Beyond the Walls; Sermon on Acts 17:1-7

Rev. George Miller
May 3, 2020
Acts 17:1-7

Today’s reading resonates with our current situation. It ties in the traditional with the exceptional; the customary with the unusual.

It’s a look into the beginnings of the church and what a trailblazer Christianity was always meant to be.

Just like last week’s message, today’s story starts off with walking. Lots of walking. 100 miles of traveling.

The Apostle Paul is footloose for the Lord and filled with the Holy Spirit.

He’s gone from here to there, from there to here, telling people just how good God is.

He’s been to Israel, he’s been to Greece, he’s on his way to Asia.

Now he’s in the hustling, bustling city of Thessalonica, where folk from all walks of life come to dine, shine, and worship whatever god they believe in.

Paul is in the synagogue as was his custom, and this is important as it reminds us that Paul is a faithful Jew who follows his faith’s traditions.

Paul is a man who is doing what his father and his father’s father had been doing for a 1,000 years-

Worshipping Yahweh, in community, on the Sabbath, inside the sanctuary.

He’s also doing something else- participating in the time-honored art of argument and sharing ideas-

The Jewish community valued conversations and discussions about God. That is how they experienced holiness and grew in understanding

So here we see Paul honoring the greatest customs of his faith, but Paul did not walk 100 miles to do something he could have done at home.

He is there to bring something new to the discussion. He is there to start a revolution, and to turn the world upside down.

Paul is there to introduce them to Jesus and to convince his brothers and sisters that Christ is the King of the World.

The way Paul does it is so wonderful to behold, as he combines the customary with the revolutionary, just as we are doing during this pandemic.

Paul is patient. He is there for 3 weeks preaching and explaining, sustaining a relationship with everyone.

He does not expect overnight success or immediate returns.

He’s a sower, planting seeds to see what grows.

Paul uses what he has- the scriptures, the stories they all share, the art of discussion and debate.

Through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Paul steps it up, and he adds something new, doing what no one else can.

He adjusts to his current situation and finds a way to reach out to others beyond the 4 walls of the sanctuary.

Paul doesn’t just go to those who are like him. He’s out on the streets, he’s going to where the people are at.

Paul has no problem hanging out with the rich upper class who are on their way to worship Zeus or snakes.

He has no problem going down to the river to speak with women who are earning minimum wage working for the garment industry.

Paul hangs out with folks who are sitting outside the gates of the city. When he’s put in prison, he uses that opportunity to reach out to the inmates.

While the organized leaders of the synagogue are expecting people to come to them to hear about God,

Paul is doing whatever it takes to get the message out to the people, whoever and wherever they may be.

And for good reason- who wouldn’t want to hear the Good News about Jesus?

Who wouldn’t want to hear that compassion, justice, healing, and eternal life is available for all?

Paul travels the globe and uses whatever he can to reach out to people who are lost, lonely, and in pain.

Kind of like now.

Here we are in week-who-knows-what, dealing with a pandemic that is disrupting everyone’s existence.

Folks are trying to survive.

The custom of coming to church is not just yet safe enough to warrant the risk of return.

So like Paul, here we are, doing new things for the Lord.

We’re rediscovering the revolutionary role that church was always meant to be.

We’re reclaiming the ways in which the Good News crosses around the globe and speaks to people where they’re at.

There is something so exciting to see how we can now reach out to folks who are hundreds of miles away.

Through Facebook, YouTube, making masks, on-line donations to The Shepherd’s Pantry, we are connecting to the Good News in ways not seen 2 months ago.

It used to be the Joyce Meyers and Joel Osteens…

…but now the Holy Spirit is moving in such a way that so many churches, in so many places are reaching out and letting people know-

That Christ is King
God’s got this
And we are all in this together.

Like Paul, here we are doing something so customary- gathering together to worship God through scripture and stories and words.

Like Paul, we are also doing something that goes beyond the walls of who is here and who is not.

The Holy Spirit is moving in such a way that it doesn’t matter is you are

inside or outside,
rich or making minimum wage,
male or female,
a lifelong believer or someone who is curious about our faith-

Everyone can now be reached equally and in a way that best suits them.

We here at Emmanuel UCC know these are scary, unsure times.

We know the current reality seems so uncertain.

But we are thankful that we are able to reach out to you during this moment in history.

We are thankful that we can share the Good News that

Christ is real.
God’s got this.
You are not alone.

For that we say, amen.