A Glimpse Of What Is Possible

Luke 6:12-26
Three verses in particular stand out to me today from the gospel of Luke. “(Jesus) came down with them,” we read, “and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them” (Luke 6:17-19). There is a universal, all-encompassing sense to this scene. A great crowd of disciples joined a great multitude of people drawn from all over the region, not only from Jerusalem but also from Tyre and Sidon. They came with a shared purpose, to hear Jesus speak and to be healed of what harmed them, and those who were possessed were freed of their demons, and those who were sick were made well. The focal point of all this activity was Jesus and for a few verses at least we are able to see what he is capable of doing. His word and his ministry forged community out of many walks of life; his touch healed and cast out demons; his followers were united as one.

But this scene fades all too quickly and Jesus is left to continue his work, more often than not opposed by the religious and civic leaders of his day. The crowds, drawn together by him at this juncture, will soon be screaming for his death. Even his disciples will turn their backs on him, and the twelve who have just now been called to be apostles will either run away, deny they know him, or conspire to trap him. How quickly the beauty of Luke 6:17-19 is tarnished.

Nonetheless, there is reason to rejoice. Luke has given us a glimpse of what the coming reign of God may look like, a vista of unity and healing, of God’s light drawing all people together and blessing them, a way of living built entirely around the word of God found in the Word made flesh. Luke 6:17-19 is one of those passages we might decide to revisit when we feel a sense of confusion or hopelessness. A song by the band The Police includes the words, “When the world is running down / you make the best of what’s still around.” In this case, in the case of our lives, draped in darkness, and a world which is dappled with sin, the best of what’s still around is the grace of God made manifest in Jesus Christ. The invitation remains to gather around our Savior, to seek his healing touch, to listen to his words, to come to know God better. This glimpse that Luke offers us can and will become a reality.

Prayer: Lord, may we constantly be drawn to your word and be healed of all the harm that confronts us, in this life and in the life to come. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Tracing the Path

Acts 5:12-26

As the story of the early church unfolds in the book of Acts we find many factors at work. Some of these factors, like the power of the Holy Spirit and the faithfulness of the apostles, help to move the good news of Jesus Christ outward, further into the world. Other factors, however, were intended to slow or to stifle the gospel. One of the more powerful human emotions is on display in our reading from Acts for today. “Then the high priest took action; he and all who were with him…, being filled with jealousy, arrested the apostles and put then in the public prison” (Acts 5:17-18). Jealously over the popularity of Peter and the other apostles had infected the religious elite. As a result they chose to take action against the followers of Jesus.

It didn’t work of course. The church continued to grow and to develop until it spread throughout the world. The trajectory of the gospel established in Acts can be traced for centuries afterwards and though the flight has not always been smooth and even, the gospel continues to confront women and men to this day, challenging them to live a life centered on the grace of God in Jesus Christ. As it turns out, of course, jealously has also continued to be a factor in human life. Nor is the church immune to such sinful attitudes. Anger, bitterness, pettiness, dissent, division, all continue to bedevil people of faith. But as we learn from the book of Acts the Holy Spirit is not defeated. There is no prison, physical or emotional, that can contain the gospel or extinguish its light. The good news of Jesus Christ is as vibrant today as it was in the weeks after Pentecost. People of faith still find themselves released from the bonds of doubt and given words to speak. Again, the trajectory of the church established in Acts shows us that even when we fall short or are confronted by obstacles the good news will be shared, and no human emotion can quell it.

Prayer: Gracious God, help us to trust the power of your Spirit and to follow your word into the world, serving others and sharing the gospel. In Jesus’ name. Amen.