God’s Provocative Possibilities
Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1,4-9; Matthew 4:12-23
Have you ever experienced being in a pitch-dark place? What’s possible in the deep darkness? Can you prepare a meal? Travel to see family? Could work be done to build a home? Darkness limits us; it decreases our options.
What follows nighttime is the dawn. Dawn begins with the first sight of indirect light and continues until the sun breaks over the horizon. At that moment, direct sunlight outshines the softer hints of light. Dawn becoming a sunrise is a glorious sight, fresh every morning.
Long ago Isaiah wrote this prophecy for His people, Israel: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned.” He was telling them about a future day, when the Promised Messiah, the Light of the world, would come and banish all darkness. Dawn’s gentle light would give way to a light that outshines all that’s come before. That day is on the horizon.
In our gospel reading, Matthew was writing to his fellow Jews. He quoted the Isaiah 9 passage I just shared: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned. Matthew was boldly announcing that this ancient prophecy, which His people knew so well, was now fulfilled in Jesus. He then gave them evidence: Jesus left his hometown of Nazareth, travelled to Zebulun and Naphtali on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, settling in Capernaum. The location Jesus chose as his home base for ministry was exactly where Isaiah said people should expect to find the Messiah. Matthew went on to say that Jesus was calling people to repentance and telling them the kingdom of God was coming – the sun was emerging on the horizon.
Jesus called two sets of brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, James and John, to leave their life as fishermen and follow him. He promised he’d teach them how to be fishers of “people”. Immediately the men decided to be his disciples. They travelled throughout Galilee, listening to him teach in synagogues, watching him heal every sick and diseased person he encountered. They witnessed him banish darkness in its many forms. His life is the light that has shone and will shine in the darkness for all people, for all time, without end.
I want to fast-forward now to the early church, which was under the leadership of Peter. He was one of the first men to leave everything to follow Jesus, but many others did as well, men and women. There were 12 disciples in the inner circle, but a large crowd of people followed Jesus during his three years of ministry. It’s likely that some who were in those crowds formed small house churches after Jesus’ death and resurrection.
They gathered to worship, learn, share a meal and Holy Communion. They then went into their community and helped meet unmet needs of their neighbors. They shared themselves and their faith with those they helped, and some of those became followers of Jesus. In this way Christianity spread, but persecution soon fanned the flame, displacing Christians into distant lands. They were faithful, continuing to share the message of Christ wherever they lived.
The book of Acts describes the rapid growth of the church, but better yet, it reveals how that happened. New Christians had no building to meet in; they met in people’s homes or in public places. This movement brought Christians into different parts of their villages and cities. They had few resources, but they were known for their generosity. They had no designated spiritual leader – Jesus taught them that they were part of the priesthood of believers. They were eager to tell others about Jesus, who had changed their lives. They prayed often, together and by themselves, and they trusted that God’s Holy Spirit would guide and strengthen them in all they did.
I don’t know if anything I just shared about the early church is new for you. Many of you have probably heard these things before. What you may not have heard before is a comparison of today’s church with the early church. I think it’s gives us insights worth exploring. Today you and I can easily find a public church building. We aren’t meeting all over the village or outside; we are established, an institution. We have brick and mortar buildings; our location is fixed. We have far more wealth and resources than first-century Christians did; we have homes, access to medical care, jobs, transportation, food, and leisure time. We may give generously to the church or missional needs, but I doubt any of us are sacrificial to the point of selling all we have and giving it to the church. We have trained clergy, ordained and lay, giving them the authority to lead a congregation. This has become a paid profession, but one of its unintended consequences is that it’s weakened once-vital lay leadership. These days we open the church’s door or create a website, hoping we’ll attract visitors. We can be more maintenance- minded than missional. We are grateful to be Christians but some of us never learned or made it our habit to share our faith with others. We do pray and believe in the Holy Spirit, but it may seem like the early church was wild and bold in ways we can’t quite relate to today.
My sense of today’s church may not be identical to yours, but I think we all recognize that there’ve been several shifts away from the practices and realities of the early church. So this morning I want to talk about provocative possibilities. I chose this title for my sermon purposefully. If something is provocative it’s designed to elicit a response, perhaps a strong one. Being provocative is often associated with being controversial. I believe that Jesus’ life was provocative, in the best ways. Everywhere he went, people had strong reactions to him and his teachings. He crossed boundaries, spending time with all people, especially those in greatest need. He offended the people in power who put up barriers, making laws about insiders and outsiders. He raised uncomfortable questions and cast doubt on the status quo. Sometimes he refused to answer someone’s questions. Wherever Jesus went there was an unsettling, a sort of disturbance, because he opened people’s eyes to see truth. He told stories that led people to make radical changes in their lives. He spoke of a future far greater than what people imagined was possible. He controlled the wind and seas and changed water into wine at a wedding. I’m certain Jesus was provocative, in the best sense of the word. He elicited responses and was controversial because he was ushering in the new, fresh, holy kingdom of God. What Jesus did was a mere foretaste of what is to come.
With Jesus as our example, and the early church as inspiration, I want to talk about provocative possibilities for Christ’s church from long ago, and today, so we might better envision provocative possibilities for the future.
The Word of God for the People of God – access to Scripture. The earliest Christians passed around papyrus scrolls. At worship services they might get to hear part of one of the gospels read, or some of Paul’s letters. Earlier writings, what we call the Old Testament, were accessible in some local synagogues, but very few people could read.
Nowadays, thanks to the printing press, audio and digital technology, the Word of God can be sent almost anywhere in the world. Literacy is strong in many nations – plus we have eyeglasses, hearing aids, Braille Bibles, and sign language to widen the reach of Scripture. But what provocative possibilities are there for the future? And how can we be part of spreading God’s word? Could we become literacy volunteers and offer a Bible to those we teach? What place in the world is in desperate need of the Bible in their own language, and how can we help it reach them? What hasn’t yet become a reality, but could? Will there be a virtual reality experience that can take us back to Jesus’ life and times?
Financially supporting Christ’s church and mission. In the early church, they’d heard Jesus teaching about good stewardship many times. For example, if they had two coats, they should give one away to someone who needed it. Generosity was one of signs that made Christians easy to identify. There were occasional collections taken; they were sent to churches helping their community during a time of hardship.
Nowadays we know God counts on us to be open-handed, generous in supporting Christ’s church and mission. We welcome donations of food, clothing, yarn, empty prescription bottles, can pulls and items for our rummage sales. We have quarterly mission giving of our own choosing and collect funds for 6 special missions selected by the United Methodist denomination.
We offer many ways to receive financial offerings. We accept cash and coins, personal checks and cashier’s checks. You can give funds electronically and through automatic withdrawal. We accept stocks, bequests of money, land, or property, and I suspect, any winnings from a lottery ticket!
But what about the future? Will the church of tomorrow need resources like people’s time and expertise to expand online content, like worship, small groups, support groups and more? Will there be fewer paid clergy and more bi-vocational laity? How many church buildings will be closed, eliminating high utility bills and costly repairs? Will the recent trend of house churches continue? Would opening one’s home be a future need?
These are unknowable things, but in the words of Anne Frank, “We can trust our unknowable future to our known God.” Thank you for considering Christ’s church – past, present, and future. Despite the challenges, changes and fears we may face, we’re given a beautiful promise: The Church of Jesus Christ will be here until the day our Lord returns.
We who follow Jesus have Scripture, prayer, one another, and the Holy Spirit… who is powerful, but also unpredictable. So if you and I don’t come up with any provocative possibilities for the church, rest assured, the Holy Spirit will bring them to us. Thanks be to God. Amen.
What follows nighttime is the dawn. Dawn begins with the first sight of indirect light and continues until the sun breaks over the horizon. At that moment, direct sunlight outshines the softer hints of light. Dawn becoming a sunrise is a glorious sight, fresh every morning.
Long ago Isaiah wrote this prophecy for His people, Israel: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned.” He was telling them about a future day, when the Promised Messiah, the Light of the world, would come and banish all darkness. Dawn’s gentle light would give way to a light that outshines all that’s come before. That day is on the horizon.
In our gospel reading, Matthew was writing to his fellow Jews. He quoted the Isaiah 9 passage I just shared: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned. Matthew was boldly announcing that this ancient prophecy, which His people knew so well, was now fulfilled in Jesus. He then gave them evidence: Jesus left his hometown of Nazareth, travelled to Zebulun and Naphtali on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, settling in Capernaum. The location Jesus chose as his home base for ministry was exactly where Isaiah said people should expect to find the Messiah. Matthew went on to say that Jesus was calling people to repentance and telling them the kingdom of God was coming – the sun was emerging on the horizon.
Jesus called two sets of brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, James and John, to leave their life as fishermen and follow him. He promised he’d teach them how to be fishers of “people”. Immediately the men decided to be his disciples. They travelled throughout Galilee, listening to him teach in synagogues, watching him heal every sick and diseased person he encountered. They witnessed him banish darkness in its many forms. His life is the light that has shone and will shine in the darkness for all people, for all time, without end.
I want to fast-forward now to the early church, which was under the leadership of Peter. He was one of the first men to leave everything to follow Jesus, but many others did as well, men and women. There were 12 disciples in the inner circle, but a large crowd of people followed Jesus during his three years of ministry. It’s likely that some who were in those crowds formed small house churches after Jesus’ death and resurrection.
They gathered to worship, learn, share a meal and Holy Communion. They then went into their community and helped meet unmet needs of their neighbors. They shared themselves and their faith with those they helped, and some of those became followers of Jesus. In this way Christianity spread, but persecution soon fanned the flame, displacing Christians into distant lands. They were faithful, continuing to share the message of Christ wherever they lived.
The book of Acts describes the rapid growth of the church, but better yet, it reveals how that happened. New Christians had no building to meet in; they met in people’s homes or in public places. This movement brought Christians into different parts of their villages and cities. They had few resources, but they were known for their generosity. They had no designated spiritual leader – Jesus taught them that they were part of the priesthood of believers. They were eager to tell others about Jesus, who had changed their lives. They prayed often, together and by themselves, and they trusted that God’s Holy Spirit would guide and strengthen them in all they did.
I don’t know if anything I just shared about the early church is new for you. Many of you have probably heard these things before. What you may not have heard before is a comparison of today’s church with the early church. I think it’s gives us insights worth exploring. Today you and I can easily find a public church building. We aren’t meeting all over the village or outside; we are established, an institution. We have brick and mortar buildings; our location is fixed. We have far more wealth and resources than first-century Christians did; we have homes, access to medical care, jobs, transportation, food, and leisure time. We may give generously to the church or missional needs, but I doubt any of us are sacrificial to the point of selling all we have and giving it to the church. We have trained clergy, ordained and lay, giving them the authority to lead a congregation. This has become a paid profession, but one of its unintended consequences is that it’s weakened once-vital lay leadership. These days we open the church’s door or create a website, hoping we’ll attract visitors. We can be more maintenance- minded than missional. We are grateful to be Christians but some of us never learned or made it our habit to share our faith with others. We do pray and believe in the Holy Spirit, but it may seem like the early church was wild and bold in ways we can’t quite relate to today.
My sense of today’s church may not be identical to yours, but I think we all recognize that there’ve been several shifts away from the practices and realities of the early church. So this morning I want to talk about provocative possibilities. I chose this title for my sermon purposefully. If something is provocative it’s designed to elicit a response, perhaps a strong one. Being provocative is often associated with being controversial. I believe that Jesus’ life was provocative, in the best ways. Everywhere he went, people had strong reactions to him and his teachings. He crossed boundaries, spending time with all people, especially those in greatest need. He offended the people in power who put up barriers, making laws about insiders and outsiders. He raised uncomfortable questions and cast doubt on the status quo. Sometimes he refused to answer someone’s questions. Wherever Jesus went there was an unsettling, a sort of disturbance, because he opened people’s eyes to see truth. He told stories that led people to make radical changes in their lives. He spoke of a future far greater than what people imagined was possible. He controlled the wind and seas and changed water into wine at a wedding. I’m certain Jesus was provocative, in the best sense of the word. He elicited responses and was controversial because he was ushering in the new, fresh, holy kingdom of God. What Jesus did was a mere foretaste of what is to come.
With Jesus as our example, and the early church as inspiration, I want to talk about provocative possibilities for Christ’s church from long ago, and today, so we might better envision provocative possibilities for the future.
The Word of God for the People of God – access to Scripture. The earliest Christians passed around papyrus scrolls. At worship services they might get to hear part of one of the gospels read, or some of Paul’s letters. Earlier writings, what we call the Old Testament, were accessible in some local synagogues, but very few people could read.
Nowadays, thanks to the printing press, audio and digital technology, the Word of God can be sent almost anywhere in the world. Literacy is strong in many nations – plus we have eyeglasses, hearing aids, Braille Bibles, and sign language to widen the reach of Scripture. But what provocative possibilities are there for the future? And how can we be part of spreading God’s word? Could we become literacy volunteers and offer a Bible to those we teach? What place in the world is in desperate need of the Bible in their own language, and how can we help it reach them? What hasn’t yet become a reality, but could? Will there be a virtual reality experience that can take us back to Jesus’ life and times?
Financially supporting Christ’s church and mission. In the early church, they’d heard Jesus teaching about good stewardship many times. For example, if they had two coats, they should give one away to someone who needed it. Generosity was one of signs that made Christians easy to identify. There were occasional collections taken; they were sent to churches helping their community during a time of hardship.
Nowadays we know God counts on us to be open-handed, generous in supporting Christ’s church and mission. We welcome donations of food, clothing, yarn, empty prescription bottles, can pulls and items for our rummage sales. We have quarterly mission giving of our own choosing and collect funds for 6 special missions selected by the United Methodist denomination.
We offer many ways to receive financial offerings. We accept cash and coins, personal checks and cashier’s checks. You can give funds electronically and through automatic withdrawal. We accept stocks, bequests of money, land, or property, and I suspect, any winnings from a lottery ticket!
But what about the future? Will the church of tomorrow need resources like people’s time and expertise to expand online content, like worship, small groups, support groups and more? Will there be fewer paid clergy and more bi-vocational laity? How many church buildings will be closed, eliminating high utility bills and costly repairs? Will the recent trend of house churches continue? Would opening one’s home be a future need?
These are unknowable things, but in the words of Anne Frank, “We can trust our unknowable future to our known God.” Thank you for considering Christ’s church – past, present, and future. Despite the challenges, changes and fears we may face, we’re given a beautiful promise: The Church of Jesus Christ will be here until the day our Lord returns.
We who follow Jesus have Scripture, prayer, one another, and the Holy Spirit… who is powerful, but also unpredictable. So if you and I don’t come up with any provocative possibilities for the church, rest assured, the Holy Spirit will bring them to us. Thanks be to God. Amen.