Dorothy arrives and the wicked witch of the west is killed, ethereal music begins and each of the mice begins to take off his or her costume (the symbol of their slavery) and what follows is a ballet followed by an exuberant dance of liberation entitled, “Brand New Day.” You and I stand for that “brand new day” in Jesus Christ, and at times it will bring us into conflict with a “no bad news” world. The world prefers “don’t rock the boat,” tamed Christians that will speak positive words but never challenge the way things are. Sometimes we preachers have done that with lay people. And sometimes lay people have done that to preachers as well as to new people who have different ideas. What is this brand new day that God is calling to us as United Methodists?
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
The Catch-Up Effort Begins - Acts 19:1-22 (October 28th Reading!)
Let's just say that moving and Church Conference became all-consuming on the Cotton agenda. Thanks for your patience. I will be slowly catching up.
On our trip to Turkey and the Greek Isles in 1999, we also went to Kushadasi and Ephesus, which is right on the western coast of Turkey. I bought Tina's anniversary ring in Kushadasi, right after we spent the day touring Ephesus. Just a few months before we toured there, the Three Tenors had done a concert there. Today, concerts are banned there because the sound equipment deteriorates the ruins. It was quite a place: ruins from a large library, temples to Artemis as well as the emperor cult, and much to our entertainment - a set of ancient toilets with a platform in front of them on which musicians played while people went to the restroom. The ruins were wonderfully preserved.
Like Priscilla and Aquila discovered with Apollos, Paul discovers in Ephesus that the faith of the people is not complete. For Apollos, it mean acquainting with the truth about Jesus. For the Ephesians, it meant acquainting them with the Holy Spirit. What the people had was John the Baptist's understanding of baptism - a baptism of repentance, a declaration of changing ones behavior and action. The baptism of the Spirit moved beyond that to a filling of followers with the Spirit of God, the Christ within. You know from my earlier writings in this blog that my own life has a parallel here, that the filling of the Spirit allowed me to move from doing my best for God, to allowing God to move in and through me. The difference between those two has been life itself to me. John and Charles Wesley's story is remarkably similar.
We say we believe in the Trinity, but I find that most people have a two-dimensional faith. They strongly believe in a God who created the world and is always there. They believe God the Father hears their prayers and gives guidance to their lives. They believe in Jesus who walked this earth, died for us and rose again. They believe by placing their trust in him that they are saved and given the gift of eternal life. While they
say they believe in the Holy Spirit, they really don't seem to know what the Spirit does or how we experience the Spirit dimension of God. It is the Spirit dimension that sets the presence of God loose in and through us, the dimension that becomes our inner teacher and mentor, the dimension that frees up our giftedness (both natural and spiritual)to make a difference in the church and the world, the dimension that builds our Christian character day by day, the dimension that unifies and empowers Christians to make present the kingdom of God in this world. It is no accident that the Apostle's Creed connects the Holy Spirit and the holy catholic Church. We can't be the Church without the dimension of the Holy Spirit. Jurgen Moltmann's theology text on the Church is entitled The Church in the Power of the Spirit.
When the power of the Spirit is set loose in and through you and me, Christianity becomes alive in a whole new way. For Paul, miracles were happening without him touching people. Things he touched ended up becoming miracles for people. Isn't it exciting to see what happens when things get out of our control and into the freedom and power of God's Spirit. In fact, some tried to counterfeit it, which I have also seen done. The results for the sons of Sceva were not very good! On the other hand, those in sorcery and magic were giving up their lucrative practices and bringing their wealth so that the gospel could be furthered. They knew the difference between truth and falsehood.
So much of what people yearn for in our day and time (the instant gratification, the thrill of great entertainment or daring stunts, the desire to create a "really big show") is really a desire to be part of something truly great - life in the freedom and power experienced in the third dimension of God. Of course, demonstrating true freedom and power over against the false kind will make you controversial, as the rest of Acts 19 describes.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
I Corinthians 1-3: The Dysfunctional Family/Church
Just as I am struck by the similarities of USAmerican society and the New Testament days of the Roman Empire, so I am struck by the similarities of USAmerican Church and the church of Corinth: its tendency toward the sensational (I Corinthians 11-14), it’s compromised morals (I Corinthians 5-8), and its dividedness (I Corinthians 1-3). Divisions showed in every part of the church of Corinth: worship, fellowship, gifts for ministry, and holiness or the lack thereof. At the root of this division are two personalities, Apollos and Paul. According to 1:12 the division was actually three-fold, with another group forming claiming to be superior to those who followed Apollos and Paul – “we follow Christ.” When people ask me how I account for the many denominations of Christian faith in the world, I first say, “The differences are usually small. They represent moves of the Holy Spirit that happened in certain times.” At it’s best, that’s what happened to create the Catholics, the Lutherans, the Presbyterians, the Methodists, the Baptists, the Pentecostals, etc. But the other side is that they represent key personalities and political movements that were leading at the time. It’s no accident to me that the Mormon faith developed during the time of Manifest Destiny in the United States, when we believed that God had predestined that we would stretch “from sea to shining sea”. Of course, Jesus would have a resurrection appearance in America, then. I don’t believe that, but I think I know how it developed. The faith is divine, but human expressions are not so. As Paul says in II Corinthians 4:7,
Paul’s discussion of who is truly wise is penetrating and educational for us today. We are not to be those who compete with each other about how is the most spiritual, knowledgeable or valuable. At the root of those desires is an insecurity that tries to prove our worth in relationship to others. Paul calls the Corinthians to a common ground of humility – none of us wise by God’s standards or the world’s standards. Yet God uses us. Our humility allows us to operate from privilege and blessing, rather than entitlement. We are all absolutely dependent on a higher wisdom, in which we through prayer and listen to God we develop “the mind of Christ”.
If only Jesus could see the personality cults in the USAmerican church of today! He would really be shaking his head. But the truth is that each of us has a role to play and we are called to play it to the very best of our abilities under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. As Paul says in I Corinthians 3:6,
“We have this treasure in jars of clay…”.
Paul’s discussion of who is truly wise is penetrating and educational for us today. We are not to be those who compete with each other about how is the most spiritual, knowledgeable or valuable. At the root of those desires is an insecurity that tries to prove our worth in relationship to others. Paul calls the Corinthians to a common ground of humility – none of us wise by God’s standards or the world’s standards. Yet God uses us. Our humility allows us to operate from privilege and blessing, rather than entitlement. We are all absolutely dependent on a higher wisdom, in which we through prayer and listen to God we develop “the mind of Christ”.
If only Jesus could see the personality cults in the USAmerican church of today! He would really be shaking his head. But the truth is that each of us has a role to play and we are called to play it to the very best of our abilities under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. As Paul says in I Corinthians 3:6,
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, and God made it grow.”Bottom line: Instead of competing with each other, let’s cooperate and together compete against despair, bigotry, poverty, selfishness, hate, secular materialism, oppression and other evils that wars against the ways of God and cheapen and threaten life around us.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Acts 18:1-28: The Team Expands
There was an ancient Corinth that had its peak in the 4th and 5th centuries BCE, but the Corinth that Paul knew was a diverse “boom town” created in 44 BCE by Julius Caesar. It had the reputation for being a tough place to be, remote from the rest of Greece. In other words, this was a very challenging mission field. That same diversity and challenge became part of the Corinthian church, as we will see tomorrow in the reading in I Corinthians.
Luke, as has been his pattern, introduces to three new characters in the early church: Priscilla (the first woman we have been introduced to as a church leader), Aquila and Apollos. Jews were banished from Rome (including Priscilla and Aquila), so these Jewish Christians came to Corinth. They, like Paul, were tentmakers, working during the week and preaching on weekends. Silas and Timothy come to join them there in Corinth. This seems to be the inner circle around Paul on this missionary journey. As was usually the case, Paul’s ministry with the Jews was difficult and he “shakes the dust off his feet” and vows to minister only to the Gentiles. Paul has a vision where God encourages him and he ends up spending 18 months there. In verses 12-14, there is a little humor. The Jewish leadership there brought accusations against Paul and want him prosecuted, but instead the procounsul says their complaints are out of his jurisdiction. So the accusers end up turning on the synagogue ruler, even beating on him.
Many scholars locate this transition from Corinth to Antioch (vss. 18-22) as the end of Paul’s second missionary journey. After a rest, he takes off for his third journey which include two controversial and crucial destinations, Jerusalem and Rome. Paul has big plans for that journey, including the conversion of Jewish leadership in Jerusalem and the conversion of the emperor himself. Paul, despite many setbacks, never ceases to “dream big.”
In 18:24-28, we are introduced to Apollos. At first he is just a reform-minded Jew, but Priscilla and Aquila see him as a “diamond in the rough” and tell him more fully the gospel of Christ. According to our reading tomorrow, Apollos gains quite a following in Corinth, even to the point of becoming competitive with Paul in the minds of the Corinthians. We are at a time in the church when we all need to be talent scouts and learn how to groom a new generation of leaders for ministry inside and outside the church. Priscilla and Aquila give us a clue or two on how to do that.
Luke, as has been his pattern, introduces to three new characters in the early church: Priscilla (the first woman we have been introduced to as a church leader), Aquila and Apollos. Jews were banished from Rome (including Priscilla and Aquila), so these Jewish Christians came to Corinth. They, like Paul, were tentmakers, working during the week and preaching on weekends. Silas and Timothy come to join them there in Corinth. This seems to be the inner circle around Paul on this missionary journey. As was usually the case, Paul’s ministry with the Jews was difficult and he “shakes the dust off his feet” and vows to minister only to the Gentiles. Paul has a vision where God encourages him and he ends up spending 18 months there. In verses 12-14, there is a little humor. The Jewish leadership there brought accusations against Paul and want him prosecuted, but instead the procounsul says their complaints are out of his jurisdiction. So the accusers end up turning on the synagogue ruler, even beating on him.
Many scholars locate this transition from Corinth to Antioch (vss. 18-22) as the end of Paul’s second missionary journey. After a rest, he takes off for his third journey which include two controversial and crucial destinations, Jerusalem and Rome. Paul has big plans for that journey, including the conversion of Jewish leadership in Jerusalem and the conversion of the emperor himself. Paul, despite many setbacks, never ceases to “dream big.”
In 18:24-28, we are introduced to Apollos. At first he is just a reform-minded Jew, but Priscilla and Aquila see him as a “diamond in the rough” and tell him more fully the gospel of Christ. According to our reading tomorrow, Apollos gains quite a following in Corinth, even to the point of becoming competitive with Paul in the minds of the Corinthians. We are at a time in the church when we all need to be talent scouts and learn how to groom a new generation of leaders for ministry inside and outside the church. Priscilla and Aquila give us a clue or two on how to do that.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Success and Failure at Mars Hill: Acts 17:16-34
In 1999, Tina and I went on a cruise for our 15th anniversary to Turkey and the Greek Isles, which included Ephesus and Athens. During our two days in Athens, we took a field trip to Mars Hill. I insisted on going there, because this passage of scripture, Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill (particularly verses 22-28) forms the center of my faith and mission. In many ways, those verses are “the gospel according to Will.” The way up to Mars Hill has been worn slick (it is solid rock) by more than 2,000 years of climbers and tourists. Tina, who at the time was suffering with knee problems, opted to watch me climb it from below.
The God he proclaims cannot be contained in a statue or a temple. We cannot fashion this God. He fashioned the world and everything in it. I struggle with verses 26-27: “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out (literally “grope”) for him and find him.” I was raised Presbyterian, so the determinism in this passage is familiar. First, here is what I do not believe. I don’t believe that God determined that people would populate the sub-Sahara and experience the scourge of AIDS or be victims of genocide. Most of them will never have been given the opportunity to put faith in Christ or experience the kingdom of God in this world. People to one degree or another choose where they will live (either it was decided by their parents or in generations or it was decided personally). I don’t believe God said, “Poof! Will, you will be born in Pennsylvania to a Christian home where the love of God will be modeled beautifully, while Amir will be raised on the streets of Baghdad in constant fear for his life with no chance to know my Son.” I don’t believe that God pre-determines who will come to faith and who will not (contra Calvin).
Now, here is what I do believe. I can look back and see that amidst the many decisions I have made, God’s plan is being carried out. There is wisdom in Proverbs 16:9, “In our hearts, we plan our way, but God guides our steps.” I chose to go to seminary at SMU and Bishop John Russell chose, upon the recommendation of my mentor pastor who was the bishop’s friend, to appoint me as a student pastor at First UMC, Corsicana, where Tina Davis chose to come sing in the choir (where her voice teacher was the director), where Tina and I met and fell in love, choosing then to spend the rest of our lives together. In that process, all of us were free to make our choices, yet looking back, I see that was the process by which God brought Tina and I together. That’s why you will hear me say, “God is in the mix.” For I believe we always must hold in tension God’s plan and human freedom. Similarly, with Paul, I can look back and see that the whole process of my life has been to bring me into a life-shaping and life-changing relationship with God (with my own share of seeking and groping) that is designed so I can be a world-changing disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. I had every freedom to accept or reject the invitation to follow Christ. I have been free to make all the decisions I have made, including coming to Arlington and the Central Texas Conference 2/3 through my ministry career, yet it is undeniable that in the midst of it all, God is strongly in the mix.
Verse 28 is a quote from a Greek poet about Zeus (Epimenades), and Paul takes it and applies it to God in Christ…and I love it. It perfectly describes my relationship with Christ. “In him, I live, and move and have my being.” In Christ, I have found life abundant, free and eternal, life beyond anything I could have imagined. In Christ, I move, knowing that God does guide my life and give it purpose. In Christ, I have my being: my sense of meaning and worth, my identity as a child of God and as a human being. So this verse which Paul stole from a Greek philosopher and gave a new spin is the passionate center of my life and ministry. That’s true for a lot of people. How ironic and fun is that! What a successful sermon on the part of Paul. But wait…
The audience turns from being inquisitive to jeering. By most accounts, this presentation of the gospel was one of the poorest received of all in the book of Acts. There was no persecution, but there were also very few converts (Dionysius, Damarias and a few others). By Acts standards, Mars Hill was a failure. Yet pilgrims continue to flock to it to this very day (including myself). What makes a successful sermon, a successful witness, and what is the time standard for judging success or failure? We cast the seed and the God who is always “in the mix” brings about the yield in ways that both disappoint in the present and boggle the mind over the long haul. As for me, I will keep on seeking, groping and finding until I find the fullness of Christ and become fully what God has called me to be. I will also continue to help people proclaim in the marketplace and in the world of ideas "the God who has yet to be discovered." How about you?
The Problem of Idolatry (17:16-18)Even a present day trip to ancient Athens shows how much worship of idols occurred, mostly related to Greco-Roman prostitution cults and worship of the Empire itself as divine. The idolatry of our day is different but no less intense or pervasive. Our worship of technology, entertainment (music, film and athletics) and material wealth as alternatives to the true worship of God are the parallels. What does the idolatry of our time cost us? Does it offend us and should it?
In the Marketplace and in the World of Ideas (17:19-21)Paul is invited to present his “strange ideas” to this group of academics, business people, and politicians in a regular gathering where the latest things were considered. Notice that he did not invite them to a location of his choosing, he went to where they were. In harmony with our class, these verses call for us once again to bring the alternative ways of the kingdom of God into conversation with education, business, medicine, communications, law and politics. I believe it is also the role of Christian education in our day and time to equip children, youth and adults to enjoin that conversation.
To an Unknown God (17:22-28)Part of the reason this passage speaks so powerfully to me is that this part of the sermon was preached by the character of Paul in all 125 performances we did as Continental Singers. God used that to imbed my own sense of faith and calling 37 years ago and it has stayed with me ever since. The folks at the Areopagus were addicted to anything new (sound familiar?!), and they were even open to the discovery of the next new god. Paul turns what has offended him (the worship of idols) into an entry for witness for Christ. He proclaims the god they have yet to discover to them as God in Christ.
The God he proclaims cannot be contained in a statue or a temple. We cannot fashion this God. He fashioned the world and everything in it. I struggle with verses 26-27: “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out (literally “grope”) for him and find him.” I was raised Presbyterian, so the determinism in this passage is familiar. First, here is what I do not believe. I don’t believe that God determined that people would populate the sub-Sahara and experience the scourge of AIDS or be victims of genocide. Most of them will never have been given the opportunity to put faith in Christ or experience the kingdom of God in this world. People to one degree or another choose where they will live (either it was decided by their parents or in generations or it was decided personally). I don’t believe God said, “Poof! Will, you will be born in Pennsylvania to a Christian home where the love of God will be modeled beautifully, while Amir will be raised on the streets of Baghdad in constant fear for his life with no chance to know my Son.” I don’t believe that God pre-determines who will come to faith and who will not (contra Calvin).
Now, here is what I do believe. I can look back and see that amidst the many decisions I have made, God’s plan is being carried out. There is wisdom in Proverbs 16:9, “In our hearts, we plan our way, but God guides our steps.” I chose to go to seminary at SMU and Bishop John Russell chose, upon the recommendation of my mentor pastor who was the bishop’s friend, to appoint me as a student pastor at First UMC, Corsicana, where Tina Davis chose to come sing in the choir (where her voice teacher was the director), where Tina and I met and fell in love, choosing then to spend the rest of our lives together. In that process, all of us were free to make our choices, yet looking back, I see that was the process by which God brought Tina and I together. That’s why you will hear me say, “God is in the mix.” For I believe we always must hold in tension God’s plan and human freedom. Similarly, with Paul, I can look back and see that the whole process of my life has been to bring me into a life-shaping and life-changing relationship with God (with my own share of seeking and groping) that is designed so I can be a world-changing disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. I had every freedom to accept or reject the invitation to follow Christ. I have been free to make all the decisions I have made, including coming to Arlington and the Central Texas Conference 2/3 through my ministry career, yet it is undeniable that in the midst of it all, God is strongly in the mix.
Verse 28 is a quote from a Greek poet about Zeus (Epimenades), and Paul takes it and applies it to God in Christ…and I love it. It perfectly describes my relationship with Christ. “In him, I live, and move and have my being.” In Christ, I have found life abundant, free and eternal, life beyond anything I could have imagined. In Christ, I move, knowing that God does guide my life and give it purpose. In Christ, I have my being: my sense of meaning and worth, my identity as a child of God and as a human being. So this verse which Paul stole from a Greek philosopher and gave a new spin is the passionate center of my life and ministry. That’s true for a lot of people. How ironic and fun is that! What a successful sermon on the part of Paul. But wait…
The Absurdity of Resurrection (17:29-34)Sometimes preachers don’t know when to quit. In this case, Paul might better have left the whole resurrection thing out of the sermon, except, of course, that it is central to his testimony of faith and his ministry! The Greek intelligentsia had no room either for a God who would hold them accountable for their behavior (after all they had gods who already approved of and fed their selfishness and immorality) or one that actually resurrected. They had room for the immortality of the soul and the sense that the presence of a great leader was there long after he died, but a literal resurrection was too far fetched. We find similar arguments in academic circles today. Our belief in Christ’s resurrection doesn’t fit in the categories of logic, scientific and historical thought. It never will. I will leave you to read I Corinthians 15 to see how Paul, an academic himself, works through that.
The audience turns from being inquisitive to jeering. By most accounts, this presentation of the gospel was one of the poorest received of all in the book of Acts. There was no persecution, but there were also very few converts (Dionysius, Damarias and a few others). By Acts standards, Mars Hill was a failure. Yet pilgrims continue to flock to it to this very day (including myself). What makes a successful sermon, a successful witness, and what is the time standard for judging success or failure? We cast the seed and the God who is always “in the mix” brings about the yield in ways that both disappoint in the present and boggle the mind over the long haul. As for me, I will keep on seeking, groping and finding until I find the fullness of Christ and become fully what God has called me to be. I will also continue to help people proclaim in the marketplace and in the world of ideas "the God who has yet to be discovered." How about you?
Saturday, October 23, 2010
II Thessalonians 1-3: The Second Coming as Retribution Against Evildoers (Saturday's Reading!)
One of the key themes among persecuted and oppressed groups is the idea of the second coming as the great balancer of the scales against injustice. As you listen to the African-American spirituals, you will hear the themes of political and economic restoration (“All God’s Children Got Shoes”, “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen”, “Go Down, Moses,”) and at the same time a heavy emphasis on the second coming and eternal life(“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”, “Deep River,” “Gabriel Blow Dat Horn”). When things are not going so well on earth, heaven and the second coming becoming powerful and sustaining themes.
The face of evil in chapter 2 is symbolically presented in “the man of lawlessness,” in other places called “the anti-Christ.” The final victory over evil is described as a victory over a man. For John, in Revelation, the man is identified by code as “666” or “616” depending on the manuscripts you read. In Hebrew numerology “666” would have been the spelling of "Caesar Neron" (the emperor Nero) and “616” would have been "Neron" (See Bruce Metzger's Breaking the Code for more on this. Many generations have had a symbolic representation of demonic evil , who represent all that is contrary to the cause of Christ. Hitler has been the most dramatic representative in our time, but there are many others.
The last section of the letter cautions against idleness. I had a retired pastor once tell me that he suffered from “indolent fever” (in other words, “laziness”). My guess is that we all have times of “indolent fever.” There is a form of second coming theology that does feed into this. When I was in college, there were several students who thought they should drop out of school because Christ was coming soon. Similarly, there are some Christians who are so second-coming oriented, they don’t think it is worth taking on AIDS, population control and world hunger, nuclear disarmament, relationships between Christians and other religions or other pressing issues of our time. The second coming becomes the ultimate “bailout” for the challenges and evils of our time. Paul calls on the Thessalonians to a combination of hope in the coming Christ and hard work. That still preaches.
The face of evil in chapter 2 is symbolically presented in “the man of lawlessness,” in other places called “the anti-Christ.” The final victory over evil is described as a victory over a man. For John, in Revelation, the man is identified by code as “666” or “616” depending on the manuscripts you read. In Hebrew numerology “666” would have been the spelling of "Caesar Neron" (the emperor Nero) and “616” would have been "Neron" (See Bruce Metzger's Breaking the Code for more on this. Many generations have had a symbolic representation of demonic evil , who represent all that is contrary to the cause of Christ. Hitler has been the most dramatic representative in our time, but there are many others.
The last section of the letter cautions against idleness. I had a retired pastor once tell me that he suffered from “indolent fever” (in other words, “laziness”). My guess is that we all have times of “indolent fever.” There is a form of second coming theology that does feed into this. When I was in college, there were several students who thought they should drop out of school because Christ was coming soon. Similarly, there are some Christians who are so second-coming oriented, they don’t think it is worth taking on AIDS, population control and world hunger, nuclear disarmament, relationships between Christians and other religions or other pressing issues of our time. The second coming becomes the ultimate “bailout” for the challenges and evils of our time. Paul calls on the Thessalonians to a combination of hope in the coming Christ and hard work. That still preaches.
I Thessalonians 4-5: The Sanctified Life (Friday's Reading!)
Holiness in a Hedonistic World – Don’t Expect it to Get the Popular Vote! (4:1-12)When the Wesley’s wanted to help people developed a disciplined and growing Christian faith when they were at Oxford, they were mockingly called “the holy club.” And while there are many sanctimonious Christians, most of the time those who make the “holier than thou” accusation are living self-centered lives. There is a natural aversion people have to being “holy,” because it means denying some of our impulses.
For me, it is striking how much the moral/social climate parallels the USAmerican situation. The themes are “gratifying lust is normal and good” (Roman hedonism) and “holiness is restrictive and unhealthy.” “Meeting individual desires is paramount” (self-gratification modeled by Nero himself) while “the common good” is secondary or even lower that that. Dividing into “winners and losers” (the triumphant marches of Roman conquest) is more important than finding better right answers that benefit a greater number of people. The “wide world of sports” (the gladiator arena) is more important than the world of education and challenge of global survival and communication. To live in holiness and brotherly/sisterly love stands out against such an environment. It is characterized as weak and even absurd (watch a little MTV, VH1, etc).
Dying in Hope – One Look at the Second Coming of Christ (4:13-5:11)When I started a new church, I had mainly young families and I did one congregational funeral in three years. When I served a 125-year-old church in downtown El Paso, I did 40-50 congregational funerals a year, with as many as three in a day. The new church in Thessalonica must have been experiencing its first deaths and wondered what that meant for them and their loved ones.
Paul’s teaching here describes what many call “the rapture.” Like most descriptions of the afterlife in scripture, each writer describes it differently, depending on the purpose of the sharing. This passage is clearly connected to Matthew 24 from Jesus (often called “the little apocalypse”). Jesus’ emphasis is clearly on the surprise, while Paul’s is more about encouraging these loved ones that there will be a great reunion (“we will be caught up together in the clouds” – I Thess. 4:17) and on living holy lives (5:4-11).
Paul expected the second coming to happen in his lifetime. Every generation since has done the same. What does the second coming mean to you? How has it given you hope and strength in difficult times?
The first letter closes with exhortations to holy living, short phrases that are easy to memorize and difficult to follow. Sorry about the late arrival of this column - lots going on this week!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
I Thessalonians 1-3: Failing Forward
In light of the Acts reading yesterday, chapter 2:1 is interesting, “You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure.” You only say something like that if there are those who thought it was! John Maxwell has a wonderful book entitled Failing Forward. That happens more in the Church and in spreading the gospel than many think. Paul is writing this letter because he has received a surprisingly good report from Timothy when he was sent to Thessalonica to check up on the fledgling church there.
In these first three chapters, you do get the idea that Paul is trying to “sure up” their confidence: reminding them of what the Holy Spirit had done in them while he was there, how their lives had changed, and how the ministry that happened there had actually spread throughout that whole region of Greece. I am reminded that sometimes the greater effect of the gospel is what spins off what we do rather than what is directly evident.
Paul counters the accusation that he and Silas were manipulating and misleading the people by pointing to their diligent witness and even suffering for the cause of Christ. In chapter 3, verses 11-13, Paul prays two main prayers I am praying for you and we could all pray for each other often, “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow” and “may he strengthen your hearts.” I’m really enjoying doing this class with you and my own faith is growing and being encouraged by each of you.
In these first three chapters, you do get the idea that Paul is trying to “sure up” their confidence: reminding them of what the Holy Spirit had done in them while he was there, how their lives had changed, and how the ministry that happened there had actually spread throughout that whole region of Greece. I am reminded that sometimes the greater effect of the gospel is what spins off what we do rather than what is directly evident.
Paul counters the accusation that he and Silas were manipulating and misleading the people by pointing to their diligent witness and even suffering for the cause of Christ. In chapter 3, verses 11-13, Paul prays two main prayers I am praying for you and we could all pray for each other often, “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow” and “may he strengthen your hearts.” I’m really enjoying doing this class with you and my own faith is growing and being encouraged by each of you.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Acts 17:1-15: On to Thessalonica and Berea
One of the missionary lessons is that some areas are more gospel-resistant than others. Thessalonica, the capital city of Macedonia was more resistant than usual. Yet, we find that two of Paul’s letters end up going there. So despite its resistance, the church took root.
It’s important to remember Jesus’ parable of the sower in which seed falls on different kinds of ground – the sun-hardened, travel-worn path, the rocky soil, the thorns-ridden soil, and the good soil that yields 30, 60 and 100 fold. I have heard sermons that have said this parable was meant to show that you need to be sure you are only planting in good soil. But I don’t think that at all. Jesus was being honest that different people will have different levels of responsiveness to the gospel and you never know how much the yield will be. I have been surprised both by those I thought would never take root that did and even more by those I thought were taking root and ended up not yielding at all. We don’t control the results. The important thing is to cast the seed.
This is why we must put aside our success cult understanding, if we are to faithfully present the gospel. I don’t mean that we should continue sharing our faith in ways that don’t connect with people. But I do mean that building relationships over time and sharing our faith will sometimes get visible results and sometimes not. But if we quit investing in people because they don’t respond the way we hope, non one catches faith.
Furthermore, you and I live in a time where the gospel perspective for life is meeting resistance on many fronts. Our witness will need to have greater patience and tenacity if it is to reach our secularized, techo-driven society. We live in an instant-gratification world, but that does not translated into instant response to the gospel. There are several mission fields that need the witness of Christ is a fresh new way that will not be quick yield: 1) education at secondary and collegiate levels, 2) politics and government, 3) health and medicine(partly due to how multi-cultural and inter-religious that environment has become), and 4)business (bringing ethics and mutual responsbility to our concerns about the bottom line), just to name a few. Each of these fields have gradually been abandoned by the church and we must re-enter them, but it will not be easy. It is precisely those fields where you and I work and live.
I encourage you to make the effort and take the time to invest in the people around you. The results will be surprising, and the truth is, we never know the full impact that investment will have. I think I will be surprised at who I see in heaven someday that I thought never heard or responded. They heard when I didn’t think they did and they were watching when I didn’t think they were and they were catching life-changing faith without me recognizing it. God is always up to more than we think.
By the way, I am changing up our reading schedule and will now include the letters to Thessalonians for our next three days.
It’s important to remember Jesus’ parable of the sower in which seed falls on different kinds of ground – the sun-hardened, travel-worn path, the rocky soil, the thorns-ridden soil, and the good soil that yields 30, 60 and 100 fold. I have heard sermons that have said this parable was meant to show that you need to be sure you are only planting in good soil. But I don’t think that at all. Jesus was being honest that different people will have different levels of responsiveness to the gospel and you never know how much the yield will be. I have been surprised both by those I thought would never take root that did and even more by those I thought were taking root and ended up not yielding at all. We don’t control the results. The important thing is to cast the seed.
This is why we must put aside our success cult understanding, if we are to faithfully present the gospel. I don’t mean that we should continue sharing our faith in ways that don’t connect with people. But I do mean that building relationships over time and sharing our faith will sometimes get visible results and sometimes not. But if we quit investing in people because they don’t respond the way we hope, non one catches faith.
Furthermore, you and I live in a time where the gospel perspective for life is meeting resistance on many fronts. Our witness will need to have greater patience and tenacity if it is to reach our secularized, techo-driven society. We live in an instant-gratification world, but that does not translated into instant response to the gospel. There are several mission fields that need the witness of Christ is a fresh new way that will not be quick yield: 1) education at secondary and collegiate levels, 2) politics and government, 3) health and medicine(partly due to how multi-cultural and inter-religious that environment has become), and 4)business (bringing ethics and mutual responsbility to our concerns about the bottom line), just to name a few. Each of these fields have gradually been abandoned by the church and we must re-enter them, but it will not be easy. It is precisely those fields where you and I work and live.
I encourage you to make the effort and take the time to invest in the people around you. The results will be surprising, and the truth is, we never know the full impact that investment will have. I think I will be surprised at who I see in heaven someday that I thought never heard or responded. They heard when I didn’t think they did and they were watching when I didn’t think they were and they were catching life-changing faith without me recognizing it. God is always up to more than we think.
By the way, I am changing up our reading schedule and will now include the letters to Thessalonians for our next three days.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Philippians 2:12-4:23: And Again I Say Rejoice!
2:12-30: Star PowerWhen I do services of baptism I will often pray over the child that he or she will grow up to be “a light in a world of darkness.” Paul writes in verse 15 that we are “to shine like stars” as “blameless pure children of God in a crooked and depraved generation.” Casts of TV shows & movies and athletic teams often talk about “star power.” Here we have a different kind and the good news is that “you can be a ‘star’.”
3:1-11: “Who Let the Dogs Out?”This passage should remind you of Galatians, even though it is written more than a decade later. Paul gives his testimony to show that you can be “dead right.” By Jewish law (particularly in the extreme understanding he had at the time), he was “faultless,” and yet absolutely lifeless. He writes with exuberance, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” True discipleship costs, but the reward is unbelievably worth it.
3:12-4:1: “Pressing On…”During a recent playoff game, I heard a commentator say that the primary skill a relief pitcher needs to have is “the ability to forget.” Because they are nearly always brought into the game to get their teams out of trouble, relief pitching has failures and disappointments built in. The same is true for people who serve as doctors, nurses, tech people and aides in emergency surgery and intensive care in the hospital. If the losses are taken too deeply on the mound or at the hospital, it can make it so other games cannot be won or other lives cannot be saved. Paul says we need “to forget what lies behind” and “press on.” We learn from failures and then we place them in the past where they can be instructive instead of destructive. We rejoice in successes and place them in the past where they can build confidence but not become restrictive. The picture here is the running of a race in which we “lean into the tape.” We stay holy, we stay resilient, we stay tender, we stay joyous.
4:2-3: Countering Odious and CynicalTheir real names were Euodia and Syntyche, but I have renamed them for my own entertainment. They were divisive in the Philippian church and Paul calls them to account. A friend of mine says that there is an African proverb that says, “When the elephants fight, the only one hurt is the grass.” The point is that when leaders fight, often there are long-term results for those who follow them. Conflict and difference of opinion are human and necessary. But there are ways to disagree that don’t have to create division. We can “speak the truth in love” without setting up alliances and power plays, for which churches are infamous!
4:4-4:9 - "Joy, Joy, Joy"Joy is more than being pleased or successful. Joy is a disposition of the soul of one who is united in Christ and lives a life of world-transforming love. I have seen joy on the faces of the grieving and the destitute and seen it missing from the successful and affluent. But like love, joy is both a gift and a choice. We cannot manufacture joy, we must receive it from God who is more anxious to give it than we are to receive it. We also must choose (properly at the beginning of the day) whether we will live that day in joy or in anxiety and pickiness. Paul calls forth the joy of the Philippians and so calls it forth from us.
Our joy is not "pie in the sky." We have reasons to rejoice. In verses 8-9 of chapter 4, he invites us to reflect on those things that feed our joy: "whatever is true...right...pure...lovely...admirable...praiseworthy...excellent." How long has it been since you fed your joy? Most of what we see and hear actually sucks it right out of us. That means if you are going to be a joyful Christian you will have to be intentional about it. And hear this reminder - our joy is not circumstantially dependent.
4:10-4:23: Thank You, Thank You, Thank YouPaul is thankful for their offering, but for him it more importantly is a gesture that express their love and partnership with him in the ministry of Christ. A fellow pastor said to me about the church in which I committed my life to ordained ministry (Grace UMC in Alamogordo, New Mexico) that it would always be my Philippi. I served there as Music and Singles Director for three years, but I still have connections there that now (after 28 years) are more affection and memory than actual maintained friendships.
Paul, after 25 years of slugging it out for Christ, is learning how to be content no matter what. That’s a tough lesson to learn, and you usually have to be knocked down often before you learn it. He is content with a lot and content with nothing. Philippians 4:13 is one of the most memorized verses in the Bible. But I am afraid it has been misunderstood. One more accurate rendering of the Greek here is, “I am ready for anything through Christ who gives me strength.” I like the “can do” perspective on life and there are other verses that support that, but the emphasis here is about being able to be versatile and content in the situations you are in. When I played basketball on defense, it was important to be on the balls of my feet and bent at the knees so that I could go in any direction I needed to go. Readiness, contentment, versatility, flexibility, and resilience are all part of what Philippians 4:13 is trying to communicate.
Finally, Paul reminds them that they cannot outgive God. They have given when they really didn’t have it to give and God will supply their needs “according to his riches.” Over and over I have found this to be true in my life. How often I have sought to give myself away to the glory of God and finished feeling like I had been as a thief who was going out with much more than I came in with or deserved. How have you found yourself unable to outgive God?
Monday, October 18, 2010
Philippians 1 &2: It's All About Attitude
The letter to the Philippians was written later in Paul’s ministry than Acts 16 (in fact, probably written from Rome in prison as mentioned in Acts 28), but it is a good opportunity for us to enjoy this inspirational writing. Philippi despite the difficult beginnings in Acts, became one of Paul’s home bases of ministry and an ongoing inspiration to him.
The letter is written to thank the Philippians for their special offering they have sent for his ministry. He begins with a statement of encouragement. Chapter 1, verse 6, is an affirmation on our last week’s class conversation about salvation as event and process.
Chapter 2:1-11 is one of my favorite passages of scripture. He uses the “self-emptying” of Christ as a model for how we live together as Christians. We don’t assert our status or our rights, but rather empty ourselves and choose to serve one another, preferring and exalting others more than ourselves. The Philippian church was in conflict (described more fully in 4:2-3), and he calls them to selfless service as their point of reconciliation. What if we got to the point that everything wasn’t all about us, but rather about touching the world with God’s love and making present his kingdom? Scholars believe this passage was one of the ancient hymns of the Church. I bet they had to sing it often! The contemporary example of this hymn for me is “They’ll Know We are Christians by Our Love.”
I'll stop for today. Have a good day and may you give yourself away for the glory of God.
The letter is written to thank the Philippians for their special offering they have sent for his ministry. He begins with a statement of encouragement. Chapter 1, verse 6, is an affirmation on our last week’s class conversation about salvation as event and process.
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”In United Methodist understanding, salvation includes the whole work of God in our personal and societal lives (justification, sanctification and entire sanctification; personal salvation and social salvation). And Paul’s prayer in verses 9-11 would be a worthy one for us to pray for each other,
“That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.”Paul was under house arrest (for at least two years in Rome), but it was also where he did some of his finest writing. His discussion of ministry that is done for impure motives is interesting. I’m not sure there is such a thing as “pure ministry,” totally emptied of ego, hypocrisy and self-interest. Yet God still uses us. I’m reminded of an article that talked about preaching in terms of Numbers 22, how the word of God can be spoken even by a donkey (it sounds so much better in the proverbial “french”). Paul has learned to rejoice in God’s good work, even through those who seem to be in it for themselves.
Chapter 2:1-11 is one of my favorite passages of scripture. He uses the “self-emptying” of Christ as a model for how we live together as Christians. We don’t assert our status or our rights, but rather empty ourselves and choose to serve one another, preferring and exalting others more than ourselves. The Philippian church was in conflict (described more fully in 4:2-3), and he calls them to selfless service as their point of reconciliation. What if we got to the point that everything wasn’t all about us, but rather about touching the world with God’s love and making present his kingdom? Scholars believe this passage was one of the ancient hymns of the Church. I bet they had to sing it often! The contemporary example of this hymn for me is “They’ll Know We are Christians by Our Love.”
I'll stop for today. Have a good day and may you give yourself away for the glory of God.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Acts 16:1-40: "Go west, young man!" (Saturday's Reading)
We’re “on the road again.” As Paul and Silas are revisiting the churches from the first journey, they meet another important character in the early church story, one who would become Paul’s son in the faith, Timothy. For ministry reasons, Paul circumcises Timothy (the very opposite of the strategy with Titus in Galatians 2).
But the second missionary journey takes a decisive turn with the vision in verse 9 of the Macedonian man calling for Paul’s help. The goal had been to do ministry in Asia Minor and then turn it around and head back to Jerusalem. The conversion of Jerusalem was always a primary goal for Paul. It never happened. It was out of resistance in Mysia , that Paul had his vision to cross the Aegean Sea and head to Greece.
In verses 11-15, we are introduced to Lydia a convert in Philippi (another Gentile God-fearer who becomes a Christian). While in Philippi, they deliver a girl from a demon that enabled her to predict the future (Jeanne Dixon?), which got them in a great deal of trouble.
The formula for faith in Christ is simple, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” I remember my theology professor in seminary saying, “Theology is complex and difficult, but the gospel is simple.” The great theologian of the Word of God, Karl Barth said that all of theology could be summed up in the children’s song, “Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so.”
The story finishes with a little bravado on the part of Paul and Silas (fun to read) and then they return to Lydia’s house. Paul and Silas, filled with a new direction and new boldness take on an even greater chapter of ministry than they first dreamed. The Spirit continues to be the “surprise” dimension of God.
But the second missionary journey takes a decisive turn with the vision in verse 9 of the Macedonian man calling for Paul’s help. The goal had been to do ministry in Asia Minor and then turn it around and head back to Jerusalem. The conversion of Jerusalem was always a primary goal for Paul. It never happened. It was out of resistance in Mysia , that Paul had his vision to cross the Aegean Sea and head to Greece.
In verses 11-15, we are introduced to Lydia a convert in Philippi (another Gentile God-fearer who becomes a Christian). While in Philippi, they deliver a girl from a demon that enabled her to predict the future (Jeanne Dixon?), which got them in a great deal of trouble.
Isn’t it interesting how we protect our ability to make money on that which is harmful and does damage to people? In the 90s, I sat on a jury for woman who was accused of prostitution. She was a dancer at one of the “adult” clubs outside the city. She had not been in the states long and knew very little English. One of the people with her was the owner of the night club, who by indications was also her pimp. As the jury, we found her guilty, but we regretted that we could not put her boss on trial. We would gladly have let her go and thrown the book at him. I talked with a former District Attorney about the experience and he shared with me the heavy organized crime connections to the adult entertainment industry in that city. I asked, “Why aren’t we going after them?” He said, “They pay lots of taxes.”The conversion of the Philippian jailer and his family is one of the great stories of Scripture. Paul and Silas choose to sing hymns of praise while they are in jail. Luke mentions that the others in the jail were listening to them. They are witnessing of God’s amazing grace and power even in prison (every place is an opportunity). An earthquake hits and all the chains fell off all the prisoners, but none of them run for it. Paul introduces the Philippian jailer to Christ and baptizes his whole family. How old were those children? Is it possible that there were those not of age who were baptized – baptized before they professed faith in Christ? It’s mere conjecture, but an interesting thought when you consider that most men did not live past their 30s in that day.
The formula for faith in Christ is simple, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” I remember my theology professor in seminary saying, “Theology is complex and difficult, but the gospel is simple.” The great theologian of the Word of God, Karl Barth said that all of theology could be summed up in the children’s song, “Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so.”
The story finishes with a little bravado on the part of Paul and Silas (fun to read) and then they return to Lydia’s house. Paul and Silas, filled with a new direction and new boldness take on an even greater chapter of ministry than they first dreamed. The Spirit continues to be the “surprise” dimension of God.
Galatians 5-6: "I Walk Free" (Friday's Reading - Got Behind!)
One of the formative experiences of my understanding of Paul was my summer tour with the Continental Singers in 1973 at the age of 16 (throughout the US and Spain, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands). We sang 125 times with one day off in 82 days. Our musical for the second half was “The Apostle” by Bill Tewson and Cam Floria. When you sing the life and teachings of Paul 125 times, it starts to stick. The highlight of the musical was the triumphant song, “I Walk Free”, based on Galatians 5. I still can hear the words, "It is by faith we know his freedom, freedom to live in the morning, run where the sun shines bright...the day shines new, and I walk free, a child of the light."
Religious legalism is very much behind the fundamentalist forms of religion that are at the center of our present world conflicts: radical Shi’ite Muslims, radical Hindus, and radical fundamentalist Christians. The energy in those movements comes from the ability to carve out absolutes in a rapidly changing world. The Judaizers were trying to do the same in the rapidly emerging Christian community in Galatians. But the end result of religious legalism is generally the same, emphasis on the “do nots” and short shrift for the positive aspects of the faith.
In verse 6, Paul offers a clear direction, “The only things that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Certainly that could be taken to extremes. Faith can be sincere and wrong at the same time. Paul is not saying “anything goes” as long as faith and love are there. But faith in God through Christ by the power of the Spirit expressed in love is a powerful combination.
Paul reminds the Galatians that the freedom we have is not the freedom to do as we please, but is rather a freedom to serve. The word “serve” is literally means to take the role of a slave. Christians were primarily a slave people forced to serve. Now they could choose to serve, to prefer one another over themselves.
The Problem of Religious LegalismPart of our USAmerican heritage is the powerful influence of the Puritans, highly committed to education and strict moral observance. Legalism is attractive for some because it offers a measurable way to monitor spiritual growth. Did you keep the standards? Were you here for these services and classes? The problem is that faith becomes limited to what we say and do, and the unpredictable and expansive work of the Holy Spirit becomes stifled.
Religious legalism is very much behind the fundamentalist forms of religion that are at the center of our present world conflicts: radical Shi’ite Muslims, radical Hindus, and radical fundamentalist Christians. The energy in those movements comes from the ability to carve out absolutes in a rapidly changing world. The Judaizers were trying to do the same in the rapidly emerging Christian community in Galatians. But the end result of religious legalism is generally the same, emphasis on the “do nots” and short shrift for the positive aspects of the faith.
In verse 6, Paul offers a clear direction, “The only things that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Certainly that could be taken to extremes. Faith can be sincere and wrong at the same time. Paul is not saying “anything goes” as long as faith and love are there. But faith in God through Christ by the power of the Spirit expressed in love is a powerful combination.
Paul reminds the Galatians that the freedom we have is not the freedom to do as we please, but is rather a freedom to serve. The word “serve” is literally means to take the role of a slave. Christians were primarily a slave people forced to serve. Now they could choose to serve, to prefer one another over themselves.
God’s Character Building ProcessIt is important to remember that Paul is writing to Christians, and that they still struggle with their sinful natures (we’re not alone). For an expanded treatment of this read Romans 6-8. While the freedom of life in the Spirit is what we are to enjoy, we have to moment-by-moment choose whether we fill feed our life in the Spirit or our selfish sinful nature. Paul gives vivid results of feeding the sinful nature in verses 19-21. We are at our most dangerous when we don’t think we’re capable or that we are above any of those things (sexual immorality, idolatry, hatred, discord, etc). But we don’t just resist the negative, we feed a positive agenda, which is our growth in the Spirit. We can be filled with the Spirit and receive the gifts and power to do ministry in a moment, but the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc) are cultivated and developed in us over time. For me the fruits of the Spirit are a wonderful description of what happens in us through the sanctifying grace of God. As you look at your last week, celebrate the times when you grew in the Spirit and ask forgiveness for when the sinful nature raised its ugly head.
Competitive Christianity (6:1-10)We live in a competitive society in constant comparison with each other to see who is better and who is winning. Legalistic religion feeds that competitiveness, but serving in love counters it. But what if as human beings we are naturally competitive? Then, I want to suggest there are plenty of worthy opponents to tangle with: sin, corruption, forces that strip the sense of value and dignity of people, poverty, empty materialism, etc. We check our motivations to be sure that we are truly sharing of ourselves in love. In choosing to serve others first, we are planting seeds for a great harvest that benefits everybody and spreads God’s kingdom. Sometimes that is easy and sometimes it isn’t. Paul encourages us to “stay at it.”
A Final Word from PaulI love Galatians 6:14, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” We cannot boast in ourselves and be drawn into divisiveness and competitiveness. Instead we boast in the cross of Christ. Charles Wesley writes in the classic hymn, “And Are We Yet Alive,” “Then let us make our boast of his redeeming power that saves us to the uttermost till we can sin no more.” “Just say no” to legalistic religion and “just say yes” to liberating life in the Spirit.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Galatians 3 & 4: Justification by Faith in the Promise
Law and FaithI must admit that these two chapters are ponderous and difficult. His point is that before the law was created with Moses, there was the promise that was given to Abraham. Quoting Genesis 15:6 and Habakkuk 2:4, Paul makes the case that there was a righteousness before there was the law, and that righteousness was obtained through faith in God, not by obedience to a moral law code. Working Abraham against Moses like that would certainly have been a jolt to his Pharisaically-minded opponents. One of the books I read for my doctoral studies is entitled, Echoes of Scripture in the Writings of Paul. While it will never win the Pulitzer or be a major bestseller, it does takes seriously Paul’s creative use of the Old Testament. His experience of the risen Christ and the power of the Spirit changed the lens through which he saw scripture. For John Wesley, his heart-warming experience at Aldersgate and the call to take the gospel to people outsider their workplaces shaped how he saw scripture. How has your experience of the Christ shaped the way you see the Bible?
How is the law a curse (Gal. 3:10)? It is a curse because we cannot keep it. It is a standard which puts us in a perpetual guilt cycle: 1) We agree that the standard is correct, 2) We fail to meet the standard by words and action and experience guilt, 3) We ask for forgiveness and promise to do better in the future and then the cycle repeats itself. The law reveals our need (for forgiveness and a new way of life) but it cannot deliver what we need. That comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. In the words of Gal. 3:24: “So that law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.”
Law and PromiseThe promise to Abraham also predated the law. It is here in Galatians 4:21-31, we have a creative look at Hagar and Sarah. When Abraham was 86, eleven years after the promise that he would be the father of many nations, Sarah (who was unable to have children) decided it would be best for Abraham to have a child by her maid, Hagar. Hagar gave birth to Ishmael. When Abraham was 100 years old God appeared to him and told him that Sarah was going to have a child at the ripe old age of 90 (35 years after the promise!). What a laugher that was – thus his name “Isaac” (Genesis 17:19, Genesis 18:12, Genesis 21:6). Abraham actually asks that the blessing go through Ishmael (the child born to his slave, Hagar), but the blessing goes through Isaac (the child born of Abraham’s wife – a free woman - and the child of the promise). For Paul, the miraculous birth of Isaac is a picture of God’s preference for promise over law, for freedom over slavery.
No doubt, the Pharisaical opponents would have balked at such a stretch. The association of Hagar and Ishmael with the law would have been unacceptable and ludicrous. But Paul is really using his own experience of the liberating grace of God in Christ (vs. his slavery to the Pharisaic law code before he encountered Christ) as the lens by which he can see what his opponents cannot.
When I look at the present tensions between Muslims (who often connect themselves to Abraham through Ishmael) and Jews & Christians (who connect themselves to Abraham through Isaac), I wonder what would happen if we simply said, “Abraham is common ground to us. He did become a father of many nations, partly by Ishmael (the 1.6 billion Muslims) and partly by Isaac (the 2.3 billion Christians and Jews).” The assumption by our warring factions is that one child is legitimate and other is illegitimate. Paul’s analysis here tends to confirm that only Isaac is legitimate? What do you think?
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Galatians 1-2: The Jerusalem Conference Revisited
As the fledgling Christian movement (known as “the Church”) grew, Paul was no longer able to keep up with each one by visiting them. His strategy was to send a letter by messengers (often fellow missionaries) to a region and have the letter circulated through the churches. Galatia refers to a northern area of Asia minor (present day Turkey), but there is no reference to Paul ever having ventured that far north, and this letter gives every indication he had been among the people. It is more likely that Galatia here refers to that whole section of Asia minor, which would include many of the cities he visited on is first missionary journey (Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, etc). We know from our reading in Acts that Judaizers (Jewish Christians with Pharisee background) were stirring up a controversy over circumcision. It was the whole reason that Paul had been called back to Jerusalem. It looks like Paul was fresh off that experience with the Jerusalem Council when he penned this letter, which he says in Gal. 2:1 was fourteen years after his Damascus Road experience.
Paul immediately jumps into the issue by countering the Judaizers (saying they are offering a different gospel and there is no other gospel). His language is combative (let them “be accursed” or “eternally condemned”). It will get more graphic before the letter is over! He is a former Pharisee himself, caught in the slavery of legalism, which his testimony in Gal. 1:13-24 describes. Paul writes that he spent three years in Arabia and Damascus and then went to meet with Peter (a personal reporting of Acts 9:26-30). This letter is basically an energetic tirade. He sees the teachings of the Judaizers going in the direction of the legalistic faith he abandoned. We also may be getting here a little more of the style and content of the arguments Paul and Barnabas used at the Jerusalem Council.
This is Paul in his late 30s or early 40s with all the passion and power of young ministry at the front of the expansion of the Christian faith – Christianity with an edge. When you compare this letter to his others (particularly I, II Timothy and Titus), you can see how Paul’s faith matures through the years. The commitment to Christ and the gospel deepens but the edge becomes milder. Walking with Christ and learning the lessons of ministry can do that to you. Yet his actions to expand the gospel become more creative and bold through the years. Growth in Christ will do that as well.
Acts 2 gives some of the details of the Jerusalem Council and also a visit between Paul and the leaders in Antioch. Evidently, in Antioch Peter’s close friendship with James (one of the key leaders of the Jewish Church) caused Peter to draw back from the Gentiles. Paul even mentions that Barnabas did the same thing for awhile. I have been caught in that vise myself, where you choose to stay close to a certain group so that you can bring them along in the new direction God is moving. That actually can be a very good strategy. The problem is that you can get caught so much in bringing the resistant folks along that you alienate yourself from those coming to faith, who see you as taking up sides with “the old regime.”
The accusation against Paul was that he was “breaking the Law” in abandoning circumcision. He shares in Gal. 2:17-21 that he is not breaking the law, but rather dying to it. It has a role, which Paul will share later in the letter, but it was his adherence to a legalistic religion that had to die in order for him to truly live. If you haven’t memorized Galatians 2:20, I would invite you to do that today.
Paul immediately jumps into the issue by countering the Judaizers (saying they are offering a different gospel and there is no other gospel). His language is combative (let them “be accursed” or “eternally condemned”). It will get more graphic before the letter is over! He is a former Pharisee himself, caught in the slavery of legalism, which his testimony in Gal. 1:13-24 describes. Paul writes that he spent three years in Arabia and Damascus and then went to meet with Peter (a personal reporting of Acts 9:26-30). This letter is basically an energetic tirade. He sees the teachings of the Judaizers going in the direction of the legalistic faith he abandoned. We also may be getting here a little more of the style and content of the arguments Paul and Barnabas used at the Jerusalem Council.
This is Paul in his late 30s or early 40s with all the passion and power of young ministry at the front of the expansion of the Christian faith – Christianity with an edge. When you compare this letter to his others (particularly I, II Timothy and Titus), you can see how Paul’s faith matures through the years. The commitment to Christ and the gospel deepens but the edge becomes milder. Walking with Christ and learning the lessons of ministry can do that to you. Yet his actions to expand the gospel become more creative and bold through the years. Growth in Christ will do that as well.
Acts 2 gives some of the details of the Jerusalem Council and also a visit between Paul and the leaders in Antioch. Evidently, in Antioch Peter’s close friendship with James (one of the key leaders of the Jewish Church) caused Peter to draw back from the Gentiles. Paul even mentions that Barnabas did the same thing for awhile. I have been caught in that vise myself, where you choose to stay close to a certain group so that you can bring them along in the new direction God is moving. That actually can be a very good strategy. The problem is that you can get caught so much in bringing the resistant folks along that you alienate yourself from those coming to faith, who see you as taking up sides with “the old regime.”
The accusation against Paul was that he was “breaking the Law” in abandoning circumcision. He shares in Gal. 2:17-21 that he is not breaking the law, but rather dying to it. It has a role, which Paul will share later in the letter, but it was his adherence to a legalistic religion that had to die in order for him to truly live. If you haven’t memorized Galatians 2:20, I would invite you to do that today.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”Our lives are a continual revisiting of the cross, the empty tomb and Pentecost. We die to our selfishness and our ways of thinking and doing things and are raised to a new and freer ways of thinking and doing, allowing Christ to further live in us by the Spirit. I don’t do this easily, but I have seen the process at work for 39 years now, and I expect it to continue for the rest of my earthly life. What needs to die in you and what new life will happen because of it?
Monday, October 11, 2010
Acts 15:22-44: Unity and Division (Tuesday's Reading!)
The Ministry of ValidationThe Jerusalem Council agrees to send a letter to the church in Antioch countering the extremism of the Judaizers. It is a letter to the Gentiles only. It speaks glowingly of Paul and Barnabas and their sacrifice for Christ. We are also introduced to the next character that will play a major role in the spread of the gospel, Silas. When I was pastor at Trinity-First United Methodist Church in El Paso, because we were the first Protestant Church in El Paso, we had high respect among the Methodists in Juarez and in the North Mexico Conference (based in Chihuahua). I would go to Juarez for special occasions and our endorsement of their emerging ministries was very important to them. The endorsement of the Gentiles in Antioch by Jerusalem was huge. I have learned that the ministry of validation is important. Children, despite saying otherwise, need the validation of their parents as do spouses of each other. Young adults need the validation of older adults in the church and new initiatives need the validation of those who have been in the church awhile. One criticism of some churches is that they are so prone to do things the way they have always been done that they inadvertently “eat their young” (starving new initiatives and squashing new leadership). As the United Methodist Church raises up new leaders (one of four major priorities of our denomination), we will need to strengthen our guidance and validation.
Two Becomes FourHaving settled things in Jerusalem and Antioch, Paul is ready to go on his second journey. The main agenda will be to return to the churches they have already established. That will not happen. But a major rift now happens in the leadership. Barnabas wants to take Mark on the trip (always the one wanting to develop others in ministry) but Paul is still smarting from Mark deserting them on the first journey. A complicating factor may be that Mark and Barnabas are relatives. Paul ends up going with Silas from then on and Barnabas and Mark go on to Cyprus. The Cyprus venture became quite successful, according to tradition. Barnabas is the patron saint of the church in Cyprus. But the book of Acts never mentions Barnabas or John Mark again.
One of the characteristics of the USAmerican Church is that has grown mainly by division. There are more than 60 kinds of Methodist denominations and 300 kinds of Baptist denominations in the United States alone. Because of Paul’s dispute with Barnabas, the church grows west and south. In the last church I served, the congregation went through a church split. It was deeply painful with heavy casualties. Yet the gospel spread in ways that it would not have otherwise. I would much rather that churches choose to split for expanding the mission rather than out of personal disagreements (because of the casualties). The fact that the gospel grew even as a result of personally motivated splits shows that God can work even in spite of us.
We now move to the letter to the Galatians, the earliest and most volatile of Paul’s letters.
Acts 15:1-21: Church Fights - They've Been Around Awhile
I'm sending this blog from the holding room for Reece's surgery. If I have time, I may send Tuesday's reading as well.
I have heard it said that the only place there is no conflict is the graveyard. Whoever said that has never been a pastor. I have seen some pretty intense conflict with families at funerals. But the point of the saying is that dead people don’t fight and where there is life there will be conflict. People don’t look alike, think alike, have the same experiences or even see colors the same. That’s why it’s foolish to think that the church will be conflict-free. In fact, one of the major problems in the church is that we hide from our conflicts (not addressing issues, not struggling together for God’s vision) because people have taught us that conflict is sin. Disunity is sin in the church, not conflict. Unfortunately, in chapter 15, we will have both conflict and disunity.
Paul and Barnabas return with their good report, but for some there are some things that are not so good. In the words of the converted Pharisees, “Before they are saved, they need to get circumcised and become like us.” How interesting this must have been for Paul, who was once a radical Pharisee himself. I have had similar conversations when I have done Spanish language choruses and hymns in worship. People will say outright, “We don’t need to become like them, they need to become like us. After all, we’re the majority.” Sometimes that will be followed with, “After all, Will, this is America.” Similarly, the argument between Paul and Barnabas and some of the Jewish leaders is about more than beliefs. It’s about culture. The traditions over time have become holy.
Peter is the one to first make the case for not making the Gentiles be circumcised.
In verses 12-21, Barnabas and Paul (notice the order is back to Barnabas first out of respect to his place in the Jewish Christian community) make their presentation. The compromise Paul suggests is to discourage the Gentile Christians from eating food that had been committed to idols. Even that becomes an issue for compromise in the book of Romans. Luke’s version of this argument is rather tame compared to Paul’s version in Galatians. For that reason, after tomorrow, we will break from Acts and read the letter to the Galatians.
This argument over circumcision reminds me of many different arguments in the history of the church: over holy communion, over baptism, over scripture and how it is to be interpreted, over worship. John Wesley wrote a sermon entitled “The Catholic Spirit,” in which he made the distinction between those things that are necessary and those that aren’t. For him, faith in Jesus Christ and love of our neighbor were necessary. While differences in celebration of communion and other things were lesser concerns. He conceded that there would be disagreements, but when it was not over things necessary for salvation and central to the ministry of the Church he said, “If your heart is as my heart, take my hand.” The Holy Spirit is amazingly varied and loose. The best volume I have seen that captures that is The Shack. Thus God keeps making us make room for His ways “that are higher than our ways” and God still reserves the right “to be whatever God chooses to be.”
I have heard it said that the only place there is no conflict is the graveyard. Whoever said that has never been a pastor. I have seen some pretty intense conflict with families at funerals. But the point of the saying is that dead people don’t fight and where there is life there will be conflict. People don’t look alike, think alike, have the same experiences or even see colors the same. That’s why it’s foolish to think that the church will be conflict-free. In fact, one of the major problems in the church is that we hide from our conflicts (not addressing issues, not struggling together for God’s vision) because people have taught us that conflict is sin. Disunity is sin in the church, not conflict. Unfortunately, in chapter 15, we will have both conflict and disunity.
Paul and Barnabas return with their good report, but for some there are some things that are not so good. In the words of the converted Pharisees, “Before they are saved, they need to get circumcised and become like us.” How interesting this must have been for Paul, who was once a radical Pharisee himself. I have had similar conversations when I have done Spanish language choruses and hymns in worship. People will say outright, “We don’t need to become like them, they need to become like us. After all, we’re the majority.” Sometimes that will be followed with, “After all, Will, this is America.” Similarly, the argument between Paul and Barnabas and some of the Jewish leaders is about more than beliefs. It’s about culture. The traditions over time have become holy.
Peter is the one to first make the case for not making the Gentiles be circumcised.
“God who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.”Unfortunately, the Pharisaical Christians did not have a sheet dropped before them, nor had they the experience of seeing Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit.
In verses 12-21, Barnabas and Paul (notice the order is back to Barnabas first out of respect to his place in the Jewish Christian community) make their presentation. The compromise Paul suggests is to discourage the Gentile Christians from eating food that had been committed to idols. Even that becomes an issue for compromise in the book of Romans. Luke’s version of this argument is rather tame compared to Paul’s version in Galatians. For that reason, after tomorrow, we will break from Acts and read the letter to the Galatians.
This argument over circumcision reminds me of many different arguments in the history of the church: over holy communion, over baptism, over scripture and how it is to be interpreted, over worship. John Wesley wrote a sermon entitled “The Catholic Spirit,” in which he made the distinction between those things that are necessary and those that aren’t. For him, faith in Jesus Christ and love of our neighbor were necessary. While differences in celebration of communion and other things were lesser concerns. He conceded that there would be disagreements, but when it was not over things necessary for salvation and central to the ministry of the Church he said, “If your heart is as my heart, take my hand.” The Holy Spirit is amazingly varied and loose. The best volume I have seen that captures that is The Shack. Thus God keeps making us make room for His ways “that are higher than our ways” and God still reserves the right “to be whatever God chooses to be.”
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Acts 14:1-28: The End of the First Missionary Journey
In Iconium (14:1-7)As we have seen before, Paul and Barnabas begin by speaking at the local synagogue, and again, they are received with mixed results. In Iconium, some who become believers are persuaded by Jewish opponents to abandon their commitment, so the two stay longer than they planned. Luke calls Paul and Barnabas apostles for the first time. One of the key qualifications to be an apostle was that you had to have seen Jesus in the flesh. Paul’s encounter of the risen Christ on the Damascus road, as well as his major leadership role, made him an apostle. We’re not told how Barnabas might have had that level of Christian experience. Perhaps it is more a designation that he is a primary leader in the effort to reach the Gentiles. With there being threats on their lives, they flee to Lystra and Derbe, where they preach the gospel.
Zeus and Hermes (14:8-20)After the healing of the lame man, the people believe Paul and Barnabas are gods and want to sacrifice to them. It is to their credit that the two apostles do not choose to read their own press. There are those who would rather follow a personality cult (miracle junkies and spiritual experience junkies) than follow Jesus. Don’t get me wrong. I believe in miracles and I believe that experiences of God’s presence should be celebrated and encouraged. It was Christian experience that made the difference in the lives and ministries of John and Charles Wesley.
In 1973, when I travelled to the US and Europe with the Continental Singers, the response to our concerts (particularly in Europe) were overwhelming. We would be careful to point to heaven as they applauded. It is not us, but Christ in us, that is the hope of glory, and the power of our ministry. Every time we allow what we do in Christ to become primarily about us and our popularity, the gospel gets cheapened and every kind of vice and corruption can enter in.
Why Zeus and Hermes? Hermes was the messenger god, so evidently Paul was considered Hermes due to his preaching. Why Zeus for Barnabas? Maybe it was because he was older or had done some of the major miracles among the people. No one knows.
This time, in Derbe, Paul is stoned and left for dead. He survives, but they decide now to double back to where they have been and return to Antioch.
The Return Home (14:21-28)On their way back they do two things: 1) encourage the churches and 2) set up leaders to carry on the ministry. Paul and Barnabas are now expanding the base of leaders, just as Peter and John did in Acts 6 and Moses did in Exodus 18. One of the primary lessons I have learned in ministry is that the choosing , training and deploying of spirit-filled leaders is one of the key components in ministry faithfulness and success. This is something the United Methodist Church did not do well in the last generation. We tended to raise up professionals more than we raised up called and spirit-filled leaders. Some conferences call their Boards of Ministry the “Board of Professional Ministries”. We have raised up ministers and staff that sometimes are more concerned about their professional development than they are about growing their relationship with Christ and doing ministry in the power of the Spirit. I consider this trend in the past generation to be one of the major contributors to our decline in number and influence. What do you think? And how can we reverse this trend?
Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch with an exciting report of how the Gentiles are responding to the gospel. That leads to a major controversy, which we will look at on Monday.
Friday, October 08, 2010
Acts 13:13-52: The Book of II Acts?
I titled this with tongue in cheek, but clearly it is right here that Acts makes its biggest turn in a little port town of Pisidia Antioch.
We also no longer see the priority of Barnabas in the book of Acts. The shift and name change is so blatant that you wonder if Luke changed sources for the rest of Acts (Luke has already told us that both volumes – the gospel of Luke and Acts – were done as a research effort comparing the best of sources available). From now on it is no longer Barnabas and Saul but rather Paul and Barnabas. As I shared in a sermon on Barnabas a few months ago, the willingness of Barnabas to take second place to Paul and allow Paul to come into the fullness of ministry is one of Barnabas’ great moments.
We’re also told that John Mark decided to leave the missionary journey and return to Jerusalem. Per usual, Luke is preparing us for a future event, which we will find in Acts 15.
Gentiles then. The Gentiles are excited to hear that, but the Jewish leaders start a propaganda campaign to discredit them and eventually Paul and Barnabas are forced to leave. They take Jesus quite literally and “shake the dust off their feet.” They leave Pisidia Antioch full of the joy and the spirit of the Lord, even though their ministry there has abruptly ended.
One of the things about being the 21st century USAmerican church is that we are having to learn to witness to our faith when reactions to that witness can be defensive and even hostile. We grew up when the church and the Christian faith were both dominant and well-received. You couldn’t be elected to public office without a faith connection. Due to a further secularization of American society, the public disgrace of Christian leaders, and the huge damage created by extremist religions in the world, enthusiastic evangelistic witness is regarded with suspicion. This requires a wiser form of witness than in the past two generations. We will need to build authentic relationships with people and earn the right to be heard. And even when we do, positive results will not necessarily be the case. The safety net with which we were raised, has been removed. The society in which we now live more and more resembles the Roman empire and the hazards of witnessing to that society more and more resemble the early Church.
Name and Order Change (13:13-15)Without warning, Paul takes on his Roman name, Paul. We’ll see later that Paul was both a Jew and a Roman citizen. His Jewish name was Saul and his Roman name was Paul (probably short for Paulus). I was taught as a child that Paul’s name was changed upon his conversion. A closer reading of Acts shows that was not the case. It seems more related to his ministry success with the Gentiles.
We also no longer see the priority of Barnabas in the book of Acts. The shift and name change is so blatant that you wonder if Luke changed sources for the rest of Acts (Luke has already told us that both volumes – the gospel of Luke and Acts – were done as a research effort comparing the best of sources available). From now on it is no longer Barnabas and Saul but rather Paul and Barnabas. As I shared in a sermon on Barnabas a few months ago, the willingness of Barnabas to take second place to Paul and allow Paul to come into the fullness of ministry is one of Barnabas’ great moments.
We’re also told that John Mark decided to leave the missionary journey and return to Jerusalem. Per usual, Luke is preparing us for a future event, which we will find in Acts 15.
A Kinder Gentler Sermon (13:16-41)The sermon that follows shows a similar pattern to other sermons in the book of Acts – a retelling of Jewish history in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus. His audience at the outer court of the synagogue (where Jew and Gentile could gather) was a mix of Jewish leaders and Gentile God-fearers. The preaching is much more tactical than confrontational here. The person of David is given high prominence, so as to establish common ground with the Jewish leaders (13:20b-23, 32-36). The thesis is that David was a great leader, but he died and the promise given to him has been fulfilled in Jesus who is alive.
Encore (13:42-52)The gathered group invites Paul and Barnabas back the next Sabbath to share more. But the audience for the second sharing is much larger (“the whole town turned out”). The Jews come to the second gathering to heckle. Paul, seeing their resistance, tells them that they will present the gospel to the
Gentiles then. The Gentiles are excited to hear that, but the Jewish leaders start a propaganda campaign to discredit them and eventually Paul and Barnabas are forced to leave. They take Jesus quite literally and “shake the dust off their feet.” They leave Pisidia Antioch full of the joy and the spirit of the Lord, even though their ministry there has abruptly ended.
One of the things about being the 21st century USAmerican church is that we are having to learn to witness to our faith when reactions to that witness can be defensive and even hostile. We grew up when the church and the Christian faith were both dominant and well-received. You couldn’t be elected to public office without a faith connection. Due to a further secularization of American society, the public disgrace of Christian leaders, and the huge damage created by extremist religions in the world, enthusiastic evangelistic witness is regarded with suspicion. This requires a wiser form of witness than in the past two generations. We will need to build authentic relationships with people and earn the right to be heard. And even when we do, positive results will not necessarily be the case. The safety net with which we were raised, has been removed. The society in which we now live more and more resembles the Roman empire and the hazards of witnessing to that society more and more resemble the early Church.
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Acts 12:25-13:12: The First Missionary Journey Begins
The Christ OnesAs we begin, we see what is really the rest of the story on the outreach to Antioch, which began in Acts 11:22ff. Barnabas is sent to the church in Antioch. Notice the description of him from 11:23-24: “When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit, and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.” Notice that Barnabas does not bring Christ to the people, he encourages and feeds what God is already doing there. Missionally, this means we are not “people who have it” taking the gospel to those “who don’t have it” (the superior taking something to the inferior, a major flow in USAmerican missions thinking for a long time). We through witness and demonstration make what God is doing more obvious and invite people to participate along with us. As one writer puts it, “Witnessing is really one beggar showing another beggar where to find bread.”
Since becoming pastor at St. Barnabas, I am discovering just how pivotal and dynamic a player he is in the spread of the gospel. His real name was Joseph, but the church called him Barnabas, meaning “son of encouragement.” His “can do” Spirit and his motivation of people to “stay in there” despite persecution characterized his ministry. He was “good,” he was “full of the Holy Spirit” and he was full of “faith.” Zan Holmes, the great preacher of St. Luke’s Community United Methodist Church in Dallas for many years, spoke at a Conference where he invited everyone to take a look at their driver’s licenses and then asked, “Do you look like your picture?” Fortunately, most of us don’t look like our DL pics! But in Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-36, we do have pictures of what we are to be like as the Church. Furthermore, we as the St. Barnabas United Methodist Church people, have a namesake. Are we a “can do” people, a motivating people of encouragement, a good people full of the Holy Spirit and faith? Do we look like our biblical picture? This is one we really do want to look like.
Obviously, this blog could have been done in one of the open spots late last week. And there is one more thing from Acts 11 we shouldn’t miss, in verse 26, “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” The name “Christian” may actually have been a nickname given us by our detractors. It the late second century, the pagans of the day would jeer at the people of Christ, “Behold, the Christians (the Christ ones) how they love each other.” Their agape love was seen as a sign of weakness. We know for certain that our detractors gave us the name “Methodists,” because we were known to say the same things and do things the same way (always the same “method”). So our two main names “Christian” and “Methodist” were nicknames given us by our critics. Today, we are proud to bear those names, knowing that they are part of who we are as a movement of God for the transformation of the world.
In 12:25, we are introduced to another character that will be important in the church’s story, John Mark. It is he who some twenty years later would pen with the help of Peter, the gospel that bears his name. Tradition has it that John Mark was the boy who ran away naked at the arrest of Jesus (Mark 14:51-52). According to Acts 12:12, when Peter miraculously escaped from prison, it was John Mark’s mother’s home that he went to. Mark accompanies Barnabas and Saul on the first missionary journey as their assistant.
Off They Go (Acts 12:25-13:5)The opening verses of chapter 13 show the central role of the Holy Spirit for the journey. In verses 2 and 3, the Holy Spirit calls for Barnabas and Saul to move out from Antioch and the people lay hands on them and pray, sending them off in the power of the Spirit. In verse 4, we are told that the Holy Spirit is the one who leads them where they should go and with whom they would share the good news. Barnabas and Saul are using two major vehicles already in place to do their ministry. They are following the Roman roads and trade routes and they are using the synagogues in each location as their point of departure. The Christian faith is still being treated as a predominantly Jewish movement.
The Blinding of Elymas (13:6-12)One of the striking things of the New Testament is its constant battle with impostors, false teachers and counterfeit Christianity. Elymas called himself “Bar-Jesus,” which literally means “son of Jesus.” He was a sorcerer who used the cause of Christ to gain an audience (a regrettable thing that has happened throughout Christian history). Saul is careful not to call him “Bar-Jesus,” but rather calls him by his given name and then does one of the negative miracles of scripture on him (afflicting Elymas with temporary blindness). Woah! Stop the tape. This sounds familiar – someone temporarily blinded to get his attention and change his ways. We are not told that Elymas repents, but it was enough for his boss, Sergius Paulus, who becomes a Christian.
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