NEWS FROM SANCTUARY –

Attendance: 91 Kids: 6

Next Sunday 4/6: Communion Sunday and All Church brunch following at Romio’s Pizza.

Beginning Sunday 4/13 and running 3 weeks after service: Sanctuary New Members Class

Looking for small groups? Look no further. Contact Summer Mohrlang smohrlang@sanctuarycrc.org.

Want to make Greenwood an even more loving and hospitable place? Volunteer at the Green Bean. We can train you and work around your schedule. Contact Hayden Smith hsmith@sanctuarycrc.org.

REFLECTIONS – on Acts 1 “Why Do you Stand and Look Into Heaven?”

The Acts of the Apostles is the lone history book in New Testament. Written by a doctor, Luke. Very precise and clear narratives that include who, what, where, when, why and how…almost a journalistic flavor. I find the text quite convincing because if one reads it carefully, it aligns well with the New Testament documents attributed to Peter and Paul. I also find the text very compelling because of HOW REAL IT IS. No attempt is made to gloss over warts and freckles. There are issues with leadership, authority, power, spirituality, money, sex, idolatry, flawed people…and EVEN the heroes of the book engage in interpersonal battles that are HUGE and need resolution (Acts 15).

In our 13 week series entitled FIRESTARTERS that begins today, we are going to examine and hopefully experience and wrestle with what it means to be LIT UP and LED FORWARD by the HOLY SPIRIT. We will get to see how spectacularly GOD can INTERRUPT and REDIRECT people just like you and me in communities just like GREENWOOD and GREATER SEATTLE. We will see how ordinary people…just like us…become FIRESTARTERS.

I learned the most about being a FIRESTARTER when in the summer after 5^th grade when I attended Boy Scout camp for two weeks at Camp Hahobas near Hood Canal. Excited about being on a camping trip. Wanted merit badges in canoeing, rowing, camping, archery, swimming, mile swim, marksmanship and a couple of other things. I excelled in Aquatics at that age…I could just flat out swim like a fish…and pretty fast.

I was then, like I am today, not a detailed guy. One day while getting set to start marksmanship classes at the rifle range, I made a big goof. Picked up my rifle w/o permission, when Army Sergeant yelled at me, I turned to face him…thus pointing the loaded gun a him. I was kicked off the rifle range and out of the running for a merit badge for the remainder of the two weeks. I cried my eyes out in agony as I left the rifle range. BACK at Troop 94’s campsite, I was devastated.

My scoutmaster, Jack Gallagher, came out of his tent to comfort me. He also told me I would now earn a merit badge in campfires instead…and he put me in charge of our fire over which we cooked two meals per day.

During that two week period, I learned some pretty big stuff about fires: To make a fire go – you need fuel, air, and energy in the form of heat. To make a fire keep going, you need containment, air flow, closely stacked fuel. Stacking the fuel is a key to making an enduring and useful fire.

TO PUT OUT A FIRE – No need to take water to it and flood your campsite. Or toss dirt on it and fill your fire pit. Just separate the logs out from one another, spread them around, keep them below the wind break so they don’t get too much air flow…and all you have to do is wait a little bit. In fact, did you know that you can take a red hot piece of wood off most any campfire and isolate it for about 10-20 minutes and you can pick it up with bare hands.

I liken our roles in this world as being FIRESTARTERS for THE KINGDOM OF GOD. We can make a huge difference. When we offer the fuel  of our lives to God . When we off the fuel of our lives TOGETHER in closely stacked proximity to one another to GOD. AND … we receive the WIND and FIRE of the HOLY SPIRIT to fuel our energies and efforts. SO….take this metaphor of FIRESTARTING into the book of ACTS with me…and let’s see where we wind up..

Introductory Texts to ACTS – 2 Important Readings. Acts 1:1-11 and 2:1-13

Acts 1:1-11 (ESV)

¹ In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, ² until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. ³ He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. ⁴ And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” ⁶ So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” ⁹ And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, ¹¹ and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

The disorientation of seemingly losing Jesus to death, is reversed by the Resurrection, and a new RISEN CHRIST community of followers is with JESUS. V3 - “He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” What we call the New Testament Church is forming in its early stages here. People are gathered, not individually, but together in community around Jesus. Mind you, this is a delicate and dangerous time. Some of these folks who are labeled Christ-followers are literally running for their lives while running toward Jesus.

Step ONE: Jesus starts a general gathering. Jesus had plans for these people that they would be world changers as they went their various ways, but he needed to prepare them and keep them TOGETHER.

⁴ And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” ⁶ So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

During his earthly life and ministry, Jesus had taught his followers about the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Helper, The POWER, The Comforter, that would come. NOW… he gives specific directions for his followers to GO NOWHERE and to STAY TOGETHER until the Old Testament Prophet, Joel’s, well known prophecy, “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh” had been fulfilled amongst them. THIS COMING SPIRIT could take uneducated, educated, poor, rich, outspoken, quiet, wildly gifted and only modestly talented people and send THEM EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD to be TOGETHER AS HIS EMERGING AND GROWING CHURCH.

“You will be my witnesses” In JERUSALEM – close to home and familiar but hard and dangerous. To JUDEA – the countryside full of small towns, hard work and tough people. Samaria – the neighboring state where good little Jewish boys and girls don’t go. THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE WORLD – where Rome and other empires have ruled, where languages vary, cultures diverge and nothing is certain…

Step TWO: what we see here is JESUS intentionally bunching the disciples together like closely set fire wood … and calling them TO STAY TOGETHER UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE AND EMPOWERMENT. THEN… the next thing we see is that JESUS ASCENDS

⁹ And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

I won’t go into an elaborate theology of the Ascension, but what it does is. Move Jesus to his rightful place in HEAVEN as LORD OF ALL. It makes room for his followers to become something big. Firestarters, usually light a match and stand back. That’s what Jesus does here. His Ascension also causes one more new event of disorientation out of which the FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, become REORIENTED TO BECOMING WITNESSES AND WORKERS not OBSERVERS.

Check out this cool verse…

¹⁰ And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, ¹¹ and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

WHY DO  YOU STAND LOOKING INTO HEAVEN? (sermon title today). There’s a huge message in this angelic question: FIRST: Don’t look up to heaven – LOOK AHEAD HERE…BECAUSE THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS COMING WITH POWER HERE AND NOW. SECOND: The presence and power of the Holy Spirit that is coming is so real and intense, that you will know it is the spirit of JESUS and you will really know what he meant when he told you recently, “Behold, I will never leave you or forsake you”. THIRD:  The Risen Jesus had also told his followers, “Behold all power in heaven and on earth is given to me. NOW…you guys go and make disciples of all nations…” We now get a glimpse of what JESUS DOES WITH ALL POWER AND AUTHORITY: He shares it. He empowers.

Let’s look at how that happens as our text continues…The First Match is thrown on to start the fire.

A.   Acts 2:1-13 (ESV)

¹ When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. ⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷ And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, ¹¹ both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” ¹² And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

I am not going to line by line this part of the story … it is a pretty singular unit…but do let me highlight a couple of things…

ONE: Pentecost was a Jewish Holiday which is derived from “the Fiftieth Day” from the PASSOVER. While Passover celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from captivity in Egypt…and this is the holiday feast on which Jesus was crucified, PENTECOST is a thanksgiving pilgrimage. Jews came from many nations in pilgrimage to offer a thanksgiving offering of two loaves of bread given in response to the first fruits of the Harvest that year. This is what is happening in Jerusalem when the HOLY SPIRIT COMES DOWN…The City is PACKED with people from all over the world. The first believers receive the first fruits of THE SPIRIT OF GOD that is promised to all believers. While happy pilgrims are offering bread loaves to God, these first Christians are blown away in the power of the Spirit and telling other spiritual pilgrims about Jesus in their own native tongues and doing it with such giddiness that they are thought to be drunk.

TWO: God the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit is the MAIN PRIMARY FIRESTARTER, but even from the first moment of the Spirit’s Outpouring, the earliest Christians, both gathered and distributed as the church become FIRESTARTERS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.  Think of the symbols of the Holy Spirit: ROARING WIND –The power of every storm…directed. The winds to which a faithful sail may be set to journey. The freshness and aeration that creates a strong and useful fire. TONGUES OF FIRE- The heat source of God that is fanned by the wind of the Spirit. This is like unto the elemental forces with which God first Created the Universe from nothing.

NOW…this day…THOSE FORCES FALL upon the church…they fall on you and me. So…some take away’s  for today

While we are looking to experience God deeply and personally and for our peace, pleasure, help and benefit – THE COMING OF GOD IN THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT A ME THING, BUT A WE THING –  FIRESTARTER FAITH IS NOT A SOLO ACT. The Spirit comes to the community of faith.

The results of the coming of the spirit are not certainty, comfort and orientation to the same-old-same-old. NO. The coming of the Spirit means disorientation, sending, adventure and risk. FIRESTARTER FAITH IS NOT SELF PRESERVATION.

Partial immolation at the hands of a fire starting force from God is not possible. You cannot and I cannot control the coming and the movement of the Holy Spirit within us. If you and I are open…WE GO WHERE THE WIND BLOWS and WE BURN BRIGHTLY AND EFFECTIVELY WHEREVER WE WIND UP..…….FIRESTARTER FAITH IS NOT A SPECTATOR OR VIRTUAL EVENT.

FIRESTARTER FAITH appears to me to be the normative calling of all believers. WHERE AM I WITH THIS TODAY? WHERE ARE YOU?

WANT THIS KIND OF FAITH? Then, like the Angel said to those first disciples, “why do you stand looking into heaven?” Instead, let’s look here and now for the wind and fire of the Spirit.  --- join me on this journey for the next  12 weeks.  Next week, we will see what primitive Christian Spirituality and Christ following looked like in the very first days after Pentecost. I think you will find next week’s study quite compelling.

And, I think  you will see that Sanctuary, all of us together has a great capacity to be FIRESTARTERS!

PRAYERS –

God, we pray for all who are ill, especially Patty Smith’s brother, Kit.

Christ, have mercy on all who are travelling.

Jesus, we pray for your peace, love and joy to overcome war and hatred.

Father, we ask your wisdom and guidance for our various nations as we select governments and dream about tomorrow.

Holy Spirit, strengthen those who deal with chronic pain, depression and other difficult disorders.

Now, go out into your world in the power of the Holy Spirit and make it a great week!

Much Love,

Dr. Randy L. Rowland

2854 NW 59th Street

Seattle, WA  98107

USA

206.953.0909

www.sanctuarycrc.org