Context Matters

"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you... " Acts 17: 22-23

The Apostle Paul was the most effective and very best preacher and evangelist in the early church. He traveled extensively throughout the region of the Mediterranean Sea proclaiming the gospel to all whom he met, both Jewish and Gentile. Paul truly never let an opporunity to share the gospel pass, he looked for openings to share God's grace and took them.

After reading the book of Acts several times in recent days, and being familiar with Paul's own writing, it has become increasingly clear that Paul was a truly gifted and effective communicator. Paul understood how to deliver the message about Jesus so that it could be received and understood. Depending on who Paul was talking with he shaped his message and method accordingly. Paul was an expert in reading the culture and context of the places he visitied and sharing the good news in ways people responded to. Paul didn't change the message of the gospel, it is always God's grace, but he changed the methods he used to share the gospel depending on his audience. Paul was a contextual theologian, who took seriously the lives, values, and beliefs of those with whom he shared

In Acts 17 we see how Paul contextualizes the gospel for the Greeks in Athens. The Greeks worshipped many gods and were open-minded to new ideas or insights. In fact, the Greek philosophers were obssesed with discussing and debating ideas and would do so in public meetings all day. When Paul comes to Athens he comes across a group of philosophers and he decides to share the gospel with them (of course he doesn't miss the opportunity). But Paul shares the story of the gospel in a totally different way with the Greeks than he would with his fellow Jews. With a Jewish audience, Paul talks about the original convenant with Abraham, the law, and prophets and demonstrates how Jesus is the fulfillment of God's long promised messiah. This approach, while effective with a Jewish audience, would be meaningless to Greeks. Paul puts the gospel in terms that the Greeks would understand. He talks about the shrine to an "unknown God" and uses quotes from Greek poetry to share the gospel. The message is the same, but the method varied depending on who is was sharing with.

For me context is everything. If we want to share the message of who God is and what God has done in our lives with others, we must first understand where the other person is coming from. We must first seek to understand the other person, we must humbly listen, we must share openly. Context also means having a deep undestanding of culture. To share effectively we must understand the values and beliefs of the culture they belong to.

Perhaps an example is needed. Suppose you wanted to have a discussion with a teenager. Would it help to understand something about teenage culture? Do you know what kind of music teenagers listen to? Do you know what facebook is? Do you text? In order to effectively communicate with teenagers we have to understand teenage culture, appreciate teenage culture, and share our messages in terms that make sense within the teenage culture. This is not easy and requires us to be open and willing to move beyond ourselves and our own values and appreciate the values of others. It is difficult but it is also extremely effective when done well.

We are all called to share Christ with those God places in our path, through our actions and words. In order to do so we must, like Paul, be willing and able to understand context and communicate in ways that can be received.

What are the challenges to understanding context?
How would you share the gospel with someone of a different culture or background?

Sharing Christ with those who are Different

Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power." They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

Acts 8:9-13

Have you ever found yourself in a conversation about faith with someone who believes something totallyldifferent than you? Perhaps you have casually stumbled upon faith as a topic of discussion (with someone you don't know particularly well) and someone shares how deeply they feel about being an atheist or muslim, or a buddhist, or a catholic. What do you do? Run? Avoid the discussion?Agree to disagree? Try to convince them they are wrong?

No doubt these kinds of conversations are a major reason for the age-old wisdom about not discussing faith or politics in mixed company. (by the way I have a surplus of lipstick if anyone is interested) Certainly keeping silent about these matters is often a prudent course of action if relational harmony is a primary goal. But what if we want to move past superficial discussions about the weather, sports, or our children's school activities? What if we want to truly engage in deep, meaningful, and personally relevant discussion on matters of faith, politics, love, and life? Is it possible to have a meaningful discussion about these issues with people we disagree with or must it be avoided for fear of jeopardizing a relationship? Is it possible to be an authentic witness for Christ, without resorting to relational violence?

I believe the story of Philip in Acts gives us great insight into these important questions. Philip is a disciple in the early church who is traveling throughout the region sharing the good news of Jesus. When Philip arrives in a Samarian town he realizes that a man named Simon, who practices magic, has dazzled the people with his powers. The people were convinced that Simon was a man from God and they had "followed him for a long time." Philip comes to town to share a different message, the gospel of Christ. Philip was able to share who Jesus was, what he did for us, and how it personally made a difference to him. Philip's simple, humble, and personal witness changed the hearts and minds of the people and Simon! Simon actually became a devoted follower of Jesus and stayed "with Philip constantly."

The story of Philip giving witness to a Samarian town and to Simon is a powerful example of how the gospel has the power to transform lives and overcome differences. Like Philip, we are called to share who Jesus is and what he has done for our lives. We are called to be witnesses when conditions are favorable and when they are unfavorable. When we give witness we honor the work that God has done in our lives. When we keep our story to ourselves out of fear or anxiety or lack of confidence we limit the transforming power of God.

Ultimately, when we give witness to what God has done for us we realize that it is not our words or actions which will touch the heart of another person, but it is God working through our words. When we have the courage to share our story with others, and even those who disagree with us, we make room for God to work within us. So be bold and brave, not for personal glory or with some mistaken and delusional sense of self-importance, but with the knowledge that God will speak through us and God will do the convincing. Conversions like we see in Acts are not human acts, but divine actions. We do however, play a vital role for it is through our actions and witnessing that the transforming power of Christ will be shared with the world. This is God's best plan for the transformation of the world, in fact it is the only plan. We are the hands and feet of Jesus, so get moving!

Actions and Inactions

Jesus said: " A man had two sons; he went to the first and said 'son' go and work in the vineyard today.' He answered, 'I will not';but later he changed his mind and went.The father went to the second son and said the same;and he answered,'I go sir' but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of the father? "The first" they said. Jesus said: "truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are going to the kingdom ahead of you" Matthew 21: 28-31

Like many of the parables of Jesus, this passage is both surprising and disturbing. The story of two brothers, given identical commands to work in the vineyard appears relatively straightforward. The first brother initially says no, but then does the requested work. The second brother says yes and then does nothing.

Jesus' question to the crowds and to us is: "who did the will of the father?" Or put another way, who was most faithful? What one might expect Jesus to say is that the brother who actually did the work is most faithful. The crowds of onlookers and Pharisees certainly answered this way. But Jesus says no, it was the second brother who did nothing who was most faithful. What is this all about? What is Jesus up to?

This puzzling parable really made me question the reasons why I do the things I do. Jesus chastises those who would act only out of obligation or guilt. God does not want us to simply to do good deeds, God wants us to do things for the right reason.

Think about how easily we are drawn into doing things not because we want to or have a heart to help others, rather we do it because we feel we have to. If a friend asked you to help her move, how would you respond? Joyfully? Hesitantly? Would you make excuses?

It isn't so much that God praises the second brother's laziness and lack of action, but the willing heart and spirit which first said yes. More than anything, God wants our hearts. Are you open and willing to say yes to God or do you reluctantly do "the right thing" while motivated by guilt and obligation? The parable makes it clear, which is a challenge for each of us.

Knowledge or Spirit?

After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but "must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon." When they were together for the last time they asked, "Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?" He told them, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world." Acts 1:3-8

The story of Acts is the story of the early church, how it came to be, and how the Spirit of God empowered the church to be witnesses to what Christ had done. In the beginning of Acts, Jesus is coming to the disciples one last time, offering instruction and guidance in order to carry on his ministry and participate in the unfolding Kingdom of God.
The disciples are confused, bewildered, and underprepared. Their first question to Jesus is: is now the time you will bring all of this to an end? Jesus gives the disciples an unsatisfying answer: it is not for you to know. Has God ever answered a prayer that way for you? Have your urgent concerns for knowledge and certainty been met with silence?
The disciples were fixated on KNOWING what God was up to. They wanted access to God's plan, they wanted to know how the story ended. Jesus tells the disciples, and us, that you do not get to know God's plan, you do not get to know God's timing. Instead Jesus promises the Holy Spirit which will empower them to be witnesses for God. The Spirit will give them, and us, what they need to share the story of Jesus with the world.
These humble and undereducated Galileans will share the story of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and through the power of the Spirit the world will be transformed. The story of Acts is not the story of the end of Jesus, it is the story of the beginning of the church. It is the beginning of God's people relying on the Spirit to change the world. We, like the disciples, are called to share the story of what Jesus has done for us. We are called to share this story, not because we have all the answers and all the knowledge, but because we trust that when we speak the Spirit will give us what we need.
Do you trust the Spirit? Are you able to be a witness to what God has done in your life?
Are you more inclined to rely upon your head or your heart when it comes to sharing about God? Why?

The Spirit of Renewal

"God grabbed me. God's Spirit took me up and set me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. He led me around and among them—a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain—dry bones, bleached by the sun. He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Master God, only you know that." He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones: 'Dry bones, listen to the Message of God!'" Ezekiel 37:1-4

Spiritual renewal is an extremely important key to life with God. As we go journey through life, we inevitably have times of triumph and trial, joy and pain, delight and despair. While it is easy to identify God's work in our lives in times of great blessing, we often feel cut off or disconnected from God in times of difficulty.

Ezekiel 37 is a profound story about how the spirit of God has the power to renew and revitalize our lives. Ezekiel, the great and eccentric prophet, is placed in the valley of the dry bones. As he gazes across the desert he sees an endless array of dried and sun-bleached bones. These bones represent fellow Jews who were exiled from the promised land, cut off from their homes, families, culture, and religious practice. The bones were literally the people of Israel, drying out in a state of physical and spiritual draught. It is within this context that God asks Ezekiel: "can these bones live?" Can these who have been cut off from their source of life, be brought back to life? Can God restore and renew life? Ezekiel's answer demonstrates his great faith: "only you know"

Our spiritual walk with Christ is not always easy or pleasant, and we do go through times of suffering and struggle. Jesus himself spoke often of times of trial and tribulation, times of spiritual dryness, and sufferings we would endure. "When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don't quit. Don't cave in. It is all well worth it in the end" (Matthew 10:22-23) It is never easy to follow the Lord, and the world will and does resist. We go through times of struggle and spiritual dryness, but the spirit of God has the power to bring renewal.

As Ezekiel responded to God's call to speak a word of prophesy to the dry bones a miraculous event started to take place. The bones began to come together and took on flesh and blood. These reconstituted bodies stood before Ezekiel as a vast multitude, a great army of God. But, the bones didn't come to life until the spirit of God, from the four winds, came upon them. When God's breath, or the spirit ('spirit', 'breath', and 'wind' are all the same word in Hebrew and Greek) comes onto the dry bones they come alive. And so it is with us, we can walk around physically alive but spiritually dead. We need to seek renewal in the Spirit to fully experience the life God has called us to live. To fully serve and love the Lord, we need the spirit's renewing presence.

And yet, the spirit of Renewal is not some miraculous event waiting to happen, it is not something outside of ourselves we must wait to come upon us. The spirit of God is already active and present in our lives. Each breath we take is God's spirit inside of us. "Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7) We already possess the resources for spiritual renewal, it is a gift already given to us. When we seek renewal from the Lord, it will be given. When we refocus and dedicate our lives to Christ, we will experience renewal. When we connect and reconnect our lives to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we experience renewal.

As we move forward together seeking to respond to the gifts God has blessed us with, may we be filled and refilled with the renewing Spirit of God.

Falling Out of Church

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.”
Acts 20:7-12

The story of Eutychus is perhaps the most humorous story I have found in scripture. As a preacher, I find the idea of someone falling asleep during my sermon to be incredibly embarrassing, but the idea that someone might literally drop dead is beyond words. And Paul, even after realizing that young Eutychus has become so weary and bored of his preaching doesn’t just continue to preach his sermon, he preaches until the sun comes up.

Most of the times I have heard this story discussed the focus hasn’t been on Eutychus at all, rather the focus has been on Paul’s healing miracle. Certainly healing is powerful and needed in our time, but this story also offers the Christian church an opportunity to reflect. Who are the ones who are falling asleep in our sermons? Who are the ones who are sleepwalking through their faith lives? Who are the ones who have fallen out of faith? How can we wake Eutychus up?

For me the answer begins and ends with mission and missional thinking. To be focused on mission in the church means that we are actively striving to invite, welcome, and make known the life-giving love, grace, and mercy of Christ. To be missional means we look for ways to connect the unconnected, to love the unloved, to seek the lost, to feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. For us to be the church God calls us to be we cannot sleepwalk our way the same old tired and worn out practices. We must be willing to change and grow. We must be open to new approaches, new ideas, and innovation.

For some change is threatening, for others it is exciting. The question for our faith community to grapple with is: how can we include Eutychus without excluding those who are already here? How can we strike a balance of moving forward in mission, and moving forward with those who have made the church what it is? These are complicated questions of profound importance for the Christian church. We must find a way to wake Eutychus up, for if we do not the church will cease to exist. We must also be faithful to the Gospel and not compromise our integrity and sense of community. We must be bold yet sensitive, courageous yet discerning, flexible yet purposeful. Quite simply, we must be faithful to God’s call to serve and love one another.