Monday, March 12, 2007
read Acts 5:1-11
The story of Sapphira and Ananias is told in Acts 5:1-11. This passage
is one part of the larger story of the beginning of the church described in the
Acts of the Apostles. The ending of this passage is one of the first times that
Peter uses the specific term, “church”.
For me, this passage
relates to Jesus’ treatment of women and the relationship of women to the early
church because the story so specifically treats men and women equally. When I
first read this passage, I stumbled over the opening of the scene, “But a man
named Ananias with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of
property…” It surprised me to read about a man during that era conducting
financial transactions in which he clearly involved his wife. The passage
continues, indicating the husband and wife had equal knowledge of and
participation in both the sale of the property and withholding a portion of
their earnings from the church. They were not required to contribute the whole
of their profits to the new church, the community of those choosing to follow
Jesus. They chose to lie about a portion of their earnings. This choice is contrary
to others in the community described in Acts 4:32, “Now the company of those
who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one
said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had
everything in common.” Acts 4 goes on to describe the grace that this sharing
of possessions afforded the community. In stark contrast to the spiritual and
physical abundance of the other followers, Ananias and Sapphira
both die as a result of their lies. They each choose separately to lie to
Peter, and each is struck dead upon lying. Both man and woman are viewed and
treated equally in this passage: their sins weigh equally upon the Lord. While
the treatment may seem to us harsh, it is undoubtedly equal.
In examining this
difficult passage, which ends “And great fear came upon the whole church, and
upon all who heard of these things”, theologians Stanley Hauerwas
and
Dear God, please help me to approach my faith and my church
with openness and honesty. Help me in my struggle to understand the truths of
life, particularly when those truths seem contradictory. Help me to remain open
in heart, mind, and spirit to become one with your Love. Amen.
Tuesday,
March 13, 2007
read Acts 2:1-18
We are told in the book
of Acts that, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one
place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and
filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be
tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them
were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the
spirit enabled them.”
What do you think of
when you read a verse like this? Are you doubtful, scared, awed, or amazed by
it? If you were a person of the Charismatic, or Pentecostal faith you would
likely be quite familiar with this passage, as the practice of speaking in
tongues would be something you would have seen, and possibly experienced first
hand. Glossolalia, a word from the Greek tradition
that is made up of two parts, glossa (meaning
language or tongue), and lalia (which means speech),
is a crucial element of the Charismatic or Pentecostal faith. Some of these
denominations teach that at the time a person is saved, or a little while
later, the believer will be “baptized by the Holy Spirit,” which may manifest
itself as the experience of speaking in tongues.
As a former member of the
United Church of Christ, and a current Methodist, I have never had the
experience of seeing someone speak in tongues, or speaking in tongues myself.
I’ve heard others describe it, and each had his or her own take on the matter,
“it was amazing,” “it was scary,” “it was beautiful.” In Acts we are told that
when the crowd heard the sound of the disciples speaking in tongues they were,
“utterly amazed,” while others, “made fun of them and said, “They have had too
much wine.””
As I see it, the focus
of this passage needn’t be the act of speaking in tongues (especially as in,
who is and who isn’t capable of doing it), but rather the act of the Holy
Spirit moving people in such a way that others were forced to take notice. In
our daily life shouldn’t we behave in a way that makes others take notice?
Whether it’s something as simple as giving someone the right away on the road,
or holding the door open for another person at the grocery store, we can
reflect the Holy Spirit to others every day. And believe it or not, an act as
simple as holding the door open for someone can cause people to be “utterly
amazed.” I’ve been surprised by it, and seen the surprise in others eyes when
doing it for them. If we were as zealous about opening ourselves up to the Holy
Spirit as the Charismatics and Pentecostals are, what
would we be capable of? And what type of person would we begin to transform
into? Though he said it simply, William Blake said it best, “I myself do
nothing. The Holy Spirit accomplishes all through me.”
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who
hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
James 2:15-17
If a brother or sister
is naked and lacks daily good, and one of you says to them
“Go in peace,” ... what is the good of that? Above all, clothe yourselves with
love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
In the Beatitudes Jesus
tells us that those who hunger for righteousness will be satisfied. -
Like the different kinds of hunger intimated in the Gospels, our consuming
hungers vary: for achievement, for recognition, for success or power, for love
and relationship, for importance, for meaning or value. Our list can be
endless!
Some hungers get
satisfied, others endure even when they are not physical. Surely God doesn’t
create hungers to deprive or punish. Yet some remaining unsatisfied can remind
us of our dependence on God and others.
The scriptural “hunger
for righteousness” abruptly tosses us from comfort zones - out of smugness and
presumed travails - into decisions and actions with and for folks who starve
for lack of food. e
persons in situations which make us guilty as well as uneasy, those around the
world who are hungry and poor.
Methodism’s John Wesley
says much about social holiness.
You do not become
holy by keeping yourself pure and clean from the world but by plunging into
ministry on behalf of the world’s hurting ones.
Even more
blunt than Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount are words in the Epistle of James:
If a brother or
sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in
peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their daily
needs, what is he good of that?
Suffering God, hear our prayer for every person dying
today because he or she hasn’t enough to eat. Suffering God, hear our prayer
for ourselves that we grow in compassion and sacrifice for those who hunger for
enough food and clean water.
Suffering God, lead us in righteousness fired by grace, from this day forward.
AMEN.
Thursday,
March 15, 2007
1 Corinthians 14:26
Well, my
brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing,
another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given,
one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But
everything that is done must strengthen all of you.
This letter from Paul to the Christians at
So often in our worship together at
Each week a new gift is shared as we touch each
other’s lives and care for each other’s needs. During my recent health problems
I have felt overwhelming love and concern from so many of you. You have truly
“built me up”.
This morning in particular, the Sunday School family circled round me, held out their hands in
healing energy and sang a healing song. As I sat so close to all of you, I
could hear the voices of the children singing, “Guiding me, guarding me, the
Lord is on my side.” I opened my eyes and saw the love they were sharing…I
could feel an energy soothing me and giving me courage.
Loving
God, help us to be mindful that whatever gifts we bring, may they be gifts of
“building up”. And as we receive the gifts of others, whether it be hymns,
lessons, revelations or interpretations…may we listen carefully, and open our
selves to be “built up.” Help us remember today, and every day, that “YOU are really among us. YOU are really
here with me, guiding me, guarding me.”
Friday,
March 16, 2007
John 20:26
Eight days later the
disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors
were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.
As a former English major and long-term
Shakespeare enthusiast, I always regard with some distaste the idea that
someone other than the Bard wrote the plays attributed to him. The contention
that a man from modest beginnings could never display the wide ranging
intellect and enlightened humanity revealed in Shakespeare’s works strikes me
as elitist in the extreme. Genius can rise above any socioeconomic boundaries,
and to those who support Sir Francis Bacon or the Earl of Oxford as the “real”
Shakespeare, I remind them of Frederick Douglass and Marie Curie, perfect
examples of extraordinary people who proved superior to their circumstances.
Occasionally,
however, a well-reasoned argument will give me pause—my faith is shaken. Then I
remember that Shakespeare was a working actor as well as a writer. He would
have amended lines during rehearsals; he would have glared at any of his
fellows who took liberties with his beautiful words. If he had been merely a
front for some high born aristocrat, his colleagues would have known it. In
1623, two of his friends published the first Folio of his collected works,
including a number of poems praising the late playwright. It is this fact which
convinces me entirely that Shakespeare was the true creator of Hamlet and
Rosalind and Prince Hal. I cannot imagine a group of actors and poets—not generally
known for their generosity towards the talents of others—producing such a
tribute to a man they knew to be a fraud.
I
can understand Thomas’ dilemma when his fellow disciples told him that Jesus
had risen from the dead. After the agony of the Crucifixion, he could not bring
himself to hope, let alone believe, that Christ was indeed alive. The proof
that he required for that belief was more graphic than that which most of us
are afforded, but God provided it nonetheless.
We
all have reasons for our beliefs, be they theological constructs in scholarly
journals or the glories of the night sky; the experience of miracles or the
memory of a beloved grandparent reading Bible stories aloud. God grants each of
us whatever we need to support our faith, as He sent His son to Thomas, and to
me, and to you. Blessed is the gift, in whatever form it takes. Blessed are
they who have not seen, and yet have believed.
Saturday,
March 17, 2007
John 13:6
When Jesus came to Simon
Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
The three year old
started toward the stairs to go up for her afternoon nap. As her mother
followed, this curly haired child turned and insisted, “I can do it
myself.” Like a child we too want to be
independent and do things our way.
As Christ washed the feet of the disciples, he
was not only providing an example of service, but a lesson in humility. Peter’s question appears to be made out of
humility. However, it can also be also interpreted as prideful rejection. Peter
is self sufficient and not able to acknowledge his need to be washed and
symbolically cleansed of sin.
Thanks to the Grace of God, we, “ The Peters” of the world are cleansed everyday through the
sacrifice of Christ. As much as we don’t like it, He sees us as we are –
ignorant, broken and selfish -and He stands before us with His arms open in
love. That is hard to accept but, a must in His Book.
Years have taught me that I need to be humble
before God. My vision of judgment day is standing with Jesus and watching a
video of my life. Oh My!! That won’t be pretty. I will need to stand there in
the glory of God’s unconditional love just like I needed my Mother behind me on
the stairs.
Lord,
forgive us for our prideful ways. Help us to always seek your guidance and
grace as we seek to serve others in your name.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
I John 5:14-15
And this is the boldness (confidence) we have in
him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know
that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests
made of him.
At first glance at this text I may cry out,
“Well I don’t think God has been listening to me; I certainly have not received
what I have requested!” Initially this scripture may be perceived as giving me
the privilege of being a spoiled child expecting to be pampered by a doting
parent.
However, a second reading of the opening line
invites a different response. The boldness or confidence I have is not rooted
in self-assurance or self-centered assertiveness. The boldness with which I am
invited to approach God is rooted in my confidence in Christ. Who and what we
trust shapes our requests. Communion with whom we trust transforms our
requests. Having confidence in Christ, my deepest desire becomes a deep
anticipation for the will, the energy, the joy, and the courage to claim and
follow the great commandments revealed in both our Hebrew and New Testament
scriptures, namely to love God and our neighbor in a manner that draws all of
creation toward reconciliation.
I remember when I would address God as one who
is with us and weeps when we weep and laughs when we laugh. Over the years my
prayer has been transformed and I pray, “O God may I weep when you weep and
laugh when you laugh.”
Having our confidence in Christ, we approach God
as beloved children intuitively knowing that our prayers are heard. Yes, God is
listening? However, sometimes I am the one who is playing deaf.
I pray: O
God, new every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you
are working for good in the world. Stir up in me the desire to serve you, the
desire to live peacefully with my neighbors, and the desire to devote each day
to Jesus Christ. Draw me close, that I may weep when you weep and laugh when
you laugh. Amen