Good Morning Friends,
Today we continue the journey to Pentecost and beyond and explore the spread of the Christian faith from the stories of Cornelius and Peter and Barnabas and Paul. But we also contemplate the nature of worship then and now. For Christ’s promises and assurance can still be accepted or rejected. We can become diverted in what we hope and expect from the experience focusing on the wrong things. The thing is that we are to learn and appreciate who Jesus is, not just what we expect him to be. For like music, the experience is what happens between the notes and so too in life, worship is what we are to experience of God between Sunday services…between the feast days…between the steps we take and the words we share and the breathes we take each moment. So too today’s scripture guides us to focus on what it means to be in unity in a movement of faith and the excitement associated with it through the power of the Holy Spirit in the moments of life. The amazing diversity of all the people of this world, the mess of humanity are to achieve unity in our priorities. We are to be of one heart. Still, we ask as we contemplated Jesus’ very own words on the subject, even though we think we already know the answer. Is Anything Greater Than Jesus’ Gift Of The Holy Spirit?
Scripture: Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.” Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Acts 10: 30-35 (NRSV)
Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews. But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion; for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”
Acts 11:19-26 (NRSV)
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”
John 10:22-30 (NRSV)
“You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”
John 5: 39-40 (NRSV)
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Romans 1:24-25 (NRSV)
On the holy mount stands the city he founded; the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon; Philistia too, and Tyre, with Ethiopia—”This one was born there,” they say. And of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in it”; for the Most High himself will establish it. The Lord records, as he registers the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah Singers and dancers alike say, “All my springs are in you.”
Psalm 87: 1-7 (NRSV)
Message: Of course, nothing is greater than Jesus. Jesus is greater than money and how we worship and the Bible and lots of other things that we would substitute. Oh, money is great and worship wonderful and the Bible invaluable but none of them substitute for a relationship with God through the Spirit of Jesus. So, there is more to unpack in this regard if we want to really experience God. And what we learn is that God does not play favorites. Everyone regardless of intellect or culture can experience God. Everyone can benefit from God showing up. But we must embrace the moment. The story of Cornelius is particularly relevant in this regard. Cornelius was a Roman centurion who is considered by Christians to be one of the first Gentiles to convert to the faith. Cornelius receives a vision in which an angel of God tells him that his prayers have been heard, he understands that he is chosen to extend an open door to a Jewish Christian named Peter. Here we see that that God does not respect our sense of privilege and that salvation is not through race but by grace. Here we grapple with the need to put God first. Simply put, God accepts all those who repent and confess their sins and then put their trust in Christ. This is the message of the cross and points to what we are to experience as worship. We like his sheep are to hear the Shepherd’s call. And if we hear the Holy Spirit speaking to us through scripture and prayer, we are to come to Him like Cornelius did. But with all the great diversity in the world one must wonder how we will come together around Jesus. Christianity is the one great super national movement in the world. Cornelius opens a door. Still God has no favorites and there is no superior race or a group of people who have priority above and beyond others. The greater challenge to unity comes from within our own camps of Christians who will not eat of the Word and will not work in the vineyard and those who remain friends of the world and yet still claim to be Christians. There is a problem for those who will not yield to the Spirit. There is a problem with Christians too timid to take a stand and those too defeated to trust. Friends, we must have a victorious faith if we are ever to act in unity and overcome the world. Just as Jesus and the Father are one so too, we need to be of one mind and body in Christ. And this is a war not ultimately won in the streets but fought from within.
And So, justice for all is only found in the presence of the Holy Spirit. The unspiritual person does not receive the priceless gifts of the Spirit for they see God as of no value. Even though grace is greater than our sins. Even though our destiny is greater than our disasters. And yes, even though Jesus is greater than everything, still we sometimes put worship ahead of Jesus. Sometimes we put money ahead of Jesus and sometimes we put even the Bible ahead of Jesus. Friends, we are to worship God not the things God has made. We are to be thankful for success but not worship our good fortune. What the Father has given Jesus and Jesus has given to us is greater than everything else in this world. Unfortunately, one can be surrounded by an ocean full of grace and take no advantage of it. We are to live in the presence of God and have life in abundance, love in abundance together.
Pray we keep Jesus greater than all else. Pray we have a sense of awe when Jesus shows up realizing that Jesus was there all the time. Pray we are fully invested in Jesus. Pray we eliminate hurry in our lives so that we might focus on Jesus. Pray we realize the power of prayer is God’s power stepping into our life circumstances. Pray that our conversations with the lover of our life be as natural as breathing and as engaging as the name of God…the name of Jesus. Pray that our prayers of praise and rejoicing convey a sweet intimacy of God’s amazing love. Pray our prayers move us into a deep communion and a desire to seek only to please and do God’s will. Pray we realize that the Kingdom of God is within us. Pray for unfed Christians. Pray for lazy Christians. Pray for worldly Christians. Pray we are healed. Pray we are victorious. Pray we become one in the Spirit.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 