This blog began as documentation of my journey into formal ministry. Now that I have received a call it will continue to function as a place for me to address concerns, celebrations and anything else that might catch my fancy. Please remember to "Be A Blessing To Someone Today"! God Bless, Roy
Last Thursday's sermon covered the verses traditionally preached on Pentecost, Acts 2:1-21. I discussed in the sermon that the Greek words translated as 'a violent wind' can be translated as wind or breath, but they cannot be translated as 'Spirit'. Thus I referred to the verses found in 1 Kings 19:11-12, the wind is NOT the Holy Spirit... nor is the Spirit in the 'flames' that lay upon the Disciples. These are harbingers of the coming of the Spirit, but they are not the Spirit. The Spirit is manifested in the hearts of the Disciples.
One of the things that I didn't touch upon (this time) in these verses is that the true miracle is in the 'hearing' and not the speaking. If you've ever found yourself in an environment where many languages are being spoken at once, then you know that it's nearly impossible to understand even a language that you know well... there's just too much distraction. The fact that all gathered could hear in their own native tongue is a miracle of hearing... and no small miracle at that! I pray that the message of Christ is delivered to you in a manner and 'language' that speaks to you. Be a blessing to someone today! (tell them about Christ) In His Glory, Roy
Acts 2:1-21 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) The Coming of the Holy Spirit 2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” Peter Addresses the Crowd 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20 The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ 1 Kings 19:11-12 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Elijah Meets God at Horeb
11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.
This past Thursday, I preached over the verses found in Acts 16:9-15. Here we find Paul listening to the urging of God to find not only a new church but a new way of extending a new church. Paul is prone to going to the Synagogues in the towns in which he visits, but here he goes to the river because likely here in this pagan city there was no Synagogue. Paul has to change his way of doing business and he even has to change his audience slightly, for here he is talking to a group of women. Talking to women wouldn't have been something common for most Jewish men to do in Paul's time... even more uncommon he is talking to gentile women. In this regard, Paul is modeling himself after Jesus who had a long history of including women in his message and ministry. Lydia though seems not to be just your ordinary run of the mill woman in the first century, no, she is a businesswoman a trader in purple cloth. She is a woman likely with some means and she appears to be the head of her household, as she invites Paul and his companions to come and board with her and her family. For Paul to go and stay at the home of a gentile was startling behavior for a Jewish man, but to go and stay in a household headed by a woman... well, Paul is without a doubt running counter to the prevailing norm. Paul is 'going with the flow' or as we Christians probably like better 'following the Spirit'. He's not entrenched in one way of doing things... he doesn't say "we can't do it like that... we've never done it that way". Paul listens to the Spirit, he watches where God is already working and he goes there fully committed to the endeavor. Paul is as always... "all-in". Lydia's enthusiasm, joy, and insistence (it appears that Paul at first was reluctant to lodge in her home) displays that she is (like Paul and his conversion) "all-in" with this conversion. Her's is not a faux baptism or an "I'll get baptized to make Mom happy" baptism... no, she is genuinely filled with the spirit and she's working to be a part of God's work in this world. Spirit check... how in are you? Are you "all-in"... "mostly-in"... "a little-bit-in"... or are you "in when it's convenient-to-be-in"? Unfortunately, most of us fall into that last "in". Be a blessing to someone today! (be all-in for God and let them know about Jesus) In Christ, Roy
Acts 16:9-15 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 9 During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
11 We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district[a] of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14 A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15 When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us. Footnotes:
a) Acts 16:12 Other authorities read a city of the first district
The sermon for last Thursday night was based upon the verses found in the Book of Acts 11:1-18. The point that I focused upon was the 'witness' of this new way of being Jewish. This new way of being Jewish that wasn't just for the Jews. Peter sees the sheet descend three times and then three men show up to the door... and then six brothers go with Peter. What's up with the numbers three and six? Well, according to Jewish Law, one witness isn't adequate, two is okay... three is great... twice three (or six) is pretty much as they say a "lead pipe cinch". To hear more take a listen to the video on YouTube linked below. Have a very blessed week and remember as always to... Be a blessing to someone today! In Christ, Roy
Acts 11:1-18 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Peter’s Report to the Church at Jerusalem 11 Now the apostles and the believers[a] who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers[b] criticized him, 3 saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” 4 Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. 6 As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I replied, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ 10 This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. 11 At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us.[c] These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; 14 he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” 18 When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.” Footnotes: a) Acts 11:1 Gk brothers b) Acts 11:2 Gk lacks believers c) Acts 11:12 Or not to hesitate
