Acts 9:31

Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

I always love it when a story says "meanwhile" in the middle of it.  Reminds me of watching the old Batman series! 

"Meanwhile, in Gotham City..."

So, all of this stuff has been happening to Saul/Paul, but MEANWHILE, Luke doesn't want us to forget about the other heroes in our tale. We will now move back to Peter for some vignettes to remind us that with all the Paul action, happening, life was still going on.

The church was still going on.

Growing even!

The Holy Spirit was still working.

Comforting even!

It's the way of the world. Drama happens. Big changes happen, and all around us life is still going on. Things don't stop. 

In the church, this cycle of life is a constant. Despite huge changes - leadership, congregational, monetary - the work continues. 

Life, love, mercy, grace...

Continues.

We are all part of God's story of creation. Part of the story of Faith. And we each have our own story of faith.

But we do well to remember that we are all part of a larger canvas. That whatever big things we see happening in our churches and communities, God's got something bigger yet. 

Lord, help me to play my part in the big story of your creation and recognize the life that you are causing to blossom around me. Amen.

Acts 9:26-30

When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. When the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

It wasn't so easy for Paul to just step into the role as a leader in Christ's church. He had a lot of folks going against him.

First, those who were part of current leadership. Their distrust for him was as understandable as Ananias' had been.  It took some persuading to get them to come around.

And then he has as enemies the Hellenist Jews - the Greek speaking Jews. Paul was, for all intents and purposes, a traitor.

It's not smooth sailing following Christ. It's hard work. It means sometimes ticking people off or making decisions people won't agree with. 

It means bringing about change sometimes rather than comfort.

Or comforting those who we aren't used to comforting.

Paul would go on to impact the church in huge ways. And the disagreements and questioning wouldn't go away. Yet where would we be with without his persistence?

It's hard to know whether what we are doing in life or ministry or action is Spirit led sometimes. It's hard to know if it will have an impact. It's hard to know if people will be in favor of it.

Yet all of us - even those of us who disagree - are graced with gifts from God that are meant for use. And when we can see that, beyond our disagreements or dissections, and know that throughout all the changes, God will be with us, bringing about new life.

God, grant me endurance and character and patience as I strive to serve you. Amen.

Acts 9:17-20

So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Sauland said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

Have you ever been converted?

I don't necessarily mean in the Christian sense of the word - although that certainly applies too. I'm meaning about anything. Have you ever gone from feeling strongly one way and then done a complete about face about it?

In my experience, converted people just can't stop talking about it. I know I can't.

Back in the day, I remember being told I should watch the TV show "The Wire." I've talked about that here before. I resisted. I could not imagine having any interest in watching a show about drug dealers.

But about ten years after it started, and a while after it went off the air, a "converted" Wire fan convinced me to watch it.

And I was converted!

And (clearly) I'm still talking about. It IS that good. It IS the greatest TV show ever...

OK...I digress.

So I was converted to a TV show.

And if I can't shut up about that, imagine how Paul was after he'd been converted to following Jesus.

This converted former enemy said as his first words as a follower of Christ: "He is the Son of God."

And letter after letter attests that he didn't shut up about it!

We get, I think, perhaps, comfortable in our places as God's children. We forget perhaps what it is to be converted.

But we are called daily to converted hearts. 

Daily to beginning again and seeing with new eyes, as Paul did.

And imagine if we all just couldn't shut up about it?

Lord, remove the scales from my eyes and convert my heart. Amen.

Acts 9:10-17

Acts 9:10-17New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 

Imagine you are coming home from church one Sunday and you get home and have a vision of God sitting at your kitchen table.

And the Lord says to you: "I want you to go to Guantanamo Bay and speak out for the freedom of one of the prisoners there because he is an instrument I have chosen to preach the gospel to my people."

Setting aside the logistics of that, what might your reaction be?

I'm guessing something like Ananias'.

We can look back knowing who Saul became and how important Paul was for the church and forget that he started out as an enemy.

And not just an enemy, but a murderous, violent enemy.

And Ananias had an understandable reaction to God's calling him to heal Saul.

A reaction we might all have had as well.

Who is the person that you see as an enemy to God?

A person who works against faith and hope and love?

A person who uses violence to bring about suffering to God's people?

Now imagine you are called to love that person.

Only you don't have to imagine it.

Because you are.

Lord, you really meant that love your enemies thing, didn't you? Help me each and every day to remember that and give me the strength and courage to follow through with it, because honestly, it's hard! Amen

Acts 9:3-9

Now as (Saul) was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Did you ever ask yourself - as I admit I have - where your "Road to Damascus" moment is?

Maybe you've had one. 

But I haven't.

And I used to be really upset about that. I mean, here we see Saul/Paul begin the move from enemy to leader.

From persecutor to believer,

And it's dramatic.

I used to want that. And I used to wonder if the fact that I hadn't had that, meant my faith wasn't real enough.

Some of that was the product of being brought up in the Bible belt where I frequently was asked if Jesus was my personal savior and when my salvation moment came.

I was envious of this rapid ascent into faith.

Now?

Now I'm not so envious.

Now I realize that Paul was Paul. (or Saul was Paul).

And me? I'm Allison.

And my faith story has been slower. More quiet. Less dramatic.

And yet no less real.

I'm not called to be Paul. I'm not called to move within three days time from persecutor to believer.

Instead I'm called to ask myself what my believing means for me.

And where is THAT road going to take me?

God of all journeys: help me to stay the course and see those moments along the, both big and small, that you call me to. Amen

Acts 9:1-2

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

These two verses are really important.

They are important for us when we are looking at the credentials of those who lead us.

They are important for when we are looking at the credentials of those who sit next to us in the pews on Sundays or who sit next to us in the office or cubicle next door.

They are important when we think we believe the right way.

Or do the right thing.

Or worship correctly.

Or know our Bible really well.

Or follow the right doctrine.

They are important for when we think that God only chooses "good" people.

Or people like us.

Or people different from us.

They are important for whenever we try to box God in in anyway whatsoever.

Because Paul is probably the most important figure in the early church.

Because Paul is responsible for so much of our theology.

And Paul was Saul.

And Saul breathed threats and murder against Jesus' followers.

Before he became a follower himself.

So when you think you know what a follower of Jesus should look like.

Think again.

Because God showed us that we should expect the unexpected.

Because God showed us that unexpected people can do extraordinary things.

Holy One, help me not to judge. Not myself, and not others. Open my heart to those who follow you who surprise me at every turn. Amen.

Acts 8:26-40

Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 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?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
    and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
        so he does not open his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
    Who can describe his generation?
        For his life is taken away from the earth.”

The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

And so it begins.

The gospel moves from the heart of the Jewish community of Christians toward the Gentiles.

Beginning with an Ethiopian Eunuch.

Of all Biblical stories that should caution us against who we count as "inside" vs. "outside" of our tribe, this is it.

Philip witnesses to someone who was an outsider in more ways than one: racially and sexually.

And this eunuch was left rejoicing with the Spirit of God he'd been given.

"What is to prevent me from being baptized?" the man asks Philip.

The answer: nothing.

God of all people, help me to see your Spirit at work in people who are not part of my tribe that I might love them and serve them with joy. Amen.

Acts 8:1b-26

Acts 8:1-26

That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.

Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. So there was great joy in that city.

Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. All of them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” And they listened eagerly to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place.

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money! You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness.” Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may happen to me.”

Now after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.

Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.)

Acts is known mostly for the witnessing of Peter and then Paul, but here in a small section we get a little bit about Philip. We get to see through him the gospel spread after the martyrdom of Stephen and the scattering of those who were persecuted after his death.

And then this funny story about Simon the magician.

Only not so funny, really. Because I'm sure that trying to use money to get power isn't something that stopped happening in the first century!

There's a lot of detail here I think to show that the witnessing not only didn't stop when trouble hit with Stephen's death, but instead it began to spread out. And as it spread, inevitably problems occurred.

So perhaps we shouldn't be surprised when we run in to a few along the way ourselves or when things don't go in church or in our faith the way we want or expect them to.

And even when they don't, God will always be sending us out. Moving on ahead of us to prepare the way for us to pick ourselves up and try again.

Lord, prepare the way! Amen.

Acts 7:58-8:1a

Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone (Stephen); and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. 

And Saul approved of their killing him.

Backtracking a little bit to mention what could be missed in a cursory reading of this passage - at least until you get to verse one of chapter 8.

Saul is there when Stephen was killed.

Saul holds the garments for the "witnesses" (and irony here: The Book of Acts is about very different kinds of witnesses!)

Saul approves of Stephen's death.

And, oh yeah: Saul becomes Paul.

As Acts continues, it will be impossible not to see the enormous - the invaluable - impact Paul has on the Christian church and the Christian faith. Paul is perhaps the architect of that faith: giving structure to the foundation of Jesus' life and ministry, and giving substance to followers about the reality of the Cosmic Christ.

Paul is perhaps the greatest witness of Acts.

And this is how he begins.

It is a beginning Paul himself will not forget.

It is a beginning, also, that is forgiven by the Stephen himself.

Forgiven, Saul is set free.

You. Me...also set free.

So, as my great Lutheran Confessions professor, Timothy Wengert, used to say (quoting his own professor): "What are you doing to do now that you don't have to do anything?"

What are you going to do with this freedom that comes from forgiveness?

In Acts, we'll see just what Paul will do after a very auspiciously dark beginning.

Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty I am free at last! Now...help me to see what comes next! Amen.

Acts 7:51-60

“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it.”

When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. 

For the majority of chapter 7, Stephen preaches and tells the history of the Jewish people leading to Jesus. 

And then come the harsh words of condemnation to the council.

To those who are supposed to be upholding God's word.

To those who are meant to be leading.

And see where it gets him?

Now, granted most pastors and preachers don't have to worry about being stoned to death when they have some tough things to say in their sermons.

And we don't usually have to be worried about dying when we talk to others about our faith.

And yet from Stephen we learn that upholding God's word isn't always easy. 

Or comfortable.

And that is true for leaders for certain. I had a preaching professor who once advised that good preachers should always "preach with their bags packed!"

How comfortable are we in our faith?

How comfortable are we talking about it?

How comfortable are we, when we lead, to face being disagreed with?

And yet still love those who are angry with us? Stephen prayed for those who killed him.

Can we do the same for those who disappoint us on our faith journey?

Lord, help me to lead in love and share my faith with conviction. Amen

Acts 6:8-15

Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated some men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” They stirred up the people as well as the elders and the scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and brought him before the council. They set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed on to us.” And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Have you ever known someone - whether inside or outside the church - that made you feel more connected to God than others?

Someone who, when they spoke, warmed your heart?

Or when you saw the love shining through them, humbled you?

I've seen lots of them. I've been privileged working for one church or another for the last eleven years, and before that serving on church teams or committees for another eleven or so. And in that time, I've met a number of folks who have inspired me in such a way. 

And to be honest, the majority of them weren't "apostles" (or pastors). They weren't the called leaders (though I've worked closely with some wonderful called leaders as well).

Most of them were ordinary people called to do extraordinary things. And many of them had no idea how extraordinary they were.

Stephen was called to feed widows and orphans. He wasn't called to be another Peter. Saul, not Stephen, would become Paul.

And yet Stephen did great signs and wonders.

And had the face of an angel.

Stephen incited the fury of the high council with his integrity and truth.

Truth often has a way of doing that.

Stephen was an ordinary man who did extraordinary things.

What extraordinary things are you being called to?

God of signs and wonders, help me not fear the extraordinary work you have called me to. Amen.