A WORD FOR TODAY, May 10, 2023
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, May 10, 2023
Lectionary Scriptures for May 14, 2023, Sixth Sunday of Easter: Acts 17:16-31; Psalm 66:8-20; 1 Peter 3:13-22; John 14:15-21
“I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever: the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.” John 14:16-17, WEB
The intelligentsia of Athens asked of Paul, “What does this babbler want to say?” Paul. The man who wrote more books of the Bible than anyone else, books that establish the patterns for our Christian lives. They called him a babbler. Other versions of the text use the word “scavenger.” Another says, “scavenger of tidbits.” The Message has those intelligentsia calling Paul a moron. I know that Paul is not loved by all, but I don’t think anyone would call him a moron.
They might call me a babbler and would probably be right to do so. Sometimes I get a little passionate when I’m talking about the Bible, and I go out on tangents that lead me down rabbit holes that end in my babbling because I’ve forgotten where I was going with the thoughts. You, my readers, don’t usually see that because I can take more time with my thoughts, and I can edit my words. I suppose the same might be said about Paul. We haven’t had the opportunity to hear him preach, but I still wonder how anyone could accuse Paul of being a moron.
Paul didn’t get upset or offended; he simply used the occasion to show the people of Athens that there was a better Way. The Greeks of Athens were an ecumenical society. They offered something for everyone, especially in religious practice. There was a temple on every corner, much as there is a church on every corner in the United States. The temples satisfied the religious needs of a very diverse community. Athens was a place where trading routes crossed; it was a place where the world came together. Since the economy of that type of place was dependent on foreigners, they wanted everyone to feel at home. They even had an altar inscribed “To an unknown god.” Those who could not find a specific temple at least had a place to worship, a place where their god could be honored and remembered.
Paul went to Mars Hill which was a place of theological debate and discussion. He commended them for their religious practices and called their attention to this altar for the unknown God. He stepped into their world and reached them from their point of view. In doing so, however, he did not settle for the ecumenical open-mindedness of the Athenians. He told them what they were missing. He boldly proclaimed the God of creation and His Son Jesus Christ. His theology was ridiculous to the people of Athens. Though they could grasp some aspects of the Christian message, they found some things to be foolishness, not the least of which was the death and resurrection of Jesus.
After Paul finished talking, some of the men on Mars Hill sneered. It was risky to go and speak at the Hill that day. Paul was a man of power, intellect. He was respected as a teacher and wise man. However, talk about resurrection made him sound like an intolerant fool, a babbler, or a moron. In this type of society, it was unacceptable to raise one god above the others, all gods were equal. This was made even worse by the mythical stories on which Paul’s faith was built: the virgin birth and a dead God? Repentance and forgiveness were not aspects of their religious experience, so the Christian story seemed pointless and absurd.
But others believed Paul and asked him to tell them more. Paul risked status, position, and respect by boldly proclaiming the Gospel message of grace and in doing so, some came to believe. We live in a similar society that demands every idea should be accepted and embraced. There are religious houses on every corner, something for everybody. While diversity can be a good thing, are we willing to be like Paul boldly proclaiming the message of the Gospel to those who would call us scavengers of tidbits? Are will willing to risk being seen as morons to those who would prefer the ecumenical open-mindedness that says that all gods are equal?
The Athenians tried to honor every possible god; they did not want to suffer the wrath of some god they did not know, so they honored those unknown gods with an altar. The worship and devotion were not in the living God, the Creator and Redeemer of the world. Instead, they paid honor to man-made idols, gods that had no power or Truth. The people were not faithful or even religious; they were superstitious. Paul stepped into their world and reached them from their point of view. He told them what they were missing.
Paul knew that the people were reasonable and religious, so he took advantage of his time in Athens. He went the synagogue and preached. He talked to people on street corners and in the marketplace. I can just imagine him pulling up a chair at the street café and striking up a conversation with the others at the table, “Have you heard of Jesus?” Paul had the courage to be a bold evangelist, but our question for today is whether or not we have the same courage.
We should. We have the Holy Spirit. Yet, I suspect that there are many of us who do not have the same boldness as those early disciples. We don’t want to be seen as intolerant fools, a babblers, or a morons. We might claim the times are different, but are they all that different?
We are afraid to speak the Gospel because we don’t want to be rejected. We forget that even though some will scoff, there might just be someone who will hear the Word and want to know more. We stay silent out of fear of those who do not want to be saved, ignoring the needs of those who would be saved if only we would be gracious to share God’s Word with them. Paul certainly knew what it was like to be run out of town because of his ministry, but that didn’t stop him. Are we willing to be so bold?
I know I’ve squandered moments when I should have spoken the Gospel and I’m sure I’m not alone in this. I’m sure there are times when most of us, if not all, decide it is just better to remain silent than say something. We can even justify our silence with scripture; after all there are plenty of verses that tell us wise men keep their mouth shut while the foolish rant on and on. We all know that there are some times when it is better to just be silent. We decide that it is better to live peacefully as we believe we are meant to live and allow others to live as they want to live. We accept that we live in a diverse world, choosing silence so that we do not upset or offend our neighbors. But there are times when we should not be silent, when a word from God is not only helpful, it is vital. There are times when God calls us to speak words we would rather not speak. Sometimes those words are meant for those closest to us, like our children.
I’m a mom. I will always be my children’s mom no matter how old they grow. I will worry about them no matter where they end up. I will still wonder what has happened when they are a minute later than I expect them to be. My son was very late for church one Sunday and he didn’t text to tell me what happened. He wasn’t feeling well and had gone back to bed so didn’t make it, but I had visions of his car in a ditch and him crying for help. It was unnecessary stress, but I’m a mom. I will never stop caring for my children.
It is much harder to deal with my worries for my daughter because she’s living far from home. We keep up with each other via text and social media, much more than I had when I was a young woman living far from my own mother. However, I still feel stressed when she calls to tell me she isn’t feeling well. How can I take care of her if she is a thousand miles away? She is certainly not an orphan, but I can’t be two places at once. I can only offer my words and advice and prayers; I can hope all will be well with her and that I raised an independent, intelligent woman who can take care of herself. I pray that she will remember what I taught her and make good decisions about her life. I pray that both my children will remain true to God’s Word, to stand firmly in the truth that is God in this world that is filled with so many other choices.
We can’t be with those we love constantly. We won’t be able to be with them wherever they go, but that’s the limitations of our flesh, isn’t it? Jesus was limited, too.
Who among us don’t wish that we could have the same experiences that the first disciples had with Jesus? Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to walk with Him, to listen to Him teach, to watch as He made life-changing differences in people’s lives? I would love to have been there when He raised the little girl and fed the five thousand. I might have been as frightened as Peter, but I would have loved having Jesus invite me to walk on the water. I would like to have been able to ask Jesus questions so that I might understand some of the misunderstood things that He said. I want to be Mary at His feet and Martha serving Him dinner. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all have those experiences? We can’t because Jesus can’t be everywhere for everyone all the time.
Imagine walking with Him, talking with Him, listening to Him. We read the stories of Jesus as He walked on earth and wish He would have stayed so that we could have the same experience. However, we forget that there were many people who lived during His time that never met Him. Despite the large crowds and the spreading stories, Jesus could not meet every person everywhere. He was limited by His human flesh Jesus was God, but as a man He was limited by the same things that limit us. He could not be in every place during His life on earth. He couldn’t be in Jerusalem and Galilee at the same time; He had to walk from one to the other if He wanted to minister to the people in each place. He did miraculous things, but He did them one at a time for one person at a time.
He was limited by time, too. He was God in flesh, and though He could have walked the earth forever, He could not reach every person in every time. Even in our modern age of texting and social media, too many would never see or hear Him. His body was different after His death and resurrection, but He would not have been able to be with you and me and all the other Christians in every generation. That’s why He had to ascend to heaven. That’s why He invites us to be His heart and His hands in this world. And that’s why He sent the Holy Spirit. While He could not be in every time and place in flesh, He could be in every time and place in Spirit. He may not be with us as He was with the disciples two thousand years ago, but He’s with us in a much better way.
The Gospel passage for this week continues from last week when Jesus encouraged the disciples not to be troubled. He promised that He will not abandon His people. “I will not leave you orphans,” He said. This is the last Sunday before Ascension Day which will be celebrated on May 18th. Ever since Easter, Jesus has been training them for the future, but these are the final days. Jesus was getting them ready for the inevitable: He had to leave.
I can imagine the worry. What would they do? How could they do it without Jesus? Jesus’ lessons were never easy. Think about the Beatitudes! The qualities Jesus expected of His followers were counter-cultural and difficult. Who would choose to be meek and merciful, poor in spirit and pure in heart, mournful and hungry, peacemakers and persecuted. Those are the characteristics of common, everyday Christians, but they aren’t easy. It was best when Jesus was around because He gave them courage and strength. He seemed to have everything under control. How would the disciples continue without Him?
The sadness they felt at the crucifixion was even greater now. Death seemed so permanent, but Jesus returned. Who knows what they would have done if they never saw Him after the crucifixion. I doubt they would have continued His work. They were ready to return to their old lives. Two disciples went home to Emmaus. Thomas disappeared; we don’t know where. Peter went fishing. Jesus returned and spent forty days nurturing them beyond discipleship into apostleship. He breathed the Spirit and true life into them and taught them everything they needed to know. It was finally possible for them to understand; they became apostles sent into the world to continue His work. That didn’t make His departure any easier.
But Jesus promised that He would not leave them alone. He would send a helper: the Holy Spirit.
The psalmist wrote, “Praise our God, you peoples! Make the sound of his praise heard.” The song encourages all God’s people to praise Him for His blessings. However, the blessings found in this psalm are not the ones the world expects like wealth, health, or power; the psalmist thanked God because He preserved their lives through trials. He praised God that He has refined their lives through the suffering they faced. The psalmist sang about prison, burdens, violence, and other struggles, but in the end, God brought His people to a place of abundance.
We pray for many things, but it is a human tendency to turn to prayer especially when we face difficulties and danger. Though we remember to offer praise and thanksgiving, we are more likely to cry out to God in our times of need. Caught up in the frenzy of the moment, we promise God anything if only He will save us. Vows escape our lips as we make deals with God, negotiating our safety and well-being in trade for some sacrifice on our part. Women promise to dedicate a child if only God will help them get pregnant.
These vows are very serious although there is never serious thought about them. Those vows are cried out in the heat of the moment, in the depths of pain and fear. We often find it impossible to be faithful to the promise. God said, “You shall not misuse the name of Yahweh your God.” The commandment does not simply speak about the language we use but warns us to be careful about the vows we take.
Martin Luther was traveling down a road one day when a storm suddenly struck. Frightened by the lightning and thunder, he fell to his feet and cried out to God through Saint Anne. “Help me, St. Anne, and I’ll become a monk!” He escaped unharmed. Luther’s father was a miner who worked very hard to put him through law school. The storm happened when he was traveling home from the university. He kept his word to God, entered the monastery, and in the process disappointed his father who had worked so hard to give him a better life.
God hears our prayers and answers according to His good and perfect will. He doesn’t bless us because we’ve made a deal with Him at the height of our fear and excitement. He knows we will fail. He knows that we can’t live up to the vows we make in desperation. We can’t keep the Law perfectly because we are imperfect. He answers our prayers because He loves us and because He is faithful to His promises. Yet, He calls us to try. And He calls us to live in thankfulness and praise for answered prayer. We see in the psalm the response to God’s grace, faithful keeping of vows and bold witness to God’s grace.
Christianity is defined as a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but it not only an individual faith. Our relationship with Christ is dependent on others. We have the Word of God from the great cloud of witnesses that came before us. We worship together in community, sharing God’s grace through the sacraments. We learn in Bible studies with other Christians, sharing our own ideas, doubts, and questions so that we can help others and they can help us. Though our salvation is for each individual, we grow up together in the faith. We really are not much more than intolerant fools, a babblers, or a morons except in the unity we have with other Christians through the power of the Holy Spirit.
When John wrote, “for he lives with you,” he did so in the plural for. Christ abides with us in community. He draws us together. He binds us to one another. The Holy Spirit is not divided between all the Christians but moves in and through us all who live as one body along with the Father and the Son.
Peter was writing to a community that was being persecuted. The human response to persecution is often bitterness and violence. They were doing good things, but the good things were bringing on suffering. They were afraid to do what they knew they should do. Peter wrote that they should have courage. The good works they were doing might be the very thing that brings on the persecution of society, but it was also their good works that would help the world see the Lord God. Instead of responding with anger, they were to respond with grace. Instead of fighting back, they were to be meek and humble, knowing that they are doing what is right and good. In the end, the enemies of God’s people will be put to shame. This suffering may be the catalyst that will bring another person to believe in Jesus, and in this God will be glorified.
Paul did not answer the insults of the Athenians with the same. He simply spoke to them of what he knew about the God they did not know. They had an altar to worship the very God that created everything, the God that doesn’t need human help or sacrifice. He is the God that is greater than all the other gods. Everything came from Him. Paul said, “For in him we live, move, and have our being.” God created people to search for Him, to hear Him, to believe in Him.
Though they could grasp some aspects of the Christian message, they found some things to be foolishness, not the least of which was the death and resurrection of Christ. The Gospel had a different affect on different people. Some sneered, some believed. Our commission to take Christ into the world will bring out the best and the worst of those who hear. This means we will be insulted, rejected, and even persecuted.
Reflecting the comforting words of Jesus to not be troubled, Peter gives us two tools to help: do not fear and be faithful. We are invited into the work of God’s kingdom on earth, to continue what Christ started. We need not fear what will come because we have the Holy Spirit; with His help we can speak God’s truth. What is the truth? The truth is that Christ died for our salvation. He died so that our neighbors might be saved. He died so that our enemies might be saved. But no one can be saved without hearing the Word.
Do not be afraid. Be faithful. These are probably the hardest words any Christian can hear and follow. Unlike the disciples who at least walked with Jesus and experienced His ministry firsthand, we don’t even have anything tangible on which to hold to give us the confidence that we need. How much easier is it when we can hold someone’s hand through tough times? I am less likely to worry about my family when they are standing beside me. Jesus prepared them for His departure; He told them that He would no longer be seen. We can understand their fear when Jesus was crucified. He was no longer among them. They enjoyed forty days in His presence after His resurrection as He continued to teach them everything they would need to know. He repeated the commands and promises. “Do not be afraid. Be faithful. The world won’t see me, but you will see me. You will have my Spirit and then you’ll know without a doubt that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”
Peter reminds us that the persecution we face for doing God’s work in the world cannot truly harm us. Our Lord Jesus gave His life for us. We in turn are called to give our lives for His glory. The questions we face are opportunities from God to testify about the work of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit manifests in very real and powerful ways as we walk in faith, so we should be ready to give the testimony. That person might just be the next one God intends to save.
Are we willing to give to God even when we will risk everything to do so? Are we willing to speak the truth when we come across those altars to an unknown god? Do we even know how to answer? We are encouraged to know our defense, to be ready to give an answer whenever we have the opportunity to share our testimony. Are we ready to proclaim the Good News that Christ died and rose again so that we can be part of the work of God’s kingdom in the world?
Paul approached the people of Athens from their own point of view. He called their attention to all the altars throughout the city that paid homage to the many gods of this world. Then he pointed out the one that they had set up for the unknown God. Paul told the people that the Lord God Almighty is that unknown God, and that He is knowable. He risked a lot. Christianity was spreading and so was the hatred of Christianity. He was an intellectual and he risked his stature among the intellectuals by speaking about the foolishness of a God who died and rose again. Paul did not skim over the issue, however. He said since God had now been revealed in Jesus Christ, no one had any excuse for continuing to live apart from God. He called people to repentance. We can minister like Paul even when they call us intolerant fools, babblers, and morons, because we have the gift of Jesus that he had: the Holy Spirit. We will never be alone.
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