Will You Wait And See, Or Will You Act In Faith?
Good Morning Friends,
Gamaliel was a giant in the group of lawyers with whom he associated. He was talented and cultured and more highly educated than Peter. And yes, he taught Paul, but his part in the storyline in today’s text from Acts is that of a minor character. In retrospect he was a dying ember in a fire that had run its course, whereas the likes of Peter and Paul became torches ablaze with the spreading flame of Holy History. But let us not minimize this man for he is the elder statesmen in the story…something we are in short supply today. He teaches us some important lessons. He makes it clear that doing nothing is sometimes an easier way to deal with a cloudy situation. He points out that deciding to do something and doing it are not the same thing. Here we are to remember that love is patient, so waiting is not always a bad thing. Of course, acting in faith can be essential to the timing of success as well and so on these two things hinge the actions of the disciples. Will You Wait And See, Or Will You Act In Faith?
Scripture: But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. Then he said to them, “Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared. After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!” They were convinced by him, and when they had called in the apostles, they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
Acts 5:34-42 (NRSV)
After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
John 6:1-15 (NRSV)
Message: Sometimes a little thing makes all the difference in the world.
Let us try and answer today’s question against the backdrop of the miracle of multiplication when a small boy’s lunch leverages what looked like a fast into a feast. Here we have the bread of life being broken and the fish symbolizing the nations and the Christian movement to the world. For the Greek word for ‘fish’ is ‘ichthus’ and forms an acrostic from its letters: Jesus, Christ, God, Son, Savior. Now I doubt those at the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 would be thinking about that at all, but it in retrospect makes sense. It would seem in this reading that the church, if it is about the church, needs to grow with the same dynamics of the feeding of the 5000. The flock needs to be fed and everyone is important so there needs to be an abundance to transform the world. You see, Jesus is concerned about the fragments of what is left as well…all the broken stuff. The message here is about yielding to the will of God every moment of every day, every little part of it…realizing our work is to love enough to give what we have and God’s to bring the harvest feast. It is not about some big worship service. We are to allow God to mold us, to refine us into the image of His Son…every bit of us…day by day and moment by moment. Friends, give the gift of you and the Lord will use it.
Pray we realize that Jesus is enough. Pray we realize that our inadequacy makes room for God sufficiency. Pray we turn all the fragments of our lives over to God so Jesus might use them all for the glory of His Kingdom. Pray we pick our battles wisely and not only make the right decisions but the right actions. Pray we give what we posess to Jesus. Pray we realize that if the work we do called church is merely human, it will fall apart, but if it is of God, there is nothing we can do to stop it. Pray we not be found fighting against God. Pray we realize that God will be what God will be and if we have been called to do something for God we better do it to the best of our ability. Pray our little light be part of the new things God is about to do even as Jesus baptizes with Spirit and with Fire.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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