February 17, 2019 The Heart and Soul of the Church: Here Comes Trouble

On the road where I grew up was a young man who always seemed to be in trouble.  The question that comes to my mind, looking back on this young man, is did he cause trouble or did trouble somehow seem to find him?  I’m not sure he was always the one causing trouble, but trouble certainly had a way of finding him.  He was, in fact, in trouble so regularly that I can remember people saying, when they saw him coming, here comes trouble!

      

That is a very unfortunate way to be known, as trouble.  This morning, as we continue our series of messages from the book of Acts, we find that Paul is, once again, in trouble.  I suppose it is a bit of a chicken or egg question, but we can ask, as I did about the young man in my neighborhood, did Paul cause trouble or did trouble seem to find him?  Did people say, when they saw Paul coming, here comes trouble! It seems that Paul was very often in the center of conflict.  In last week’s message, I spoke about the conflict between Paul and Barnabas, where the two friends had a falling out and went their separate ways. This morning, we find Paul was again in conflict.  Today, however, we see Paul in a conflict on a larger scale.  Last week it was a small-scale conflict, between two people; this week it is a conflict that erupts and spreads into the larger community and involves the religious and civic authorities.

      

Follow along with me as I read this morning’s Scripture text, Acts 17:1-9 – 

¹When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 

² As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 

³ explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. 

⁴ Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

⁵ But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

⁶ But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 

⁷ and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”

⁸ When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil.

⁹ Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.

This is not one of the more well-known passages from the book of Acts, but there is a lot going on in these verses that is very important, especially when we dig below the surface.  Luke tells us that Paul had been preaching in the synagogue in Thessalonica, where many people were open to his message and became followers of Jesus.  It is important to remember that at this moment in history, the Christian faith was still tied very closely to Judaism, and Paul and other leaders were active in the temple in Jerusalem and in the synagogues around the Empire.  The leaders of the synagogue in Thessalonica, unsurprisingly, were very unhappy to see so many of their members not only listening to Paul, but also becoming followers of Jesus.  In response, they sought to incite the people of Thessalonica to riot, which they hoped would then gain the attention of the local authorities who would, in turn, either imprison Paul and Silas or send them packing from the city. A riot did ensue, Paul and Silas were arrested, but then released, after which they slipped away from Thessalonica under cover of nightfall and traveled to Berea, where, as Luke says in a dig at the Thessalonians, the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true(17:11).

      

Last week, in referencing the conflict between Paul and Barnabas, I said that conflict was both inevitable and natural.  Conflict is, quite simply, a part of life.  This morning, as we look at conflict on a larger scale, I will add that conflict is part of life because, when we move into the larger world, there is always a clash between different points of view, different ways of viewing morality, different value systems, and different opinions.  There is also, when it comes to the gospel message, the reality that the message itself provokes conflict and trouble.  We certainly see this in the book of Acts, and we see it in the gospels themselves, so let’s talk about what we can learn from the trouble that comes from the gospel. 

1. The gospel troubles those in leadership.

      

Leadership is a tremendous responsibility.  In the book of James we read not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly(3:1).  There is much responsibility that comes when a person has authority, power, or influence over others.  We have seen, so tragically, the way that the responsibilities of leadership have been ignored or abused in recent years.  As we watched the sexual abuse scandal unfold in relation to the women’s Olympic gymnastic team we saw a terrible failure of leadership.  Those who were charged with the protection of those women failed.  Those who were charged with the care of those women failed.  And not only did they fail, but some of the leaders who possessed the power to protect them – and to end the abuse – failed to do so, and, in fact, covered up the abuse that was taking place.  We see almost every week more terrible revelations about the sexual abuse that has taken place in the Catholic Church, and last week a report was made public about the abuse that has taken place within the Southern Baptist Convention.  In institutions all throughout our society – in colleges and universities, sports teams, churches, community groups, and others – we have seen the terrible abdication of leadership that has led to the abuse of innocent victims.  Leaders have a great deal of influence over others, and because they do, they not only are held to a higher standard, but they are necessarily held to that higher standard.  

      

The gospel troubles leaders, and it troubles, even, religious leaders.  Paul, in this passage, came into conflict with some of the local religious leaders.  Luke tells us that other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd(verse 5). (I must note, at this point, that the group Luke refers to as some of the Jewsin verse 5 are those who serve as religious leaders.  In the New Testament, the religious leaders were often referred to simply as the Jews. This phrase does not mean the Jewish people in general, but specifically the religious leaders.  This is especially important to note in the last days of the life of Jesus, as it was not the crowds of people who followed Jesus who turned against him, as has so often been portrayed.  It was, instead, the religious leadership and some of their associates who were shouting for the crucifixion of Jesus, not the crowds of people who so often turned out to listen to him.  Jesus maintained his popularity with the crowds of people but found himself in almost constant and universal opposition from the majority of the religious leadership.)

      

Religious leaders need, at times, to be troubled, and we see throughout the Scriptures that they were.  John the Baptist, in Matthew 3:7-12, challenged the Pharisees and the Sadducees, ⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.  ¹¹ “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you withthe Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”  Jesus, on many occasions, also challenged the religious leaders.  In Matthew chapter 23 Jesus issues a scathing judgment about the religious leaders, saying things such they tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them(verse 4); you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness(verse 24); you are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean(verse 27); and many more harshly critical remarks about those leaders. Jesus witnessed the way in which the hypocrisy of those leaders threatened to turn many away from faith, just as is true today; he witnessed their lack of compassion, which is also true today; and he witnessed their desire to be served rather than to serve, which is also true today.  There are too many instances in which religious leaders act in a manner that is contrary to the gospel, and those actions are damaging to others and to the kingdom of God.  When religious leaders are seen as lacking in compassion, as judgmental, as hypocritical, when they fly around in private jets and live in mansions, flaunting a luxurious lifestyle, paid for by the tithes and offerings of their supporters, the gospel will trouble them, if they will take the time to hear what it has to say.

2.  The gospel troubles the powers of this world.

      

Verses 6 and 7 portray what is, on the surface, a rather absurd scene.  Luke writes that those who were upset by Paul and his companions said, these men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.  Imagine, big bad Rome being frightened by a few humble followers of Jesus!  Though the gospel was spreading beyond its beginnings in Jerusalem and into the wider Roman world, at this point it was a bit much to say that Paul and his companions had caused trouble all over the world.  While that reaction was absurd on the surface, it does, however, reveal something about earthly power and earthly kingdoms, and that is the truth that they are not always as powerful as they seem or want people to believe.  Part of the way kingdoms keep power, after all, is through the perception that they are all-powerful and nothing can be done to defeat that power.

      

I recently watched the movie Ben-Hur; not the Charlton Heston version, but the updated version that was released a few years ago.  There is a great scene where, as Pilate is riding through the city of Jerusalem, he sees Jesus speaking to a crowd of people.  Jesus is exhorting the people to love their enemies and to not be prisoners of hatred, or to thirst for revenge.  Pilate turns to one of his companions and says of the message of Jesus, that is the real enemy.  It is not the Zealots or others, but that message.  That is a paraphrase of a fictionalized story, but it is, nevertheless, a powerful scene, and one that contains a great deal of truth.  The gospel contains a very subversive element, and as it does, it is a message that does indeed strike fear into the hearts of earthly powers, because the message of the gospel proves to us that there is a power much greater than the most powerful kingdom or military power, and that is the power of conviction and allegiance to a divine power.  So, on the surface it was absurd for anyone to think that Paul – or the church – were any threat to the power of Rome.  But time has proven the gospel is a far greater power, because where is the power of Rome now?  What exists of the mighty Roman Empire?  All that remains are some writings and some crumbled monuments and buildings, and that is all. Like other great and mighty powers before it that seemed impossible to vanquish, Rome as an earthly power no longer exists.  

      

While Rome is gone, there are other earthly powers that now contend against the gospel.  Those powers are often hostile to the gospel because, for one, earthly powers do not like competition, and two, because the kingdom of God inspires a greater loyalty than any earthly kingdom.  Today, we can find examples of earthly kingdoms that the gospel troubles, such as China. The nation of China will be, in not too many years, the country with more Christians than any other country in the world.  As Christianity has exploded in China, the authorities have grown increasingly troubled by – and increasingly hostile to – the church.  The Chinese government is now undertaking a project to create their own translation of the Bible which will be more in line with the goals and policies of the Chinese Communist Party (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-04/bibles-allegedly-pulled-from-chinas-online-book-stores/9616560).  You will remember, I’m sure, the famous picture from Tiananmen Square, taken in 1989 during the student protests, of a young man standing in front of a column of tanks (you can see the picture, as well as an article about the young man, here –  https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-tank-man-of-tiananmen-square).  It is a very powerful image, because it shows that earthly kingdoms, for all their power, find their match in the greater power of conviction.  Those earthly powers are very fearful of this conviction because they realize that once conviction takes root in the hearts of people, the power of earthly kingdoms – even power supported by tanks and other military weaponry – can fall apart like a house of cards.  If you are my age or older, you will remember the safety drills we had in school, where we were taught to hide under our desks in the event of a nuclear attack.  Now, setting aside the absurd idea that a school desk would in any way help to protect us from a nuclear attack, we also realize that when we talk of such practices younger generations have no idea what we are talking about, as they do not remember the Soviet Union.  My generation grew up with an insecurity about our nation and the Soviet Union managing to maintain a sense of détente between them, which would prevent the horror of nuclear war.  For younger people, the idea of the Cold War and all of its implications are completely unknown.  Who could have known, back in the days of the Cold War, that the Soviet Union would one day so quickly unravel, or that the Berlin Wall would collapse without a shot being fired?

      

While I am speaking of earthly powers, I must mention an important point.  We are all familiar with Romans 13:1-7, where Paul writes ¹let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. ² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. ⁴ For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. ⁶ This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. ⁷ Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.  This passage has often been interpreted as saying that citizens of a society should always hold themselves subservient to and be obedient to the ruling powers.  To use this interpretation, however, is a misuse of Paul’s words, especially in light of the fact that Paul actually ignored his own advice, or command, the he offers in this passage.  Paul was arrested on numerous occasions because of his refusal to obey the governing authorities.  We also must note that Paul was executed by the Roman government, presumably because he did not obey the governing authorities.  The Scriptures tell us, on more than one occasion, that earthly powers are to be challenged and held to account when they act unjustly. The Old Testament prophets were certainly an example of this, and Jesus often made digs at the Romans in some of his teachings, and though they are not always obvious to us, they certainly were to his listeners, and would have not escaped the notice of the Romans.  It is important, I believe, that the church not hold hands with government powers when they act in ways that treat people unjustly, unequal, or try in any way to limit their freedom that is a gift of God.

3. The gospel troubles each of us.

      

I often think about the Sunday morning last August when the Khat Khai family joined us for worship.  The Khai family, you will remember, is the family we helped to settle here in America, as we joined with Kentucky Refugee Ministries and two other congregations in order to sponsor their move to and settlement in Louisville.  Their story is such an inspiration, and I have often thought about their visit with us last August, especially the words their pastor shared with us.  When I invited their pastor to speak, he was so kind and gracious, but did not want to, as he said, take any of my time.  I wanted him to share with us whatever was on his heart and asked him to please speak to us, and I am very grateful that he did so.  If you were here that day, and in the 11:00 service, I know you were moved by his words, as he spoke of his call to ministry and of the difficulties he endured because the local authorities did not want him preaching.  He was arrested and imprisoned on three occasions, and each time was told that he must stop preaching.  Each time he gave the same response, telling the authorities that he would continue preaching.  Eventually, he was able to come to our country with his family, where he continues to preach.  I very much admire his conviction, and his willingness to go to jail for his beliefs.  As I said then, we have no idea what some people must endure because of their faith.  I complain so easily, and about so many minor inconveniences.  I complain about the weather and I complain about such small matters, and I am embarrassed when I think of how easy my life is in comparison to so many millions around the world.

      

Verse 9 of this morning’s Scripture text tells us they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. Thankfully, they were released, but their arrest was a warning to them, a warning that the authorities would continue to arrest and harass them in an effort to stop them from their ministry. Those efforts, fortunately, did not succeed.  The failure of those efforts, however, does not minimize what those early followers of Jesus experienced, as they often faced intimidation and persecution.

      

Being a follower of Jesus ought to interfere with our lives.  If it never interferes with our lives, we ought to think long and hard about the role of our faith.  We know that when one is dedicated to a cause, it costs something. I was never a great athlete, but I was on several teams in school.  My junior and senior years in high school I was on the rowing team.  I really enjoyed the sport of rowing, but it was a lot of work.  A lot of work.  We spent six weeks in physical conditioning before we even saw a boat or touched an oar.  We spent hours working to be in the best physical condition possible and many more hours on the river, honing our skills and preparing for competition.  I played soccer for two years in college, and again, it was many, many hours of physical conditioning and practice.  I was willing to devote that much time to those two sports because I loved playing and competing but being on those teams cost me something. We are fortunate, in our country, to be blessed with freedom, especially religious freedom.  In our nation, we are able to worship in freedom and without fear of threat or intimidation.  In many parts of the world our brothers and sisters in faith face great persecution. For them, the words of Jesus if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me(Matthew 16:24) are very real.  Our faith, which is of infinite value, ought, at some point, to cost us something.  It might cost us our time or our resources; it might even, at some point, cost us our reputations or something of greater value. 

      

Here comes trouble.  The gospel indeed, does cause trouble.  It troubles leaders, even religious leaders, both then and now. It certainly troubles the civic authorities, both then and now.  And it troubles us, as it asks us to give more than we could ever imagine we would be able to give, to sacrifice more than we could ever imagine sacrificing, forgiving more than we could ever imagine forgiving, and loving more than we could ever imagine loving.  But, it is so very worth it.  So very worth it!

  

February 10, 2019 The Heart and Soul of the Church: A Parting of the Ways

There is a joke/story/parable about a man who was lost at sea and found himself stranded on a desert island.  He was on the island for a number of years, and over the course of those years erected a number of structures.  He also kept a signal fire going in the hopes that a ship would see the smoke and come to his rescue.  One day, a ship did see the smoke from his signal fire, which brought them to his island where he was rescued after many years of solitude.  Before leaving the island, however, he gave his rescuers a tour of his island home, showing them the structures he had erected.  Beginning down a path, he showed them what was a quite impressive structure, telling themthis is my most recent house.  It took me a while to build, but when I realized I might be here a while I decided to build the best house I could.  Going a bit further down the path he showed them structures that he used for storage as well as the very first shelter he built.  It wasn’t much, he said, but it provided for me in when I first arrived here and while I built the larger home.  Going a bit further down the path, with a great deal of pride he pointed out another structure, which he said was my church.  I wanted to continue to care for my spiritual life so it was important to me to have a church.  Then turning back up the path toward the beach he said, well, I suppose I’m ready to go now.  One of the sailors, however, upon noticing another structure a bit further down the path, said, but I see another structure just down the path?  What is it?  Hardly looking back, the castaway waved his hand dismissively, kept walking, and said, oh, that’s where I used to go to church. We laugh at that story, but we also understand the truth that it reveals, truth that can be quite painful, as anyone who has been in church for long understand both the pain and the tragedy of church conflict.

      

This morning we will study a text from the book of Acts that contains one of the first church splits on record; a very painful split between Paul and Barnabas.  Follow along with me as I read the text for this morning, from Acts 15:33-41 – 

³³ After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. 

³⁴ But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.

³⁵ But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord

³⁶ Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 

³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 

³⁸ but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 

³⁹ They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 

⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 

⁴¹He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

I need to say upfront that there is no hidden message or agenda in this sermon. Nothing has happened that has spurred me to preach about conflict; it is simply another helpful passage from the book of Acts, and as we all encounter conflict in life, it is important to talk about conflict from time to time.  Besides, I learned a long time ago that using subliminal messages in sermons does not work. Years ago, I had something I really felt a member of the congregation needed to hear, so I put that point in a sermon, hoping they would hear it.  I was pleased they were at church on the morning I preached the sermon, and I was very pleased when, as I greeted the congregation after the service, the person said to me, I am really glad I was here today, and I was really glad to hear that message.  I especially appreciated it when you said…and then quoted back to me what I had included in my message specifically for them.  I was so pleased they had heard it!  I was disappointed, however, when they continued…I am so glad you said that this morning, because (so and so) was here today and they really needed to hear that!

      

Conflict is an unavoidable fact of life, and some of the simplest matters in life can escalate to a level of all-out battle.  It might seem like something very simple, such as where to stop and eat lunch on a vacation trip, but all of a sudden, tempers flare, words are spoken, and feelings are deeply hurt.  I believe this happens because the issues we deal with are often only surface issues. When conflict comes, whatever the trigger is for that conflict, there is almost always a deeper, unspoken issue that drives both the conversation and the conflict.

      

This morning, the Scripture text reveals a disagreement between Paul and Barnabas that was so sharp that they parted ways with one another.  The story begins innocently enough, as Paul says to Barnabas, let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing(verse 36). It was a good idea, to go back and visit the churches where they had previously worked, spending time with their friends in those locations, and offering encouragement as they traveled.  And besides, who doesn’t like a good road trip?

    

But as often happens in life, a simple plan turned out to be not so simple.  In fact, the simple plan turned out to be quite full of complications, because it touched on a much deeper issue.  Barnabas suggested they take Mark along with them, which seemed not only innocent enough, but a rather good idea.  Why not have another person along?  Who doesn’t like good company?  The more the merrier, right?  And why not have another person along to share the workload?  Certainly, Barnabas believed it to be a good idea, but Paul rejected it because, as Luke says in verse 38, he (Paul) did not think it wise to take him (Mark), because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work.  Luke does not provide the details as to why Mark left Pamphylia, but obviously Paul was very unhappy that he did.

     

All disagreements bring about a measure of pain, but this must have been especially painful for Paul, as it was Barnabas who vouched for him when many were still suspicious about Paul.  Acts 9:26-27 says when he (Paul) came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was really a disciple.  But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles.  He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken with him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.  Those are strong words on the part of Barnabas, and what a great act of encouragement it was for him to stand before the church and vouch for the man who had been a persecutor of the church.  Imagine how that episode must have cemented the friendship between Paul and Barnabas.  But then it unravels.

      

We learn many lessons from this passage, among them – 

1.  Do not be surprised or disappointed when conflict erupts between or among God’s people.

      

One of the reasons why church conflict is so difficult is that we have higher expectations of the kinds of behaviors and attitudes that should be present in the church.  And, hopefully, those behaviors and attitudes are better because of our faith, but it does not mean that conflict will be absent, because conflict is inevitable and, at times, even necessary and helpful.

      

In fact, when you read through the pages of the New Testament, through the letters of Paul in particular, you find a lot of conflict.  Much of the New Testament, actually, exists because of conflict.  Many of the letters of Paul were written in response to conflict in churches with which Paul had worked.  I and II Corinthians were written to a church running over with conflict and struggle.  In I Corinthians 11:18 Paul writes, in the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are division among you.  That was putting it mildly, as the church in Corinth was full of divisiveness and conflict. And it’s not always congregations Paul mentions; sometimes, Paul names specific individuals.  In Philippians 4:2-3 he writes, I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntycheto be of the same mind in the Lord, and goes on to ask others to help them get along.  How would you like to be one of those argumentative individuals who got mentioned in the Bible, where history remembers you as a troublemaker?  

      

One thing about conflict, however, is that, handled well, it can be healthy, especially because it can “clear the air.”  Conflict can bring about conversations that need to take place, but are generally avoided, until something comes along and triggers the conflict that finally allows those issues to come to the surface. Sometimes, however, we run from conflict, because we don’t know how to have those conversations, and we are afraid of those conversations.  Perhaps we believe that if we are honest and open, we will be rejected.  It is hard in church to have those conversations, isn’t it? That’s why people sometimes leave one church for another.  There are, admittedly, many reasons why people leave a church, and there are legitimate reasons to do so.  (There are, admittedly, many reasons why people leave a church, and there are legitimate reasons to do so.  Sometimes a situation becomes toxic and it is time to part company.  It does no one any good to continue in a situation where they are beaten down, harassed, and abused, and I would never recommend that anyone stay in such a situation, but that is the exception and not the norm.) There are, we all know, a lot of landmines involved in conflict, and those landmines make it incredibly difficult to know what to do and how to manage the hurt that comes with the conflict, so we find it simpler to move on.  It’s not easy, but we find it simpler, and then we carry around the hurt for a long time.  Conflict well managed, however, brings issues to the surface that have remained buried but need to be brought into the light of the day so there can be healing and restoration.  That is why Paul was not at all hesitant to dive into the conflicts that often arose.

2.  People deserve a second chance.  And a third chance.  And a fourth chance, and more.

      

We do not know why Mark left Paul and Barnabas when they were in Pamphylia, but his departure left a bitterness in Paul that caused him to not want Mark around.  Regardless of the reasons for Mark leaving, Paul should have given him another chance.  Of all people, Paul should have understood the importance of a second chance.  Paul was present at the stoning of Stephen.  Paul traveled to Damascus in hopes of arresting followers of Jesus, and to then take them back to Jerusalem.  Paul was a persecutor of the church and saw followers of Jesus as the enemy and worthy of arrest and punishment, but God powerfully intervened and gave Paul a new beginning and another chance.  Paul had been given a very big second chance by God, so why shouldn’t Paul do the same for Mark?  It is not easy to give people a second – or a third, or a fourth – chance though, is it? Perhaps we were hurt or disappointed and we don’t want to leave ourselves again in a position of vulnerability. We are, however, sometimes on the other side of that situation, as there are times when we are the ones who need to be granted a second chance.  Wouldn’t we want that second chance to be granted to us?  I would say there is not a person here who has not only needed a second chance at some point in life, but has also received a second chance, so shouldn’t we then offer a second chance to one who needs it?

      

It’s interesting that verse 39 tells us that Paul and Barnabas had thissharp disagreement.  Remember, Barnabas was a nickname (his real name was Joseph; see Acts 4:36-37), meaning son of encouragement.  How does a son of encouragementget to such a point that his close friendship is broken?  Perhaps he was attempting to be an encouragement to Mark, or maybe he was being disagreeable with Paul, but it reminds us that everyone – even a son of encouragement– can at times get it wrong.

      

God is a God of second chances.  And third chances.  And fourth chances.  What did Jesus say on the cross?  Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing(Luke 23:34).  What did Jesus tell Peter when Peter asked if seven times was a sufficient number of times to forgive someone?  I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times(Matthew 18:22).  And what did Jesus say about forgiveness in the Sermon On the Mount about forgiveness and second chances?  For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins(Matthew 6:14-15).

      

I would say that Paul and Barnabas were both wrong, and right, to some extent.  Paul’s objections had some merit.  What if Mark did bail out on them again?  But Barnabas was right as well.  Shouldn’t Mark be given another chance?  Of course he should have.

3.  It’s never too late to set things right.

      

I believe that one of the dynamics at work here was the basic personality differences in Paul and Barnabas.  The portrait we receive of Paul in the New Testament is of a headstrong, hard-charging, overachieving, task-oriented, get it done personality.  Barnabas, as an encourager, was most likely a laid back, easy going, mellow personality.  Those two kinds of personalities can create a dynamic that have the possibility to bring about conflict, but they are also the kind of contrast that creates a very good working relationship.  After all, opposites really do attract and do well together.  How many of you are very different in personality from your spouse? Tanya and I are certainly very different personalities.  She has the most laser-like focus of anyone I have ever known.  Do not get in between her and her task, as she will run you over. It won’t be her intent, of course, to run you over; it’s just that she only sees her task.  For me, however, I see everything but the task.  When I sit down to work on something I am easily distracted.  Oh look, a squirrel.  Look, a bird.  Did I hear someone at the door?  I better go and check.  Personality differences are what they are – personality differences.  Those differences, which can work well together and help to balance our strengths and weaknesses, can also become a source of great conflict, and this might have been a contributing factor to the conflict between Paul and Barnabas.

      

I wonder how, or if, Paul and Barnabas eventually worked things out between them. I wonder if their friendship was restored or permanently damaged from this conflict.  I wonder what they thought as they looked back on this conflict from a perspective of later in life.  I wonder what Paul thought about it when he was in prison in Rome, facing the end of his life.  I wonder if he thought I wish Barnabas and I had reconciled. Now it’s too late.  I hope he was able to think, I am so relieved that Barnabas and I reconciled, before it was too late.  I hope Barnabas did not have to live with regret about failing to reconcile with Paul. I hope he was able to live with the knowledge that their relationship had been restored.

      

Conflict is tough, but it’s never too late to make things right.  A number of years ago I read the book The Shack.  If you have read that book, you know it is a very interesting book, and one of the reasons it is interesting is that it deals with putting life back together after a great tragedy and the restoration that must come with it.  There is a line in that book that is a great line, and as I don’t have the time to set up the scene from which it comes, so I’ll simply quote the line – judgment is not about destruction, but about setting things right(The Shack, Wm. Paul Young, Newbury Park, California:  Windblown Media, 1997, page 171).  That’s a great line, that it is about setting things right.

      

I have seen a lot of people at the end of their lives, and many of them had relationships that needed to be restored.  I have seen some reach out in their final days, or even in their final hours, to heal a broken or damaged relationship, and I can tell you that it is so much better for everyone involved when someone departs this life for eternity with restored relationships.  I have also seen people leave this earth without taking the opportunity to heal broken and damaged relationships, sometimes flatly refusing to do so, and that is very hard for everyone involved, because when a person leaves this life there is no opportunity for reconciliation.  I have seen some beautiful moments of reconciliation, times of setting things right, and I have seen bitterness that was never resolved.  Reconciliation and healing are so much better.  It’s never, ever too late to set things right.

      

Let us be people of the second, and third, and fourth chance.  Let us be people who reach out the hand of reconciliation and restoration. I promise – I guarantee – it is always worth the effort.

February 3, 2019 The Heart and Soul of the Church: What Do We Need to See?

This morning we continue our series of messages from the book of Acts, with this morning’s message coming from chapter 9, which tells of the conversion of Saul.  In what is arguably the most famous conversion in history, Saul was radically changed while on the road to Damascus.  As I speak this morning, I will go back and forth using the names Saul and Paul.  Saul is the pre-conversion name; Paul is the post-conversion name. 

      

Follow along as I read the text for this morning, Acts 9:1-9 – 

¹Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 

² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 

³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 

⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 

⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 

⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 

⁹ For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

Saul, we might say, had his eyes “opened” while traveling to Damascus. It is a bit ironic to say that Saul had his eyes “opened,” as he was actually blinded by the light that shone upon him.  Symbolically speaking, however, Saul did have his eyes opened, as previously he was unable – or unwilling – to see the truth.  Sometimes we are unable to see the truth, but there are also times when we are unwilling to see the truth.  Sometimes, unfortunately, we can’t – or won’t – see truth and reality when it is right in front of us.  There are all kinds of reasons for this, I suppose, but what matters is a willingness to be open to the moving of God’s Spirit that will open our eyes to what we need to see.

      

This morning, I want to talk about several lessons we can learn from Saul’s conversion, the first of which is this – 

      

1. No matter how strongly you believe you are correct, you might be wrong.  And not only wrong, but very wrong.

We live in a moment in history when everybody seems to be convinced they are 100% right and everyone else is wrong, and being convinced they are right they are then compelled to go on social media and proclaim how right they are and how wrong everyone else is.

      

But how do you know you are right?  How do you know?  Honestly, we don’t really think about whether or not we are right, do we?  We simply assume we are right.  Even though we sometimes say I know I’m not always right, do we know when we are wrong?  If we do, it’s almost always after the fact.  We become aware we saidsomething wrong after we see the hurt our words caused.  We become aware we didsomething wrong after we see the hurt our actions caused.

      

How do we know we are right? We might say the evidence backs me up.  What we see as incontrovertible proof, as iron-clad evidence, however, isn’t always as obvious as we believe it to be.  As an example, check out this optical illusion – 

Is the center line one solid color, or is it different shades of the same color?  Even though it appears to be different shades of the same color, it is all one solid color (if you don’t believe me, print out the picture, cut out the bar, and see for yourself).  If you can’t trust evidence that you can see, what then can you trust to know if you are right?  I’ll trust my heart, we might say.  As great an indicator as our heart might be for some things, I don’t believe we want to use it to prove we are right.  Tanya and I were recently with some people and the subject of my guitars came up in the conversation.  I was asked Dave, how many guitars do you own?  My heart was telling me not to answer, because I wasn’t sure Tanya knew how many I actually own (to explain that statement, I should mention a few things. One, I began playing guitar in 5^thgrade, so over the years I have bought, sold, and traded a fair number of guitars.  After that many years it is not hard at all to build up a little collection of instruments. Second, I don’t hunt or fish, so I haven’t spent money on that equipment, and I only golf about once or twice a year. I own an inexpensive set of golf clubs but am not paying weekly – or more regular – green fees or paying for a cart. Or, maybe, I’m simply trying to justify the number of guitars I own).  As I hesitated to answer, Tanya jumped in and said I think he has four or five.  My heart told me not to add anything to her answer, as it would be best not to admit that her estimate was too low, but I did ask well, how many purses and pairs of shoes do you own?(for the record, that is the wrong question to ask).  Suffice it to say, following our heart is not always a good way to know if you are right or wrong.  As followers of Jesus, we would certainly say, I will study the Scriptures for an answer to tell me if I am right or if I am wrong.  That’s a great idea, and I would agree it is a great idea and it is what I encourage people to do and it is what I do myself.  But will that always tell us if we are right?  What if we simply search for a verse in order to affirm what we already believe, even if the verse we search out is not at all saying what we claim it says?  The Bible has been used to support all manner of things that have made life difficult for people and to oppress people.  The Bible, to many people, supported and justified slavery.  The Bible, to many people, justified and continues to justify the refusal of some people and some churches to treat women with equality.  The Bible, to many people, has justified war and military actions that have had grievous consequences for many people.  I believe the Bible to be God’s truth, but the Bible must be interpreted, and that is where we run into some difficulty, isn’t it? Jesus says, for instance, in Matthew 5:29-30 that if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away…andif your right hand causes you to sin, cut if off and throw it away.  All of us would, I assume, understand that Jesus was using hyperbole in those examples in order to make his point, but there are other times when interpreting Scripture is more difficult.  Jesus said, very famously, do not resist an evil person.  If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other also(Matthew 5:39). Does that mean we are not to defend ourselves, or our family, or our homes, or our neighborhood, or our community, or our nation?  I would imagine we would find some amount of variation among us as to how we interpret and apply that verse, so how do we know who is right and who is wrong?  Jesus went on to say, a few verses later, you have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.”  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you(Matthew 5:43-44).  What does that mean, to love our enemies?  Does it mean the same kind of love we have for our friends and families?  Does it mean generating an emotional feeling?  Does it mean to work for their benefit rather than working against them?  Or does it mean something else?

      

You might now be thinking, thanks a lot Dave.  I came here this morning hoping for some help and some answers and all you have done is confuse me! I am not trying to confuse anyone or to make thing more difficult than they already are; I am simply asking the question how do we know we are right? I imagine Saul not only believed he was right and believed that he was on God’s side, but might also have believed God was on his side, and there is a very big difference between those two perspectives.  Saul believed he was absolutely correct in going to Damascus to arrest followers of Jesus, but he was wrong.  Verse 1 tells us that he was breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.  That sounds to me like someone who was very, very sure he was right, even though he was wrong.  Just because we very passionately believe in a cause or just because we hold very tightly to an opinion doesn’t mean we are correct.  Passion and commitment can be wonderful personality traits, but not so much when they are tied to what is not true.  Saul was extremely committed to his cause, and extremely passionate about arresting followers of Jesus.  He was not, however, correct.

      

I understand that I am offering more questions for you to consider than I am giving you answers, but I will say this as a way to sum up this point – one of the many reasons why I believe it is so important to be part of worship, to be part of a Sunday School class, to be part of a youth group, to be part of a Bible study, to read and study the Bible on your own, to read good and helpful materials, and to pray is because those are times and places and opportunities that help us to determine what is right, that help us to determine the manner in which we should interpret the Bible, and to help us answer our questions and to formulate what we believe and how we will live.  It’s also why I am not a fan of the I can worship God just as well on the golf course or on the lake as I can in churchschool of thought.  I am not denying the reality that God can be worshipped in many different places and ways and can be worshipped in those locations.  For me, however, I’ve never experienced worship in those places and I’m not sure how often it really happens.  I believe that when people say they can worship God on the golf course or on the lake they really mean they appreciate the beauty of God in those locations, which is something I have experienced, and I believe those places can absolutely help us to appreciate God’s creation, which is somewhat of an act of worship.  I haven’t, however heard worshipful talk about God on the golf course or on the lake (although God does get mentioned on the golf course, but not in the best of ways).  For me, I need to be in a context where I can be encouraged in my spiritual walk, where I can ask questions, where I can listen to others, where I will be challenged in my views and in my opinion and pushed on whether or not I am right and pushed to defend myself in a way that will make me think hard about whether I am right or wrong, and I find that to most often be in a context that is specifically suited for all those things, and that is generally not on the lake or on the golf course, but in worship and Bible study.

2.  What we do has consequences.

This is especially true for those who are in positions of leadership, power, or influence.  What those people do – and have done – often present very severe consequences for many, especially when they are wrong.  There are scores of people throughout history who have been hurt by those in power, and hurt because those in power were convinced they were correct and acting correctly, but were not.  The inquisitors of the Middle Ages believed they were correct, but they were not, and many suffered.  Stalin believed he was correct, but he was not, and many millions suffered and died.  Many people believed it was correct to sell others into slavery, but they were wrong, and many, many have suffered and continue to suffer because of this horrible tragedy. 

      

This is why the great prophetic tradition of the Old Testament was so important, as they challenged those with leadership and power and influence, telling them that what they did had consequences for people.  It is often believed that the prophets were foretellers of the future, and in some ways they were, but the role of the prophets was mostly to tell the truth, which they certainly did to those who were in power.  A great example of this prophetic function is when the prophet Nathan confronted David. David, who was king, took a liking to Bathsheba and he began an affair with her, which resulted in Bathsheba becoming pregnant.  To cover up the pregnancy, David had Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, brought home from battle. Uriah, however, would not go home, saying to David, the ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!(II Samuel 11:11).  David wanted Uriah to go home and be with Bathsheba, as it would provide cover for the fact that Bathsheba was pregnant by another man.  Despite all of David’s efforts, however, Uriah would not go home, so David told Joab to put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die(verse 15).  That is a despicable action, made more so by the way in which David used his power not only to get what he wanted, but also to bring about the death of an innocent man.  Nathan, however, confronted David about this tragic episode, telling a parable about a rich man and a poor man.  The rich man had everything he could ever need or want, but the poor man had only “one little ewe lamb he had bought.  He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children.  It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms.  It was like a daughter to him. Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.” David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die!  He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity” (II Samuel 12:3-6).  David had stepped into Nathan’s trap, and never saw it coming, failing to see the story was about him and what he had done to Bathsheba and Uriah.  Nathan proclaimed to David You are the man!(verse 7), and in doing so, revealed the terrible consequences of David’s actions.  In the New Testament we see John the Baptist playing the role of prophet, as he challenged Herod and the religious leaders as well.  And, certainly, we see time and again the manner in which Jesus confronted and challenged those in power, because what they did had very serious consequences for people’s lives. 

      

Saul had done a lot of harm, and as Paul, he came to understand what he had done was wrong and also could understand why there would be a great deal of mistrust toward him.  People were, understandably, skeptical about Saul’s conversion.  Verses 13-14 of chapter 9 tell us that Ananias said about Paul that I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.  And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.  It is certainly understandable that people would have had reservations about Saul and whether or not he had really changed or if it was all a ploy to gain the trust of believers before arresting them.  Acts 7:54-60 tells us of the stoning of Stephen, the first known martyr of the Christian faith. Verse 58 tells us that upon dragging Stephen out of the city they laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.  Paul had to live with the knowledge of his role in that tragic event. I imagine there could have been some difficult conversations.  Ananias, for instance, might have said to Paul, Stephen was my friend, and I understand you were present at his martyrdom, and that you were in favor of what happened.  Paul had to live the rest of his life with the knowledge of what he had done.  His actions had consequences.

3.  Paul needed the care and support of others in his new journey.

In spite of what Paul had done before his conversion, he was placed in the care of the church.  Paul needed that care and support to help prepare him for his new life and for his ministry.  We all need the care and support of others, which is one of the great attractions of the church.  One of the reasons why we need that care and support is to help us to see what we need to see.

      

Marvin Whiteman is from my hometown.  Marvin is well-known around town and well-loved by everyone.  He is also a tremendous musician, playing piano beautifully in spite of having no ability to read music.  Marvin is not only a great pianist, but a great singer and songwriter as well.  About five or six years ago, while visiting my mom, I had the opportunity to attend worship in my home church.  Marvin was there that day, helping to lead worship and to play several songs.  I was glad to be there that morning, as I had not seen Marvin in a long time.  What is unique about Marvin is that he is blind and has been blind from birth.  Marvin lost his sight when he was a baby and has never had the ability to see.  He has no idea what people look like, what our hometown looks like, or what anything looks like.  Because of his blindness, people have always looked out for Marvin, serving as his eyes in order to help him get around.  What I did not realize for some years, however, is that as much as Marvin needed people to help him “see,” the rest of us needed Marvin to help us “see.” What we do not realize is that the ability to see is, in some instances, a disadvantage.  Along with our sight comes a tendency to make judgments about people based upon how they look, how they dress, and the color of their skin. Marvin, however, is not saddled with this disadvantage, as he “sees” people without all the judgments and stereotypes that come with sight.  

      

Because we can see does not mean we have understanding or perception.  Students, for instance, will sometimes say I don’t seeas a way of saying they do not understand.  Too often, we believe that because we can see, we automatically understand, but we do not.  Sometimes, in fact, we are blinded by our sight, as ironic as that sounds. Saul could not see.  It took divine intervention and temporary blindness for Saul to be able to see, and to be transformed into the greatest missionary, church-planter, and pastor in history.

      

What do we need to see? Well, there is a good chance we cannot understand what we need to see.  We all have our blind spots and an inability to “see.”  For Saul to be able to see, God had to intervene and open his eyes. My prayer is that each of us will be moved by the spirit of God, by the presence of Christ in our lives, and through the power of worship to be able to “see.”