On the Way to Wonder

by Ralph Carmichael, 1964

The early Christian models we have looked at this week seem to be going through a series of preaching with some listening and believing while others are angered and riot.  Paul, Silas and Timothy are often well received and jailed.  We don’t hear those stories today unless there are political agendas.  I am intrigued by their experience in Philippi where they are jailed and singing songs at midnight when a great earthquake occurs.  If I, or you, were jailed what song would I be singing at midnight?

         I woke about 3 am this morning and realized I would be singing, “In the stars his handiwork I see…”  “Til by faith I met him face to face…”  According to the internet, Ralph Carmichael is credited with writing that song that was so popular.  He shot to fame as music director for Billy Graham and composed music for singers like Nat King cole, Perry Como and Bing Crosby! And for TV shows like I Love Lucy and Bonanza.  In the 60s he felt he was seen as old fashioned so he composed music with a more contemporary beat to communicate with the youth – me back then!  The words are based on Philippians 3:7-9 (were Paul was jailed and sang!) and are timeless.  Enjoy.

Acts 17:10-15

Luke gives a short little story here about Paul, Silas and Timothy’s next stop, Berea.  It would be easy to skip over except many adult Sunday School classes call themselves the Bereans after this town.  Our men arrive in Berea and go to the synagogue.  Paul seems to want to talk to the religious Jews first.  So we are not surprised when they meet resistance.  The conflict seems almost predictable.  %he difference in this city is how Luke describes the Bereans.  They are people of “noble character” and search the Scriptures to double check what Paul is preaching.  The Living Bible translates this as “more open minded.” Many translations use the word “noble.”

         The Oxford dictionary gives one definition of noble as “having or showing fine personal qualities or high moral principles and ideals.”  We might say a person is fighting for a noble cause.  To me, it implies a certain amount of open mindedness, yes, but also impartiality or slowness to judge and be critical without first examining the situation from all sides. 

         As we think of spiritual growth, having the ability and patience to search Scripture and not just believe something because a pastor says it is so or a famous voice in the media, the thoroughness of the Bereans is an admirable quality.  Perhaps we need to ask ourselves if we are people who are swayed by public opinion, by certain “experts”, or the majority.  Do we search the scriptures to discover truth for ourselves?  Perhaps a fun exercise would be to take a spiritual discipline like “meditation”, look in a concordance and then read all the listed references.  It is one way to start to think about a question you may be grappling with.  Studying with another person can raise good conversation and sharing on the topic.  Blessings as you engage and grow and may we be slow to critique another’s spiritual journey.

Acts 17:1-9

Paul and Silas are on the move again along the Mediterranean Sea towards Rome.  They stop at Thessalonica (the people in the epistle Thessalonians).  Predictably they go to the Jewish synagogue to present their spiritual experience. Paul preaches from the Scriptures, showing that the prophesied Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead.  Many people believe including Gentiles and women.  Are we surprised to read that opposition arose?  The opposition goes to the streets, inspiring a riot, and the crowd marches to Jason’s house where Paul and Silas were presumed to be staying.  The crowd focuses on Jason who has welcomed questionable people.  Jason is made to post bond and then he is released.

     Jason is guilty by association, because he offered hospitality to Paul and Silas.  I ponder how many times our associations may be impacted by appearances and what others might think.   People or kids might feel awkward associating with a person with a handicap, a person of a different ethnicity, or a person of a different socio-economic level.  It is so easy to draw a line to differentiate between who’s “in” and who’s “out.”  It cost Jason to house Paul and Silas, not only the entertainment but also the bail he had to pay.

         Stop and ponder for a few minutes this morning.  Can you name the social groups in your church?  Are there people who don’t seem to fit in?  Perhaps you have held a critical attitude towards someone who does not worship spirituality like you do.  Ask God to speak to you about whether you avoid someone for fear of how it will affect your reputation.  Think of one person you could reach out to at church this Sunday.  Spiritual maturity may be the ability to stand with the questionable.  Blessings.

Acts 16: 35-40

We just read that Paul and Silas were publically arrested and beaten after casting out the spirit of divination from the slave girl, resulting in the loss of revenue for the owner.  They were beaten in public and then jailed in stocks and chains.  At midnight a great earthquake set them free but they did not run.  The jailer and family asked how to be saved and Paul shared his faith.  The family believed and was baptized.  The next morning the magistrates send word that Paul and Silas are free to leave.  No explanation is given.  We don’t know why they decided that.  Paul though seems to be offended and replies that Paul and Silas, Roman citizens, were publicly condemned, beaten and jailed.  There was no due process of law.  They deserved a public trial and opportunity to share their story and Paul is determined not to steal away in silence as if he were guilty of something.  He has not paid a bribe nor pulled strings through “connections.”  He demands a public statement!  Awkward!!

     How many public Christian leaders have had their testimony ruined by the scandals swirling about their life style?  Some have had affairs or been accused of inappropriate behavior.  Some have misused money.  The reputation of Christianity has been called into question by the actions of visible leaders.  Paul realizes that he needs to clear the air and the possible rumors swirling around about his imprisonment.

         The thought of a public hearing of questionable behavior is a scary thought.  Some glide into the unknown and others live in disgrace.  Some have even written books about their experience and recovery.  The lesson I walk away from here is not about how to handle the situation but the warning to all of us that our lives are watched by others. We are not an island and how we live our faith is important.  I know we sing with pride, “I lived my life my way,” but the truth is that we are not islands.  Our lives impact others. 

         So who are you influencing with your life?  We talk about discipling and mentoring.  Both have a more teaching  feel.  But it is also true that we model faith with our lives, not only by doing good but also by how we deal with tough times.  Paul wants a public statement of his innocence!  Lord, may our lights shine to your glory, not only in good times but also during trials.

Acts 16: 19-34

Paul and Silas cast out a spirit of divination from a slave girl who could tell the future and who was following them, telling everyone that they, Paul and Silas, could tell people how to get saved.  Even demons can pretend to be angels of light!  When the owners discovered their source of income had been “healed,” they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the center of the town where they were beaten and jailed.  Yet again our men suffer for doing good.  Have you ever felt that the trial you are going through might be because you didn’t learn the lesson the first time through?

          At midnight our men are singing songs as others listen and focusing on God rather than their plight and misfortune.  They were not tossing with worry but singing encouraging songs.  I wonder if they were hopeful that an angel would appear again and lead them out as had happened in Jerusalem?  Nope!  God knows more than one way to skin a cat!  This time God uses an earthquake that was so violent that everyone’s shackles and chains fell off. Have you ever expected God to resolve a situation the way it was resolved last time?

         The jailer in charge woke, assumed the prisoners have escaped and that he would be killed for loosing them.  He prepared to commit suicide.  Sometimes failure seems so big that suicide seems the only way out.  We despair but again we see that God has more than one way to solve a situation.  During the darkness of night, often we despair and give up hope.

         Paul yells out that all prisoners are accounted for and none have tried to escape.  Incredulous, the jailer then asked how to he AND his whole family could be saved.  The jailer realizes what is happening has spiritual significance.  He does not just say “thank you,” but realizes he needs God.

         Paul shares his spiritual truth, the truth about Jesus, and the jailer and his whole family believe.  The next morning the magistrates themselves declare Paul and Silas free.  God did not need them to run out in the night because God was working not only for the jailer and family’s salvation but also on the political level.  God can multi-task.

         Again we see that spiritual growth involves seeing a God who is able working in ways we do not expect, not only for just our good but also for the good of others, in the situations we are challenged by.  Troubles may not mean God is trying to teach us a lesson. Spiritual growth differentiates between when we are sinful and need to repent and when God is working on a bigger picture.  Praising God while is shackles is always a good place to put our hearts and minds!

Luke 16: 16-21

Remember Lay’s Potato Chip commercial, “Betcha can’t eat just one!”  It became a mantra in our family for anything we were just going to “taste” but we knew one bite almost always leads to another.  Luke now shares a very interesting scenario.  Paul and Silas are in Philippi and have gone to “a place of prayer” outside the city gate where they meet Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, who is also seeking God.  She believes and invites them to stay at her home.  Again Paul and Silas go to their place of prayer.  Luke says that they are met by a female slave who can tell the future and follows them around proclaiming, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”  Like the potato chip commercial, she is telling the truth.  The potato chip is tasty and eating one will lead to eating another.  What is the problem?  She is telling the truth!

     Paul and Silas tolerate the girl for a while but then become frustrated and caste out the evil spirit.  I suspect we often think of evil as something in the extreme and that first potato chip, that first spoon of ice cream, that first kiss is only a “temptation” and we have the self-control for later.  So often we fail.  One drink leads to another, one bite to another, one peek to another, and one whatever leads to another.  The girl is telling the truth but her source of power is an evil spirit and she is not her own person.  She is controlled by evil to entice followers of her, not God, and to make profit for her owner.  She is a slave.  She is not free, making her own decisions and we only deceive ourselves when our decisions lead us further away fro God.  Subtly she is transforming Paul’s witnessing, his story of his spiritual journey, into an entertainment show to draw people and to get their money.  The point is not the value of sharing a testimony and blessing others but the power that is in control of the situation.  Paul casts out the spirit.

      Learning to recognize evil disguised as “an angel of light” offering to help, is a lesson we must learn as we grow in faith.  Perhaps it is like our mothers said, “All that glitters is not gold.”  Testing the spirits and recognizing when we need help to face temptation is a big lesson in spiritual growth.  May the Lord help you today to discern his presence in the encounters you have and may your testimony not be undermined by evil trying to take advantage of your truth.  Open our eyes Lord!

Last night I sat with “Calming Classical” music in the background, unwinding from an exhausting day, with only the energy to eat yogurt for dinner.  Some days are like that, even some weeks.  We’re reading this week about Paul with Silas and Barnabas with John Mark setting out on their second missionary journey.  They kept forging on even when disappointed but I wonder if sometimes they too sat and pondered.  As I  remembered eating yogurt at night in my early adult years, pregnant, hot in the former famine relief camp in Kenya (milk was something we could get to make yogurt to eat!), I recognized the melody of “Kumbaya” playing in the background and it resonated with my exhaustion from the day.

         According to the Internet there are two explanations of the meaning of the title.  It can be a combination of Hebrew – come –by-here – but it is also traced back to being an African Spiritual first appearing around 1926.  It was a top song from to the 1950s to the 90s but then came to be seen as a children’s camp song and lost popularity or was relegated to the juvenile.  Being a product of the 60s, I sang that song a lot and it soothed my soul last night.  My husband has Parkinson’s Disease and we are reminded daily that it is “terminal.”  Each time a new symptom appears we are faced with the moral dilemma of treat the symptom that prolongs the journey with a terminal disease.  At our age “terminal” is no longer a theoretical discussion for perhaps thirty years from now but a daily reality.  There is no “right” answer and people live through circumstances that can feel hopeless.  It is at those times that songs like Kumbaya come to mind and our heart calls out to the Holy who holds our lives.

Kum ba ya, my Lord, kum ba ya,
Kum ba ya, my Lord, kum ba ya,
Kum ba ya, my Lord, kum ba ya,
O Lord, kum ba ya.

Someone’s laughing, Lord, kum ba ya,  O Lord, kum ba ya.

Someone’s crying, Lord, kum ba ya,  O Lord, kum ba ya.

Someone’s praying, Lord, kum ba ya,  O Lord, kum ba ya.

Someone’s singing, Lord, kum ba ya,  O Lord, kum ba ya.

Kum ba ya, my Lord, kum ba ya,
Kum ba ya, my Lord, kum ba ya,
Kum ba ya, my Lord, kum ba ya,
O Lord, kum ba ya.

I have always felt that the verses circle the prayer process.  Life looks ok and we sing.  Troubles comes and we cry.  We turn to God in prayer and seek his face.  We are then able to sing again as we rest in his guidance.  It’s a good song for whatever stage of life you are in and whether or not you are facing trying times.  Blessings as you listen.

Acts 16: 6-15

Paul, Silas and John Mark are on the move and it seems they have now added Luke to their team as he includes himself in the narrative.  They are moving around the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea from Israel.  They sense spiritually they are to go to Macedonia and Philippi, its capital.  On the Sabbath, they “went outside the city gate to the river, where we (the men) expected to find a place of prayer.”  Whether this is a known place of prayers to gather is not clear but they find people to share with and among them is Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth.  She is a “worshipper of God.”  They share.  She believes and invites them into her home.  The story has several points that cause me to reflect, besides that Luke takes time to tell of the conversion of a woman, Lydia.

         The men were looking for a “place of prayer” on the Sabbath.  On Sunday, when I go to church what am I looking for?  Often we are occupied thinking of who we are going to see and catch up with.  Often we might be thinking about the topic of the adult class we attend.  Perhaps we are at that place in life when we are preoccupied with our children.  I doubt few of us would say we go to church to find a place to pray.  That adds a twist that challenges my motives for Sunday worship.  Prayer is part of the experience but not the focus.  Looking for a place of prayer implies to me that our men were looking for a place to encounter God and that place was outside the city gates, outside the normal work week places.

         Lydia was a “worshipper of God” which I think we would call a “seeker” today.  Our men are sharing their faith stories with people who also are wanting to grow in their faith and experience of God.  It does not imply to me that they were gathered for cognitive growth, to learn more about whatever Scriptures but were seekers after relationship with the Holy.  Again I am challenged to ponder what I am seeking when I attend worship.

         Perhaps the point to ponder is to ask ourselves where do we go when we want to pray.  What is our special “prayer closet?”  How do we get outside the city gates and quiet our souls to concentrate on relationship to God?  Are we God worshippers, open to learning more about God from others at church or are we content in the status quo?  The characters in this scenario come to a river.  But more importantly, they are thirsty.  Lord may we never take you for granted but find that place of prayer where I can grow this week.  May I thirst after encounters with you!

Acts 16:1-5

Paul and Silas head west through Turkey on their second missionary journey.  Interestingly they add a new disciple to their team, Timothy.  This is the Timothy that the epistles, the letters, are written to – 1 and 2 Timothy.  Timothy like Paul has a mixed family heritage.  Paul was a Roman citizen because of his father and a Jew because of his mother.  Timothy is a Greek because of his father and a Jew because of his mother.  Jewish people traced their heritage through their mother!  But then Paul seemingly contradicts himself.   Having just argued in the previous chapter for the inclusion of the Gentiles into Christianity without becoming Jews, Paul now circumcises Timothy.  Houston, do we have a problem?

         Again we are drawn to the thinking of the Jerusalem elders in the previous chapter when they decide that the goal is to include people of faith, not necessarily to make sure all Jewish laws are followed.  This does not diminish the truth of the Mosaic law but looks to the big picture.  We are not trying to disciple replicas of ourselves but help others to believe and become the person God wants them to be.  They may worship slightly differently than we do or sing different types of songs of love different books in the Bible but we can fellowship because of faith, not rules.  The translation of Scripture is an example of our understanding of “living word.”  Christians do not insist everyone learn Greek and Hebrew and have a common language but believe God speaks in all languages and cultures.

         Also, if Paul, as was his custom in his travels, goes first to the Jewish synagogue when he enters a town as that is his comfortable entrance point, then he needed Timothy to not be a stumbling block.  Circumcision was necessary to gain voice, not to fulfill law.  If my actions are offending another, then I am obliged to present my story in words that do not offend.  This is seen is not eating food offered to idols if that causes another to stumble.  We curb our language or our actions not to offend others.

         So spiritual growth challenges me to consider my ability to discipline my likes so that I do not offend another.  It is easy to expect others to act as I act, believe as I believe, and worship as I worship.  Perhaps it is looking for the truth, for the presence of the triune God, in another’s spiritual journey.  Lord help us to be wise as we share our story and help us to recognize you working in another persons story also.  May we never be a stumbling block to faith.