Scripture

Acts 8:9-24

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money.

—Acts 8:18

 

8:9 Now a certain man named Simon had previously  practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. ¹⁰A11 of them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called Great." ¹¹ And they listened eagerly to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. ¹²But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³Even Simon himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place.

¹⁴ Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. ¹⁵The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit ¹⁶(for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). ¹⁷Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, ¹⁹saying, "Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." ²⁰But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God's gift with money! ²¹You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God. ²²Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness." ²⁴Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may happen to me."

 

As Christians, as congregations, as denominations, and as Christ's one universal church, we do not depend on ourselves but on Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ's is the only authority that we are to seek and discern in the midst of our lives. We are not lords of others or ourselves. Our Lord, the one who authors our lives, is Lord over all that is and is none other than the triune God. All spiritual power is God's alone. Our power is in cooperation with the power of the Holy Spirit, and we cannot be holy apart from the Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit cannot be owned, parceled, hoarded, bought, or demanded.

As we follow the plot in this story, we see power at work; we see how people respond to this power both in service and in greed. Simon was powerful. People followed and "listened to him eagerly." As the story unfolds, Simon recognizes power greater than his own in the preaching of Philip, and so he follows him. Then there is an even greater power: the power of bestowing the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. When Peter chastises Simon, he draws a vital distinction: one cannot have the power of God. One simply serves it.

 

POWER IS DESIRED

We human beings are certainly drawn to power. We enjoy watching powerful athletes; we respect people who are able to use words effectively; and when someone with personal charisma walks into a room, we can't help but notice and show interest. Power brings prestige and recognition, and as we can see in many public figures, it brings the temptation to live outside ethical boundaries. Simon is a powerful man, so powerful that people "listen to him eagerly." They follow him. However, these same people discern a greater power through Philip's preaching when he comes to them in Samaria.

Philip was among those who had been dispersed throughout the area when Saul began his campaign against Christians (Acts 8:1-3). Those who spread out after Stephen's death and Saul's persecution of them did not scatter into the countryside to escape from threats to their lives but to proclaim the gospel. No wonder the Samaritans took note of Philip: even though persecuted, he preached a joyous message that threatened religious assumptions.

The Samaritans believe and are baptized, but the power that Philip brokers is not his own, nor does he buy or sell it for his own sake. Instead, he serves the power of God through proclamation and baptism. Because those in Jerusalem heard of this work of God, they sent Peter and John to demonstrate it further and to serve the power of God by the laying on of hands. Simon doesn't understand that it is God's power alone. The Samaritans discern the power of God and how it is administered. Simon discerns incorrectly when he thinks that this power can be manipulated.

Peter not only accurately accuses Simon of the wrong motives,  he also makes a way clear for Simon to be healed and forgiven for his motivations and misunderstandings. The power of God opens a way to Simon for restoration.

What does Simon do?

He accepts the grace! Certainly, Peter is a strong example of a servant to the power of God; Simon now humbles himself, submits to correction, and learns about the true nature of the power of the Holy Spirit. Simon wanted to buy the power of the Holy Spirit; now he receives it freely, pointing to God alone.

 

POWER SHINES

We read about God's power for living in Eph. 3:20:" [God] by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine." It is what gives us the confidence to spread our wings and fly, to dare to say and do all the gospel things we are given. The God of the universe created us in God's own image, which we bear in our daily lives. We are created to be who God created us to be. We are servants, yes. But we are not all the same servant doing the exact same thing in service to the Holy Spirit. And we are not weak servants, "for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline" (2 Tim. 1:7).

How do we shine brightly without burning others? Our power is to serve, not destroy. Our lives are like parables, pointing to Jesus or to the kingdom of heaven.

Philip continued the call to proclaim the gospel and to baptize; John and Peter went where they were sent and did what they were given to do; and Peter declared the truth about the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, in the end, serves us by binding us to Jesus Christ, in whom all things in heaven and on earth are reconciled to God. We serve the God who is for us.

Just imagine: your light, shining brightly, glorifies God and points all those around you to the Holy Spirit.

 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

Can you think of a person or two in your life who has "shined brightly" and encouraged you to do so? How does your understanding of this inspiration change when you realize God gives you a spirit of power and love?

Is it hard to affirm others who shine brightly in a way different from the way that you shine? Why or why not?

What power has God given you to point to the gospel of Christ? Do you demonstrate joy, love, peace, patience, or other fruits of the Holy Spirit?

 

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, if you accomplish abundantly far more than what we can think to ask for or even imagine, we realize that you change the world. Help us to stand up boldly, confident that you have created us to be powerful servants of your gospel. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.

Compiled from The Present Word and Congregational Ministries Publishing is not liable for for the content of this Bible Study and Blog.

From The Present Word © 2012 Congregational Ministries Publishing. Used by permission.

 

 

Scripture

Acts 7:51—8:la

While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

—Acts 7:59

STEPHEN’S MARTYERDOM

7:51 "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do.⁵² Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. ⁵³You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it."

⁵⁴ When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. ⁵⁵But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶"Look," he said, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" ⁵⁷But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. ⁵⁸Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." ⁶⁰Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died.

8:1 And Saul approved of their killing him.

 

The stories of the Gospels and of Acts are written so that we can see the mountains, plains, wilderness, and Samaritans by the side of the road in the text. In this passage, we not only see people murder Stephen; we see the looks on their faces and feel their burning resentment of Stephen. One would think that we would stay away from this passage. But as the death of Jesus is echoed here in Stephen's death, we witness something beautiful, true, and good.

Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit and thus enabled to see divine things. While those around him "became enraged and ground their teeth," he saw not the end of his life but the ground of all life: "he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God" (v. 55). He saw Jesus resurrected, Lord over all, in unity with God in the power of the Holy Spirit.

WE ARE FORMED TO WITNESS

This passage is often referred to as the martyrdom of Stephen. The word martyr is one we should use carefully, because it is a serious word. To be a martyr is to be a witness. Stephen is a martyr because he was killed for bearing witness to his faith in Jesus Christ. This has been happening to Christians over the centuries. When we remember the stories of martyrs, we rejoice in their faith and courage. In fact, it is their absolute conviction of the joy of the gospel that fills their hearts with courage to proclaim that gospel regardless of the enemies who are present.

Unfortunately, the word martyr is used casually even by Christians. Some, thinking that Christians no longer dominate United States culture, have used the word martyr to describe themselves, even when there isn't a hint of physical danger. Complaining about the way things are is very different from being killed for proclaiming the gospel.

On the other hand, there are Christians who have done brave things and died for them but who are not Christian martyrs. Dietrich Bonhoeffer is often called a martyr because after doing what he understood he needed to do as a disciple of Jesus Christ, he was arrested and put in various Nazi prison camps where he was hanged one week before the Allies liberated the camps.

Bonhoeffer was not arrested for being a Christian. He was arrested because he participated in the plot to assassinate Hitler. However, Bonhoeffer's courage points us back to Stephen's, and we can start to see how devotion to Jesus Christ reorganizes our priorities. Bonhoeffer understood that he had a unique place in society—he was well-educated, unmarried, and connected to the underground intelligence movement—and thus a unique responsibility. He knew that murder was wrong. He did what he thought he was called to do and left the justification of his act up to God.

WE ARE FORMED IN TRUTH

"Telling the truth" is one of the best excuses we Christians use to be unkind, since we think of telling the truth as morally right no matter what truth we're telling. But claiming that we are speaking the truth when we are being mean and arrogant turns the gospel of Jesus Christ into a joke. Why should anyone believe that "God is love" when we show disdain for their thoughts or opinions? In Eph. 4, we are exhorted to "speak the truth in love."

This shows us that hypocrisy can go in at least two directions. Stephen shows us both by holding fast to the truth of Christ. First, he does speak the truth, even though he would have gotten along a lot better with people if he had soft-pedaled his message. To be faithful to the truth of Christ means speaking when necessary. Stephen did this in order to refute lies and hypocrisy of the council who claimed to be people of faith but who had turned against God.

Second, Stephen speaks the truth in love, bearing witness to Jesus who had been sent into the world God loves so much not to condemn it, but to save it (John 3:16-17). We know he speaks in love because his last words are selfless words of forgiveness.

Consider how Stephen's witness has been passed to us today. The word tradition means "to hand over." When we teach others about our faith, we hand it over to them and help them to hold it in their own hands. The words and deeds of our faith need to bear witness to the truth in love; otherwise we are handing over a hollow gospel that does not share the good news of our salvation through the love of God.

Stephen allowed himself to be formed into the truth of Christ by his faith tradition and by the Spirit. When we allow ourselves to be formed into truth as Stephen was, we speak the truth in love, no matter the opposition. This means that we, like Stephen, are to be loving and daring in our witness to Christ. We forgive even those who oppose us, and we hand over a tradition of gospel joy.

WE ARE FORMED INTO BOLDNESS

Boldness requires risk. We take risks when we declare our faith one way or another without considering the cost. Small acts can be bold. We can also be bold in a louder volume, but our boldness will always be unique to who we are as Christ's particular disciples. The Samaritan woman at the well boldly spoke to Jesus, a man and a Jew. Moses boldly argued with God and talked God into a change of mind. We all know people that have been bold when they were heckled on the street or brave as they continued daily life after a cancer diagnosis.

Being bold, as Stephen shows us, is being a Christian no matter what. This doesn't mean we're always perfect Christians. Any situation in which we find ourselves is a situation in which we are called to be Christian no matter what happens. We are bold simply because we speak the truth in love as Stephen did.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

You have particular circumstances in your life. How do your situations require Christian boldness?

What does it mean to you to "speak the truth" and to do so "in love"? What particular events would you refer to in order to describe how you were a bold witness to the gospel of Christ, in word or deed?

In what ways do you seek to be formed by the Holy Spirit into the joyful daring that was active in Stephen?

PRAYER

Mighty God, we are bold to approach you for forgiveness, and we are bold to go forth as your servants. Form us into truth and love that we might pass on the gospel of Christ in the way we speak and act. Amen.

 

 

Compiled from The Present Word and Congregational Ministries Publishing is not liable for for the content of this Bible Study and Blog.

From The Present Word © 2012 Congregational Ministries Publishing. Used by permission.

Scripture

Acts 6:8 —7:2a

Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

—Acts 6:8

6:8 Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. ¹⁰But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. ¹¹Then they secretly instigated some men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." ¹²They stirred up the people as well as the elders and the scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and brought him before the council. ¹³They set up false witnesses who said, "This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law; ¹⁴for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed on to us." ¹⁵And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. 7:1 Then the high priest asked him, "Are these things so?" ²And Stephen replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me.

 

Luke, the author of Acts, wants us to learn the faith given in the gospel of Christ and to understand Christ's care for those who are poor, alone, or oppressed. If we are formed into the people of God through our faith in Christ, then we are a people of faith formed for the sake of the world.

If you've ever seen a catechism, you'll have a sense of how Luke values learning. A catechism articulates in question-and-answer form what a group of people believes. Catechisms are used in different churches to help people learn the theology of their faith.

Catechisms help us to learn the language and theology of our faith. For example, the first question of the Heidelberg Catechism (in the Reformed tradition) is "What is your only comfort, in life and in death?" The answer begins, "That I belong—body and soul, in life and in death—not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ."

In today's passage, Stephen declares what he believes by reciting the salvation history of the people of God by heart. His courage comes from knowing that he belongs to his loving and faithful savior in life and in death (centuries before the Heidelberg Catechism was written!). There is no separation between learning the faith and living the faith for Stephen. He has become part of the people of God. While his speech about the history of God's people is not a question-and-answer session, it has the same effect: teaching what we Christians declare to be true.

Toward the end of the passage, Luke shares the way that Stephen stands firm in this tradition of learning and living. Stephen shares with his accusers what he has learned and what they haven't. Like the people of God in previous generations, they too have turned away from God and even against God.

THE SPIRIT GIVES US COURAGE

Some Bible stories seem impossible to emulate. How could I ever have the strength of character that Stephen had? Do I have half his courage to say what I believe, even if it would get me killed? What makes a person strong enough to stand up against adversity to proclaim Christ's gospel?

We already know from Acts 2 that the Holy Spirit came upon the church at Pentecost, and at the beginning of Acts 6 we are given to understand that Stephen's strength and grace are from the Holy Spirit at work in him. Indeed, Stephen has the power of God through the Holy Spirit: "Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people" (Acts 6:8). Not only that, but Stephen's speech is a recitation of the history of salvation. He tells the stories of Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, among others, to be clear that those who claim to be people of God often turn away from God and against God. Yet God comes back again and again, giving us new grace. Stephen claims his place in history as part of God's people.

We are God's people too, full of the Spirit. We may turn away from or against God, but God does not leave us. We can make a difference in spreading the gospel of Christ in word and deed because we are part of God's people.

Who you are matters, and where you are matters. God has not called you to be Stephen or Peter or Paul. God has called you to be you, part of the people of God, and God's Holy Spirit will be upon you in your daily life.

THE SPIRIT GIVES US INTEGRITY AND SELFLESSNESS

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is that we are able to see ourselves in Scripture in many different ways. Scripture is like a mirror: we can see how we are reflected in it and what it shows us about ourselves. John Calvin referred to the Bible as "spectacles." Scripture works the same way eyeglasses work. They help us see clearly when everything used to be blurry. If we read this story a couple of times, each time as though we were one of the characters, we see ourselves from a different perspective. What do we learn about ourselves when we are one of Stephen's accusers? When we are Stephen?

There is often conflict in leadership; sometimes we cause the conflict. This passage also helps us to see that we, like Stephen, are given our faith by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. Even though his accusers lie about Stephen, note that he doesn't stop to correct them or defend himself— even when they seize him and drag him to face the high priest and the council.

The challenge for Christians is to live our lives for and through and in God rather than for our own self-interests. The accusers couldn't beat Stephen in an argument; that must have been embarrassing. The event could have stopped there if they had gone home to lick their wounds and ponder what they had learned from interacting with Stephen. That isn't what they did. Instead they chose a route of petty behavior that used the power of their numbers (there were several of them but only one of Stephen) to set him up for a fall and even for death. They were looking out for themselves. They weren't interested in truth or learning more about being the people of God. No one who sees Stephen's face "like the face of an angel" (Acts 6:15) asks him, "Can I receive such faith as yours? Can I too be filled with grace and power?"

We can characterize the difference between Stephen and his accusers in this way: some get things right; others would rather be right. Stephen wants to get things right. Those who stand with him are willing to make mistakes and to learn. It's the truth they're after, not their own superiority or security. Stephen's accusers want to be right. Their disciples will often try to rationalize why things aren't going well (as Stephen's accusers did). Stephen shows us selflessness and integrity as he stands firm in witnessing to his faith in God.

We belong to a people who have been formed by God and who have been given life and faith through Christ by the power of the Spirit. This means we belong, just like Stephen. Would you be surprised to be told that your face looks like the face of an angel? It does, because you are also messengers of God, sharing your heritage and inheritance with others.

 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

Do you have favorite passages of Scripture or church writings that help you to remember your heritage of faith?

How does understanding your faith, at least to some degree, encourage you to act with integrity and selflessness?

Are there particular ways that studying Stephen can help you live out your faith in your current circumstances?

 

PRAYER

Mighty God, we thank you for the promise of your Spirit. We thank you for Stephen, our brother in faith, who showed us what we all have been given by you: courage, grace, power, integrity, and love for others. Help us to open ourselves to these parts of our lives that we might declare your gospel in word and deed, rooted in your Spirit. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen.

Compiled from The Present Word and Congregational Ministries Publishing is not liable for for the content of this Bible Study and Blog.

From The Present Word © 2012 Congregational Ministries Publishing. Used by permission.

Scripture

Hebrews 13:1-3; 1 Corinthians 13

Now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. —1 Corinthians 13:13

Hebrews 13:1 Let mutual love continue. ²Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. ³Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured—

1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  ²And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. ⁷It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. ⁹For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; ¹⁰but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. ¹²For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. ¹³And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

 

Our culture is obsessed with love. Self-help books are eager to help us become "lovable" people. Musicians have found fame by singing about love. Television programs set us up to believe that love is an "anything goes" sort of thing. Celebrities move so quickly between lovers that we can't even keep up. We're confused by what love is: we use the same word to admire someone's new hairdo and to show the deepest feelings of our heart.

Most of us would say that all human beings have three basic needs: food, shelter, and clothing. People that study human beings and our behavior would add another need: we need to be loved.

What happens when we don't get enough love? We turn in on ourselves. It becomes harder for us to show other people that we love them. If it goes on long enough, we begin to believe that we are unworthy of being loved. When we aren't met with the love we need, we'll seek it out. We're left, as Waylon Jennings sang, "Looking for love in all the wrong places; looking for love in too many faces." Is there such a thing as love that withstands storm and fire, such a thing that demands more of us than what our world offers us?

 

LOVE UNITES US

According to 1 Cor. 13, love is the most important thing— more important even than faith.  Like a gentle stream that changes the shape of rocks, love has the power to alter who and how people are. Love seems to beget more love and promote healing, whereas anger seems to beget only more anger.

In saying that love is the greatest virtue, Paul offers us a truth that is not always easy to acknowledge. How easy it is to lose hope and faith when we are in the middle of a crisis! In the middle of a life storm, it feels like things will never get better and that God does not care about our pain. Hope and faith sure don't feel like life preservers then! Nevertheless, love can grab hold of our hearts even in the darkest of days.

Amazing things happen when love reaches out. We show love when we encourage a friend who is going through a rough time or take a meal to a neighbor who is sick. But such acts don’t really require much of us. What requires much more of us is living peacefully with those around us, people with whom we often strongly disagree.  Anybody who interacts with other people knows that love requires both work and commitment, and this is especially true in the church. One generation wants one thing; another wants something different. One group loves the red church doors; another thinks any other color would have been preferable. Some love the technology; others are certain that it was a waste of precious resources. Where is Christ in the midst of all that?

The writer of Hebrews will not allow us to be so thoroughly divided over the things that in the end do not glorify God. He challenges us to look beyond our differences to what we have in common: God's love for all. It is the basis for everything we do. Not only that, but it's the lifeline of everything that takes place in God's kingdom.

Love must be the basis for everything that we do. What happens when it isn't? When we make decisions outside of love, we can only think selfishly. When our worship is not rooted in love and passion for our creator, it becomes consumerist. We fight the worship wars, wondering, "What's in it for me?" instead of "Is this pleasing to God?" When our fellowship is not centered on love, we become gossipy and cliquish. We exclude others who are not like us instead of -bringing them into the family. When the ministries of the church become loveless, they become a checklist of ways that we might earn God's favor instead of an outpouring of gratitude for God's presence in our midst.

 

LOVING ENOUGH

In Hebrews, we find that there are five essential qualities that reflect how Christian love behaves: brotherly love, hospitality, sympathy for those in trouble, purity, and contentment.

The writer of Hebrews wants to make sure we understand that love is an essential piece of our faith; that it runs deep enough to affect our behavior toward one another and toward God. Scripture says, "Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead" (fames 2:17); perhaps the writer of Hebrews would say, "Faith without love misses the point all together." Paul puts it succinctly by saying, "Faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor. 13:13). How then can we make sure that our faith is under the direction of Christ's love? The writer of Hebrews really only needs four words to tell us: "Let mutual love continue" (13:1). Everything else he says in these closing words goes back to that one idea.

In some ways, the call to love is much like the call to tithe. When we tithe, we recognize that God has blessed us. As a way of saying, "Thank you," we joyfully give part of it back. Implicit in the command to love is the conviction that God has already shown us tremendous love. As when we tithe, we joyfully give it back. We're called to give in trust. We're called to tithe, no matter our circumstances, believing that God will meet our need. We're also called to love, no matter our circumstance and regardless of whether we see eye-to-eye with someone else.

Rather than wondering if we've gotten the love we need, we ask ourselves if we've shared the love that someone else needs. The Beatles famously sang, "All you need is love." It might not be everything we need, but it's not a bad place to start.

 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

Name an experience in which your actions did not flow out of love. What were the consequences? What did you learn from the experience?

Should Heb. 13:5 guide our decisions about financial matters?  “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’"

 In what ways might you apply these words to financial decisions in your life?  In the life of the church?

Philadelphia means "City of Brotherly Love." What would a community built on mutual love look like? What is the most significant first step toward building such a community?

PRAYER

Living God, make our love genuine. Even as we acknowledge our own need for love, remind us that others need it too. Teach us to reach out beyond ourselves, showing your radical love to all your children, even when it is inconvenient or pushes us further than we'd like to be pushed. May your love spill over onto everything we do.  Amen.

Compiled from The Present Word and Congregational Ministries Publishing is not liable for for the content of this Bible Study and Blog.

From The Present Word © 2012 Congregational Ministries Publishing. Used by permission.

Scripture

Hebrews 12:18-29

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe. —Hebrews 12:28

12:18 You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, ¹⁹and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. ²⁰ (For they could not endure the order that was given, "If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death." ²¹Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I tremble with fear.") ²²But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, ²³and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

²⁵ See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! ²⁶At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven." ²⁷This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; ²⁹for indeed our God is a consuming fire.

 

FAITH INSPIRES GRATITUDE

Before weather apps, the weather channel, or weather satellites, people had no warning when violent storms approached. Thunder storms, tornados, even hurricanes, struck with little or no warning. People were terrified and felt vulnerable.

Many people feel this way about God. While they love God, they feel vulnerable to this powerful and seemingly sometimes vengeful God. They are terrified of making the wrong move for fear that they might land as "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," as early American preacher Jonathan Edwards put it. Ancient peoples were terrified of God. The people in Exodus could not imagine that anyone would be so close as to see God face to face. Even Moses was riddled with fear (Heb. 12:21).

"Fear sells," we hear. It does: We work to have the right body and the best car because we're afraid that we won't be well regarded if we don't. We buy insurance and extended warranties because we're fearful that something might break or go wrong. We spring into hysteria when there is a safety recall on foods or toys or cars. Fear has also been used to "sell" Christianity. While fear could "sell" us on the need to be in a relationship with Christ, the writer of Hebrews does not use this tactic. God could indeed be a terrifying presence. "But," he says, "this is not your experience."

A TALE OF TWO MOUNTAINS

So what is our experience? The writer of Hebrews speaks of two places of covenant, but he uses them as representatives of the old and new covenants. He wants us to realize that there is a world of difference between these covenants.

In the Old Testament, Mount Sinai was the place where the law was given. Though the thought of it inspired fear, it was regarded favorably within the Scriptures. Yet the writer of Hebrews is using it to reflect of the negative implications of the old covenant. In his eyes, Sinai is the place where we became interested in rule keeping. Sinai is the place of fear, where we come, terrified, to stand before our God. The people are frozen with fear that God might speak directly to them, and they believe that they might actually die if God were to speak to them.

Things are different with the new covenant. People don't come terror stricken to Mt. Zion as they did at Mt. Sinai. Instead, they approach it excitedly and with the expectation of good things. In Ps. 137 we read that Zion was a place that people loved—and they wept when they were away from it. "Zion" has come to represent a number of things, including Solomon's temple and the promised land.

The writer of Hebrews wants to make sure we know which mountain to set our sights on. As our travel agent, he's going to sell us on all the things that Mt. Zion has to offer us. When we walk the path to Zion, we can expect to see three major things: the new Jerusalem, the angels in joyful assembly, and God's chosen people.

Certainly, we'd book our tickets for Zion, right? What would possess us to set out for the bleak, terror-fraught Sinai? Only one thing: familiarity. We know the rules, just as our ancestors knew the rules. Our culture likes things that are black and white, without a lot of "gray area." The grace offered to us in Christ sometimes feels a little too easy. It seems a little ambiguous. It doesn't ask us to "do" much of anything, whereas rules tell us exactly what is expected. The author of Hebrews wants to make sure we understand that if we decide to go against his "travel advice," we'll never know the joy of Zion. We cannot be worried both about saving ourselves and about experiencing life lived in the presence of God's grace.

A GRATEFUL HEART

We read in Paul's letter to the Ephesians, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works" (Eph. 2:8-9).

While we understand that, at least on some level, it's hard for us to hear because our society tells us that we must earn everything we get. The Message paraphrases v. 25 this way; "Don't turn a deaf ear to these gracious words." This is one of several warnings not to reject God's offer of salvation, which is exactly what happens when we are caught up in the rule-keeping furor of Mt. Sinai.

For the writer of Hebrews, the solution is clear: choose grace, and worship with a thankful heart because we've been set free from the bondage of rule keeping. We have no reason to approach God in terror. Though we may think we understand this message while we're living, we still tend to fear the coming judgment. The truth is that we want to believe that God will judge us. How awful would it be to discover in the end that God didn't care about how we treat one another or how we lived our lives! We don't want a doting grandparent for God but a God who takes our sin seriously and works to help us escape the tyranny of it.

God does take our sin seriously. Just because we're Zion people doesn't mean that we'll escape the shaking of the earth (12:26). When God gave the earth a good shakedown before, it brought about major destruction. It was a testimony to the wrath of an angry God. The earth will again shake, but for the children of God, these experiences will not be terrifying. Singer/songwriter David LaMotte has a song titled "Crawl Inside." LaMotte had a friend who was filled with such negativity and guilt that it kept her from enjoying life. His heart broke for his friend, and he wanted her to see her worth and to get rid of the junk that was weighing her down. In the song, he sets up a metaphor of crawling inside her head and doing some serious housecleaning. In the same way, God is going to shake the world to get rid of the things that make us less than we were created to be.

The people of the new covenant will experience God's judgment just as our ancestors did. What changes for us is that Christ made the sacrifice of his life so that we might stand before God as beloved children. Christ's death means that we have been forgiven. This is a hard idea for us to grasp. Often when we forgive someone, we may choose to let go of someone's offense, but the relationship is forever altered. God's forgiveness is completely different. Because Christ has paid for the cost of our sins, it is as if we've never sinned in the first place. How can we best respond to this gift?

Writer Anne Lamott says she has only two types of prayers: "Help me! Help me! Help me!" and "Thank you! Thank you! Thank You!" Perhaps as the truth of God's life-changing grace sinks into our hearts, the latter of these prayers will be the only words we need. The way that we can best respond to Christ's sacrifice is in humbled gratitude.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

What efforts have you made to "live in peace with all"? What has that experience been like?

How would you describe your spiritual life? Do you go along more with a "spirituality of grace" or a "spirituality of the law?"

How does the understanding of the grace that is offered to you help alleviate your fears about dying?

What places have been Mt. Sinai for you, where God has seemed to be a terrifying presence? What places have been Mt. Zion, where you've seen God as a joy-filled welcome? What have you learned from each of these types of experiences?

PRAYER

Holy God, teach us what it is to live in light of your grace, allowing our gratitude to touch every aspect of our lives. Let us draw close to you, knowing that we are indeed your beloved children. Let us come to meet you with joy in our hearts, because there is no reason for us to come with fear. Shatter our fear-flooded hearts as we learn that your love is the only reality about which we need to be concerned. Amen.

 

Compiled from The Present Word and Congregational Ministries Publishing is not liable for for the content of this Bible Study and Blog.

From The Present Word © 2012 Congregational Ministries Publishing. Used by permission.

Scripture

Hebrews 12:1-11

Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.  –Hebrews 12:1-2

 

Faith Is Endurance

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 3  Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children —"My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; 6 for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts." 7 Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? 8 If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. 9 Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. 11 Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

 

The early Christians were tired. They had been running the race of faith as though they had been running sprints in the heat of the day. They were tired, their legs hurt, and whatever fancy energy gel packets they carried were long gone. The people had earned the right to be tired. They'd expected the return of Christ to happen quickly, but they had seen no proof that anything was different in the world. A person can only keep giving 100 percent when he or she believes that change is coming. This is something we understand. Who would keep up with a weight-loss program that didn't show any results? Who would pour one's whole self into a work project with no belief that the boss would notice?

Here comes the coach saying, "Don't you even think about quitting yet! This race matters!"

Our coach is clever. He doesn't start out telling us about all the hard work we're going to have to put in. Instead, he gives us a great reason to run the race at all: There are so many people watching! They're great people! How much harder would a high school football player work if he knew everyone in the stadium was an NFL Hall of Famer? The author of Hebrews wants to inspire the same kind of passion and energy in us. The people watching us are the ones that have already run the race well. The New Century Version renders v. 1 this way: "We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means." Of course, we want to do the very best that we can with all these greats watching our journey.

 

WISDOM FROM THE COACH

The first piece of wisdom that our coach offers us is "Lose the weight!" He's clear: whatever is holding us back has to go. Of course, the coach's advice makes sense. That doesn't necessarily make it any easier for us to get rid of what's holding us back. If we're going to run this race well, then we're going to need to get rid of the guilt and hardheartedness. We're going to have to let go of anything that isn't helping us get to the finish line, including our sinful habits.

The next piece of wisdom the coach offers us we know well. Every coach and motivational speaker we've met says, "Eyes on the prize!" Before we even find out what the prize is, we know where our attention is supposed to be. Any of us who have ever tried to walk (or do anything else for that matter) while looking behind us can testify that so doing is the quickest way to trip over our own feet. Coach reminds us that we don't have the time to keep looking back.

What is the prize that we're working so hard to see? It's a relationship with Jesus, lived out in faith. It's being like Jesus in all that we do. There is something else worth noting here. The fact that we're looking toward a goal means we're not just strolling along. We're not tourists. This is serious business that necessitates a change in our frame of mind.

Jesus is not only the prize. Jesus is the one who teaches us how to run the race. Here again, we realize how clever our coach is. Just as we are about to begin serious whining, Coach sets the example of Christ before us. If we are going to begin complaining about how hard our path is, then we need to watch the films of Jesus' race. Instead of a gold medal, Jesus got a crown of thorns. Jesus wasn't hailed; he was humiliated. Even though Jesus knew the race would end that way, the knowledge didn't keep him from the journey.

"So," Coach says, "if Jesus can have that much endurance, so must you."

The race metaphor works well to a point. We want to be like Jesus. We want to do the things that please God. Yet a shadow can be cast over our obedience when life becomes hard. When dark days come, we clench our fists and question the heavens. "Why is it so hard?" we ask. If we don't get the answer we want as quickly as we'd like, our cries turn to "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

COMFORTING WORDS

The writer of Hebrews has played the role of coach in the first few verses, but his tone shifts in v. 5. After he has told us to quit whining, he takes off his coach's hat. Now the writer pulls up a chair next to us and addresses us as dear friends. The writer understands that we're tired and discouraged. He knows we need a compassionate word and offers us one. It is not, however, the word we expected.

"Endure trials for the sake of discipline." These words give us a lens through which to view our suffering. The writer, as only a dear friend could, wants to give us a constructive way to view our suffering: What if we regard this discipline as coming from a father who loves us more than anything else?

During biblical times, the father was the head of the household. No matter how old or well respected the children grew to be, they were still under the authority of the father. The original audience for these words in Hebrews would have understood that when we are called "sons" it would have meant that we are family.

Parents tangle with their children because they love them. Parents correct their children because they don't want them to harm themselves or others. God corrects us in this same spirit.

PERSEVERE

The word discipline has several meanings. On the one hand, discipline is a way of correction. On the other hand, it is something that we undertake voluntarily to make ourselves stronger, better, or more able. Pianists play scales for hours a day. Athletes do sprints and climb hills. God's discipline encompasses both meanings. God wants to teach us and better us, so God corrects us. Through this correction, God encourages us to change. Just like the serious musician, we seek the self-control that God intends. It is with that in mind that the writer of Hebrews asks us to persevere.

We don't take this journey idly. We travel with all the intensity and seriousness of a disciplined athlete, mindful of our coach's encouragement and lessons. When we falter on the path, we have a loving parent who will correct our focus until we can seek out the correct behavior on our own. Every hardship and obstacle strengthens us and prepares to be made in the image of Christ. In so doing, we draw close to God and faithfully live our lives with endurance, being cheered on by those who have journeyed before us.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

What does "We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses" mean to you?

Is being surrounded by a cloud of witnesses a source of comfort and encouragement, or does it make you fearful?

Who have you judged to have "gone far from the lord"? Were you mistaken?

PRAYER

Living God, author and perfecter of our faith, grant that we may follow hard and fast after you. Teach us to follow your example and to look to you for strength when we are ready to give up. Encourage us in your service, and strengthen us through our worship together. Amen.

Compiled from The Present Word and Congregational Ministries Publishing is not liable for for the content of this Bible Study and Blog.

From The Present Word © 2011 Congregational Ministries Publishing. Used by permission.

Scripture

Hebrews 11:1-3, 6; Psalm 46:1-3, 8-11

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. —Hebrews 11:1

11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ²Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. ³By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. . . . ⁶And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2   Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should

change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;

3   though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah....

8   Come, behold the works of the LORD; 

see what desolations he has brought on the earth.

9   He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

10  "Be still, and know that I am God!

I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."

11 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

 

In the movie Miracle on 34th Street, Doris is an event planner for Macy's. Doris is certain that there is no Santa Claus, and she makes sure that her little girl doesn't have any reason to believe in him either. Her carefully ordered, executive world made sense only when things were structured in a "what you see is what you get" sort of way. There was no room for things that could not be explained. However, by the end of the movie, Kris Kringle has given her reason to think that maybe she was wrong. She finally says, "Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to."

Like the character Doris, we struggle with things that we can't reason out. We want scientific explanations, numbers,' and statistics—things that are measurable. Our world doesn't give much credit to things that don't seem "logical." Again, like Doris, we who are in the church have learned that what we have experienced sometimes trumps what we think we know of how the world works.

We often think of faith as if it were some sort of intellectual doctrine, but this chapter of Hebrews shows us something else. Faith is trusting in the promises of God. Faith is not something we believe but something we practice.

The writer of Hebrews gives us a two-part description of faith. First, we hear that faith is "the assurance of things hoped for." Faith has a confidence right now about what the future holds. However, there is a second part of faith: "the conviction of things not seen." Christians realize that there, is a big difference between what we see and what is real. When we look at the world, it seems to be a place of utter chaos and destruction. As we glance through the headlines, it's tempting to wonder, "Hey! Who is in charge down here?" What we see tells us that the world is a corrupt and dangerous place. What is real is "that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet." ("This Is My Father's World"). When we look at ourselves, it's easy only to see our faults and failures. What is real are God's words to us: "I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine . . . you are precious in my sight, . . . and I love you" (Isa. 43:1, 4). Our faith allows us to see the evidence of God's presence in our world even when our present realities cloud our sight. Faith affords us the opportunity to look at the world through the eyes of hope.

At first, reading the "Faith Hall of Fame" list that we see in Hebrews can make us feel like we will never measure up. But when we look again, we see that the people who are hailed as role models turned away from the world's standard of greatness. Noah built a massive boat in the middle of a desert because God told him he'd need it. Abraham and Sarah heard the words "Go to a land that I will show you" and went without the careful planning that most of us would prefer. And don't forget that Abraham was ready to sacrifice Isaac at God's direction; Abraham knew that God would provide. We would call the Department of Children and Family Services on him! These giants of the faith are held up before us because they were all ordinary enough, but they knew that God was extraordinary.

For many of us, a Psalm we turn to for comfort  is Psalm 46. The psalmist eloquently spells out that which we most need to be true: that even though God's "got the whole world in His hands," "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me."

The writer of Hebrews would have appreciated the psalmist's words, because they show us what faith in action does. We often think of the Psalms as lovely, poetic renderings of a life that nowhere matches our experience. We think of them as idyllic and safe. But who would say, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (v. 1) without having known God's deliverance? The psalmist has known a very dangerous time. Because he was kept safe, he believes that God sees his trouble and answers his call for help.

A young girl once told a friend, "Faith is like your birthday. You don't know exactly what you're getting or what the cake will look like, but you know it will be good because it always has been before. I always want to believe there is something good out there."

When she died in an accident at the age of 20, those attending her memorial service expressed how much her faith in God had helped them through their own storms. Many people would have called her an optimist, but it was more than that. She had seen God's hand holding her, and she was completely convinced of God's goodness.

Christian faith is knowing that we are held "gently in the palm of God's hand," even when it feels like we are in the pits of hell.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

How has your life changed because of your faith? What has your faith cost you?

Where has "reality" come into conflict with your faith? When have you been called to trust in something that didn't make logical sense?

Of the people mentioned in the "Faith Hall of Fame," with whom do you feel you have the most in common? Why? With whom do you have the least in common?

PRAYER

Living God, thank you for your faithfulness. Teach us to have the faith of our ancestors who trusted in your promises. Remind us that faith is not something we talk about or believe but something that we practice. When storms threaten to undo us, help us to see that you are our refuge and strength. Draw us close to you. Amen.

Compiled from The Present Word and Congregational Ministries Publishing is not liable for for the content of this Bible Study and Blog.

From The Present Word © 2012 Congregational Ministries Publishing. Used by permission.