Daily Lectionary for August 18, 2010
Psalm 44
Judges 18:16-31
Acts 8:14-25
John 6:1-15
Acts 8:14-25
Simon, a practitioner of magic we met in Acts 8:9 is central in this passage. He's taken with Phillips message and is baptized and stays with Phillip. In our passage Peter and John come to administer the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the people at Samaria. Simon is still a little confused as to process - he sees the disicples lay on hands and understands that this is how one receives the Spirit which leads him to make an offer that has a modern day feel to it. Simon would fit in well in the everything has a price culture we live in - he offers Peter and John money - so he can have a Holy Spirit dispensing franchise as well. Heavy rebukes follow and Simon asks for prayer so that judgment won't befall him. There is a stewardship message in here somewhere. The things of God, the things of faith are not cars, or houses, or silly bandz or any other sort of commodity. They are not for sale. Stewardship is not offering money and in exchange receiving God stuff. There are two temptations here to be avoided. First is the temptation that Simon faced - seeing something spiritual and imagining he could buy it. The second is the temptation the Apostles faced - turning faith into a commodity available at a reasonable price. For churches in the present economic downturn that are feeling the pinch in their budgets this temptation may start showing up more and more. Perhaps not in obvious ways, but in subtle ways and sometimes even unconsidered ways. It is important to be clear. Stewardship is a whole life thing, yes, but it is also a money thing. It is sharing our resources with God in joyful response to what God has done for us. It is not a financial arrangement wherein God offers a basic, deluxe and premium package. God's gifts aren't for sale.
John 6:1-15
"A large crowd kept following him, because they saw th signs that he was doing for the sick." (v.2) People saw the signs that Jesus was doing and they followed. Not because of a strong advertisign campaign. Or a winning slogan coupled with excellent branding. Not because he had an attractive building. Because they saw what he did and wanted to experience more. Jesus goes up to a mountain and sits down with the disciples. They look up and here come the crowds. When Jesus is at work in our midst people will be drawn to it.
A church member mentioned to me yesterday that she had been in conversation with another member about our adult Sunday School class. The woman she had been talking with is a more recent member who shared that she hadn't known we had an adult class until she'd been invited by this lady to come and participate. The class is mentioned in the bulletin and in the newsletter and has been sited regularly in sermons during worship. Which is to say, that I don't think you can institutionalize communication about things like a Sunday School class. Some may see the announcement in the bulletin for the Sunday School class or the ad in the paper for your church - I'm not saying we shouldn't try to communicate our calendar. What I am saying is that much of that type of communications whether it's a printed announcmenet or a billboard with a pithy message tends to be interesting white noise. What pierces through all the messages and makes a compelling invitation is one person saying to another, "Come and see."
No comments:
Post a Comment