Friday, March 31, 2017

Acts 8:1-3

Acts 8:1-3
English Standard Version (ESV) 

  It's so easy to look back at Saul's life and be grateful for the way God used him, to speak lightly of the amazing conversion that took place in his life.
  But imagine being in that time and place -- imagine being a Christian and thinking about what you might think of Saul.  At best, you had an intense dislike of his presence, of his reputation.  At worst, you hated him for who he was and what he threatened of the church.  You were scared of him and you despised him.  Imagine praying for this enemy of the church!  Imagine hoping for the best -- it would be nearly impossible to imagine how God might use him for the betterment of the church.  You would just be hoping the church survived his persecution!!
  So it's interesting to think about placing ourselves in that mindset today when we think about our enemies, whether we think of personal enemies or enemies of the church.  God isn't finished with them, no more than God is finished with us.  God can use anyone for the proclamation of the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit can and will use all of us.  Don't lock yourself into a mindset about anyone -- God can change people, including us.  It may not seem obvious at the time, and it certainly isn't easy, but may we have the humility to pray for God to be at work in everyone, no matter how much or how little we may love them, that the work of the Holy Spirit may go boldly forward and continue to build Christ's church here on earth.

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Acts 7:54-60

Acts 7:54-60
English Standard Version (ESV)

  When the world around is thrashing in chaos, when the waves are crashing down, when the walls are closing in, when the skies have filled with thunderstorms, when it feels as though the very life within you is about to be snatched away, how do we react?  Stephen, on the verge of death, calmly looks into the heavens, casting his eyes upon the one strong enough to save, trusting his heart to the one bigger than death.  Stephen knows his confidence is not misplaced.
  What's your reaction?  Do we share this same cool confidence in Christ, the Lord of life?  Are we certain that we have been plucked from the fate we deserve, to share in the eternal glory of God?  Are we willing to let the storms rage, because we have nothing to fear in the power of God?
  It's hard to capture this, but it gives us a peace that passes all understanding, a peace that comes only in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Acts 7:44-53

Acts 7:44-53
English Standard Version (ESV)

  There's an amazing passage in Romans 2:4 that tells us that God's kindness is meant to lead us to repentance.  God's aim is for us to be reconciled to him, so that our sins may be washed away and the relationship may be restored.  This is God's goal.
  God doesn't always use kindness, though.  Sometimes, God has to confront people directly, and this is what is happening through the words of Stephen.  God sent messenger after messenger to the people, but they ignored them all, so God sent Stephen to talk directly to the people, to be clear and brunt and upfront about how the people needed to change.  They had enough warnings -- it was time for direct truth.
  It's not that different than when kids are getting yelled at.  They're surprised, but only because they've ignored the 53 different ways parents have tried to get them to change before they resorted to yelling.  If they don't listen, they miss those.
  In the same way, when we don't listen to God, the initial messages, the encouragements to change, don't get through.  So let us be sure we set aside time to listen for what God has to say to us, that we might make the small changes before drastic changes are necessary.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Acts 7:35-43

Acts 7:35-43
English Standard Version (ESV) 

  If only I had seen the Red Sea part, then I wouldn't doubt God, right?
  If only I had seen the manna from heaven come down every single day, then I wouldn't doubt!
  If only I saw water come from a rock -- then I could be certain!
  Certainty eludes us when it comes to matters of faith.  We want to be sure, but it's impossible -- believing and trusting in God requires us to accept that there are things we cannot know.  We tell ourselves that if we had seen certain Biblical miracles, then we wouldn't have such doubt, but the reality of the Israelites experience tells us that such memories fade, and perhaps we begin to doubt our memories.  Maybe we wonder if there was another explanation, something that made more sense.
  It's hard to have faith, but ultimately we are required to take a step of faith and trust in the God who we cannot wrap our minds around.  God is bigger than we are, and yet he makes himself known to us through grace and love.
  The key for us is to remember -- to remember what God has done, to remember what God has promised and that he always keeps his promises.  Do not allow yourself to get so caught up in the stresses of this present moment that you forget about the long history of God's faithfulness and the eternal future we have with him.  The challenges of a moment should not draw us into a place of doubt.  Doubt can be a healthy thing, but needs to be balanced with the memories of God's faithful past and his assurances of things to come.

Monday, March 27, 2017

Acts 7:30-34

Acts 7:30-34
English Standard Version (ESV) 

  What do you suppose Moses was thinking about for 40 years?  I can't imagine that he went into the wilderness with the sheep every day looking for divine intervention, waiting for God to do something dramatic.  At a certain point, he probably settled into a routine and simply took care of the sheep, long past the point of expecting God to do something dramatic in his life.  But God was still at work, still preparing, still moving.
  It's so strange to me to read the New Testament passages that talk about the urgency of discipleship.  The disciples all thought the end of the world would come any day, that Jesus would return straightaway.  After a while, they probably stopped waiting for dramatic action, stopping staring into the heavens and waiting for them to open.  They probably got on with life.  But God was still at work, still preparing, still moving.
  In our lives, we get on with the every day routines of life.  Most of us have long ago stopped waiting for the dramatic, because simply expect every day to be like the last  We forget about God's dynamic history, about how God has used people in every age to spur revival.  We forget to pray with a sense of wonder, and our hearts harden to the reality of God on the move in new ways, breathing life into old bones.  We grow accustomed to our routines and rituals, and we forget about the power of the Spirit moving among and within us.
  But God is still at work, still preparing, still moving.  My prayer for you today is that you might go into the world with the eyes of your heart open to the possibilities of God at work in the world into which you go.

Friday, March 24, 2017

Acts 7:17-29

Acts 7:17-29
New International Version (NIV)

  In the thick of a mess, it's hard to see how things are changing.  When we're sick, we tend to focus intensely on how badly we feel, and we sometimes miss how we are starting to feel better.  Only later, when we're well, do we look back and notice the moment when we started to improve.  It may actually be some time between when your body starts winning the battle and you notice the difference, but that doesn't mean things aren't changing for the better.
  In the same way, God is at work here in Egypt.  Moses is being prepared for leading the Israelites out of Egypt, out of slavery, but he's got a long way to go before he's going to confront Pharaoh.  It's going to be years, and the Israelites in slavery may not notice the change for years to come, but God is at work, preparing the people to lead them out of slavery.
  In your own life, God is at work.  We often don't notice how God is at work, and sometimes when we are in the worst of our stress, we tend to focus so closely on our problems that we may not notice when the tide begins to turn -- it might still feel like we're drowning.  Just because we aren't noticing what God is doing doesn't mean that God isn't actively at work in hearts and minds.  Trust in God, who loves you more than you can know or imagine -- he has never and will never abandon you.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Acts 7:9-16

Acts 7:9-16
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Looking back, it's easy to see how the brothers could have framed their decision to sell Joseph into slavery.  They could have said they were an unaware participant in God's greater plan, that their actions were simply laying the groundwork for God's greater actions later.  In summary, they could minimize their own sinfulness.
  I don't like to focus on my own sin.  I don't like to talk about it, and I'd just as soon pretend it's not part of the equation.  But I do sin.  I have sinned.  And I take ownership of that -- it's a part of me, whether I'm proud of it or not.  I think that God has taken some of those sins and used them for good later on, but it would have been better for me to not sin, right?  Just like it would have been better for Joseph's brothers to not sell him into slavery.  I think God would have still worked out a way for the end result to be the same.
  It's complicated to be a Christian, to know that we sin and yet that we are redeemed, forgiven and free.  Don't dwell on your sin, focusing so much on it that you lose sight of God.  But also don't forget that it's there -- it reminds us of who we once were, and it reminds us how great our God is and how great a debt we owe him.  Our sin should make us grateful, so that we may rejoice in the love of God our Savior.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Acts 7:1-8

Acts 7:1-8
English Standard Version (ESV) 

 One popular question in job interviews is 'tell me about yourself'.  At that moment, it's probably not best to start with your infancy and work your way to the modern day.
  When we tell the story of the Gospel, of God's liberating love, we have a choice to make.  Sometimes, we need to sum it up, to simply tell the story of how Christ died for sins so that we may have hope in him.
  Other times, though, we need to tell the whole story.  And that story doesn't begin in John 1 -- it begins in Genesis, with a God who creates out of pure and selfless love, with a God who is reaching out from the beginning, reaching out to include, to welcome others into his eternal love.  God doesn't decide in the New Testament to offer forgiveness and love -- it's a part of the whole story, the whole mission of God, to love in a way we can barely comprehend, so that we might be included in the Kingdom of God, wrapped up in his love and in a bigger story than we can imagine.
  You are a part of the story, so when you tell your own story, feel free to start with Abraham, with how God reached out to him in love, and how you are now a part of that amazing legacy.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Acts 6:8-15

Acts 6:8-15
English Standard Version (ESV)

  At a certain point in a disagreement, people stop arguing over the merits of an idea and keep arguing just because they need the other side to be wrong in order for them to be right.  This, I think, is the essence of our political system today.  We've stopped debating ideas and thinking about how to selflessly serve the greater interests of the country and expend our collective energy trying to make sure everyone knows the other side is wrong.  It's frustrating because in depth debates are impossible at this point -- it's no longer a debate and becomes a popularity contest.
  Stephen, here, is full of the wisdom of the Spirit, and the people soon realize they can't debate this.  Rather than humbly examine themselves to see if they need to repent of their pride, they drum up false charges and run him off, because then they can say that they won, right?
  But the Truth always wins out, so even in their attempts to mute Stephen, the wisdom of God flows freely, reaching out to hearts and minds willing to submit to a good and beautiful Savior.  God uses Stephen, and works through the folly of the crowd, always inviting, always pursuing, always loving.

Monday, March 20, 2017

The Education of a Value Investor

  I recently finished The Education of a Value Investor by Guy Spier.  Basically, Guy's father and some others gave him a few million dollars to manage and he did incredibly well, mimicking the value investing style of Warren Buffet and becoming very successful and wealthy along the way.  I will occasionally ask my parents why they couldn't seed me with a few million dollars to help out my career.  They don't have a few million, or even one, but a trust fund might have been a nice leg up.
  Value investing isn't going to get anyone rich in the short-term.  It's not sexy or exciting, and so much of what Spier talks about in his book is the ability to stay disciplined.  He's focused on buying shares of strong companies that will grow over the long-term, and his willingness to stay focused even when the markets are freaking out is his key to long-term success.  It's about discipline, which often flies out the window when you start losing money in the stock market.
  Similarly, a life of discipleship requires discipline.  Discipleship isn't about chasing short-term experiences, it's about building a life that consistently pursues Jesus over the long-term, putting practices into place that shape a life around following the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Discipleship isn't about chasing fads that change from one day to the next - it's about staying focused on the presence of Christ, in joyous and stressful times.  It's about remembering that you are a child of God during mountaintop experiences and when you wander through the valley of the shadow of death.  Discipleship isn't always easy or fun, but it's trusting that the long-term growth will lead to a deeper relationship with God.
  The habits and patterns we have daily shape us into the type of person we will become.  What kind of person do you want to be, and are you intentionally shaping yourself, or are you simply drifting forward, letting events around you shape the kind of person you will be five or ten years down the road?  You have a choice.

Acts 6:1-7

Acts 6:1-7
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Ever feel tired?  Know the feeling when you get to the end of the day and the end of your energy and the end of your rope and someone asks something else of you?  Some days are just exhausting, and we feel as though we're operating from a limited supply, and so when someone or something asks us for more, we feel as though we don't have any more to give.  We make choices, we make compromises, and we try to muddle forward.
  God, however, works from a position of abundance.  God doesn't have limitations, so he pours out his grace with abandon and freedom, because there is always more.  God's love is unlimited.  God's mercy is everlasting, so when another joins the church, there isn't less love and attention to go around -- there is more!
  It's hard for us to wrap our minds around this, as it's very different than our mode of thinking, but it's a crucial difference -- in the church, there is more.  We invite people in to a place of abundance, calling them to come join in something that's greater and deeper than we can imagine, and that there is always more in Christ. The church doesn't need to focus on our limited resources, but rather, as the church does here in Acts, it needs to think about how God can use our resources to multiply our efforts and reach even more!

Friday, March 17, 2017

Acts 5:33-42

Acts 5:33-42
English Standard Version (ESV)

  We want to know for certain, right?  As a society, we're so accustomed to being able to know that we struggle to dwell in uncertainty.  It's hard for us, so we often default to certainty without actually knowing whether or not we are right.  We simply default to knowing, or pretending to know, because admitting that we don't know is too hard.
  Here, Gamaliel is telling the council that they don't know  They don't know if the movement is of God or not, so he advises them to wait, because he's confidant that if it is not of God, it will die out, like so many other movements.  If it is of God, however, opposing it is fruitless, because the will and Word of God will not be denied.
  Are there situations in your life where you need to say that you're not sure?  I think the world is accustomed to Christians loudly announcing how they stand on certain positions, and some of this is important.  However, I also believe there are a lot of spaces where Christians need to announce that they are not sure, and they need to sit back and listen, to wait and see how the Spirit is moving, and to trust that God will make things clear.  A little humility won't hurt us, and the time will allow us to discern how God is at work.

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Acts 5:27-32

Acts 5:27-32
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Have you ever looked closely at a quilt and followed how the weaver has worked a thread all the way through?  Or maybe you've watched a jet plane leave a contrail all the way across the sky.
  I greatly admire the courage Peter shows here in proclaiming his allegiance to God rather than the laws of men, no matter the cost, but it's also worth noting that throughout his testimonies and declarations, he is always weaving the Gospel thread into his conversations, issuing an invitation to the listener to hear more about the love of God.  Peter's mind is fixed on the Gospel, and whatever he is saying, whomever he is saying it to, Peter wants the invitation of Christ to be clear.
  This is instructive for us.  We have so many interactions throughout our days.  Will you pray for the message of the Gospel to be woven into our conversations?  Will you look for opportunities to tell of the story of Christ?  It's about having a mind that is always looking for ways to share the story -- this isn't easy, and it takes work, but maybe, just maybe, the Holy Spirit can use our everyday words to share the love of God and invite others to come and see.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Acts 5:17-26

Acts 5:17-26
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Let's say you are sitting on your couch and receive two messages.  One is that your best friend is having a tough week and needs a friend to talk to right away.  The other is that you won the lottery,  but have to fly three states away and can't be back for a week.  At that moment, you'd have to decide which was more important to you.  (I know, there are workarounds... but work with me here.)
  Every day, we live out our priorities.  Now, we may not explicitly say what is most important, but where we invest our time and energy is a declaration about what matters most.  These daily choices turn into weekly priorities, and whether or not we do so with intention, we shape our lives around what we have decided our priorities are.  We make choices, and our limited attention focuses on our highest priorities first.  Have you ever spent time in the presence of someone who was clearly not making you their highest priority at the moment?
  The apostles are being hounded by the religious leaders to not proclaim the Gospel.  They are thrown in jail and threatened with violence.  They are dragged before trials to try and silence them, but their first and highest priority is to proclaim the Gospel in all they do, and they will not be dissuaded by anything.
  So the question for us is -- what is your highest priority, and how do you live that out everyday?  Do we, in our work and in our relationships, seek to keep the Gospel first?  Do we place others first?  I often end up with myself at the top of my priority tree, and then whatever is left trickles down to others.  If I don't pay attention, it will stay like that.  But through prayer and a loving community, we recognize our flaws and work to draw nearer to God and demonstrate his selfless love.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Acts 5:12-16

Acts 5:12-16
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Can you imagine the sense of expectation that followed Peter?  It must have been incredible to see the people draw closer to him, expecting something miraculous, waiting for the sick to rise up in health.  It's hard to imagine, and yet day after day it must have happened in such frequency that the people were lined up in the street.  The church was the place where lives were changed.
  What does the church mean to us now, today?  What does the world expect from the church?  I think it's safe to say that in most of modern America, people aren't lining up on the streets waiting for miracles.  The church is part of society, which is good in many ways, but it is often tame, isn't it?
  So what does it mean for the Spirit to break us out of our molds, to teach us to love radically and serve with selflessness?  It's hard, I know that.  I don't like to be uncomfortable, but God calls us into uncertain places.  I don't know if people would be lining up on cots in the streets, but let us pray for the church to be the hands and feet of Christ with such a commitment to selfless love that people see the church as the place where lives are transformed.

Monday, March 13, 2017

Acts 5:1-11

Acts 5:1-11
English Standard Version (ESV)

  This story has a fascinating fear factor to it - the idea that not giving properly will lead to imminent death, that God is ready to strike down those who don't account perfectly for their giving.  But it's a much deeper story than that.  Ananias and Sapphira are, at the heart, greedy for recognition.  Rather than honor going to God, they want honor and glory for themselves.  They're aren't giving for God's sake --they are giving for their own.
  As Peter says, when the land was still theirs, they weren't compelled to give it away.  When the money was theirs, they weren't forced to give it to the church.  The problem is that they wanted everyone to think they had sold the land and given all the proceeds from the church, because that would make others think highly of them and their generosity.  They wanted the community to pour out honors and praise upon them.  They weren't thinking about what the gift might mean for God or the church -- they were thinking about what it meant for them.  Death is the end of all such idolatry -- when we take the position of God, reaching for the glory that belongs to him and him alone, we perish.
  And so the lesson here?  I do believe it's important to think about what and how we give, but it's also to think about why we give -- do we give to get our name on a building, or to reach for a memorial so that everyone will know how generous we are?  Or do we give out of generosity, pouring forth gifts to reflect the gifts that have been given to us?  We have been given eternal life, peace with God, through the gift of Jesus Christ.  How do we reflect our gratitude, and can we live in such  a way that directs honor to God.  As it says in John 3:  I must decrease, but he must increase.

Friday, March 10, 2017

Acts 4:32-37

Acts 4:32-37
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Compare this to the modern church.  We'd probably call this a cult if it were taking place today, but push past that and think about how interconnected their lives were -- not just materially and financially, but communally.  These people knew each other at a deeper level than most of us can fathom knowing our church community.  Their needs and joys and sorrows were shared.  We focus so much on the financial interdependence that we lose the beauty of the willingness of the early church to build a community that depended deeply on the participation of every member.  These people were willing to be vulnerable and expose themselves to the risk that inevitably comes with trusting a large group of people.
  In today's church, we are starkly independent.  We share bits and pieces of our lives and our finances with one another, and if there is a dire need of someone with whom we are well-connected, we might be willing to go above and beyond what we normally give, but often we are isolated, even in our communities.  The community often now depends on the paid staff that orchestrates it, rather than on the members.  If large numbers of members don't show up, the church structure still usually finds a way forward.  People routinely skip church events for other functions because they don't feel a sense of responsibility.  They have membership in the church, but how much ownership do they have in the ongoing life of the church?  We tend not to be more vulnerable than we need, and we give to the church out of our excess time, money and energy.
  It's very different, and while it suits our American lifestyles, I'm not sure that it's better.  If I don't show up at church for a few weeks, who notices?  Who calls?  If I don't share my own struggles and joys, does it harm the community?  Do I show up to observe or participate?
  There are important questions facing the church.  We need to be willing to ask ourselves tough questions, and I think we need to be open to thinking about church in different ways as well, ways that aren't so conforming to our independence and open us up to the Spirit working in new and wonderful and even uncomfortable ways.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Acts 4:23-31

Acts 4:23-31
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Our kids think band-aids make everything better.  Sometimes they aren't even bleeding and they ask for a band-aid, because they believe the band-aid cures them.  We don't ask questions, but mainly push through the path of least resistance to happy kids.
  Here, the disciples are surrounded by threats.  The first-century world was not friendly to the early church, but notice how they pray.  When their are threats, they're not even asking for the threats to disappear -- they are praying for boldness in the face of the threats!  They recognize the danger, but they don't want an easy way out, they don't want the pain to simply pass -- they want to continue to serve God in the face of the danger and threats.  The only thing that will help them as they are surrounded by threats is the boldness to proclaim Christ's love even in the face of danger.  They are living out their purpose under threat.
  So the challenge for us is to not seek easy ways out.  When their is danger or threats, often we just move to the area where the smoothest path out of danger awaits.  Here, we can learn from the church that the task is not to flee danger, but rather to continue to serve God no matter what.

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Acts 4:13-22

Acts 4:13-22
English Standard Version (ESV)

  This image always makes me laugh -- the leaders are telling Peter and John not to preach, but they don't grasp that they are standing opposite the will of God, and they are trying to put the lid back on a movement that simply cannot be opposed.  It's like a little boy in a rowboat in front of an aircraft carrier, shouting at it to stop because he doesn't want the waves to upset his little boat.
  The leaders are so out of touch here, and it's amazing to look back at the 2,000 year history of the church and think they had the audacity to think they could stop what the Holy Spirit was doing because it would change things for them.
  And yet, I'll freely admit that I often find myself opposing God's will, because it might cast me out of my comfort zone.  I often don't like to love selflessly, and it's hard to give sacrificially.  I don't like to reach out to those who are different than I am, and if I'm really honest, I sometimes grow tired of the cost of discipleship and wish that faithfulness were easier.  God's will is calling me in one direction, but my spiritual laziness often wins out and pulls me directly opposite.
  So it's important to look back over our days, over our weeks, and pay attention to where and how God is at work.  You are being called into the deeper waters of discipleship, and if we're not careful, we find ourselves choosing our own comfort as opposed to God's calling.

A Prayer for March 7 2017

Acts 4:1-12

Acts 4:1-12
English Standard Version (ESV) 

  I don't lead a life that teeters on the edge of going to prison.  I'm not one to pose a threat -- and I'm deferential enough that I could probably be dissuaded fairly easily by guards showing up and threatening to toss me in prison.  I don't think it's an environment in which I would thrive.
  But Peter has this urgency about him.  It's the same passion we see in Luke 5 when Peter falls before Jesus and tells Jesus to go away, for Peter is a sinful man.  Peter is the one who promised to die beside Jesus and then denied him three times.  Peter knows how far he has fallen and is overwhelmed by a burden to tell about the power of a Savior who forgives.  Peter has a story to tell, and no guard or prison wall will contain it.
  This is evangelism at its finest -- someone who has been overwhelmed by the love of God and cannot not tell people.  It's an urge, buried within, to tell a beautiful story about forgiveness and grace and redemption and second chances.  It's a glimpse of eternity that burrows into the soul and compels the person to tell anyone, everyone, about what they have seen, felt and experienced.  It's a firm hold on the Truth that must be shared.
  Peter knows how lost he was, and he is grateful to be found.  He wants others to experience what it's like to be found as well.
  I know that I was lost.  I'm grateful that God still loves me.  The question before me, and every other person who has experienced grace, is how are we going to share the story, so that all the world may know that there is no other name under heaven by which we are saved.

Monday, March 6, 2017

A Prayer for March 6, 2017

Acts 3:17-26

Acts 3:17-26
English Standard Version (ESV)

  When I lived in Atlanta, there was a man who stood on a popular intersection with a microphone in one hand.  The other end of the microphone wire was plugged into a speaker, which sat in a stroller that faced the traffic, so passing cars could listen to threats of hell and damnation as they waited for the light to turn.  The scene was always somewhere between amusing and sad, because some people paint a picture of God that makes him sound eager to condemn.  Now, I do believe that hell is a real place, but the testimony of much of the New Testament proclaims a God whose mission is to gather as many people as possible into the grace of God, saving us from sin.  God sends warning after warning, displaying incredible patience with a people reluctant to heed the call to repentance.   God wants us all to turn back from sin and receive the free gift of grace.
  Of course, it's hard to repent.  I hate admitting that I'm wrong.  I'd much rather ignore the facts and let my pride win out.  Stubbornness isn't going to help, however -- I don't think God is going to admit that I'm right!
  No, the wiser path is to admit that we are wrong, that we are sinful, and that we are in need of grace.  God wants to restore us to life, and may we receive it joyfully, trusting that our sins are cast into the depths of the oceans, never to be remembered in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Friday, March 3, 2017

Acts 3:11-16

Acts 3:11-16
English Standard Version (ESV)

   I have always admired Peter's courage.  Here, in front of a crowd of people, he accuses them directly of killing Jesus, the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead.  He pulls no punches and directly implicates them in the death of the long-awaited Messiah.  He doesn't soften his words so as not to offend.  He isn't concerned about their feelings -- he is worried about where they stand in relation to God.
  The people here are accused of two things -- the first is that they have lost the ability to be amazed at what God is doing.  Peter hints toward the amazing miracles God has done in the past, and that we shouldn't ever be surprised when God does a miracle -- human history is littered with miracles God has done, and it's important for us to remember that God has done amazing things out of love for his people.
  The second thing they did is that they sinned against God by rejecting Jesus.  We often forget that our sins are sins against God -- that in choosing other things to worship, we reject God and choose our own interests.  We don't just sin against our fellow humans, we sin against God, and for this reason we are in need of a Savior, whom God graciously sends in Jesus Christ.

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Acts 3:1-10

Acts 3:1-10
English Standard Version (ESV) 

  You reach a point where you feel like you've seen everything, like you understand.  When I hear politicians promise something, I just sort of shut my ears off, because I have learned by now that whatever is promised probably won't come to fruition and if it does, it'll be some watered down version.  I don't have a truly open heart or mind -- I think I've seen it all sometimes.
  So this beggar had been lame from birth, having been carried everywhere for every day of his life.  For a time he might have held out hope for a miracle, and he's probably seen all sorts of acts of generosity -- big and small, authentic and designed to draw attention.  Who knows how many people have tried to help, and he's probably not expecting much from people at this point.  I'm guessing he tries to get alms but little else from people.
  So when Peter turned his full attention on him and started out by saying that he didn't have silver or gold, he probably shut part of his mind off, thinking that he wasn't getting anything useful.  But then God surprises, breaking in to the monotony of the ordinary and doing something dramatic, something new, something miraculous.  God interrupts our patterns to establish a new way of being, bringing dramatic healing and reconciliation and new life to this man, even though he wasn't expecting it.
  Now, imagine what God, who has already broken the power of sin and death, might have in store for us...

Ash Wednesday 2017

Hebrews 10:19-25English Standard Version (ESV)
The Full Assurance of Faith
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

I love the premise that Justin set forth at the beginning of the service – Lent has historically been a time of transition in the church, not only when new believers were brought into the congregation, washed of their sins through baptism but also when those separated from the congregation through sin were reconciled to the body of Christ.  Think of their joy as they left the old behind and embraced the new chapter God had in store for them.
Here in Hebrews we start with a therefore – think of all that God has done for you, for us.  Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, we who have been washed in the blood of Christ, forgiven of our sins, are charged to live into our calling as new creations.  And so we draw near to God, assured of our forgiveness. We hold fast to our faith, trusting in the faithfulness of God.  And we are charged to stir up one another to love and serve, always remember to gather together in fellowship and worship.

This is obviously a season of transition for Vista, and we are looking forward to the next step that God has for the congregation.  As you go out into the night, into this season of Lent, I’d encourage you to think about what God has in store for you.  How are you being charged to grow during this season of preparation?  What is God calling you into?  And how is God calling you to participate in the next step of this church?  How might you take part in what God is calling us to do together to hold fast to God and encourage one another to go out and proclaim the joy we find in Christ our Savior.

Acts 2:42-47 - Ash Wednesday

Acts 2:42-47
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Some people have magnetism, right?  We've all been around people who ooze charisma, people you just want to be friends with because they bring energy to the room.  It's fun to be around such people.
  When I read this description of the early church, I feel like this is a group of people I want to be around.  These people look out for each other, they love each other, they watch out for each other.  They're willing to sacrifice their own wants for the greater cause of the community, and they trust that the community will be there for them when they need it.  This is the type of community that will draw people in.
  I think that the church often seeks to substitute the first for the second.  They try and find a pastor who will draw people in with his or her charisma, and what they need instead is to let God shape them into a community that has such deep love and concern for one another and for what God is doing in their midst that they are willing to sacrifice to let their love be made real.  This is much harder, but this is how the church has been sustained through the centuries -- because Christ's love shows us how to be selfless for one another, and outsiders see and experience such amazing love and are drawn towards the one who teaches us to love.
  Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season in which we prepare for Easter.  If I'm being honest, I'll confess that my heart is much harder today than it was years ago.  Life has a way of doing that to us, and so my selfish prayer is for a softer heart more willing to love others selflessly.  I don't know how God is calling you to grow in your own preparation for Easter, but reading about what a Spirit-centered community looks like should call each of us to do some honest self-examination and seek to take the next step of faith.