SERMON

Framed and Changed

Acts 2: 41-47

Pastor Robyn Hogue June 7, 2015 Skyline Presbyterian Church

I happen to know a lot of friends who are teachers. Six of the thirteen Hogue family members who gather for Thanksgiving and Christmas are teachers. I can no longer remember where I heard what I am about to tell you, but I can tell you that the teller was a person on the faculty of the school where the incident took place.

It was the week before classes began. Scott, a high school history teacher, fell off a step ladder and injured his back. For the next three months he was forced to wear a plaster cast around the entire upper part of his body.

The cast fit so well underneath his shirt and sport coat that it was not at all noticeable. On the first day of class, with the cast under his shirt, Scott discovered that he had been assigned the rowdiest and most rebellious students in the whole school. Walking confidently into his boisterous and disorderly classroom, Scott opened the windows and then busied himself at his desk until the bell rang to indicate the beginning of what looked like a very long history class. When a strong breeze started Scott’s necktie flapping in his face, Scott calmly picked up his desk stapler and stapled the unruly tie to his chest. That little demonstration got everybody’s attention. Scott had no discipline problems that day.

During the next few weeks, students began to look at Scott with new respect. Their grades improved, their attendance increased, and their number of detentions declined. Soon other teachers and even the school principal began to notice the changes in Scott’s students. One afternoon after the students had gone home, some of Scott’s peers asked him how he had accomplished the impossible.

Scott replied, “Well, I just did something ridiculous and humiliating that got their attention.” Then Scott described the tie stapling incident. Continuing on, Scott explained, “You might have guessed that after a week or so, students began to realize that I was not some kind of super ninja and that I was actually wearing a cast. I was afraid that their old rowdy, disrespectful behavior would return worse than ever. Fortunately, it did not. They had begun to appreciate the new respect from other teachers and students. Every day we challenged each other. It’s surprising, but we actually seem to like each other… most of the time anyway.”

Something ridiculous, humiliating, and impossible changed everything. Sounds a lot like the crucified and risen Jesus, doesn’t it? On the cross Jesus framed us in the center of His love. Through His resurrection Jesus changed us from a people with little meaning and purpose into a new fellowship with mission and focus.

This passage in Acts, chapter two describes that new fellowship in Christ. As we look deeper into the secrets for their success I want you to listen for the Spirit’s challenge to our living today. Pay careful attention to the results. Notice how the behavior of these first Christians got the attention of others. Here is an excellent model of Christian witness.

Read Acts 2: 41-47

What were the basic characteristics of that early Christian community? Let’s look at the first verse: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (v. 42).

It was crucial for those early Christians to know the story of Jesus as told by the eyewitnesses, the apostles themselves. Here Christians learned how their experience of Jesus as Messiah was described in their own scripture. Here they discovered what it really meant to be claimed by Christ and framed in Christ’s own embrace. Here they began to grasp a vision of what Christ was challenging them to be and to do.

Living in close and daily community with other Christians was essential. It was within this fellowship that many astonishing “wonders and signs were being done by the apostles” (v. 43). It was within this fellowship that encouragement was given, faith matured, friendships grew, and even material needs were addressed with generosity (verses 35 and 44). Something unusual, substantial, and unique was happening within this new community.

They gathered to break bread; sharing meals at home (literally, the Greek here is translated “from house to house”) nearly every day; eating together in homes groomed and deepened relationships. Breaking bread together also broke down barriers that separated and inhibited relationships. Giving thanks and breaking bread also connected the community with the risen Christ within a common and holy meal.

These first Christians remained faithful. In addition to these new activities they still worshiped regularly in the temple and maintained daily Jewish prayer routines (v. 46). The Holy Spirit formed the church as an alternative community within Jewish society.

Today, the Holy Spirit continues to form us as an alternative community within our society. Although our languages differ, our cultures vary, our ethnicities diverge, and our politics often diffuse, the shape of Christ’s community looks very much the same as that described in today’s scripture lesson: 1) Know the Jesus story. 2) Live daily within the fellowship, the community of encouraging, supporting, and serving people. 3) Share meals together often in one another’s homes. 4) Worship and pray together regularly.

Here comes a refreshing surprise especially for those who are worried about declining church membership and a reduced Christian influence in modern society. Notice the attitudes and behavior of those early Christians as they went about their daily lives “with glad and generous hearts praising God and having the goodwill of all the people” (v. 46-47). Did you notice what happened next? “Day by day the Lord added to their number” (v.47).

It was the attitudes and behavior of these Christians that the Holy Spirit used to get the respect and goodwill of the people. It wasn’t three-step strategies or free camel rides. It wasn’t fancy greeter badges or even changes in worship style that did it. Folks simply saw behaviors change, generosity flow, and attitudes improve. Then the Holy Spirit (not a committee) drew them into this growing community of changed people. Then, together they learned the Jesus story, shared the fellowship, broke some bread, and prayed together. That same challenge is ours today.

What signs of wonder and encouragement are part of everyday life in our congregation? What generosity flows from our worship into the world around us? How do we learn and teach the Jesus story? What does breaking bread from house to house look like for us? What about regular worship and prayer patterns? Where are the glad and generous hearts? Where is the goodwill of all the people outside the parish community?

These are challenging questions all right. Their answers can be downright discouraging if we try to answer them without the Holy Spirit. You see, it is Holy Spirit who gets our attention with Christ’s ridiculous, humiliating death on the cross. It is the Holy Spirit who frames us in Christ’s outstretched arms. It is the Holy Spirit who changes the way we view the world through the lens of Christ’s resurrection from the grave. It is the Holy Spirit who challenges us to live so faithfully that others are drawn into new life. It is the Holy Spirit who makes the impossible possible.

We’ve got work to do, people and the Holy Spirit will lead us.