Stephen is a great man of faith!  He stands firm in the face of fierce opposition in the conviction that Jesus Christ is Lord.  He is unwavering in the truth that Jesus Christ is alive! ~ “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Stephen dies with the same forgiving attitude found on the lips of the dying Jesus: “do not hold this sin against them.” 
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Today and next week we focus on Stephen, a man with an incredible story used by God in a most amazing way. This week what happened, next week Stephen’s threatening message.   Many challenging lessons can be pulled from Stephen’s example, and chief among them: On what hill are you willing to die?  

4-5 times a person asking for help from the church will feel a need to tell me how they believe in Jesus/spirituality but they don’t like the organized church.  I smile.  I said to one young man who needed gas money to get to a medical procedure, “How did you find me?”  ~ He saw the church.  He called me.  I smiled.  He got my gentle sarcastic point.  He smiled.  But he doubled down on his criticisms anyway. All I can do is love people as best as I can… only God can change the heart. 

Problems are common in churches, disagreements, new people bring a new flavor, new outreaches can be awkward as we’re called to do new things in new ways we’ve never done before.  Today’s scripture begins a major turning point in the young Church… an exiting movement of the H.S. emerges that continues to this day.  The early church is shaped by diverse groups forming a movement like the world has never seen.  The church always faces problems ~ let’s view problems like the early church: opportunities to refine our mission and strengthen our calling to carry the banner of  Jesus Christ.  

​Life with Christ is full of surprises! 
 
Psalm 55 contains some sympathetic words that describe how many people feel in today’s world: a desire to be liberated from the conflicts and suffering of the day.  READ Ps. 55:4-8.  “Oh that I had the wings of a dove”.  As Psalm 55 peaks, there is no indication God brings David peace by whisking him away to a secluded cabin on a lake in the woods ~ David simply affirms an eternal truth of what life with God is like: “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall…[and he ends with a direct prayer to God: “as for me, I trust in you.”  Ps. 55:22, 23c).   God answers our deepest prayers in His way…. Our desire may be to check out of reality and get away… but that is not God’s typical plan.  People of faith are forged in the fire. Life with Christ is full of surprises! There are a many fun surprises in today’s scripture.  

Acts is a beautiful story from life with Christ on earth transitioning to his followers carrying on the same mission after Jesus ascends to heaven.  The way forward is through the AXE of the H.S… as He empowers and emboldens his followers to continue Jesus’ mission of sharing the message of salvation to a lost and hurting world.  Today’s scripture is a pause in a breathtaking story that summarizes where the young church is at this early stage….it is worthwhile for us to consider where we are as a church.

Before we look closely at this scripture, listen to the first verse then I have an open question…. READ Acts 5:12 (explain Solomon’s Colonnade or “porch” ~ the church is so young it is still a branch of Judaism…)  It says “All the believers used to meet together”… I invite you to respond, (we’ll visit same questions at end to see if any additions)….

What motivated the people to meet together?  Expectations?  Purpose?  Or if you don’t like that question, what is our purpose of meeting as a Church? Motivation, expectations? As we gear up to gather again, this is an important question ~ I don’t want to gather just because that’s what we do… what are reasons/expectations…. [List answers on sheet of paper]

​Where are we in Acts?  Something new that has never been done before: when Jesus walked on earth he promised the coming of the H.S. to lead the way forward.  The Church has now been born.  The promise of the H.S. has roots through-out the O.T.  E.g. Zechariah was encouraging one of the later leaders of Judah, Zerubbabel, after the Fall of Jerusalem… One of the great lines from the preaching of Z as he is charting the way for how the nation is to go forward.  “So [God] said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty!” (Zech. 4:6).  Acts is the beginning of a new way of living in the fullness of Z’s prophecy: “By My Spirit.”  While they sat at Jesus’ feet for three years, many times they assumed Jesus was going to conquer the Romans and restore the glory of Israel through military might.  Now they get it.  They are beginning to understand it’s about the transformation of the heart.  By My Spirit

Be bold.  Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation!  Amen? Choose to be bold to express your faith in Jesus Christ in our crazy and confusing world.  I found an insightful quotes from Mike Yaconelli… writer/founder of Youth Specialties and the Wittenberg Door…
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Boldness isn't something you're born with; you either choose it or you don't.

One person defined boldness as going outside of your comfort zone. / stretching yourself.  The verse which establishes boldness as the theme of this chapter is Acts 4:13 READ.  

Sally and I were at a leadership conference on Merritt Island, Fl, with TFC, base camp of Teen Missions International.  Merritt Island is in shadow of Kennedy Space Center.  The Odyssey, a probe to Mars, was launched, Apr. 7, 2001.  As the time approached for the launch, all eyes looked to the skies.  Soon we could see a small blur streaking upward in an arc leaving a trail of smoke.  Visually, not much to look at, but the significance of the launch was breathtaking ~ I saw with my own eyes the launch of a probe to Mars.  Even the locals were thrilled saying, “we never get tired of watching.” 

Today, in the book of Acts, the spacecraft is launched.  The day of Pentecost in Acts 2 is over.  The probe/church is readied, on the launch pad.  It’s time for the H.S. to explode.  The ministry of the disciples of Jesus Christ begins in Jerusalem, as Jesus said, READ Acts 1:8.  The Church is on the launching pad.  She is filled with the fuel of the Holy Spirit.  Boom. Take off.  

​Today I reintroduce an ancient phrase I am as guilty as anyone of not using enough: repentant faith.  Deep faith in Christ is more than about Christ blessing us, comforting us, doing good things for us, keeping us safe… the fullness of faith asks the Lord to change us... Repentance means returning to God, with a heart of obedience to walk in His ways!  

Repentant faith is a scary/beautiful phrase ~ turning away from sins and turning towards God.  I love the way one person explains it: “Repentance is not usually a moment wrought in high drama. It is the steady drumbeat of a life in Christ.” (Tish Harrison Warren).  True repentance is a way of life ~ like the steady rhythm of a drumbeat.  

Two quotations ~ what do you think?

• “The greatest longing in the church today, stated both directly and indirectly, is the quest for something more than dull religion.” ~Lloyd Ogilvie
• “What I hear from people today is an agnosticism about the Holy Spirit.  Not disbelief, but an aching, ‘I just don’t know’ – and a longing to understand who He is and how to live in the flow of His power.” ~ Lloyd Ogilvie

The series from Acts: the axe of the H.S.  boom, everything new.  As we face a crazy world of conflict and depression, much of what we’ve known is disappointing, tension within families, within churches, within communities… now is the time to turn to our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, his promises, his vision.  I want to be clear, the greatest purpose of the church is NOT social justice ~ the greater purpose is to live and share the message of salvation in Jesus Christ:     pray for the Lord to  renew us, revive us, make us whole, send His spirit.  Social wholeness is a part of the greater message, the greatest sense of wholeness, purpose, contentment, comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

​The book of ACTS describes the upheaval of the lives of the followers of Jesus as they transition from life with Christ on earth to life with the ascended Christ and the sending of the H.S.  I really like thinking of the word ACTS as AXE….
 
Today’s message: The waiting room.  The setting of this scripture: the disciples are between the lightning ascension of Jesus, and the thundering day of Pentecost.  They are told by Jesus in Acts 1:4 to go to the waiting room.  READ. Waiting rooms do not normally evoke warm and fuzzy thoughts… Newsflash: waiting is part of our discipleship.  “WAIT” is a command of Jesus.   I found a great description by Max Lucado of what its like to be in a waiting room:  

​The Axe of the Holy Spirit. A-X-E.  When the Holy Spirit takes an axe to everything you know, and leads you in a new direction, it is painful, however, if we have eyes to see rightly, it is a beautiful place to be, everything new. The traditional name for the book we begin today: “The Acts of the Apostles” referring to the followers of Jesus coming into their own after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.  Many people have made the point that Acts of the Apostles could easily be called Acts of the Holy Spirit.  “Holy Spirit” is used between 50-60 times in the 28 chapters.  

I do my best to accept people where they are, yet see them for what they can be in Christ.  I do my best to walk beside them, understand, love them, listen, yet challenge to overcome their choices, their situations, their demons.  I am honored if I serve as the prison gem they need.

You can be a gem for those that are struggling too.  A 1000 times I’ve told people they need this church family, they need to know people that will love them, accept them for who they are AND challenge them to overcome their demons.  Many need godly mentors, a friend who believes they can find peace with Christ.  People need others that believe they are redeemable, loveable, forgivable... 

​Whenever you make a decision to do something new, there is often a romantic excitement as you begin your new adventure ~ go back to school, a marriage, a move, a new job, a new hobby ~ it’s so exciting to tell people about your dreams as you imagine what it will be like.  Then as you begin your journey reality sets in.  You were looking forward to a fresh start, then you discover going to school means homework, money, time, sleepless nights… How you respond when reality hits determines your success in going forward.  It’s fun to officiate at a young couples wedding and watch the faces of the witnesses… a joy to see young love, but seasoned couples that have been through a lifetime of ups and downs know what deep relationships take.

Today we sit in prison beside the prophet Jeremiah as he wrestles with trying to understand what God is up to.  Jeremiah serves the Lord at a time when Jerusalem is being attacked by the Babylonians.  He is in prison because he told the King and leader of the day exactly what was going to happen, they would be handed over to their attackers; they did not like the message, so they put the messenger in jail. 

It’s not always easy being God’s messenger…yet that is Jeremiah’s calling.  He’s thrown in jail.  I like the little story about a messenger in a movie.  The production company was filming an English language movie, but in order to add authenticity, they wanted a few lines in the Swahili language ~~ a messenger is scripted to dash in, collapse, and gasp out a vital message to the plotline.  They found a man who knew Swahili… the director was so pleased with the scene, that is, until it was shown in an African town where Swahili was well-known. A moment of high drama nose-dived into comedy as the panting messenger gasped out: "I don't think I am being paid enough for this part!"

Live as if the future is now.  When you celebrate God’s watchful care, when you figure out his promises are always GOOD, as soon as you fully believe God is loving and able, then you can Live as if the future is now! 

Today’s scripture, Ps. 130, is a prison gem… the Psalmist may not literally be in prison, but the opening line could easily be spoken by a prisoner: “Out of the depths I cry to you O Lord.”  This Psalm speaks to many situations from those literally in prison to those who are feeling lost.  I found an old Frank and Ernest cartoon I clipped out years ago:
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Frank is in a hospital bed looking miserable and the nurse is explaining to Ernest: “Yes, he’s on the critical list – critical of the food, critical of the nurses, critical of the service….”   

(NOTE: the video is the full service.  Skip to somewhere in middle to view sermon only) 
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I have sold thousands of items on Ebay.  I often wonder why people buy this or that ~ every now and then I hear the story.  Years ago Sally and I needed extra money; I looked through our old unused CDs on Ebay to see if any were selling well.  I found an old out of print Christmas CD by Evie going for $40-$60!  Woo hoo.  Obviously it was being snatched up by baby boomers with too much money! A small gold mind! I asked Sally if she minded if I sold it because she had it before we were married.  I played the CD to test it, and to my disappointment, it had tons of scratches and skips…  I decided to list it anyway…

I started the listing at $1.  I said I did not listen to the whole thing, maybe there is a way to get the scratches out, I have no idea.  One woman wrote and asked me if I would be willing to try one particular song.  I played the CD and listened to the single song.  It was perfect...  The woman bid.  Another person bid against her.  The woman raised the price.  Over the course of the next 2-3 people kept bidding ~ to my amazement (and entertainment), the Evie CD closed for a price of $18.00.  Who, in their right mind, would buy an old scratched up CD for $18?  Then the woman wrote me the story.  “My father has alzheimers” she said.  “The way it has affected him is that he sits blankly all day with no connection to this world. A few months ago I had the radio on, when this song was played.  My father smiled.  I could not find the song anywhere, until I found your auction.  I would have paid a whole lot more to see my father smile again.”  

I’ve asked many people facing the death of somebody they love: What would the person who has died want for you?  A. A wonderful next chapter of your life…

​Life is full of transitions.  A career ends and retirement begins.  Somebody dies and the world is never the same.  Friendships are broken and each side must go on… a divorce, a health crisis, a move, a child moves out.  After the coronavirus lockdown is lifted, what will it be like?  This week I was forwarded a list of 24 questions for churches to ask as we begin to hold public services again… many not fitting our situation but good questions, all having to do with how patterns/practices might be different… an obvious one is that likely we’ll no longer have a greet one another time… other’s I hadn’t thought of like considering a secure donation box in the lobby instead of passing the plate… Every transition is a crisis, even good transitions, because it is a change… 

I’ve been struggling trying to figure out what to do in response to the Corona Virus.  I’m told to shelter in place… I agree…  So what do I do?  I’m a bit lost like so much of the world.  I can find things to do here and there. I make phone calls.  I write a bit.  I work on the sermon.  But I don’t have the Thursday Bible Study…. No meetings… even if we have Zoom meetings nobody is in a mood to make plans other than a few practical questions… so what do I do?  I can get more yard work done, and that’s good, but it’s not the same as my patterns in the church and community.  I suffer from misplaced guilt…. 

My best day this week was Thursday.  Yay, the Food Bank (I wore a mask)… I joke about feeling good about being classified as an essential worker, but it’s only half a joke.  On Thursday I worked in the office at home till 9, then off to Sumas and didn’t get home till almost 5. I helped pack boxes, move boxes, I delivered ten boxes of food to the B & B, four boxes to the RV Park, 5 other misc. boxes, want to be needed.  Along the way I think I encouraged 15-20 people… helped tie down a tarp on a trailer even though I was an hour late Denny!  I need to do something….it’s part of the God given DNA, it’s a huge part of our faith, to be the hands and feet of Jesus!... doing good does not earn us salvation, but it is a response and a privilege to be servants of Christ….