navigating controversy

Good afternoon brothers and sisters,
As we think this week about honesty and communication, this passage and those that follow in Acts are helpful. When the church isn't sure what to do about something we're called to pray and discuss with each other the best way to proceed. We find wisdom together as we seek God's guidance. In the case of our story, there was controversy in the church about whether Gentiles needed to become Jewish to be part of the church. As we seek to be faithful to God we are always discerning how to balance God's call to obedience with God's call to everyone.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 15:1-5

Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders.


3So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5But some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses.”

sending out more messengers

Good afternoon sisters and brothers,
I'll do this again, but I want to mention that Sunday afternoon the fire department is going to have an open house. It's a great opportunity to stop by and take a tour or check out some fun things they'll have set up. Importantly for us, we need to keep their parking lot clear for them. If you can, please park across the street at the dentist's office. If that won't work, you can also park in the line of spaces against the church, but please don't park in the rest of the lot.

Our reading for today features Jesus sending out 72 disciples to spread the word. One thing that catches my attention here is that announcing the coming of the kingdom is good news or bad news depending on how we respond to it. How are we sharing the word now?

God bless,
Sam

Luke 10:1-16

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. ¹³“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ¹⁵And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. ¹⁶“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”