The Power of NO; Acts 18:1-11

 

Rev. George Miller

June 4, 2023

Acts 18:1-11

 

Last month, we had an important moment in worship that affirmed a universal lesson- the beauty of saying “No.”

 

Nope, nada, no way is one of the most impowering things you can say;

 

an expression that grants freedom, rest, and the ability for someone else to say “Yes!” and to mean it.

 

It is always, always better to say “No” with no regrets than to say “yes” and

 

spend your time in anger, wondering how you’re going to squirm out of a commitment you never wanted to make in the first place.

 

Today’s scripture validates another important lesson- knowing when to walk away, stop wasting your time, stop being so bitter, and when to shake it off.

 

Here we are in Corinth.  Paul is staying at the home of Aquilla and Priscilla, sleeping on their couch, working beside them Sunday through Friday.

 

But come Friday night and Saturday morning, Paul is at the synagogue, raising heck, arguing with folk, trying to convince them that Jesus is the Messiah; Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light.

 

But no one at the synagogue wants to hear that, no one wants to see Paul’s face when he walks through the door or hear his voice.  All they want to do is worship God the way they’ve always worshipped God.

 

Paul is persistent.  He keeps coming every Friday night, every Saturday morning, ready to argue, debate, encourage, evangelize.

 

But not a single person wants to hear what he’s talking about; no one is there to buy what he’s selling, so eventually Paul comes to the realization-

 

I’m done.  I’m done with all this nighttime arguing and daytime debating after a long week of work.  I’m tired of being hated and ignored.

 

So Paul does what it best for all involved- he shakes the dust of his clothes, and he says “I’ve had enough.  You do you.  I’m going to go find someone else to hang out with who can appreciate me, my message and all that I’m offering.”

 

Without looking back, he leaves this place of weekly contention, and good thing he does, because he just so happens to wander into the house next door and discovers….

 

There are people right there, who have been there the entire time, who have been waiting for the message Paul had to offer.

 

Paul leaves the place he is not wanted and discovers that just one door down his is greeted with open arms and hungry ears.

 

And this household, run by the most powerful person in the synagogue, not only becomes believers of Jesus,

 

they end up becoming one of the most powerful, influential, and active churches in all of history.

 

At this household in Corinth, many many people come to hear about Jesus, listen to Paul, and be baptized into the family of God.

 

And to verify that Paul made the right decision, at the right time, for the right reason,

 

God speaks to Paul and says, “Do not be afraid to speak, and do not be silent, for I AM with you.”

 

For the next 18 months Paul stays active in the life of this church,

 

teaching them about Jesus, grace, the Last Supper and how to burn with enthusiasm for the Gospel.

 

Paul could have been stubborn, stayed at the synagogue, going week after week to be angry, mad, debate and feel fury because no one wanted to hear.

 

But instead Paul knew when it was time to walk away, and in doing so, he blessed not only the house of Crispus, but the entire city.

 

Today’s lesson is such a wonderful validation for all of us- that there is no shame in walking away.

 

There is no shame in knowing when your words are falling on deaf ears.

 

There is no shame in shaking the dust from your clothes and moving on to where you are welcomed and heard.

 

We see people with savior complexes do the same thing again and again for folk who don’t care.

 

We see wives, parents, friends try again and again to convince their spouse, child, loved one to do the right thing, live a certain way, eat less, exercise more, put down the bottle, cigar, or pill.

 

But no matter what we say, no matter what we do, people will only hear what they are ready to hear, act as they chose to act and do what they want to do.

 

Sometimes as Christians we think we must save everyone, rescue all, stay in aggravating situations.

 

But look at Jesus.

 

He had no problem telling the man “If you want to be made well, you must pick up your matt and walk.”

 

Jesus took 4 days to get to Martha and Mary when Lazarus died.

 

Jesus told the disciples that if they are not welcome at a home, to get up and go.

 

So it is alright for us to follow Jesus’ example, to witness Paul’s way, and to know that it is OK to say “No.” 

 

It is Ok to say, “See you later.”  It is Ok to say, “I will go where I will be welcome.”

 

Because sometimes where we go is exactly where we need to be, and where we can do the most for the Gospel.

 

Paul knew when and where he was not welcomed, and as a result he played a role in the Corinthian church being birthed, and new traditions being created.

 

And we are all the better because of it.                 

 

Amen and amen.

Creation Waits With Eagerness; Romans 8:15-23

 

Rev. George Miller

May 28, 2023

Romans 8:15-23

 

Today we come to the end of our time spent with Paul and the Roman Church.  We do so with a powerful passage.

 

In today’s reading, Paul gives us so much to think about-

 

We are NOT captives to sin, so STOP being slaves to fear.

 

We ARE adopted by Big Papa to be God’s Beloved Children; chosen inheritors of Big Papa’s paradise.

 

Creation IS waiting with eagerness for US to actively claim who we are, so Creation can stop groaning.

 

Creation has been enslaved and will obtain the same freedoms we receive in Christ.

 

We might ask- how has Creation been groaning?  How are the plants, animals and elements enslaved?  What does the land, sea and air have to do with the grace of Jesus Christ?

 

Everything.

 

The Bible has always made clear how Creation is attached to the people and how the people have always been attached to the land.

 

Which means- as we sin, err, and make tragic mistakes, Creation suffers, groans and moans, so…

 

…as we become justified, saved, and made right with God, Creation oohs, ahhs, and experiences relief.

 

Think about it.  Genesis 4:1-16.  Cain is angry that God prefers Abel’s offering of BBQ over his offering of salad, so he plans to kill his brother.

 

God speaks to Cain- “You don’t have to do this.  You don’t have to allow sin to harm your brother.”

 

But Cain lures his brother into a field and murders him.  The ground swallows Abel’s blood, becomes polluted, unable to grow crops. 

 

God says to Cain “What have you done?  Can’t you hear it- your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground.”

 

As a result Cain is cursed from having a fruitful experience with the soil.  No matter how much he farms, he’s unable to produce healthy crops.

 

Cain isn’t the only brother who allows his emotions to get in the way of Creation’s innocence.

 

Genesis 37: 12-36.  The sons of Jacob gets upset that Joseph has a fancy-shmancy new coat, so they conspire to harm him.

 

They strip Joseph of his father’s gift, throw him into a well, sell him into slavery, then kill a goat to use its blood to deceive their Daddy.

 

Once again, Creation suffers for the injustice of humanity.

 

Finally, Acts 1:15-20.  Judas betrays Jesus, buys land with the money, then commits suicide, spilling his insides upon the soil.

 

The place becomes known as the Field of Blood, a desolate location where no one can live.

 

Again and again we see how the earth suffers because we don’t know how to interact with one another.  The plagues of Egypt, the crops destroyed during the Exile.

 

Think of today.  The fields of the Ukraine under rubble.  The Red Tide in the Gulf of Mexico. The citrus that’s spoiling as it waits to be picked.   

 

All ways that Creation groans, waits, suffers and hopes that the glory of God will make itself known.

 

And how that glory is made known due in part to us, how we act, and we live.

 

Do we continue to relive the Cain and Abel narrative, killing our brother because we are jealous of their blessing?

 

Do we continue to attack, silence, and sell out our siblings because they have dreams and dress themselves up in bright colors?

 

Do we get so mad at our kin that we betray them for a few bucks, calling the authorities upon them so they can be publicly humiliated?

 

Notice that in Genesis 4, Genesis 37, Acts 1 it is not just an innocent person who suffers, it is not just the land who suffers, but it is also the jealous, the angry, and the betrayers who suffer as well.

 

Paul tells us today- it does not have to be this way. We do not have to be enslaved to sin.  We don’t have to live a life of constant fear.  Not does the earth always have to suffer.

 

Because in Christ we have been adopted by God.  Because of Christ we are set free from sins hold upon us.  Because of Christ we are inheritors of Heaven.

 

Because of Christ, we can now choose to do what is right, what is good, so that not only do we exceed and find relief, but so do our sisters, so do our brothers, and so does the earth.

 

For as we embrace the gifts of grace, the gifts of grace also greet the ground, the water, the air.

 

And all of us, man, woman, plant, animal, element, experience the New Life found in Christ.

 

For that, let us say “Amen.”

Haitian Flag Day Celebration/Inspiration May 21, 2023; Romans 6:1-4

 

Rev. George Miller

May 21, 2023

Romans 6:1-4

 

Once upon a time, in a land surrounded by the sea, was a plantation owned by Big Papa.

 

Big Papa was a generous man, a fair man, a person of benevolence and grace.

 

Big Papa had two sons- Montague and Dominic, and they were surrounded with everything you could ever need-

 

cassava, plantain, arabica coffee and rice.

 

But Montague wanted more.

 

He went to Big Papa and said “I want to see the world, give me my inheritance so I can leave this place.”

 

Big Papa knew what the world beyond the sea was like, but he would not deny his son the freedom of choice. 

 

So Montague left Big Papa’s plantation, crossing the sea, and coming to the place Bullbancha.

 

In Bullbancha, Montague got to do all the things he wanted to do-

 

kiss all the girls he wanted to kiss, eat all the food and drink all the drinks his belly desired. 

 

He stayed up late and woke up each afternoon in a different bed, never working a day.

 

While his brother Dominic worked on Big Papa’s plantation across the sea, Montague was in Bullbancha stuffing his face with beignets, etouffee, and chicory cafécito.

 

Eventually, all of Montague’s money was gone.  He spent every cent of Big Papa’s inheritance on rich food and wild women.

 

Then a famine came across Bullbancha and he became hungry, so hungry he found himself eating mud cookies; so hungry he found himself going to the voodoo shops, begging their gods for help.

 

So hungry he hired himself out to feed stinky, smelly pigs, the lowest kind of work possible.

 

One day, while Montague was covered in pig stink and his stomach rumbling, he thought “Back across the sea is Big Papa’s plantation, and he is so generous and good to everyone.”

 

Montague said to himself “I will go back to Big Papa’s house and say-

‘Papa, I have sinned against you.  I am unworthy of being called your son.  Treat me as someone who feeds your pigs.’”

 

With this plan in place, Montague left behind Bullbancha, sailed across the sea, and returned to the plantation where cassava, plantain and arabica coffee was plenty.

 

While Montague was at the very end of the plantation, acres and acres away, Big Papa saw his son’s skinny, sad and sickly body.

 

Filled with so much “compasion”, Big Papa ran down the road,  running so rapido to meet his son that swirls of dirt danced in the air.

 

The moment Big Papa got to his son, he shouted “Bienvenidos!”, put his fatherly arms around him and gave him many many kisses, besos and bisous (bee-zoo).

 

Montague said “Papa, I have made so many mistakes.  I am not worthy to be called your son.”

 

But before he could finish, Big Papa said to his staff  “Pronto- bring out the best robe, best ring and best chanclas!  Put them on my son’s feet.  Let us have a fiesta because my son who I thought was dead, is alive!”

 

“Let us eat well and celebrate because the one I thought was lost is found!”

 

Montague’s brother Dominic was busy in the field.  When he heard all that was happening, he was very upset, refusing to be happy.

 

He said to his father “Papa, I have always been here; I have always done what is good and yet you have never celebrated me.”

 

To which Big Papa, with so much love in his heart and compassion in his belly, said “Son, you have always been with me.  All my cassava, plantains and coffee bean are yours.”

 

“Today, we celebrate because your brother was dead but has come to life; he was lost but now is found.”

 

We share this modern retelling of Luke 15:11-32 for 3 reasons.

 

The first, is because we are honoring Haitian Flag Day and it is fun to image this infamous parable being set in the Jewel of the Antilles and New Orleans; to fill it with images from the Caribbean.

 

Second, the relationship of Montague, which is French for “hills” and Dominic is like that of Haiti and the Dominican Republic-

 

2 siblings that share the same spot in the sea, but can’t get along because of choices that have made over the centuries.

 

By celebrating Haitian Flag Day, we know that not only will healing come to the world when Haiti is no longer punished for their freedom,

 

But healing will also take place on the Island of Hispaniola when both the Haitian and Dominican nations can rectify their relationship as sisters and brothers of one land.

 

3^rd, this parable, originally told by Jesus, can be a perfect counterpart to today’s reading from Paul.

 

He is writing to Christian sisters and brothers who are starting to struggle with how very different they are.

 

He is writing to a church that is so diverse that it seems as if each person has their own belief on who their heavenly Papa is, and therefore their own unique relationship with Big Papa.

 

Trying to make sense of justification by faith and the gift of God’s amazing grace.

 

In fact, Paul is addressing an issue he witnessed at the Corithian church- there are people who are misunderstanding and abusing God’s grace.

 

People are hearing from Paul how amazing grace is, and they want more and more of God’s grace…

 

…so some folk are saying “Hey!  If we sin more, we’ll get more grace!  If we do more bad things, then God will give us more and more of God’s inheritance.”

 

To which Paul does his best to put a stop there.  He basically says “Listen, you may think you have found a loophole, but you’ve actually found a dead end.”

 

“Sure, you could go on sinning and sinning and sinning some more…but do you really want to?”

 

“Would intentionally living a life of broken hearts and bad ways really bring you more joy?  Would it truly make you feel like the Heavenly Citizen you are?”

 

The people think they are so smart that they can outwit the Gospel, but Paul brings them back to Jesus, back to their baptism.

 

Paul says to all the smarty pants who think they can pull one over on God-

 

“Hey- when you chose to be baptized, you chose to die in Christ, which means you chose to die to the ways of sin.”

 

Paul says to them “Because of your baptism, you are not as enslaved to sin.  You have choices.  You can decide to do that which brings you more life and good heart.”

 

Paul is fighting for people who don’t want to fight for themselves.

 

He is saying “You are not as helpless or out of control as you think.  You can choose to do the right thing.”

 

Paul is saying “You can choose to walk Heaven’s Path because through Christ you are dead to the world’s wrongful ways.”  

 

Do you know what this reminds me of?  Today’s story.

 

Today’s story ends with Montague coming back to Big Papa and receiving the gift of grace.

 

But what if a few months later Montague decided to go back to Bullbancha?

 

What if Montague decided that things weren’t that bad and he went back to a life of beignets and etouffee, late nights and wild living until eventually he was back to eating mud cookies, seeking voodoo doctors, and feeding pigs?

 

What if Montague decided to go back to the plantation?  Would Big Papa welcome him back with hugs and besos?

 

Of course Big Popa would.

 

What if Montague was to do this again and again? 

 

Would he be welcomed back?  Of course.

 

But would all those sad trails and broken hearts bring him joy?  Would all those mud cookies and

rough mornings make him happy?

 

At what point do our tragic mistakes, our harmful ways, not only take a toll on us, but a toll on our family?

 

How many times could Montague travel to Bullbancha before something tragic, something irreversible, something so so sad happens that he can no longer recognize his father’s face?

 

In Luke 15, Jesus tells us a parable about a son who chose to squander his inheritance and discovers that his Father would still be there to greet and love him.

 

Today, In Romans 6 we learn that God does not want us to suffer in sin, that we don’t have to go back to the ways of death to experience the gift of life.

 

Today, Paul tells us that because of our baptism in Christ, we are alive in him and set free from the traps of sin.

 

In Christ, we are not meant to covered by the filth of swine, but we are meant to be jewels that shine bright with the Gospel.

 

Amen and amen.