“A precarious start”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Acts 14: 19-28 (Forward, p. 44) CEV p. 1152
The start of the Christian church in these parts of Asia Minor, in what is now Turkey (Turkey), was anything but auspicious, anything but smooth. Firstly, there was the opposition by entrenched Jewish interests who stirred up trouble even among the Gentles, resulting in serious physical threats to persons of the apostles, and even, on occasion, actual violence (stoning). But more troubling, in terms of the infant church, was the lack of time and opportunity for any serious instruction in the faith and raising up of local leadership. We are told in verses 23 that ‘Paul and Barnabas chose some leaders for each of the churches’, but it is uncertain how much instruction they were able to give them in such a short time. Certainly, those coming to the new-found Christian faith from Judaism would have, presumably, had a good grounding in the Hebrew Scriptures, but then, what about the new Gentile believers? The apostles encouraged them and prayed that the Lord would take good care of these leaders’, but this seems hardly enough, given the dangers and pressures they faced.
No wonder various false doctrines and heresies, like Gnosticism and the teaching of the Judaizers were able to take hold. There were some serious doctrinal problems that Paul had to address in the churches in Galatia and Colossae and some equally serious behavioural problems in Corinth. Not only that, the seven letters to the churches in Asia Minor as illustrated in the opening chapters of the Book of Revelation testify to this very real danger.
Now, presumably Paul and Barnabas did not just go about appointing leaders willy nilly. Judging from what Paul says elsewhere, especially in his pastoral letters, they would have chosen people who were mature, well known and highly respected in the local community. Furthermore, they would have been people who’d already shown evidence of the gifts required for leadership. And so, incredibly, and wonderfully, the Christian church took root and flourished, and yes, even those locales (like Athens) where the initial reception seemed very lukewarm at best. Obviously then, the Lord does the work, even when the human efforts fall short or are thwarted. And so we can trust the Lord to work powerfully among us, even when our resources are lacking. Thanks be to God.
Forward notes: “There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith” (verse 22a).
“Sometimes, I find myself beyond encouragement. God can seem so absent, and when I am in this state, faith is elusive. But today’s readings invite me to consider whether it’s always necessary to have faith to see God’s power and glory revealed in our darkest moments. Lazarus was dead when Jesus raised him to life [see John 11:1-16], so he wasn’t exactly participating in his own healing. Yes, God desires (and maybe in some circumstances requires) our faith to respond to our needs. But God is also bigger than our faith. And thank God for this.
“When we are surrounded by death and darkness, trial and suffering, it just might be enough to pray, ‘God, I cannot see my way out. I cannot be my own light. Can you be the light I need?”
Moving Forward: “Do you need God to be the light? Do you know someone who needs you to be the light of God in their life?”
