"When in Rome"

There’s an old saying: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”[i] When my in-laws went to Rome on vacation, they wandered its streets, enjoyed its food, and in many ways did just as the Romans did. But when the apostle Paul went to Rome, he didn’t have the freedom to do as the Romans did. Though he was a citizen of that fair city, he had never been there before. But instead of visiting it like a tourist or embracing it like an old friend, Paul arrived in chains and for trial. He would wait two years for that trial to come, each day fearing that the sentence of death he would have received in his homeland would be carried out in Rome. Yet even at the threat of execution, he was faithful.

What if you were faced with the near certainty of your own death if you stood for the principles of your faith, but the possibility of survival if you moved to another country, where you could find safety? This was the predicament of two German theologians during Hitler’s reign of terror. Paul Tillich and Dietrich Bonheoffer had to decide whether they would lead the German people through this time of darkness, or seek asylum in America. Their mutual friend, a first-generation German-American theologian named Reinhold Niebuhr, offered Tillich a position teaching at Union Theological Seminary in New York. Tillich decided to take the position, moved his family to safety, and became one of the leading theologians of the twentieth century. Bonheoffer, on the other hand, moved to America’s safety but then regretted his decision. Moving back to Germany, he became involved in the underground resistance, was arrested due to his involvement in a plot to assassinate Hitler, and was hanged for treason.[ii] Burdened by his friends’ decisions, Niebuhr penned a prayer that is famous today. There are a couple of different versions, but here is Niebuhr’s original:

God, give us grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.[iii]

Though Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer would not be penned for another nineteen hundred years, Paul’s actions in Acts 28:11-31 show that the spirit of this prayer lived in his heart. Accepting with serenity the things that could not be changed, this observant Jewish Christian sailed aboard a ship marked with the double figurehead of the two gods Castor and Pollux. He accepted the fact that he was a prisoner, and placed himself at Caesar’s mercy.

Paul also had courage to change the things that he could change. Though he was in chains, he shared his testimony about Jesus with the Jewish community in Rome. Some believed, and some did not. That’s when it took wisdom for Paul to know the difference between those whom he could lead to Christ and those whom he could not. Rather than worrying about those he could not convert, he simply decided to focus on those he could, and turned his mission to the Gentiles instead.

In my life, I pray this same prayer. I wear a ring with the Niebuhr’s prayer etched into it, reminding me that in ministry there are things I need serenity for: things I cannot change. I also need courage to change those things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Perhaps this first part of the Serenity Prayer rings true in your life, and you find it a guide for godly living, as Paul found its principles as well.

When he was in chains, Paul also knew that he had to live one day at a time, one moment at a time. Watched over night and day by a team of Roman guards, he might have allowed his jailers’ presence to become stifling. Instead, he certainly used this hardship as a pathway to peace. Philippians 1:13 indicates that Paul developed a close connection with the Praetorian Guard, one that he would not have had but for his confinement. When we find ourselves going through hardship and ask ourselves, “How can I turn this into an opportunity for peace?” then we transform the situation for God’s glory.

Paul understood that the world will be as it is, and not as he would have it to be. He knew that not everyone would receive his message, and he trusted God to make all things right. In the same way, rather than trying to force our testimony on others, we need to let the Holy Spirit do its work and trust God for the results.

Paul knew that, though he was a citizen of Rome, his ultimate citizenship was in heaven.[iv] So it didn’t really matter that he didn’t get to do as the Romans do. He knew that his reasonable happiness on earth was only mildly important—because he looked forward to a better kingdom, where he would be supremely happy forever. Those who trust in Christ have the same heavenly citizenship, which means we can trust God no matter the circumstance.

Knowing that their citizenship was in heaven, Niebuhr and Tillich served God in safety, teaching and preaching God’s Word. Knowing that their citizenship was in heaven, Bonheoffer and Paul gave everything that they had even in danger, regardless of the cost. Knowing that your citizenship is in heaven and not here on earth, what will you do—what will you give, for the sake of Christ? In 2 Timothy 4:2 (ESV), Paul exhorts young Timothy, and every believer as well: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” Seek God. Seek serenity. Share Jesus, and then let go. Let God do the rest.

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[i] “The meaning and origin of the expression: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”  The Phrase Finder.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do.html.  October 10, 2015.

[ii] Cheever, Susan.  “The Secret History of the Serenity Prayer.”  The Fix.  2012.  https://www.thefix.com/content/serenity-prayers-desperate-origins-Niehbur-Bonhoeffer-Tillich9965.  October 10, 2015.

[iii] http://skdesigns.com/internet/articles/prose/niebuhr/serenity_prayer/.  October 10, 2015.

[iv] Philippians 3:20

"One Thing"

When I was a teenager, I was in a church play entitled, “A Little Dinner Magic,” loosely based on Leo Tolstoy’s story of Martin the Cobbler. In the play, a modern American family finds out that Jesus will be coming to dinner. In their haste to make all the preparations, they end up bickering with one another. Their perfectionist determination keeps them from giving attention to the visitors who show up at their door: people in need who the family doesn’t have time or inclination to help. Finally, Jesus speaks to them and reveals that He was there all along, that he showed up at the door in the form of strangers. Hanging their heads, the family understands that in all their distraction, they missed the One Thing that matters most.

What would you do, if you found out that Jesus was coming to dinner? What would I do? When I have guests at my house, I’m usually the last one to sit down to dinner. I’m busy running around, making sure that everybody has what they need, because I think a lot about the value of hospitality. But in all the taking care of my guests, I can sometimes forget about my guests.

Jesus’ friend Martha was the same way. In Luke 10:38-42, the Lord and all twelve of his disciples stop by the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Martha complains to Jesus that, with all the preparations that need to be made, Mary isn’t helping. She’s simply sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to him teach. Jesus surprises his hostess with his response: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her (vv. 41-42 ESV).”

Let’s not be too harsh with Martha. After all, Jesus isn’t. His answer is tender and compassionate. With great love he calls her by her name twice. He is concerned about the things that concern her. He is aware of the great burden of hospitality that thirteen men place on the household. When Jesus says that Mary has chosen the good portion, he isn’t saying Martha has chosen the bad part—only that Mary has chosen the better. He says that she is worried and upset over many things, but only one thing is necessary. What do you think that “One Thing” is?

The first thing that he might mean is that she is so busy preparing many different dishes, and only one thing is necessary (like a casserole). Certainly, hospitality has its priority—but there is a degree of extravagance that prevents a person from truly enjoying time with their guests. Perhaps Martha is busy preparing many things, but Jesus would rather she kept it simple so she too could sit and visit like her sister.

There may be something else that Jesus means by “One Thing.” Martha is likely so desperate for Jesus’ approval because she feels herself unworthy to sit at His feet. Only one thing is needed: a sense of her own value that doesn't need someone else's validation. She’s rushing around trying to make Jesus happy by her good works, and doesn’t even realize that Jesus is already happy with her. We can be the same way, trying to please Jesus so much that we forget that he is already pleased with his children, and just wants us to spend time with him.

There is another factor at play here, contributing to Jesus’ “One Thing.” Martha is trying to manipulate her sister by using Jesus, rather than going straight to Mary herself. Jesus was a big believer that if you have a problem with someone, you should take it up with them and not gossip to other people about it. Only one thing is needed: Honesty about her feelings. Jesus wants us to be honest about our feelings as well. It’s tough to say the hard things that need to be said to our loved ones, to take ownership of our own hurt feelings and disappointments. But if anything is going to change, we need to be honest about the way we feel.

Finally, Martha is so preoccupied with material things that she can't focus on spiritual life. Only one thing is necessary: spiritual priority. It’s easy for us to become so focused on this physical life—the earthly demands that take up so much of our attention. But Jesus wants us to sometimes be more like Mary, who has chosen the better part. Mary knows that it’s okay to focus on the spirit instead of the flesh, and Jesus wants us to know that as well.

In the 1991 movie “City Slickers,” Billy Crystal plays a man named Mitch who is having a midlife crisis. He and his friends take a trip to a dude ranch to find themselves. Jack Palance plays a grizzled guide named Curly. In a teachable moment, Curly asks Mitch, “Do you know what the secret of life is?” He holds up one finger and says, “This.” Mitch asks, “Your finger?” Curly replies, “One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean [squat].” Mitch asks, “But, what is the ‘one thing?’” Curly smiles and says, “That's what you have to find out.” I think that Jesus is pretty much saying the same thing to Martha, and he says the same to us as well.

We want to make God very complicated with our systematic theologies and high-pressure sales, our works-based salvation that imagines we have to somehow pleased God either by how much we do for him or how well we behave. But God is simple, uncomplicated, straightforward. God only asks that you be present in the moment and take the opportunity that is provided to love Him and follow Him. In Psalm 46:10a, the Lord says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” This is the simplicity, the “One Thing” to which Jesus calls us. I pray that, like Mary did, and like Martha learned, you will be able to be still, and know.

"Signs and Wonders"

          As we draw near to the close of the book of Acts (with only one message remaining in this series), we reflect back on how the mission of the church began.  The entire book narrates the expansion of the church from a tiny corner of the world, to the center of the Roman Empire and beyond.  But it started with the resurrected Jesus empowering and commissioning His disciples:

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed (Mark 16:15-20[i])

The book of Acts chronicles the growth of the Kingdom of God, moving from Jerusalem and Judea, to Samaria, and finally to the ends of the earth. When Paul ends his journey in Rome, symbolically representing the arrival of the Gospel to the capital of the known world, this is the pinnacle of his ministry. Along the way through the book of Acts, we see signs and wonders worked by the apostles. Time and again God’s apostles act as miraculous agents, and as recipients of supernatural grace for their own rescue, healing, and direction.

After Paul and hundreds of others are shipwrecked on the island of Malta (Acts 28), the final miracles in the book occur. Paul is gathering firewood and a deadly viper attaches itself to his hand. Instead of dying from the bite, he merely shakes the snake off and continues on. Astonished at this, the leader of the island calls for Paul to pray for his sick father, who is healed immediately. Hearing of these wonders, the rest of the afflicted people of the island come for healing. The miracles of God serve as signposts that point people to the apostle, who in turn points them to Christ.

The church has debated the reality of miracles for a long time. Some contend that miracles indeed never happened, but are simply mythological additions to the narrative of the church, construed to impart a sense of wonder, mystery, and power to the apostles. Cessationists, on the other hand, believe that God worked miraculously during that first, apostolic, age of the church. They believe, though, that after the death of the last apostle, the Holy Spirit ceased to work in signs and wonders. Continualists, however, affirm the biblical miracles and believe that because God doesn’t change, God still works miracles through servants of love today. Personally, I fall into this third camp of believers. I have witnessed miracles first-hand, and know from personal experience that just as God demonstrated power in biblical times, the Lord of Life continues to pour out life today.          

A supernatural miracle is described as anytime that God reaches into the world and breaks natural law in order to demonstrate divine power.  When we use the word “hypernatural,” we recognize that sometimes the wonders of God do not break natural law, but utilize the forces God created in a way that we do not understand.  In the Bible, there are many types of miracles.  Divine wrath falls as fire from heaven, lightning from the Ark of the Covenant, or plagues.  God’s providence comes in the form of supernatural provision of food, water, protection, and even money.  Demons are cast out, sicknesses healed, and the dead raised to life.  Elemental change is even affected in the multiplying of resources, walking on water, or calming of storms.  God opens the spiritual eyes of those without insight, and hardens the hearts of unbelievers as well.  In the Bible, “signs” are demonstrations of power for the purpose of instilling faith in the faithless, encouraging the faltering faithful, and simply reminding people of God’s power.  “Miracles” are a bit more simple—not designed to point to anything, but simple expressions love and compassion, for the sake of goodness alone.

Just as God did in biblical times, God continues to demonstrate love and power today.  Not every time we pray for something, will we see a miracle occur—because God does things in His own time and way.  But when we see those unexpected blessings unfold, they bolster our faith and remind us of our Father’s love.  Do you need a miracle in your life today?  Would a sign or wonder be just right, just about now?  Don’t be afraid to ask God for the miracle you need.  Or, maybe God wants to miraculously use you in the life of someone who needs to be reminded of His love.  Are you as open as the apostles were, to be vessels of God’s blessing?  Remember that the Father is with you all the time, watching over you and waiting for an opportunity to show you His grace.  “Our Daily Bread” says:

The early American Indians had a unique practice of training young braves. On the night of a boy's thirteenth birthday, after learning hunting, scouting, and fishing skills, he was put to one final test. He was placed in a dense forest to spend the entire night alone. Until then, he had never been away from the security of the family and the tribe. But on this night, he was blindfolded and taken several miles away. When he took off the blindfold, he was in the middle of a thick woods and he was terrified! Every time a twig snapped, he visualized a wild animal ready to pounce. After what seemed like an eternity, dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight entered the interior of the forest. Looking around, the boy saw flowers, trees, and the outline of the path. Then, to his utter astonishment, he beheld the figure of a man standing just a few feet away, armed with a bow and arrow. It was his father. He had been there all night long.[ii] 

 The Father is with you always, ready to care for you in whatever way He sees that you need.  Today, I pray that you will trust God for the signs and wonders you need in your life.  I pray you’ll open yourself not just to receive miracles, but also to become a channel of miraculous blessing for others.  Remember, Jesus said that miracles will accompany those who believe.  He didn’t say they might.  So trust God, and expect a miracle.

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[i] All scriptures taken from the NASB.

[ii] Our Daily Bread.  http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/p/protection.htm.  October 3, 2015
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"Lessons from the Storm"

The worst storm I was ever in was the hurricane that hit Amelia, Virginia, back in 2003. We were driving our car when the sky turned green and balls of hail began to pelt our car. We found shelter beneath a gas station pavilion (hindsight, bad idea in a tornado), and made it through okay. Our kids, who were on the school bus at the time, were rerouted back to the school where they were ushered into the gym to wait out the storm. While they were inside, the passing storm ripped bricks off the side of the school. When it was over, the Amelia town square looked like a war zone. Roofs and siding were in the road; steeples were in church yards; stained glass windows were destroyed. We lost a tree in our front yard that smashed our carport. We made it through all right. Some people lost their lives. That storm rocked everybody’s world who lived in the area.

In Acts 27, Paul went through a storm at sea that rocked his world, along with the other two hundred seventy-five people on board. Sometimes the storms in your life rock your world. They threaten to overturn your faith or to sink your already floundering spirit. In their storm, Paul and the crew learned some valuable lessons that can help each of us through our times of turmoil.

First, as much as they could, they sailed on the lee side of islands. When wind blows against a large object, that object blocks the wind and provides a calm side in which to take shelter. If wind blows hard against the east side of an island then the west side is the lee, offering protection from the harsh storm. During your times of personal storm, I hope that you’ll find the lee. Your personal place of protection could be the home of a friend or family member. It might be the house of God, or a safe house, or a quiet spot by a river where you can rest and find peace. When the storms of life blow for you, find a safe place to rest.

Next, verse 17 says they ran supporting cables under the bottom of the ship and pulled them tight to bind together a keel and hull that were threatening to break apart. When things are threatening to break apart in your life, find those things that bind you together. That might be your church family or friends or close relations. Maybe your traditions hold you fast and keep you from fracturing. Whatever those things are that support you, tie them tight around yourself and they will keep you safe.

Then, verse 17 also says that they dropped the sea anchor and allowed themselves to be driven along. In times of personal storm we need to realize that we are not ultimately in control. Sometimes the best thing you can do is quit fighting and drift, and allow the One who is in charge to take charge of your situation. That takes a lot of trust, but allowing yourself to give up control means freedom to do those things you can do about your situation, and not worry about those things that you can’t do.

The passengers and crew also learned that they had to lighten their load. In verses 18-19, they jettisoned cargo and tackle to make the ship lighter. Often it is difficult to let go of things in life that you think are important, but it just might be that some of the things you cling to are the very ones that are pulling you under. Maybe to save something you need to lose something. Consider jettisoning some cargo when you find your ship going down.

Verses 23-26 show that Paul listened to God, and had the courage to tell the others on the ship what the Lord had to say. They also were willing to listen to the vision he had, and accept the encouragement he offered. During times of crisis, remember to listen to what God is saying to you from His Word and through the voices of others.

Along with unnecessary cargo, the desperate travelers had to let go of false security. Some of the sailors decided to abandon the passengers and soldiers on board, taking the ship’s boat for themselves and rowing for it. “But Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, ‘Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away (vv. 31-32 NASB).” In times of trouble, we often reach out in the wrong direction for security. I pray that the Holy Spirit will help you discern between true and false hope, and cut loose your false sources of security.

Finally, in the middle of the storm, Paul and the passengers strengthened themselves with food and lifted thanks to God. Even before they were saved from the storm, they expressed gratitude toward the One who would see them through. In the middle of your personal storm, take time to be thankful, and lift your voice of praise to the Lord. Once I took a group of seniors to Tangier Island, Virginia, which is accessible by an hour-and-fifteen-minute ferry ride across the Chesapeake bay from Onancock. I enjoyed the ride, standing on the deck of the boat, rocking with the waves, letting the spray hit my face. Inside the cabin, however, several of my group were seasick. One or two literally kissed the ground when they got off the boat and thanked God that they were safely ashore. (Poor ladies had a horrible ride back home as well.)

When the storms come, trust God. When the waves are choppy, trust God. When the future is uncertain and scary, believe that the Lord will see you through. And even in the middle of it, before you’ve seen the source of your salvation, thank Him in advance for seeing you safely to shore.

"Know Your Rights"

The Bible tells us to stand firm for our faith. For different people, this means different things. For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego it meant refusing to bow down to an idol of gold, and being willing to give their lives for it.[i] For Peter and John it meant refusing to bow to the mandate of the court that insisted they cease teaching in the name of Jesus—whatever the consequences.[ii] For the apostle Paul, it meant continuing to preach the Gospel even when it got him into trouble, and going to Jerusalem even when the Holy Spirit warned him against it numerous times. Yes, standing firm for Jesus can sometimes be done with the best of intentions, but in the wrong ways. But even the worst of situations can turn out for good. Arrested and tried, Paul used his trial to point to Jesus rather than to himself.

If you’re going to stand for Jesus, it’s important to know your rights. In Jerusalem, Paul was sentenced to be scourged, but he knew his rights as a Roman citizen, which prevented scourging.[iii] Knowing his rights literally saved his skin. In a later trial before Festus, the Roman governor wanted to transfer him from Casearea to stand trial in Jerusalem. But Paul knew he would not get a fair trial there.

But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go (Acts 25:10-12).”

Paul knew his rights, and insisted on them. Hopefully, you won’t have to stand on your rights just to remain faithful to Jesus. But if you do, you should know what they are. At school, you should know your rights. For example, when she was young, my wife was sent to the principal’s office just for carrying a Bible. That was actually religious harassment that violated her rights, and she knew it, so she stood firm. At work, you should know whether your company’s policies give you the right to put up a cross in your cubicle—but if they prevent it you need to seriously ask yourself if this is a right worth fighting for. Is it unfaithful to Jesus to not display a cross? Is this a hill to die on? These are things that only you can decide.

Many Christians believe that they need to stand on their rights, no matter what. They insist on the free exercise of their faith, even if that means violating other people’s rights. The street preacher screams “discrimination” when the police officer asks him to move out of a public place where he’s causing a near-violent disturbance. The baseball coach requires all players to pray before the game, and says that he’s being “persecuted” when he’s told he can’t do that. I question the motivations of people like this, whether their goal is really to exercise their faith, or whether it’s to force their religion on other people.

In recent news, the clerk of the court in Rowan County, Kentucky, refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, because it violated her faith. Whether you agree with her stance on homosexuality or not, you’ve got to admit that there were two possible ways that she could exercise her rights. First, she had the right to resign rather than violate her conscience. If not, she had the right to remain silent, and the right to an attorney. She made her choice, and was jailed because she insisted on her rights. Some call her a villain and others a hero. In reality, the free exercise of our faith needs to end when we begin to deny people the free exercise of theirs.

Historically, my own Baptist family has been in support of the separation of church and state. In the early eighteenth century, Virginia Baptists were persecuted severely by their Anglican neighbors. So it came naturally that they supported the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which was adopted in June, 1776 and became the basis for the first amendment for the US Constitution.[iv] Baptists also supported the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1777, which became state law in 1786. That statute said, “That our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions any more than our opinions in physics or geometry,” and: 

“That to suffer the civil magistrate to intrude his powers into the field of opinion and to restrain the profession or propagation of principles on supposition of their ill tendency is a dangerous fallacy which at once destroys all religious liberty because he being of course judge of that tendency will make his opinions the rule of judgment and approve or condemn the sentiments of others only as they shall square with or differ from his own.” 

For the whole of Baptist history, we have defended religious freedom, and the freedom from religion—so much that we included a section on religious freedom in our faith statement, The Baptist Faith and Message.

In Luke 12:11-12 (NASB), Jesus says, “When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” There are times in life when Christians are called to give an account for their faith, and for their actions that come as a result of their faith. Jesus says that when this happens, we shouldn’t cry “persecution” and “discrimination”. Don’t give a defense based on your own agenda. Listen to the Holy Spirit instead of your own opinions. Let God tell you what to say and what not to say. Remember, the right to remain silent isn’t just a Miranda law. It’s also the example of Christ on trial.

In the early seventeen hundreds, a family of Anabaptists (ancestors of Baptists) fled persecution in Switzerland by escaping down the Rhine. Hans Lehman and his wife died in Germany before reaching their goal, but three of their sons came to America in search of religious freedom in 1727. One of these sons, Johannes (John ) Lehman, got off the ship in Philadelphia and settled in Frederick County, Maryland That same year, he and his wife had a son named George, who grew up to fight against the British in the Revolutionary War. He then moved to Augusta Co., Virginia, so the Lemon clad has been in Virginia since about 1787. My seventh-great-grandfather, Hans Lehman, and his wife, died fleeing religious persecution. My sixth-great-grandfather fought to defend it. So today I hold that gift of religious freedom in high regard. As Christians we need to know our rights. We need to protect our rights, and the rights of others. This is not just the American way, but the Way of the Creator, who gave us inalienable rights to worship, or not worship, according to conscience.

           

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[i] Daniel 3

[ii] Acts 4:20

[iii] Acts 22:22-29

[iv] http://www.virginiaplaces.org/religion/religionfree.html.  September 19, 2015.

“When God Speaks”

The story is told of Franklin Roosevelt, who often endured long receiving lines at the White House. He complained that no one really paid any attention to what was said. One day, during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who passed down the line and shook his hand, he murmured, "I murdered my grandmother this morning." The guests responded with phrases like, "Marvelous! Keep up the good work. We are proud of you. God bless you, sir." It was not till the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were actually heard. Nonplussed, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, "I'm sure she had it coming."[i]

            Just as Roosevelt was continually whispering to people who refused to listen, I fear that God’s people are still refusing to hear His voice when He whispers Truth to our hearts.  Or, if we do hear His voice, we often are so stubbornly focused on what we are trying to achieve, that don’t we pay any heed.  The apostle Paul frequently got himself into trouble—sometimes legitimately because of his testimony about Christ, but sometimes because he was just plain stubborn and didn’t listen very well.

            Acts 19:21[ii] says, “Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, ‘After I have been there, I must also see Rome.’”  The question we must ask ourselves is whether he purposed in the Holy Spirit, or in his own spirit.  In Acts 20:22-24, He makes a clear case to the elders of the church in Ephesus that he believes this guidance is from God, yet imbedded in his words we can see his characteristic ego and martyr complex:

And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

          The reason I throw doubt on whether or not Paul was truly led by the Holy Spirit is by his own admission, the Spirit warned him in every city of the trouble that awaited him.  God rarely leads in the direction that you are already going.  Then, In chapter 21, God warned Paul against going to Jerusalem two or three more times.  Luke writes that they met with the elders in the city of Tyre.  “After looking up the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul through the Spirit (emphasis mine) not to set foot in Jerusalem (v. 4).” 

            In Caesarea, Paul received another warning:

 As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem.(vv. 10-12)

          Just before Paul met Agabus, he may have received a similar warning from the four prophesying daughters of Philip the Evangelist (vv. 8-9).  Yet his stubborn heart refused to listen to either the godly counsel or Spirit-led prophecy of church leaders.  He replied: “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus (v. 13).”  Notice that Agabus never prophesied anything about dying in Jerusalem—Paul just adds this in for dramatic flair, much like Peter, who declared that he was willing to die for Jesus (Luke 22:33).  In response, the church leaders threw up their hands in resignation.  Luke writes in verse 14, “And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, ‘The will of the Lord be done!’”  This isn’t a recognition that Paul is doing God’s will, but an appeal to the Lord’s will, to set Paul straight.  The result of Paul’s decision, of course, was that he did end up suffering needlessly in Jerusalem, and he would not have had to if he had simply heeded their warnings.

            Sometimes, God speaks to our hearts in a way that we become fully convinced of His leadership.  Yet other times, we can become so ego-driven that we craft our own plans and convince ourselves that God has commissioned us to some great purpose.  This was the case with Paul’s determination to go to Jerusalem.  I wonder—do you have a “Jerusalem” in your life, that is the destination for your ego?  Is God repeatedly warning you through the advice of friends and family and church family, to abandon your prideful determination?  Will you press on, convinced of your righteous calling, or will you hear what the Spirit is saying to you through the voices of these people?

            Sometimes God speaks through other people.  Other times God speaks through our observations of nature, or through the Bible, or through His quiet voice impressed upon our hearts.  Sometimes God speaks through “coincidence” and through the things that we observe in our world around us—even through events that are taking shape on the world scene.  God spoke to me through a photograph on the news: the image of the drowned Syrian toddler, washed up on a beach near the island of Kos.  That island sounded familiar to me, then I realized it was through this area that Paul passed in Acts 21:1.  God spoke to me through an image, and through the “coincidence” of this island, which happens to be in today’s scripture.  This child died because the international community is doing an abysmal job providing safety and sanctuary for refugees fleeing the war in Syria.  Through this child’s death, God speaks to me about my own lack of effort to provide social justice to the endangered and hurting people around me.  I wonder—in what ways am I like Paul, stubbornly convinced of my own righteous mission and yet oblivious to what God is actually saying?  Proverbs 19:20 (ESV) says, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.”  I pray that our ears and hearts will be open to receive it.

            Most Christian denominations have a logo.  I love the logo of the United Church of Christ, which is a simple red comma.  Generally associated with the comma is a quote from Gracie Allen, who said, “God is still speaking,”  Note that her statement ends with a comma, and not a period.  The period indicates finality, but the comma is a pause that keeps you listening for more.  Yes, as we stubbornly pursue our own agenda, doing what we righteously believe is the will of God for our lives, God is still speaking.  The question is—when God speaks, will we listen?

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[i] http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/l/listening.htm.  September 4, 2015.  Original Source Unknown.

[ii] Unless otherwise noted, all scriptures are taken from the NASB.

"Vicious Rumors"

Recently, I heard about a man who walked into Joe’s Barber Shop to get his regular haircut:

As he snips away, Joe asks "What's up?"

The man proceeds to explain he's taking a vacation to Rome.
"ROME?!" Joe says, "Why would you want to go there? It's a
crowded dirty city full of mafiosos! You'd be crazy to go to
Rome!... So how ya getting there?"

"We're taking TWA" the man replies.
"TWA?!" yells Joe. "They're a terrible airline. Their planes
are old, their flight attendants are ugly and they're always
late!... So where you staying in Rome?"

The man says "We'll be at the downtown International Marriot."
"That DUMP?!" says Joe. "That's the worst hotel in the city!
The rooms are small, the service is surly and slow and they're
overpriced!... So whatcha doing when you get there?"

The man says "We're going to go see the Vatican and hope to
see the Pope."

"HA! That's rich!" laughs Joe. "You and a million other people
trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant. Boy, good luck
on THIS trip. You're going to need it!"

A month later, the man comes in for his regular haircut.
Joe says, "Well, how did that trip to Rome turn out? Betcha
TWA gave you the worst flight of your life!"

"No, quite the opposite" explained the man. "Not only were we
on time in one of their brand new planes, but it was full and
they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful,
and I had a beautiful 28 year old flight attendant who waited on me
hand and foot!"

"Hmmm," Joe says, "Well, I bet the hotel was just like I described."
"No, quite the opposite! They'd just finished a $25 million
remodeling. It’s the finest hotel in Rome, now. They were overbooked,
so they apologized and gave us the Presidential suite for no extra
charge!

"Well," Joe mumbles, "I KNOW you didn't get to see the Pope!"

 "Actually, we were quite lucky. As we toured the Vatican, a Swiss guard tapped me on the shoulder and explained the Pope likes topersonally meet some of the visitors, and if I'd be so kind as tostep into this private room and wait, the Pope would personallygreet me. Sure enough, after 5 minutes the Pope walked through thedoor and shook my hand. I knelt down as he spoke a few words to me."

Impressed, Joe asks, "Tell me, please! What'd he say?"

"Oh, not much really. Just 'Where'd you get that awful haircut?'"[i]

Today’s scripture shares two things in common with that story: the importance of reputation, and an awful haircut. Reputation is important to us. For a barber, it can make the difference between a schedule full of haircuts and no haircuts at all. As we all know, good news travels fast but bad news travels faster. All it takes is one bad review (like the Pope’s) to ruin a lifetime of loyal customers. So we guard our reputations fiercely. Whether you’re a barber or anything else, it probably does matter to you what other people think. This is why it upsets us so much when vicious rumors begin to circulate.

In Acts 21, Paul visits the saints in Jerusalem, excited to tell Jesus’ half-brother, Pastor James, all about the conversion of the Gentiles on his many missionary journeys. While the church is excited to hear about the Gentile mission, some are worried that Paul has abandoned his Jewish roots. They are concerned that he is now teaching a rejection of Moses’ law. In chapter 15, we read how at the Jerusalem Council, the Jewish church decided to welcome Gentiles into the fold, only imposing on them the most basic of instructions. But now that the Gentiles are free from Moses’ law, the Jewish believers fear that Paul is teaching that the legal requirements don’t even apply to Jews anymore. This, of course, is a vicious rumor circulated by people who want to undermine Paul’s teaching. It doesn’t matter if it’s untrue—what matters is whether it’s believable.

As we all know, it doesn’t matter if a rumor is false; if enough people believe it, it can cause major destruction. This is why Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV) to “abstain from all appearance of evil.” It’s not just the appearance of evil that matters—but it’s also important how things look to other people, because misunderstanding can damage your witness.

In the following verses, Paul takes great pains to restore his reputation. He joins himself to a band of Nazarites, who have taken a vow similar to that of Samson in the Old Testament. The time of their vow has come to an end, and, along with these men, Paul allows his head to be ceremonially shaved. He has done this before (Acts 18:18), so it is no strange thing to him. But by recognizing one of the older traditions in Judaism, he confirms his statement that the Law of Moses is still valid for Jewish believers.

How far would you go to set your reputation straight? Paul didn’t need to get his head shaved, but he was willing to lose his locks in order to avoid offending people because of a misunderstanding. Paul writes in Romans 12:18 (NIV), “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” This means being willing to go above and beyond to settle any quarrels based on confusion.

When you find vicious rumors flying about you, what do you do? Do you fight fire with fire and return insult for injury? Or do you bless instead of cursing your enemies? Do you go out of your way to make peace? Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:11-12 ESV).” When you’ve been doing your best to honor God but rumors fly anyway, count yourself in good company, take off your hat, and get ready for a good shearing. Be ready to let your pride fall like so many hair clippings on the floor, all for the sake of peace.

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[i] http://www.yuksrus.com/barber.html.  September 12, 2015.