Acting Up and Out ~~ The Church Today

When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.  Acts 7

If you have a chance to read all of Acts 7...it is a cliff notes version of the Hebrew Scriptures.  Stephen is giving his sermon in response to the false charges.  He talks about how Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and the prophets were all agents of social change.  They each faced opposition (who said life was supposed to be easy?).  They all stumbled and bumbled around a bit...yep, I can relate to that.  And yet, God worked through their humanness.  The great message of the Hebrew Scriptures is that God is not distant or disinterested, God is not discussed by our brokenness, God is able to let a light shine through the cracks of our lives.  Are you with me?  Yes, there is violence in the Hebrew Scriptures (and in the above passage.  When people say, the God of the Old Testament is so mean.  I want to say, "Don't forget about Stephen being stoned!"  Not exactly how I want to spend my Tuesday.)  The truth is we still live in a time of violence.  For the last fifteen years our country has been involved in the Middle East.  The state of Syria continues to unravel.  And we could go on and on.  Do we really think we are going to be judged as more enlightened or as more of the same?  That question tends to sit heavy on my soul.

  As I said in the last post, when you try to change or challenge the status quo...people tend to react and respond in less than positive ways.  They will discredit, dissuade, divide you for friends, and defend the current system.  Even though we are in constant change, our natural/normal mode of operation is to see change drenched in a negative light.  So rather than facing changing, the powers that be simply do away with Stephen.  Just as we did with Dr. King; just as we did with Malcolm X; just as someone tried to do this last week with Republic representatives.  When I read Genesis 3, I don't hear that as proof of original sin...I hear that as proof of brokenness begets brokenness begets brokenness.  When I (like Eve and Adam) listen to those voices that tell me a false narrative, I make decisions that are born out of brokenness, which causes brokenness in my family.  Or sometimes I try to hide from my responsibility (like Eve and Adam).  And I often defend my position or even pass along blame (like Eve and Adam).  The events in the garden didn't have to literally happen for them to actually be true in life.

And when we cause pain...when we throw stone to hurt and harm others...when we want to make ourselves feel better by pushing another person who is different than us down...all of that is what this story is shining a light upon.  The prayer of confession has fallen out of favor in our church today.  We come to church to feel good, we rationalize...so don't make us think about all that bad stuff.  Besides...we reason even more...I am really nice to my African-American co-worker and I just had drinks with my gay friend...so I am cool.  But...that doesn't stop the fact that racism and sexism and homophobia are still baked into our collective societal pie.   That doesn't stop the fact that if we don't process our pain and our responsibility, we pass it along to others.  Confession isn't about raining guilt, it about getting the moldy parts of our lives out into the light so they don't keep festering and fueling our lives in destructive ways.  Just as in AA you need to make a complete inventory of those you've harmed...not because you are a lousy person...but because you are a person.  We all have done things that we need to seek forgiveness and reconciliation.  And while I am pretty sure I have never thrown a stone...I have lobbed quite a few verbal words meant to do internal damage and I have judged people and I am so good at seeing the speck in your eye while missing the log in my own.  Darn that Jesus for calling us to another way, path and image for life!

Finally...notice the name Saul...that is actually the guy we are about to meet who will become Paul.  Yes that Paul (no not McCartney...although I am a fan).  Paul is in the one who writes over half of the New Testament with his letters.  Paul who goes from being passionate persecutor to professing that Jesus is the way.  We will get to him in a bit...but for now, just notice he was there.  And that perhaps this moment left a mark on his life.  After all brokenness often begets brokenness.

May the trace of God's grace interrupt and disrupt us from those vicious cycles that form well worn ruts.

Blessings ~~