As the Easter season draws to a close, we see that our
response to God’s call is the response to the Easter message-to go and tell of
God’s love. We don’t have to start with
a clean or perfect slate, we just need to let God build on the past and be open
to the opportunities God is putting in our way. Peter and the other
disciples could not have guessed that they would be speaking to Romans as
equals, nor that the man who started out persecuting the church would become
one of the leaders.
God lays out a path, or many paths. Then God meets us where
we are and helps us move forward a step at a time. Or sometimes two steps
forward and one back. It’s a dance, after all! Paul and Silas probably thought
that their dance had ground to a halt as they sat in prison. We hear that story
this Sunday from Acts. (Acts 16:16-34)
The Gospel reminds us that through the Holy Spirit, God is
always present. Jesus prays for the current and future disciples, “I in them and you in me, that they may
become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and
have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:23)
“Freely, freely you have
received. Freely, freely give*” says the praise song. (Freely, Freely Carol Owens, 1972). We sing “in Jesus' name I come to you to share His love as He told me to.”
It’s as simple, and as hard, as being open to opportunities God puts in our
way.
For those of us who want
concrete directions and answers, this isn’t terribly comforting. How do I ‘do
my calling right’ if I don’t have a set of rules to follow? Can I even know
that I’m on the right path if there isn’t a well-drawn map? Sometimes we may
even ask ‘what is the next step?’ We would like a nice sign, like the one at
Holy Hill, Wisconsin that gives the exact count of steps to the top. (178!) We want to have
guarantees of smooth paths and discernable results. That may not be what
happens.
God simply says, ‘Come’. When we
come, we start to understand that Jesus is present always. Jesus prays that we
will know “that the love with which you
have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’ (John 17:26) As God makes his
Way known to us, the next step forward will become visible.
My spiritual director often reminds me that the next step
may not be visible UNTIL I take the first step. She notes that God promises ‘a
lamp to the feet’, not a searchlight or beacon that illuminates the entire
road. As we saw last week, there are many roads to follow to accomplish our
call to love one another.
We may find that, like Paul and Silas, our road puts it in
conflict with powers and authorities. “They
seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market-place before the
authorities…‘These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews and are
advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.’…After
they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered
the jailer to keep them securely. Following these instructions, he put them in
the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.” (Acts 16:19-24)
Paul and Silas were not deterred. Even in prison, they were “praying and singing hymns to God, and the
prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25) Their faith and their
actions during the subsequent earthquake resulted in the conversion of the
jailer and his family.
In the Revelation reading, we are offered the invitation to
‘Come’, and then we are to invite others. “The
Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And
let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.” (Revelation 22:17)
This happens all the time when we find a new favorite store or see a good
movie. We tell our friends all about it. We should be doing the same with our
love of God. ‘Come and meet the one who told me everything,’ said the Samaritan
woman after her conversation with Jesus at the well.
Paul and Silas shared their faith with the jailer. “’Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be
saved, you and your household.’ They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to
all who were in his house.” (Acts 16:31-32) The result was the jailer “took them and washed their wounds; then he
and his entire family were baptized without delay.” (Acts 16:33) Paul and
Silas had a great story to share and they did!
We are called to be the Love of God in the world. How we do
that is varied and beautiful. Just being
open to God, is all we are called to be and the rest will follow. Small or
grand, “know that in all things God works
for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his
purpose.” (Rom. 8:28). Each of us is called. Each of us has a purpose!
Are you uncomfortable with not knowing what is next?
Can you trust that Jesus is in the uncertainty and allow God
to show the next step?
Have you ever invited someone to ‘come’ and meet your God?
*Chorus
He said freely freely
You have received
Freely freely give
Go in My name
And because you believe
Others will know that I live
Verse 1
God forgave my sin in Jesus' name
I've been born again in Jesus' name
And in Jesus' name I come to you
To share His love as He told me to
Verse 2
All pow'r is giv'n in Jesus' name
In earth and heav'n in Jesus' name
And in Jesus' name I come to you
To share His pow'r as
He told me to.
