LUKE’S GAMEPLAN - At this point, the leaders of the nascent Christian movement is still located in Jerusalem; Luke has narrated the ever-widening concentric circles of proclamation from the upper room epicenter:

The Day of Pentecost

First converts (5,000)

The emergence of the Christian community

Dramatic signs and wonders that identify the message

Defenses before Jewish leaders

The power of the Spirit filling believers with boldness

Holy judgment - Annaias and Sapphira

Summary statement in 5:12-16-of the apostle’s ministry

RELIGIOUS UPHEAVAL -Thomas Münzter in Allstedt-labeled the "radical reformer" by some historians-was actually the first to translate the Latin liturgy into the German language. He sought to free the gospel from centuries of ecclesial control. As a result, over 2,000 farmers and miners heard the gospel in their own language for the first time. Inflamed by the radical Münzter, soon a peasants’ revolt was fomented and that cost Munzter his head, literally. While we can debate the merits of what Münzter did, such a radical social upheaval to the existing system is not too distant from our lesson on this day. The Easter message about resurrection did not result in festive Easter services and egg hunts, but in a massive, ugly reaction of fear to the simple proclamation by transformed peasants. The gospel will challenge systems, institutions, paradigms, and the status quo.

Have you suffered "dishonor for the sake of the name"? Has being faithful created uncomfortable situations for you? How did you respond? If you have never experienced firsthand the cost of discipleship, why do you think that is so? For the apostles, suffering was a badge of honor, a declaration of worthiness. Is your Christianity so low-key that it offends no one or even is unnoticed outside of the church setting? If no one knows for sure you are a Christian, what badge are you wearing? [1]

 

We have some good homilies based on this passage already posted on the DPS site. However, play devil’s advocate with the narrative. Most sermons try to make connections between them and us: they suffered for . . . where do we suffer for? (As in the "connections" paragraph above.) That view by itself, however, assumes that no time has passed since Acts 5 nor that Christian faith might look differently given a two millennia settling in the global neighborhood.

Doubtless, we might well suffer dishonor for the name-that is more certainly the case in countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. However, most people simply ignore Christians and their message. We’ve spent way too much time proclaiming and precious little time doing servant-ministry in our communities.

I wonder if we’ve sold out to the "come and see" kinds of outreaches and mission (bazaars, fund-raisers, concert series, membership drives, potlucks, bring-a-visitor-to-church campaigns, etc.) in contrast to the "go and do" outreaches primarily because we are most comfortable on our church turfs rather than theirs. So we think of ways to hook folks to come and visit our churches but have forgotten how to go out among our non-Christian neighborhoods to show the love of God via service.

If proclamation despite resistance is the theme here, then it might be helpful for a congregation to think about how they could do a better job at proclaiming through powerfully present ways.

Just a thought.

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[1] The Spiritual Formation Bible (Zondervan, 1999), page 1440.