One Heart, One Mind, One Soul

Text: Acts 4:32-35

When studying this passage of Scripture, it’s important to keep things in context so we don’t let some of our own policies and politics to warp the meaning toward our own biases.  Of course, none of us will ever do that perfectly, but it’s important that we try.

This passage has been claimed by more than one scholar as a statement of Christian “communism,” or “socialism” – and Bible commentators are divided on the meaning.  Considering how much the secular world has argued about these ways of life in the last century, it’s not surprising that this argument would also find its way into the church.

Reading such passages as 4:32b, “…No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had,” could lead you to think that there was some “transfer of assets” that was a requirement of being in the Christian community.

First, and before anything else, note the opening verse:  “All the believers were one in heart and mind.” (4:32a) Those who recognize that they are “one soul” with others also recognize that their needs and the needs of others are on a level.

It’s so very important to understand the context of this practice.  Without turning this into a history lecture, let me offer you this explanation:  the church, in accordance with the expectations of their faith AND the secular society around them, had a commitment to taking care of not only themselves, but also the less-fortunate among them.  What is documented here by Luke is not an uncommon thing for that time, either among the faithful or in the general society.

Because of this commitment, for these early Christians, filled with the Spirit, life was good.  Even the trials of the day were not dampening their spirits or diminishing their resolve to life the life of discipleship.  What trials?  Read through Acts, and you’ll see that plenty of potentially joy-killing things were going on:

Peter and John get arrested (4:3).

• All of the apostles are jailed, flogged and given a preaching restraining order (5:40).
• Stephen is stoned to death (7:58).
• The church is persecuted and driven out of Jerusalem (8:1).
• A death bounty gets put on Paul’s head (9:23).
• James is beheaded (12:2).

The story of early Christianity goes on and on like this for the first few centuries of its existence.  It was not at all easy to be a follower of Jesus Christ.  Yet, the Church continued to grow.

What I’d like to focus on this morning is not the literal sharing of goods and possession, but the principle that underlies it, because it illustrates how sharing one vision and unity in living out that vision can be a powerful force and catalyst in the life of the church.

That’s something that we need.  Very much. 

The common life of the early church was inspired by and accompanied by the great acts that God was doing through the disciples and among the members of the community.  The two greatest influences in bringing more converts to the church were the shared common life of the Christians and the many signs and wonders that were occurring among the Christians.  (2:43)

To return to the opening verse of this passage, this was all possible because they were of one heart, one mind, and one soul.  This doesn’t mean that things worked perfectly, or that there were not disagreements from time to time.  Human nature was very present!

Yet, the entire church received “great grace” from God:  the gift that enabled the apostles’ message to be received and the community to act faithfully upon it.

This “great grace” is so powerful that it can change human nature to the degree that concern for others transcended the exclusive concern for self. 

The text does not indicate that those with lands and goods sold all they had, impoverishing themselves for the sake of equality. Instead, what happened is that a community was created which naturally and lovingly does all it can to provide for its poorer members. Concern for the whole community was the highest priority.

We can sum it all up this way:  Because of the action of the Holy Spirit, Christians are provided with the basis for living with one heart, one mind, and one soul: 

Common Purpose

Common Place

Common Possessions

What’s great about this is that, even though people might come from different social statues, difference income levels, different experience or ability – there is equality for all in the Lord, and when this is lived with conscience and accountability, the church can truly live in harmony.

 Common Purpose:  One Heart, One Soul

Historian Wayne Meeks notes that the defining characteristic of early Christian unity was the way in which the intimate, close-knit life of the local groups was seen to be simultaneously part of a much larger, indeed ultimately worldwide, movement or entity.”

This was fueled by the way the early church told the story of Jesus and his teachings.  This gave each local group of Christians the mission statement around which they organized themselves and a commitment to shared values that made them different from their culture.

Common Place:  Better Together

Deeper relationships that have more spontaneity, availability, frequency and hospitality are a sign of health within a community.  They come from building community within the community. 

It’s great that we have cell phones so we can talk with loved ones on the other side of the country; that we have things like Skype so we can chat with persons on the other side of the world – but if this is the only way that we communicate, we will always be a fractured people.  The strength of the early church was also built on proximity: the people were near one another.  They didn’t have to drive across town, or to the next town to connect with one another.

A church that is too busy to get together and grow their faith isn’t truly a faith community.  It’s wonderful that we can all gather at the school to cheer our kids on… BUT… it doesn’t do much for strengthening and growing the community of CHRIST.

Common Ownership

Perhaps the most staggering feature of the early church was the one that today’s text focuses on primarily. There was one thing that made it clear that God was powerfully changing people.

I like the way linguistics professor John Locke puts it concisely: “If we needed things we couldn’t buy, many of us would have more friendships.”

We not only can be expected to live Acts 4, we are expected to. Developing an Acts 4 community requires Christians to believe that they are not owners of things; they are managers of what God has entrusted to them. They are to be open to God’s leading on how they should use and share that which he has given them. Money and possessions are tools for others and not just sustenance or indulgence for self.

We as people have come to believe that the sharing of our financial resources is an issue of deep sacrifice and not deep satisfaction.

Life always seems to have plenty of difficulty and suffering to spread around. What we need is a group of people around us to shoulder the burdens of life with.

We need people whom we can depend on – in the faith – and who will depend upon us.   We need people who will pull away from individualism, isolationism and consumerism.

In short, we need biblical community, united in one heart, one mind, one soul.

Sources consulted:

                “Life is Good,” Homiletics, April 2009
                “The Navajo Investment Club,” Homiletics, April 2000
                “Mega Grace,” Homiletics, April 1991
                 Fernando, Ajith.  Acts.  Zondervan, 1998
                Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, Vol. NT-5, Acts.  IVP, 2006.

Before the Race is Done

Text: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

 

With the Olympics so close to mind right now, coupled with our culture’s obsession with sports, it only seems fitting that God should time out the scriptural lectionary so that we can consider what He is trying to communicate to us through a medium and terminology that is very familiar to all of us.

 

In the day when this letter to the Corinthians was written, the Isthmian Games were very active in Corinth.  You might think of them as the Olympic Trials, because they were a series of games and events that were a warm-up for the Olympics.  The city was often filled with athletes, training and competing in preparation for the greater trophy of the Olympics.

 

In order to connect with these people, Paul uses everyday, familiar terms remind the Corinthian Christians that they are always in training to receive a prize:  the gift of eternal life. 

There IS No “Normal!”

Text: Mark 1:14-20

 

Imagine what might happen if Jesus came to our community.  Now, let’s go further with this idea, and image what might happen if He walked into several of our businesses and tapped people on the shoulder and said, “Follow me.”

 

Imagine the looks on faces when someone actually did follow Jesus out – and what the talk around the area might be!

 

What would it be like if someone followed Jesus in this fashion – leaving a module uninstalled in a bus, a customer at the counter in the bank, or a computer unstaffed at a brokerage?

 

Based on personal experience, I am pretty sure that you’d rather not do too much imagining in this direction – and might chalk it up to some kind of “cult thing” where an individual has started exercising mind control over another person or persons.

 

Don’t Be Like Jesus

Text: John 1:43-51

 

This may come as a shock to some of you, so hang on:  I am here this morning to tell you, my Christian brothers and sisters, that you’re not supposed to be like Jesus.  I can about imagine what you might be thinking at this point: “WHAT!?!”

 

That’s understandable.  Our Christian traditions spend a lot of time teaching us about how we should be imitations of Christ, as a way to be better disciples.  We should offer grace to others instead of revenge; we should learn to love instead of be legalistic, and so on.  All of this is true.

 

Here is the point, which often gets lost in our earnest efforts to be better Christians:  Jesus never called us to be CLONES of Him – just to FOLLOW Him!  Now, in case you’re wondering what this means, let me go a little further into this.

The Hazards of Risking Nothing – Part 2

Text: Matthew 25:14-30 (The Parable of the Talents)

Last Sunday, I offered some thoughts on risk and the life of the disciple of Jesus.  The idea in that sermon was that you will never experience the full benefits of the freedom that God offers you if you won’t take the risk of stepping out in faith when He calls your name.  The hazard in risking nothing is that you will never be anything more than a prisoner and slave of your attitudes.  You will never be free.

 

Today, I want to go down that road some more, with the Parable of the Talents.  This story is here to help us think about what it means to wait faithfully until Jesus returns – whenever that might be.

The Hazards of Risking Nothing – Part 1

Text: Acts 1:1-11

There was once a news reporter who wanted to get a feel for the farming life, so he stopped at a farm one day to ask the farmer some questions. He asked, “How’s your wheat coming along?” The farmer said, “I didn’t plant any.” “Really?” asked the reporter. “I thought this was supposed to be wheat country.” “Some say it is,” came the reply, “but I was afraid we might not see enough rain this year.”

“So what about your corn? How is it doing?” asked the reporter. “Didn’t plant any of that this year,” said the farmer, “I was afraid of corn blight.” “Alfalfa?” “Nope, afraid the price might drop.” “Well, then,” asked the reporter, “what did you plant?” “Nothing,” the farmer said. “I just played it safe.”
Ok, what’s wrong with that story? When is a farmer not a farmer? When you aren’t willing to take the risks of putting a crop in.

Risk is something that we all handle differently. Some folks are, well, crazy. Like the guys who do crazy things on bicycles – you know, riding on the roof of the house, climbing mountains, hopping up and down stairs, jumping across gaps that seem impossible. Others are more concerned with safety and do their tricks on the ground –riding a bike around the corner without your feet on the pedals is enough risk for them. We will find people at all points in between.

The thing about risk, though, is that it can have a real effect on how successful you are in your efforts. The old saying, “if you don’t play, you’ll never win,” is very true. If you’re not willing to take the risks of leaving home and establishing yourself somewhere else, you might find yourself very limited in what you can do and what you can accomplish. If you won’t take some degree of risk – I’m not saying you should be reckless – in the important things of life, you could have a very frustrating existence indeed! If I hadn’t risked rejection and told my wife that I was crazy about her nearly 14 years ago, who knows where we’d be now? God may have brought us together, but we still had to do something!

Another thing about risk is that it can bring you freedom. You might be afraid when you take the risk – but that’s beside the point. You have to step forward if you want to make any progress. If you want good grades in school, you need to be willing to risk being wrong as you’re learning new things. If you want to rise to a higher position in your career, you need to be willing to take the risks that come with greater responsibility.

Christians aren’t exempt from risk-taking, either. Jesus said in verse 8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Now, we have to firmly take hold of our faith and confidence and move out to our destinations.

If we’re going to make progress in sharing the gospel with our community and our world, we can never be content with sitting in our pews and singing hymns. We have to initiate contact with our world and the people within it. Will everyone be receptive? Of course not! But that’s no reason to stop. We’ve been prepared for this: Jesus showed us how God’s power works in human life. But now that we have been prepared, Jesus is inviting us to use that energy in our discipleship.

How’s your risk tolerance? Jesus ran into lots of folks who weren’t comfortable with the idea of risky living. In Luke 4, we read about a man in the synagogue who had the spirit of an unclean demon. Jesus told the spirit, “be quiet and come out of him!” But the people said they weren’t ready for that.
In Luke 5, several people brought a paralyzed man on a bed to Jesus. He said, “stand up, take your bed, and go home.” But the people said they weren’t ready for that.

In Luke 6, Jesus said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who abuse you.” But the people said they weren’t ready for that.

In Luke 8, in the house of a dead little girl, Jesus took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!” But the people said they weren’t ready for that.

And then, in Luke 9, Jesus told his disciples, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” After his resurrection, he promised that the Holy Spirit would give power to the people. But the people said they weren’t ready for that.

What we’re reading now in Acts describes how the life of the early Christian community took shape. After the resurrection and Jesus’ final words to them, the disciples are now fully instructed and fully informed. It’s time for a new beginning – the birth of the church.

In verse 6, we find the disciples back in their comfortable mode of asking questions. After three years of hearing Jesus tell them that no one will know when the kingdom will come, they confront him: “Is this the time?” Jesus repeats what he’s said before – but he also leaves them with a gift: empowerment. They are no longer left-behind people who don’t know much; they are now Christ’s witnesses with a testimony that will go to the ends of the earth.

But what to do next? Jesus has gone on ahead to the Father. They are still here. How should their days be filled until he returns? This is where risk really enters the picture. Will they take the risk of continuing Jesus’ work when he is not physically there with them?

I’m guessing that the first people of the Church were a mix like we are. There are different kinds of risk-takers among us. Some will play it safe and stick to the down-to-earth stuff, taking care of physical and spiritual needs. They’ll collect food for the hungry, tutor the poor children of the community, or perhaps share a scripture passage with someone in a nursing home. This might not be a very dangerous form of ministry, but it is part of what keeps the body of Christ going.

Other disciples will take a few more risks – they’ll be determined to get closer to God with creative, inspiring, and heartfelt acts of discipleship – they enjoy the emotional charge of walking the line between traditional and new-fangled. They know that God isn’t boring, and they know that the old and the new have to work together. They know that God speaks from the familiar past AND the unfamiliar future and they’ll risk criticism to get their job done.

Then there are the boldest risk-takers: the ones who are not afraid to talk about their faith and express their belief in God’s love, the power of the Holy Spirit, and that Jesus came to save us. People might be put off by them sometimes, but that won’t get them down. Rejection only makes them more determined.

What’s the hazard of risking nothing? You risk never being free, and never tasting life to its fullest. You might be safe… but will you truly be alive? Will you truly experience the joy that God would have you know?
Here’s a poem I read about risking that sums it up pretty well:

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach for another is to risk involvement.
To expose your feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk losing them.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To believe is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, or live.
Chained by their attitudes, they are slaves; they have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.
(Author & Source unknown).

The ascension of Jesus to heaven is good news for us because it means that God loves, values, holds, and will transform our humanity in and through Christ. In returning to the Father, Jesus took all of human life and brought it to the very heart of God. The suffering refugee, the abused child or spouse, the victim of war or terror, the lonely person in the nursing home; the one who struggles with depression or crisis of identity – all can be made whole by God.

The question, though, is, “what kind of Christian are you?” If you don’t know (and most of us already know this), it’s something you should find out. If you do know, it’s time to remember that you’re a witness for Christ and get to it! The first disciples had plenty of reasons to play it safe after Jesus departed. Jerusalem had become a frightening place that some undoubtedly wished to avoid. But after prayer, they did return – as people on a mission. Jesus’ words ring in their ears: “Ask, and it will be given to you.” And ask they will… because they know what to ask for – the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Will you take the risk of stepping out for Christ? Will you walk in the way of Christ, and share your faith, even though not everyone will be willing to receive what you say? Will you let him redeem you from your limitations and set you free for greater joy and service?

Be filled… with the Holy Spirit… be filled with life… be filled with joy… be filled with the freedom God is always willing to give. Be bold to follow wherever Jesus leads – to the heart of God. And bring someone with you! Amen.

Sources consulted:
“No Way Jesus,” Homiletics, June 1, 2003.
Barker & Kohlenberger, NIV Bible Commentary, Volume 2: New Testament (Zondervan, 1994).

“One Day at a Time”

Do you remember the gospel song, “One Day at a Time?” I love one of the lines in that song: “Lord, for my sake, teach me to take one day at a time.”

This scripture is a hard one for anyone who likes being in control of life. This scripture is also a hard row to hoe for anyone who believes that following the idols of human culture – security, personal worth, power, independence, and pleasure – is going to lead to the destination that all souls need.

This scripture also pushes some buttons with people who are living hand-to-mouth (or in modern terms, paycheck-to-paycheck).

Think about the state of worry many have about physical health – they’re always in a state of shock and angst because they can’t ever find the “magic bullet” of diet, exercise, and lifestyle that will let them live forever. And those conflicting medical studies don’t help one bit!

Think of the evidence on heart problems:

• The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
• The French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
• The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
• The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
• The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

So what does this mean? You should eat and drink what you like: speaking American English is apparently what kills you – it’s the common element between all of these studies!

Does worrying do us any good? Not according to Jesus.

There was a study of 7,000 university students that started in the 1960s at UNC-Chapel Hill to see what effect worry had on one’s lifespan. After testing, 630 students were found by the test to be clearly pessimists and 923 to be clearly optimists. The rest fell somewhere in the middle.

Over the next four decades, 476 of those who had taken the test died, from causes ranging from accident to illness to suicide to homicide.

In 2006, when the study was concluded, researchers analyzed the data and discovered that the pessimists were more likely to die sooner than the optimists.

This simply confirms what Jesus said: worrying does you no good! It will not add time to your life, and it won’t bring you any closer to being in control of things you can’t control!

What does this mean for your soul? Here’s a thought: pessimism and worry are related to a shortage of hope and trust. Pessimism has no confidence that things will work out. Worry is agitation or fear about unspecified threats or problems.

So really, this scripture is about striking a balance in our living. We should not seek control over our destiny, because it is not possible to control “tomorrow.” We also, when meeting our basic needs is a daily battle, should not become so focused on the daily struggle of existing that our worries consume us.

Jesus illustrates this by talking about the birds that do not sow or reap the fields, and flowers that do not toil or spin.

This scripture is for all of us – rich, poor, or somewhere in between. The wealthy can struggle with the temptation to arrogance, but the poor can idolize what they don’t have.

So, this scripture is for the family who has to look for loose change in the couch when they need to buy milk for the kids; this is for those who are keeping their heads above water – but are walking a tightrope from pay period to pay period. This is also for anyone who has everything he or she needs, but is driven by the desire to accumulate more and more.

Our lives are worth a lot more than the sum total of our work, our recreation, our good times, or our bad times.

The important thing is that we live in consideration of how God provides for all creation – whether we’re a bird of the air, a lily of the field, or a human being.

God’s Kingdom is our reason for being; it is the reason why we have any hope at all in our lives. So, though you might worry from time to time, or even fall into pessimism a few times… you have plenty of reasons why you can and should be optimistic about the long view of life.

It’s perfectly reasonable that you will experience worry from time to time. We worry about our kids growing up safely and well; there is nothing unnatural about being anxious about sickness or infirmity from time to time.

The important thing is that worries and anxiety should not RULE our lives. We have to keep a perspective that looks beyond these things so that we don’t lose sight of God’s Kingdom and fall into blindness.

What Jesus is saying, is, Let God form you in your faith and in the way you live. As Jesus said in another Gospel (John 16:33), “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (NIV)

Seek God’s kingdom FIRST – and STRIVE for the righteousness of the kingdom. Actively work for the spread of the Gospel.

As you do these things, you’ll find that you become more relaxed about the present (and the future), and you’ll have more trust that God will take care of you. In other words, you’ll have more hope.

Or, to put it another way: live for the Kingdom… one day at a time.

Amen.

Sources consulted:

“Add to Your Span,” Homiletics, May 2008
Ancient Commentary on Christian Scripture, Vol. NT-1a (IVP, 2001)
Boring, M. Eugene. Matthew. (In NIB Vol. VIII; Abingdon, 1995)
Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to Matthew (Eerdmans, 1992)
Wilkins, Michael J. Matthew (Zondervan, 2004)

The 4 C’s of Discipleship

Acts 2:1-21

It might seem like I’m saying something really obvious… but here in ND, we all know about wind. Wind is just a constant part of life here on the upper Great Plains; after a while, you don’t even really notice it, unless we’re having a high-wind day.

Wind has turned into a source of income for some in our state. Wind farms are springing up in many places; I think we may even have one coming up somewhere in our area, because I’ve seen turbine blades being stacked at the beet dump just off the Oslo exit on I-29.

Some have said that when it comes to wind energy, this part of the world’s “wind wealth” can be compared to Saudi Arabia’s oil resources.

This is all great… but one of the problems with getting the energy from the wind is catching it where it’s at its best. We have some great winds here in ND, but even we don’t have the best winds.

The best winds blow in the jet stream – about six miles up. In the jet stream, there is up to a hundred times more energy than there is at ground level.

Catching the jet stream is a challenge that we haven’t licked, yet. The tallest wind turbine towers so far are about 200m in height – about 650 feet – which is far below the 31,000 feet level where the jet stream flows.

Some are trying, though: a company called “Sky WindPower” has developed a flying generator that looks like a cross between a kite and a helicopter.[1] It’s tethered to the ground by a long cable; there are rotors that provide lift for the frame. As they turn, they also turn dynamos that produce electrical energy. The energy gets to the ground through aluminum cables.

The cool part: if the wind stops blowing, the dynamos reverse and function as electric motors, so the generator stays in the air.

What’s the point? Simple: if you want to really catch the wind, you have to be where the wind is blowing! What’s the other point? Church, if you want to catch the wind of the Spirit, you have to be where the winds of the Spirit are blowing!

Welcome to the Festival of Pentecost! God means for the Church to catch the wind! Therefore, we need to keep ourselves where the wind is blowing.

The Church experiences renewal when the people of God are gathered to catch the wind of the Holy Spirit and be filled with the POWER of the Holy Spirit!

We’re worried about the price of energy these days – let me tell you, a living, growing, spiritual, joyful church doesn’t come cheap. The price is always a commitment of the people: that they will share time and space together: for worship, for study, for mission, to become open to a new move of the Spirit in our midst.

If you are going to catch the wind of the Holy Spirit, you must be where the wind is blowing! The beginning of the Christian Church was the GATHERING of the disciples in Jerusalem. The key to OUR renewal (in whatever form it takes) begins with OUR GATHERING.

We are blessed in that the Book of Acts gives us some keys to understanding the best way to position ourselves to catch the wind of the Holy Spirit. I’ll sum these up as the “4 C’s of Discipleship.” I see these as a foundation for everything else we do as a church, to have health and vitality: Community, Communication, Courage, and Clarity.

Community

Here is why the community of the church is important to our health: when the Holy Spirit comes, it comes to us as a group. If Peter had been in Capernaum, John in Nazareth, James on the Sea of Galilee, Andrew in Cana and the other eight scattered across the country, there would not have been a catching of the Holy Spirit wind. Pentecost was a communal experience, and it was only because they were together that “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (v. 4).

Unfortunately, there are too many people today for whom the Christian community is something that they fit in “if they have the time.” Religious communities have a long history of drawing people together, and something precious is lost when people choose to practice their faith in isolation. It is only when we are “all together in one place” that we can catch the wind of the Holy Spirit, and begin to use the gifts that God wants to give us.

Communication

The apostles in Jerusalem “began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (v. 4). This amazed the devout Jews from every nation who were living in the city, because they knew that the apostles were Galileans — men not famous for their foreign language abilities.

These apostles had been given a gift of communication by the Holy Spirit of God so that they could tell people about the good news of Jesus in a clear and compelling way.

We need to put this gift to work today by supporting services in languages other than English, and also using present-day communication techniques that reach a new generation of potential believers. We have to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gives us ability, if we are going to reach new people in the same manner that the apostles did on Pentecost.

Courage

Acts tells us that some of the residents of Jerusalem sneered at the apostles and said, “They are filled with new wine” (v. 13). They didn’t want to hear the message of the Galileans, so they tried to write it off as drunken babbling. But Peter raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose” (vv. 14-15).

It took guts for Peter to stand up to the sneering crowd. It took Spirit-powered courage. Remember that this was the very same Peter who — just a few weeks earlier — had slinked away from conflict by denying Jesus three times. He could have made a joke of the whole situation, but he didn’t.

Peter made a strong stand for what God was doing at the moment.

You and are challenged to do the same, especially when people challenge or dismiss our faith. You and I are challenged to point out what God is doing in our world, to the people around us who can’t or won’t see that.

Want some examples? Here are a few: a family feud comes to an end. An unexpected healing takes place. When a war comes to an end, this is an indication that God finally got through to enough people. Point these things out!

Clarity

When you’re communicating your faith to others, say it in a way that they can easily understand – which is why you learn their language! When Peter spoke to the crowd, he didn’t reinvent the wheel. He taught them from a passage in Joel that had been confusing to them. The people were awakened to a new reality.

Making the message of the Bible clear is one of the most important ways that we the church help people to catch the wind of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (v. 21).

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Everyone shall be forgiven, and made right with God. All they have to do is call Jesus their Lord. For years, people didn’t know what the prophet Joel was talking about. But Peter made it clear.

These are the four points of a Holy-Spirit-harnessing church. A Community that Communicates with Courage and Clarity is going to be in a position to catch the power of God and put it to work in the world.

Amen.

Sources Consulted:

“Catching the Wind,” Homiletics, May 2008

Fernando, Ajith. Acts (Zondervan, 1998)

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[1] The Economist, 9 June 2007

Ch-ch-ch-changes…

My son is finishing kindergarten next week.  It might seem strange to say so, but I don’t remember him growing up this much.  All of a sudden, my first baby is not at all a baby.  He’s a bright, active, opinionated boy, and every day, he’s a little different.

The saying, “time waits for no one,” seems especially appropriate today.  The years seem to be passing more quickly with every year; each week is a blur of activity.

Life in the Church is changing, too, no matter where you are.  The days when we were granted relevance and credibility in American society are long past.  Though a large number of Americans claim Christianity, many aren’t particularly committed or loyal to any “church” other than their own opinions about how to go about being “spiritual.”

How, then, will we continue our discipleship with an effective witness to the Gospel?  Firstly, by remembering that the need to continually educate ourselves for communicating Christ to others will never cease.  Secondly, by always being aware that we are disciples in a very “fluid” world — nothing stays the same for long, and if we get stuck in our ways, we will perish.

There is hope, and this is good news.  But the days of passive discipleship are over… if they ever were here at all.