From urtext to our-text

Jo Penn November 22, 2024 3 2

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Acts 16: 15 (NRSVA)

15 When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us.

Lydia’s hospitality enabled Paul and his friends to be welcomed into the community at Philippi, to expand the ‘Jesus’ conversation and answer questions from recently baptised converts. 

Paul was doing what Jesus had asked his disciples to do: ‘Go and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19). The story the disciples had was an exciting story to tell of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. However, they were to wait until the Holy Spirit came in power at Pentecost (Acts 2), enabling them to speak in different languages. Peter preached to the crowd and 3,000 accepted his message and were baptised (Acts 2:41). 

Our Trinitarian God is living out a dynamic relationship between the Father, Son and Spirit. The fellowship of believers is to grow through direct relationship, one person to another.

Face to face, 

Hand to hand, 

Eye to eye, they met and

The Spirit was there at their meeting. 

Strangers became friends.

Brothers and sisters found across social lines. 

They shared food, resources, and spoke of important/mundane things, weaving days together.

People of different ages and stages seeing anew.

Some had met Jesus during his time on earth, others through prayer or dreams, 

They spoke with anointed power,

Of the awaited Messiah - the nomadic preacher, Jesus.

Of the vastness of his welcome, the call to follow him,

‘Be involved in God’s saving plan for humanity, one kindness at a time.’

Service to service, worship and generous acts, 

As Jesus knelt, so did they.

Masters and servants reconciled as brothers.

Prayer to prayer — arrow-like and wide-ranging for the world, where the Spirit hovers.

Joy to joy — experienced and spoken of with wonder.

Pain to pain — tears flow as they walk the hardships of this human life, no longer alone.

Heart to heart — hushed words uttered of the utmost importance. 

Whilst they learned to listen to the voice of silence urging them to be present now, trusting God.

Prayer:

Jesus — you trust your followers to be special agents for you in this world.

We cannot do this in our own strength — you sent the Holy Spirit to help us.

Spirit, fill us today. Amen