Gift of the Spirit given even to the Gentiles

From today's reading:  The [Jews] who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.  Acts 10:45-46

In today's lesson, the Jews were "astounded" that God would bless the Gentiles with such obvious evidence of his presence.  They weren't sure what to do about it, but Peter knew they had to offer the water of baptism.  I was very blessed when Bishop Andy Doyle was at St. John's, La Porte in May.  After baptizing our adult candidate, he offered the ministry of baptism to anyone there who felt called to come forward.  Acceptance for anyone and everyone who desired to come - regardless of race, class, age or political or sexual persuasion.

Why is it, that as a human people, we have trouble believing that someone who is not 'just like us' cannot receive the Spirit of God?  And why is it that we seem to think that if a person truly does believe, they will come around to our way of thinking?  I know (and love) a number of people who are all God-fearing Christians, but some are "flaming liberals," while others are "bullheaded conservatives."  Yet they all know and love Jesus Christ and they follow him as their Lord and Savior.    

I don't think we're ever going to see eye to eye on many of the externals, but Jesus' commission to love our neighbor and to spread the news that He is risen from the dead lives on as the guiding principle for our life.  We just need to remember that "Christian" means that we are followers of  Jesus Christ, and we come in all shapes and sizes and political persuasions.  

(Personally, this year as a good "Via Media" Anglican, I'm looking for a third viable candidate for president.  Hmm, Jesus Christ himself might be nice...)

The wonder of God's law

From today's reading:  Psalm 119:17-18

17 Deal bountifully with your servant, * that I may live and keep your word.

18 Open my eyes, that I may see *

the wonders of your law.    

I read that and I really wish that it said, "that I may see the wonders of your creation" rather than "of your law."  Creation I can deal with much more favorably - laws are a little harder.  I don't necessarily want to think about laws that have to be obeyed.  I'd much rather think about the delights of creation rather than obedience, because I can do guilt trips really well.  I can easily obsess over things that I have not handled well, or sometimes not at all.  

And I can sometimes beat myself up over not helping someone in a particular situation.  But the truth is I do help in some situations and not in others.  Sometimes I feel called to reach out and sometimes I don't.  In those times, when I don't reach out, I have to remind myself that I can't do everything - and I'm not even called to do everything.  In some situations, someone else is called and I have to honor that person's service.

I also have to remember that from a human perspective, God's laws make sense.  At the time they were written, there were real health concerns that were addressed as law.  They included listing some foods as "unclean" that we now know in some circumstances can cause illnesses. They included washing hands and washing eating and cooking utensils.  Many of them were very practical laws meant to keep people healthy.

But God's laws also address human relationship.  They say something important about how we deal with each other.  The vast majority of God's laws are intended for the benefit of human kind - emotionally, spiritually and physically.  It is a wonder to see and understand that God's law indeed makes sense in the world even today.   

Taking refuge in the Lord

From today's reading:  Psalm 5:13-14

13 But all who take refuge in you will be glad;* 

     they will sing out their joy for ever.

14 You will shelter them, *

     so that those who love your Name may exult in you. 

Offer a prayer for me this morning, please - I have pain and stiffness in my head and neck. Thank you for your faithfulness.

Seek God in all things

From today's reading: "As for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause. He does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. He gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields; he sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.  Job 5:8-11

This is the voice of Job's friend Eliphaz speaking.  We remember that Job is the servant of the Lord who was tested by Satan.  Satan took everything away from Job because Satan believed that the only reason Job loved God was because of his good fortune.  But Satan was mistaken.  Job did not curse God, he sought to understand.  

Job's story is an example of "when bad things happen to good people."  Many people think it is the oldest book of the Bible.  It is a story of how we handle the bad things that happen in life.  In the passage above, the goodness of God is affirmed.  

The passage encourages honest conversation with God.  When things go wrong, we need to be honest with God about what we feel, how we feel.  We need to seek the voice of God in the midst of turmoil and trust that he will bring us out on the other side.  Even when we do things that bring about our own downfall, God is there to pick us up on the other side.  So seek God and trust him to care for you and to be there at all times.

The Whole Armor of God

From today's reading: Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

The following is a portion of a sermon I preached at Redeemer 6 years ago.

Paul tells us to be strong in the Lord and to pray at all times.  He tells us to be aware that things are going to happen to us that are going to try to draw us away from the Lord.  He says to put on the whole armor of God.  

Paul had been in prison when he wrote this and he had watched the soldiers put on their armor day after day and he thought of a way to use that to teach others how to do battle with these powers that seem to try to drag us down, and to be able to keep the faith.  He says, “dress yourself as a soldier dresses for battle.   Put on the belt of truth.”  You’ve heard the saying, ‘the truth shall set you free’ – if you keep the truth before you, then you won’t be distracted by lies and distortions others tell you.  

Next, you put on the breastplate of righteousness – the knowledge that you are of God, made in his image and you have chosen – made the decision to follow Jesus.  And that doesn’t change regardless of anything you do or that happens to you.  

Third, you put on the shoes of peace, that wherever you walk you strive to bring peace, not strife.  It’s not just proclaiming the gospel of peace, but it’s conducting your life in such a way that you demonstrate peaceful ways of co-existing with those around you.

Fourth, you must take of the shield of faith, that piece of armor that catches the darts and arrows that the enemy (those around you) try to throw (shoot) at you to distract you from the task at hand or to throw you off the course you have set for yourself.

Next you take up the helmet of salvation.  That helmet is Jesus Christ.   Jesus Christ loved you so much that he gave his life for you – regardless of who you are or what you have done.  God loved you so much that he gave his only begotten son, so that everyone who believes in him might have everlasting life.  We wear that helmet in the assurance of eternal life.

And the last thing you do is take up the sword of the Spirit – which is the word of God – given to us and it is our only offensive weapon.  When you are not sure of what to say, fall back on the word of God – scripture is a great defense.  But remember that you are not to beat people up with it – or drive off those who need desperately to hear what God has to say to them.

We are all sinners – every one of us – and we all need to hear the word of God.  There are some people here who want to run off those they feel are unworthy.  When we do that we may very well be cutting off their path to salvation – and we don’t have the right to deny anyone access to God’s saving grace.  We don’t come to church as full-blown Christians – we come to church as seekers, seeking where God’s grace can touch our lives and bring us into communion.

Come and See

Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.'  John 1:46

Nathanael was not much different than some of the cynical people you meet today - and that probably includes my husband.  Don't get me wrong, I love him dearly, but sometimes I need to be goaded into re-evaluating my own thoughts on something.  At the same time, he is the one who often needs to "come and see" to be swayed.  I think when people challenge us on a particular position or belief, we need to do two things: we need to examine our own conclusions, and we need to invite them to come and see.  

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."  (Hebrews 11:1)  Our faith needs to be informed - by scripture, by tradition, by experience, and by the leading of the Holy Spirit.  We need to be aware that blind faith can and will lead us down dark alleys, because the 'prince of lies' is always looking for a way to derail us.  So when you are convinced and convicted of your belief and someone says to you, "Can anything good come out of..." Don't be afraid to stand up for your belief and say  "Come and see."   

Responding to God's call.

From today's reading:  Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it."  So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"  He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?"  Acts 8:29-31

I love this reading.  I like the idea of Philip being led by the Spirit and listening to the Spirit and responding.  This is typical of the kind of thing that happens to us occasionally; when we are somewhere and suddenly we feel called to reach out to someone...  

I remember one Thanksgiving day when I had finished the 10 AM service in Huntsville and we were driving down to Alvin.  We stopped at Luby's in the Woodlands to grab a turkey dinner and there was behind us a woman by herself.  On impulse I invited her to join us at our table.  We had a pleasant lunch and learned a little about the woman.  I don't know that the conversation had any lasting effect on her, but I really felt that God had called us to reach out and that he used the experience to his benefit.

Philip was asleep when God called him to "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza..."  This is a reminder that we are to hold ourselves ready to respond whenever God calls us to reach out - regardless of the circumstances or the location.  Lord, help me to respond in faithfulness to your call.  Amen.