The past few weeks my New Testament class has been focused on the very early Christian church. We've read the New Testament books Acts of the Apostles (I'd call it the Acts of the Holy Spirit, but I'm not really saying I've got a better name than the one given...just a thought), Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon. We've learned about the challenges of the church, the grappling with the covenant of the law and the covenant of faith, with the inclusion of Gentiles into the Jewish sect, etc. Such a difficult life's work for the early Christian leaders, and yet it was so productive.
In Theology and Film, the past few weeks we've watched Jesus of Montreal, God's Not Dead, Children of Men, Spotlight, and Star Wars VII for next class. We've been listening, watching, analyzing, discussing what things we can learn from our cultural contexts, both secular culture and Christian culture. We've discussed how our cultures understand Jesus, the church and mission, human value, meaning of life, etc. and what our Christian theology has to say in affirmation of the views presented in film and how it might instead offer something different.
In our Disciple Formation class we created a group covenant and have been reading some Psalms and learning a lot about the practices and life of prayer. We have supported, encouraged, and challenged one another within our Christian community of unity and love.
So that's what I've been learning and doing. How does it affect me? How do I synthesize all of this into real life and ministry? That's the big question. Sometimes I look around and see the amazing work that God is doing in and through me and in and through our community and world, and I can see comparisons to the amazing work that God did in the early church. Other times, I look around and think... I don't know what to say. What is going on? I grieve, with tears, physical pain, and everything, at the ugliness I see. I hope for unity, especially for and from the body of Christ. In my own experience with church it's been expressed to me: you don't belong here; it was relatively minor for me, but it occurred. How much more so do others feel rejection? I've also experienced loving acceptance! I pray that everyone will feel the love of God through Jesus Christ and experience it through the Church. I repent for the ways I've gotten it wrong. When I've failed to listen, when I've wanted to be understood rather than seeking to understand. I pray for those who I still don't understand, those with fears that I don't feel. God loves us all.
Scriptures and prayers for today from my devotional book are focused on love. Over and over in his New Testament letters, Paul focuses on love. The love we are to have that is from God. Jesus was a sacrifice of love for all and Paul calls us to sacrifice in love for each other as well. Even when I don't know what to say, the Holy Spirit speaks to me through the Word. I'll share parts of the scriptures and one of the prayers from this morning.
It was not because you were more numerous than any other people that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you—for you were the fewest of all peoples. It was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath that he swore to your ancestors -Deut 7:6-8a
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. -Eph 3:14-19
Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid..." -John 14:23-27"We admit and confess, God of love, that we need you. We pray that your love might draw us and lead us near. We pray that your love might infuse our lives, our families, our churches, and our communities so they may reflect your goodness, kindness, mercy, sacrifice, and friendship. Love of God, rain down on us today. Amen." From Dawn to Dark, A Book of Christian Prayer by R Douglas Jones.
