commission and conflict

Good afternoon friends,
We've read a little about the church in Antioch before. It was one of the most important churches for the first several hundred years of Christianity and was a major center of learning. We've read before that Saul and Barnabas were there. Today we see them commissioned for a new evangelistic mission. We also see them in conflict with someone we see called a false prophet. We also see Saul getting his new name: Paul. Unlike many people in the Bible who get a new name, we don't learn anything about when or how Paul changed his name. Luke just announces it and from there on, he is Paul.

Blessings on your weekend,
Sam

Acts 13:1-12

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. ²While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ ³Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also to assist them. ⁶When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they met a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus. ⁷He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.

⁸But the magician Elymas (for that is the translation of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹But Saul, also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him ¹⁰and said, ‘You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ¹¹And now listen—the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to see the sun.’ Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he went about groping for someone to lead him by the hand. ¹²When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

sent in mission, part 2

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Today's passage is similar to yesterday in that Jesus sends out disciples to heal, teach and prepare the way for his message. The difference is that here he sends out more disciples and gives more detailed instruction. We often think of Jesus as a "one man operation" or think only about him and the 12 disciples. This passage reminds us that there were many disciples and all played important roles. Where might Jesus want to send you?

 
God bless,
Sam

Luke 10:1-12

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. ²He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. ³Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. ⁴Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. ⁵Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ ⁶And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 

⁷Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. ⁸Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; ⁹cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹²I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

sent in mission, part 1

Good evening friends,
This weekend we'll be reading about Jesus' "Great Commission" to his disciples after he rose from the dead. To get us thinking about their mission and our mission we're going to take a look a a couple examples of earlier commissions from Jesus. In our passage for today, Jesus gives his disciples power and sends them out to heal and preach the good news of God's kingdom. That's still a core piece of the church's mission today. How can you live that out in your life this week?

God bless,
Sam

Luke 9:1-6

Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, ²and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. ³He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic. ⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. ⁵Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” ⁶They departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

call and response

Good morning friends,
When Elijah hears the sound of shear silence he wraps his face in a cloak. He does this as a sign of reverence because he recognizes God's presence in the silence in a way God wasn't in the wind, earthquake or fire that came before. It's also a very practical gesture; people believed that one couldn't see God and live and Elijah is protecting himself. God's commission to Elijah is to anoint two kings and a new prophet, which doesn't seem like an inherently spiritual job, especially since one is the king of Aram (Syria). At the same time, the prophetic role is political as well as spiritual; the point is making God's will clear in the world, and that includes the political world.

He is to anoint his successor, Elisha. We haven't heard of Elisha before this, so we can imagine that Elisha is surprised to have this prophet appear at his field and throw a cloak over him. Whether he is surprised or not he says goodbye to his family, sacrifices his oxen, and takes on his new role as Elijah's servant and apprentice. What does Elisha's acceptance of this new adventure say to you today?

God bless,
Sam

1 Kings 19:13-21
13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”

15Then the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. 17Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. 18Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

19So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. 20He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” Then Elijah said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?” 21He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.