Devotion for May 23

… you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all  Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth… Acts 1:8.

When the new neighbors moved in he welcomed them. Then he watched to see if they went to church on Sunday. His reasoning was that if they went on Sunday they probably had a church already. If they didn’t, he would invite them to St. Mark. They stayed home that Sunday. So, he went to visit them and brought one of our brochures: About Us. He gave it to them and invited them to our church – unless they already had a church home. It was a simple invitation with an informative handout to leave them.

I don’t know if they have visited St. Mark or not. But I was struck by the simplicity of his approach. And recently I’ve been told that our brochure About Us is a very effective piece to share. If you have a neighbor, friend or family member you’d like to invite to St. Mark, consider taking one to them. The promise and command of Jesus in Acts 1 was given to all of us. His neighborhood isn’t Jerusalem or the other areas mentioned… and certainly not the ends of the earth. But he accepted its challenge and, in a way that fit his personality, acted on it.

Summer is a good time to invite others to St. Mark. Summer is a non-threatening time to check out a ministry. And, at St. Mark, we have a heart of welcome that each of us can exhibit. And they won’t be alone – we have many visitors in the summer who have come for a variety of reasons to worship with us. Our welcome is simple: “We’re glad you’re here. If we can help you in any way or make your visit more meaningful, just let us know.” It’s not pushy; nor does it need to be uncomfortable. In fact, most visitors to a church are hoping someone will kindly greet and welcome them.

So, if you see someone you don’t recognize just say hello and welcome them to St. Mark. The worst thing that could happen is for our visitors to leave without anyone greeting them. And if you discover another member/disciple that you didn’t know, well… that’s great too!

Devotion for April 11

… the work of each builder will become visible… 1 Corinthians 3:13

South of Corinth and a bit off the road lay the remnants of what was, in ancient times, a great port. Once a bustling port city, the ruins now amount to little more than a few stones extending tentatively out into the sea. Cenchreae was a major port city from which Paul sailed to the great ancient city of Ephesus.

I have a picture of me standing on the rocks that once formed part of a huge horseshoe like harbor. The rocks bear mute testimony to the labors of builders who laid those stones in order to welcome trade from Rome heading east or from the Orient to Rome. We can only imagine how many hours of hard labor went into that construction – and for years it paid off. Then times changed; Rome collapsed and Cenchreae was lost – except for the reference in Acts 18:18. The builders of that great harbor labored in vain.

But the labors of one man who trod on those very stones have stood the test of time. The only reason to venture the back roads in Greece to these very inauspicious ruins is because St. Paul stood upon those stones. This was the place for his arrival and departure to Ephesus and a missionary venture that has transformed the world. Paul was right when he wrote the above to the Christians in Corinth.

I have been reflecting on the building each of us does in this life. The works of our lives can have permanence or, like the harbor at Cenchreae, eventually fall apart. The immediate economic impact of that harbor was great and visible to all. But it was the spiritual impact of the preaching of Paul that has proven timeless. So, I am asking myself (and you) to reflect on the spiritual impact of my life. I am praying that my life, my faith and the love I have given and received will last as part of building Christ’s church. I am not a Paul. I don’t need to be. But I want to participate in the proclamation of Easter… just as he did. What about you?

Devotion for April 4

A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us… and The Lord opened her heart… and she and her household were baptized… Acts16:14

There was a stream crossing where the ancient Apian Way bisected the region of Macedonia. There Lydia, who worked with fine cloth and purple dye, would gather with others. On that shore, Paul witnessed to Lydia who became Paul’s first convert on European soil.

Today there is a shrine to Lydia and a small chapel beautifully constructed and adorned with icons where Lydia came to faith. These were beautiful to be sure. But the really moving moment came when I walked to the shoreline of this fast-moving stream. Some of the building stones from the old Apian Way are still there. In a bend in the river, we could imagine Paul and Lydia entering the stream where her faith was confirmed in baptism. With her were members of her household, Luke tells us. Whether they were only adults or included children is unknown. What we do know is that Lydia’s informed faith (she believed in the God of the Jews) was claimed by the Risen Messiah, Jesus.

Paul’s witness to Jesus and Lydia’s subsequent baptism were the very beginning of his remarkably successful missionary trip to Macedonia. Yet, these two events would have hardly been noticed if Luke hadn’t recorded them in the Acts of the Apostles. Now, two thousand years later, these barely noticed events continue to shape touch the lives of millions of Christians and shape the faith of countless Greek believers.

This shouldn’t surprise us. Our God takes the barely noticed and creates world transformation. The first Easter was barely noticed: some women and then, reluctantly, his disciples saw the Risen Christ. Yet these encounters – so lacking in being noteworthy at the time and, therefore, so easily dismissed – have shaped the course of human history ever since.

God is willing to take our lives – so easily dismissed and underestimated – and bring eternity into our mortal world. This Easter, let us simply be open to this great invitation from God – and Christ will rise in our lives. Amen

Devotion for March 14

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2

That’s when it all began. The remarkable life of Saul – soon to be known by his Gentile name, Paul – took flight from that wondrous moment in worship. This began the first missionary journey of Paul. He travelled with Barnabas to Cyprus. According to tradition, when the world began to meet this bandy-legged, balding, and short man, there wasn’t much to be impressed by. And this relatively unknown rabbi, with his brilliant mind, passion for Jesus the Risen Christ, and openness to non-Jews of the Roman Empire, would turn the world upside down. And it happened in a moment of worship.

It still happens today. Not long ago a young man, father of three, sat in worship and felt the Holy Spirit tug at his heart. He can’t remember much about the sermon, but he can remember the very moment when his heart was moved and he knew he was called to the ordained ministry of the Lutheran Church. I don’t know if he’ll turn the world upside down. I do know that worship has the power to change lives because the Holy Spirit speaks to the listening soul.

And a young woman sat in church listening to the message when the Holy Spirit spoke to her, she says, as clear as the ringing of a bell. Confirming her inner restlessness, the Spirit of the Living God urged her to look beyond her present job. Now she is a successful business woman. I don’t know if she will turn the world upside down. I do know that worship was the place and time for her to hear the Spirit’s voice and risk a major career change.

This Lenten Season I’d like to invite you to listen in worship. Listen beneath and within the words and songs and prayers for the speaking of God. You might not change the world, but the Holy Spirit might just change your world.

Devotion for June 9

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John… they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. Acts 4:13

Boldness is not a word that is necessarily used to describe many of us as Christians. I think that’s, at least in part, due to our misunderstanding of its use in describing the witness of the early Christians, like Peter and John in this Acts text. The essential element in their boldness was the invitation to share their faith. They did not barge into a conversation; nor did they insist in forcing their religious convictions on others. Peter and John boldly witness to the Risen Christ because there had been a wonderful miracle that so many had seen that they needed to share how and why it had happened – Acts 3. In this text, they are brought before the Jewish authorities and demanded to make an account of themselves. They boldly do so.

In our time, when there is so much noise in society with so many conflicting opinions demanding to be heard, boldness might take a different form for us as Christians. Let me suggest three steps in being bold in our faith. First, let us know what we believe about Jesus, his crucifixion and resurrection. Second, let us be willing to first demonstrate care and respect for others – whether we agree with them or not. Lastly, whenever the opportunity arises, let us be prepared to boldly share our faith in God through Jesus Christ.

The problem we have had is that many of us have seen or experienced a religious boldness that discounts the value of the other person. Spiritual boldness with no respect for the other ultimately does more harm than good. So, like Peter and John, let us be bold in our caring – and equally bold in our sharing of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Lord, grant me boldness in respecting others as well as sharing my faith. Amen

Devotion for June 24

But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge.” Acts 4:19

            The humility of Peter and John before the religious authorities in Jerusalem is startling. The above response was given after they had been imprisoned over night. Their jailing was because of the healing of a lame man and the declaration that it was done in the name of the Risen Savior, Jesus. Standing before these learned men of authority, Peter and John do not claim to know God’s will. Instead they invite their questioners to consider for themselves whether it is correct to heed God’s voice or theirs. In so doing, they placed themselves, their circumstances and those before whom they stood in the very presence of God.

            I have always been leery of those who claimed to know the will of God in any particular circumstance. It seems to me that our knowledge of God’s will is limited by our understanding of Scripture, our prayers and that human tendency to see what we want to see above all else. That doesn’t mean, however, that we cannot know God’s will in general and then apply it to our circumstance. In fact, that’s what Peter and John have done.

            I understand fully that any given ethical decision is subject to its circumstances. I do not, however, believe for a moment that the moral imperatives of the golden rule or the Ten Commandments cannot lead the person of faith to make healthy decisions in any situation. I believe that we set them aside at our own risk – and, often, at the risk of hurting others.

            Peter and John remind us, as they surely reminded those at the Council in Jerusalem, that we live before God: Whether it is right in God’s sight… they declare. Christians hold firmly to the fact that there is One who is beyond us and whose teachings we can know, who holds us ultimately accountable. This is, at times, a matter of fear, to be sure. But, understanding God’s grace, transforms the fear in to assurance and the external authority of God into a blessing. We believe that even God’s judgment leads us to blessing and life.