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Acts 8: 1-7

By Jim Farmer

The Adventure Gbwc_superusere devotional book has been an inspiration for me. I am using it as a devotional with my wife and also with my leadership team and staff at church. The reading for July 9 is Acts 8:1-7 and it thrusts itself upon me forcefully as life often does.

We are called to live each day, often without as much context as we would like. Our Scripture opens mid-story. There is so much that has transpired before and there is much yet to be told.

If only we could reach back and spare Stephen the martyr?s fate, perhaps the persecution could have been avoided. We find instead Saul leading severe persecution of the church, and believers being scattered throughout the countryside. Does this sound like some of our days in the church?

This is life lived in the now. We cannot undo the past and tomorrow has not yet arrived. How we choose to live today makes all the difference.

We so often labor diminished by the past, knowing that we have not always lived well. There are other times that we put off doing, waiting to be better. I would submit that God would have us live lives of faith and faithfulness day by day.

We can choose to live diminished lives or victorious lives. The believers in our text found themselves in the midst of extreme persecution: men and women were being dragged from their homes and imprisoned; death and destruction were all around them. Their response was not to cower; rather the fruits of their faith were that many others came to believe. Signs and wonders were experienced throughout the region.

The Great Commission was realized in the midst of the mess of life. As they were scattered they proclaimed the Messiah: 'Hallelujah, He is risen!'

What are we waiting for? We can honor the past of our lives and our churches, however, we must not be bound by that past. We cannot wait for the coming time, now is the time.

The folk in our text today could not have known that Saul the persecutor would one day be Paul the apostle. They acted by the fire of the Holy Spirit in their hearts and a sincere faith in the risen Lord. Fire and faith combined to bear much fruit as many were healed, lives were changed and many came to believe in the Messiah. The church moved from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and to your community and mine.

The early church moved forward as the people lived in the NOW of their lives. It is for us to decide if we are going to be bound by our past, wait for one that is to come, or be the people of God today.

I pray we choose to live in such a way that God will use us for the transforming of the world in which we live. May we go forth proclaiming, 'Hallelujah, He is risen!'

The Rev. James Farmer is pastor of Trinity UMC in Prince Frederick.

SIDEBAR:
To order your copy of the Adventure Gbwc_superusere, visit www.bwcumc.org or call Christine Kumar at (410) 309-3422.

A DEVOTIONAL
for the Discipleship Adventure

In worship this week, make a space for at least two people to share how God has healed them. After each sharing, sing 'Thank You, Lord' (UMH #84). End the sharing by singing a hymn of praise.

In this week?s text, the final question for meditation asks how your church could be seen as a place of healing, victorious faith and living in the NOW. Within the next few weeks, especially if this is not your custom, plan for a time of healing prayer at the altar. Use oil so that the persons seeking healing will be touched and feel the care of another person. Make space in the worship service to invite sharing in very small groups - twos or threes - of the signs and wonders that are unfolding in people?s lives.