My colleague in ministry, Arnetta Bailey, writes of the fears that we all have when we enter into a new experience with a new group of people:
‘Can you remember what it was like to start a new job or walk into a new church?’ she writes. ‘Perhaps you scanned the room for a friendly face. Was there a sense of relief when you found one? Do you remember what it was like to begin to get to know someone?’
She goes on to say, ‘Do you recall the get-acquainted questions you asked one another about family and interests—anything to find some point of connection? Do you recall how your comfort-level with one another began to grow and trust began to develop?’ Five years ago my family and I and all of you present then probably had some of these same questions going through our minds because it was five years ago today that I preached my first sermon as your pastor.
What a five years it has been. Our world dramatically changed, especially on this day four years ago, and we have recently been reminded in a powerful and provocative way that nature can turn our world and worlds upside down in an instant.
In our own community, jobs have gone and, in some cases, not come back in our community. Economic uncertainty has been a part of the past five years. Bailey’s questions remind us of the anxiety that all of us have to one degree or another, when it comes to feeling at home in the church, and elsewhere and the deep need we have to feel that we belong.
How is this anxiety resolved? How do we find ourselves at home in a world that is deeply troubled? The two passages of scripture that serve as our main text for this morning gives us some important resolution to our anxiety. However, before we hear those resolutions, let us step back and review what has taken place so far in the book of Acts.
Last week we were reminded that seven weeks had elapsed between Christ’s resurrection and Pentecost and that those seven weeks were a remarkable seven weeks during which Jesus appeared and re-appeared to the remaining disciples. It was a period in which Jesus’ command to wait until the Holy Spirit comes was given. It was a time of power and unimaginable transformation through the Spirit and by the Spirit that would launch the Christian faith and the Christian church into human history.
What we observe in this segment of scripture is an act of nothing less that an empowerment by God in the lives of people that brought about a tremendous movement and life change in thousands, and today, millions of people. These chapters reveal the beginnings of a new chapter in God’s plan and purposes for humanity. This is where our Christian faith and church began.
It began with empowerment. Spiritual empowerment. A spiritual empowerment that came through a salvation transformation experience. A spiritual empowerment that is supernatural because it is through the work of the Holy Spirit and not our efforts. A spiritual empowerment that is practical and unifying because it is focused outward to others through the body of Christ into the world.
I am struck this morning by the actions and attitudes of Acts 4:32-35 because they are still part of how the church operates. They went into operation four years ago after the terrible attacks on our nation and again right now in the northern gulf coast:
‘All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had. [the] people who owned land or houses sold them and brought the money to the apostles to give to others in need.’
These actions are evidences of a witness to Christ’s love and power that began in Jerusalem, moved into Judea and eventually outward into Samaria and the ‘ends of the earth.’ They are evidences that our faith has gone deep and transformed our attitudes and actions from self-centered to Christ-centered.
I call this outward moving the result of our personal and corporate ‘faith impact.’ And I suggest that we see our faith impact as a series of concentric circles moving outward. (Overhead 1)
Jerusalem is our home; it is our family and our personal relationships with people at school, in the workplace, and in our neighborhood.
Judea is our local region. It is our Kendallville, our Noble County, and our Northeast Indiana. In fact, it is our Indiana.
Samaria is our nation. It is our New Orleans, or New York, or our Washington.
Ends of the Earth is our world. It is Mexico, Iraq, China, or Russia.
We are known in our Jerusalem and yet there are barriers to community and faith that we encounter just as it was in Jerusalem, as we will see in a few chapters from now. Yet, in our Jerusalem, it is fairly safe and comfortable here.
Then there is ‘known’ ness of Judea that likewise has a measure of comfort. We work in and know people from other areas of our county and area. Yet, like Jerusalem, there are barriers and there is hostility to faith and the community of faith.
Our ‘Samarias’ are known by us, at least we know where they are, and they are not here, they are over there – Ft Wayne, big cities, other places that do things differently than we do. There is an uncomfortable ness with our ‘Samarias,’ as there was in Jesus’ day.
Then there is our ‘ends of the earth.’ We see images and pictures of them on TV, the Internet, and the papers. We have little or no acquaintance the people in them and, frankly, sometimes have no desire to do anything for them or with them. Our level of discomfort is high here.
But, when Jesus said, ‘You will be my witnesses (the evidence of my existence, love, and grace) everywhere where people are,’ He was clearly stating God’s overarching purpose from this point forward. This overarching purpose is the redemption of humankind and the creation of the people of God we call the church.
Now we have a big picture perspective on which to base our closer look at our two texts this morning.
In her remarks and notes on these two passage, Bailey highlights the following phrases as evidence of an active faith impact that is also the Lord’s direction to us today: (Overhead 2)
We notice:
The believers had all things in common (2: 44)
This commonality came from the work of and partnership with the Holy Spirit who brings about the unity that gives power to our ministry. It is not about our time, talent, money, or power. It is about surrendered time, talent, money, and power. For when we surrender back to God what we have been given, God does good and wonderful things through us and we see the impact of our faith on others in loving and caring ways.
They broke bread in their homes. (2:46)
In his book, “Your Personal Survival Guide To The 21st Century,” Roy Sheppard makes an interesting point, “Make a point of connecting with someone new every day. And re-acquaint yourself with anyone you have not spoken to for some time by going through your address book.”
Staying in touch is hard with the demands of work, family, school, and a host of other things. But, fellowship is critical to our faith impact because as we will see throughout our walk through the book of Acts the church was strengthened and able to go through the challenges it faced because the Spirit used its moments of fellowship to create bonds of support that would it draw from during critical periods. Our corporate witness not only helps people to feel at home it empowers us to ‘stick together’ during the challenges we face. It is a critical part of our witness.
They worshipped together in the temple courts (2:46)
We read in Hebrews 10:25, ‘And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other..’
Corporate worship is vital for impact. Regular worship is essential to strengthen our faith and help us deal with the anxieties in life. Corporate worship reminds us that we are not alone in life and that we are part of a great group called the church.
“The believers were one in heart and mind.” (4:32)
This unity of heart and mind was not due to agreement on some mission statement or the latest management fad. This unity of heart and mind came in response to the work of the Holy Spirit that was responded to by each individual that was used by God to create a team of people committed to the cause of Christ.
I believe, truly and deeply that this still happens today! I believe, truly and deeply, this is still God’s great desire and He wants it to happen here in this church and in this community!
Have you ever noticed in sports that when one or two key players leave a championship team that something happens to the team if it is unable to make up the difference elsewhere? I think of what happened to the Chicago Bulls when Michael Jordan left. They went from first to almost last in a short period of time.
In his book, The Seven Seasons of a Man’s Life, Patrick Morley tells the story of a lesson that H Norman Schwarzkopf learned when he was promoted to Brigadier General. According to Morley, all the newly minted one-star generals were sent to a ‘ten-day orientation affectionately known as ‘charm school.’
The first day of class Schwarzkopf, along with the other 35 new generals, were excited to hear from the Army Chief of Staff, General Bernard Rogers. They expected to hear a glowing ‘thank you’ from Rogers along with other words of praise and encouragement. Instead Rogers said this, ‘If all of you had taken the same airplane to Washington, and that airplane had crashed and you had all been killed, we could go right back into the ranks of colonels and find thirty-six more just as a good as you.’
Now the emerging church that we see in these passages had leaders, who led! But, the source of power and strength for their leadership was not in their leadership but in the power and leadership of the Holy Spirit who they followed.
Finally, we read “from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them.” (4:34-35)
This morning we are aware of immense needs in Louisiana and Mississippi from the devastation caused by Katrina. Our minds and hearts have been overwhelmed by the images on TV and the Internet and through the words; we have read and heard from those who survived the storm.
From across this county we are giving our money, our goods, and ourselves to help our fellow Americans. Our president has noted that this is a golden opportunity for the church to do her thing and I agree with him 100%!
What can we do? Perhaps some of you have given cash or other items for the immediate needs of people. Good. Maybe some of you will be able to go and help this fall. Good. But I would suggest this morning that we be prepared to go where our church needs us to go next summer to affirm and come alongside at least one sister congregation in the afflicted area because recovery from this storm is a long-term process and they will need help for at least, at least, the next two years.
But, no matter what we do, we do it because we are a part of the body of Christ. We care and we give and we share not just the good news of Jesus Christ but also the resources that we have to help others as a witness of the great and good power and love of Christ.
Robert M Hutchins has said, ‘A world community can exist only with world communication, which means something more than extensive short-wave facilities scattered about the globe. It means common understanding, a common tradition, common ideas, and common ideals.’ I do not know Hutchins background or his beliefs but I would suggest that he has given us a very succinct summary of what took place in light of Pentecost.
We share common understanding, we share a common idea, we share common ideals, and we share a common tradition that is not human but supernatural. It is so because the commonness that we share is in Jesus Christ and the mission that His death and resurrection has created, nothing less than the forgiveness and well being of every person on this planet in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. These passages we have examined this morning serve as a reminder that in a world that gets lonely, there is a place that is hospitable, because it is empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring unity and fellowship to all who come it.
As followers of Jesus Christ, let’s be agents of grace and hope in a time of anxiety by practicing the important ministry of hospitality to those around us in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth and help others come to the experience that grace and peace of God through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sources:
Bailey comments is from Bridges adult Sunday School material, Fall 2005, p 15
Shepherd quote is from www.rogerdarlington.co.uk/index.php
Schwarzkopf story is found in Morley’s The Seven Seasons of A Man’s Life on pages 56 and 57. Nelson Press, © 1995
Hutchins quotes is found at www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/robert_m_hutchins.html
