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June 11, 2017 Rev. Brittany Barber

So last week we celebrated Pentecost—the arrival of the Holy Spirit or as my son likes to say #HolyGhost—among the early church. One might imagine that an unleashing of all that power might have consequences. You should read Chapter 3 and the beginning of Chapter 4 this week as we continue our way through the Book of Acts. The young group is working its way into figuring out what it means to continue the ministry of Jesus Christ, and what it means to heal in his name, and they are stretching their muscles to experience the new found authority that they are empowered by the Spirit to have as religious leaders (not just as followers).

Our scripture today comes from the Book of Acts 4.23-37:

23 After they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, 25 it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: “Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers have gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.” 27 For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ 31 When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness. 32 Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. 33 With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 35 They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which P a g e | 2 means ‘son of encouragement’). 37 He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. — Here ends our reading.

We are now in week 3 of our summer sermon series, a longer term Bible study of the Book of Acts. We learned that this book shows us the purpose of the church at its beginning, and that the Book of Acts is simultaneously ancient and always contemporary as well as it pushes us to see issues that were critical to the early Christians 2000 years ago are also issues that are critical still today.

Written most likely between 80 and 95 A.D., the Book of Acts is part of a two- volume set, written by the same author as the Gospel of Luke. Together these two books are the largest volume of work written by the same author in the New

Testament. Instead of being a bare bone historical account, Acts is a highly organized narrative that is almost a biography of a group of people.

The author is telling us the story of these early followers of Jesus in such a way, so that the church will see itself as the Spirit filled community of faith that has become the embodiment of the will and purpose of Jesus of Nazareth. Acts is making the argument that: 1) the church will endure until the end of time; 2) that all true followers of Jesus are members of the church.

This is a letter addressed to Theophilus, as is also the Gospel of Luke, it is very helpful to know that Theophilus was a Greek name, but it also literally means

“God lover.” It is important to realize that this book could be addressed to you, just as much as being addressed to some Greek who lived 2000 years ago.

Last week, we looked on and celebrated with the earliest church leaders as they received the Holy Spirit. That Pentecost event—rocked their world (years before SummerFest existed) and in the verses and chapters that followed, we begin to see how that event ripples out throughout the great community sending waves through their community. P a g e | 3

Pretty quickly Peter and John are arrested for their religious activity—as they assume Jesus’ ministry of healing and proclamation. The established religious leaders of the day seek to silence them, so they throw them in jail. But Peter and

John are emboldened by the Holy Spirit, and they continue to defy the government sanctioned, religious leaders.

Scholars point out that this is one of these eternal, or simultaneously ancient and modern concepts within the Book of Acts, that the Gospel will always be a threat to those who want to maintain illegitimate power and control over others.

The constant role of the church throughout the ages should be to stand against corrupt power with the power of God’s love. We, of course know of examples throughout history of the church that has be co-opted by powers that be, and in those cases the church has utterly failed to be the Gospel.

In addition, this passage represents another few steps down the road as the fledgling Christian movement is becoming something different than the Jewish establishment of the day. The Temple religious leaders are walking a tightrope between their responsibilities to their people and tradition on one side—and the

Roman empire on the other. This sect of Jesus followers is very problematic for them. They are seeking to separate themselves from “those people” who are upsetting and disrupting to this very precarious balance. The author of Acts, writing later, would know that the efforts by the religious leadership would not be successful, and that in 70 A.D. the Romans would tear down the Temple, destroy much of Jerusalem, and Jews would flee to the furthest reaches of the empire.

When Peter and John return to the community of believers after jail, the people begin to pray. The church is already using the terms – Messiah in Hebrew, and Christ in Greek – both meaning “anointed one” like a king for Jesus. The people who sought to kill Jesus for his message, are now also feeling threatened by the P a g e | 4 community of believers. They, though in the face of oppression, will not cower.

Instead they pray for boldness. They do not pray for safety – even though they know all too well what has just happened to Jesus. Instead they ask for boldness.

This is a lesson from Luke, the author, to the church – a message to show us how to be the church. “Luke’s message to the church of all ages is a call to courage, a call to be what God created the church to be: the presence of Jesus Christ in the world,” writes Carol

Miller (Kerygma, Resource Guide). She continues, “Here is a picture of what the church must be: a servant people who speak God’s message—not their own; whose concern is not for their own safety, but for doing God’s will. It is a church that has not sold out to those who would maintain the status quo. Their own lives, like those of soldiers in battle, are expendable for the greater good, the spread of the Gospel.”

In my modern mind the words float through – It’s about to get real in here. – the coming of the Holy Spirit was not just some magic trick or God’s pyrotechnic display. Instead it is about getting real with ourselves, with our community of believers, and with our world. There is nothing more real than the Gospel of Jesus

Christ. And the Holy Spirit has arrived so that we – yes, all of us – might have the power to be the presence of Christ in this time and place. And, WOW, that is amazing and scary news to people of faith.

This is what we have time for today – do not forget Barnabas, the Levite who sold his property and laid the proceeds at the feet of the apostles, and the community that cared for the needs of all with the monies that they received. We will continue to hear about Barnabas throughout the Book of Acts. If you haven’t already, please get out your Bible this week – or navigate to BibleGateway.com – and read the first opening chapters of the Book of Acts, at least chapters 1 – 5 or 6.

Remember this is their story and this is our story. We are the living, breathing church here today. Let us be the best church we can be. Amen.