There is a tendency for Christians to think that the church in Acts was the model for all churches. There are some things to imitate. The generosity of the church where everyone sold what they possessed, and no one went without. The church devotes itself to prayer for the release of Peter from prison. The church sent out its leaders to do the work of evangelization to other countries. The Ephesian elder’s unwavering support for Paul as he faced imprisonment and death.
Yet, there are enough events that show us the flaws of the church. Ananias and Sapphira lying to the Holy Spirit. Simon tried to buy the spiritual gift. The leaders in Jerusalem rejecting the conversion of the Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas argument and division. We also read of the problems in churches like Galatia and Corinth that are happening during the time of Acts.
Acts is not a picture of the ideal church, but it is the story of how the gospel changed lives, how believers faced problems and challenges, and how God was faithful in every situation. In our own situation, with the story of our church and the churches around us, we should not think there is an ideal that somehow, we’ve missed nor there is a secret that we can uncover that will allow us to be an ideal church.
The need of the hour is not for us to mimic an outward manifestation we see in Acts. The need of the hour is for God’s people to be faithful. To listen to the exhortations to be prayerful, compassionate, sharing, and ready to give a witness of the goodness of God. We will never carry out the Great Commission perfectly, but we can wholly follow the Risen Christ celebrating the good news that he has given to us.
Pastor Greg
PS—Thank you for your prayers for my family in the death of my brother, Mitchell on this past Sunday. The service will be in my hometown of Winder, Georgia, and Karen and I will be with my mother for a couple of days following.
Apr 27
The “Ideal” Church in Acts
Apr 21
How Inclusive is God?
Acts 10-11
When God gives a vision, everyone gets uncomfortable.
This Sunday’s text is the account of the conversion of Cornelius. It is such a significant event that it takes up a large portion of the book. The central person is Peter and how he has to come to terms with God’s vision.
Peter has been taught the Bible (especially the Torah). Peter has learned that a good portion of God’s Word, the Torah, talks about being clean or unclean before God. He knows he has been redeemed by Jesus Christ, he has met the Resurrected Christ, but God gives him a vision that reinterprets all that he has understood about the Bible and the Resurrected Christ. The radical revelation that causes everything to change for Peter is “I truly understand that God shows no partiality.”
God sends visions to God’s people, especially through God’s prophets. Then the prophetic word does not change reality but helps us to see God’s reality in a clearer focus. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a prophet. He took the words that Americans knew as true, “All men (sic) are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights…” Since he spoke that prophetic vision, we Americans realized those words in a way that confronted our comfort zone and brought us to a place of decision.
This Sunday let us consider the vision that God sent through Peter, how its making us uncomfortable today.
Apr 13
The Never Ending Story
Matthew 28:16-20
When we come to the end of most stories we hear a “The End.” Matthew makes sure you realize that this is not the end. It is the last few verses of his Gospel, but the story, the work of Christ, and Christ’s interaction with people does not end with the Gospel. Matthew makes sure we know that it is until “the end of the ages.”
Not only does the Resurrected Christ tell us that this story will continue through the ages, Christ emphatically says “I will be with you.” Matthew is giving us a story that comforts us. Christ is with us.
The task is also never-ending, Christ is with us when we take this Good News to all nations. This Good News is for all peoples, they are to become just like the Apostles that Jesus originally gives this task to. They too will become disciples, they too will be baptized, they too will obey the instruction that is to love God and neighbor.
This Sunday’s sermon will examine the greatness of the Great Commission. The last two sermons in April will be from the book of Acts. These will examine the barriers that are destroyed by the gospel and the distinction of the gospel message from the idolatry of this world.
Pastor Greg
Apr 08
Is the Tomb that important?
Matthew 28:1-10
As I look at Matthew’s recounting of the story of Resurrection morning, I am interested in the references to place. The women—the two Mary’s—came to the tomb where they had laid Jesus. As they approached, there was an earthquake seemingly caused by an angel that also rolled back the stone that covered the mouth of the Tomb. The angel sat on top of the stone.
The place of the angel reminds me of a young child that likes to climb rocks. It is almost a whimsical image as this angel daggles his feet and talks to the women. The next place is inside the tomb where the body of Jesus had once laid. But immediately, the angel said to go to Galilee where Jesus will meet his followers.
The Mary’s do not stay at the tomb any length of time but begin to rush back to tell the disciples that he had been raised from the dead and is on his way to Galilee. Jesus comes to the women as they are on their way. Jesus greets them and tells them to relay the message that his followers are to meet him in Galilee.
The empty tomb is very important to our Christian faith, but as Matthew tells the story, the tomb is only a touch stone in the story of Christ. Matthew has been telling us the story of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is pushing us out, we are to go out in the busy roads and lanes to invite others into the banquet of our God. The Kingdom is inclusive, none are forbidden. The Kingdom is gracious because there is no prequalification.
The empty tomb is important, but it is not the destination for our journey of faith. The whole world and to all people is the journey of the Kingdom that takes us to the place where we enter into the joy of our Savior.
Pastor Greg
