July 19, 2022 – Words of Wisdom, Lynn Cowell (Author)

With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can step out even if we don’t know how it will turn out. -Lynn Cowell

“Now the apostles and the brothers and sisters who were in Judea heard that the gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners, and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I replied, ‘By no means, Lord, for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning.And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the gentiles the repentance that leads to life.” Acts 11:1-18

Visioning

Peter has a vision, and it takes him some time to figure out what it means – what G-d is possibly trying to say to him. Visions are not always clear and understandable. Often the person who has the vision needs someone else to help them interpret the message. But isn’t it nice to know that even for the disciples, those closest to Jesus, even they did not always understand what was happening? 

I would suggest to you today that our understanding of G-d’s will and interpreting what G-d might be saying to us takes the same kind of discernment. The discernment process often includes a series of revelations and periods of contemplation which may take place over a few weeks of months or even over the vast majority of our lives. But it is through the “Aha” experiences of our lives that G-d’s will becomes ever more clear and evident.  

No, our experiences may not be as startling as Peter’s vision, but they can be just as life changing.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, you speak to us in so many different ways. Speak to me today, whether through visions or experiences or words – help me to remain open.

Amen

Pastor Dave

July 18, 2022 – Words of Wisdom, Laura Bailey (Christian Author)

“God never tires of bearing the burdens of His children.” – Laura Bailey

“Now as Peter went here and there among all the brothers and sisters, he came down also to the saints living in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, for he was paralyzed. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed!” And immediately he got up.And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.” Acts 9:32-35

Gender Equality

Biblical Scholars mostly agree that the author of Luke is also the author of Acts. One of the ways they can make such a statement is through styles of writing, the quality of the language, and ways that the structure of the books seem to align and mimic one another.

Another important fact in the parallel stories is Luke’s apparent interest in gender equality. For example women as well as men make up the number of those Galileans who witness Jesus’ entire ministry and travel with him as he preaches and teaches from town to town. (Luke 23:59 and Acts 10:37-39) The healing of Aeneas in the book of Acts, along with the healing of Tabitha in the book of Luke, are another illustration of a number or paired stories in Luke/Acts in which something that happens to a male also happens to a female. While the Gospel of Luke has more stories that feature women than the other three Gospels, the roles in which he casts women tend to be silent and passive. But the author of Luke and Acts does make it clear that there are women disciples who receive the word, are baptized, and host house churches. 

We must always consider the world of the text – how edifying it is to know that Luke preserves a strong tradition about women and gives them positive functions in the church.  This was a bold statement for the early church – and continues to be a bold statement about gender equality not only in our society but also in the Kingdom of G-d.

Let us pray,

Lord Christ, you hold no preference regarding race, gender or nationality. Help me to model your expansive love and acceptance every day. Amen.

Pastor Dave