A Sloppy Track


Reflections on Acts of the Apostles Chapters 15-17

This past Saturday was the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby.  As with all outdoor events, it is at the mercy of Mother Nature, and sometimes she doesn’t seem to care that the humans prefer sunny, dry weather.  However, a certain horse named Justified was the odds-on favorite to win if it was a sloppy track.  And indeed it was.  Rain poured down for most of the day and it didn’t stop by the time the big race was scheduled to start.  The track was a sloppy as I have ever seen a horse race track be.  Justified loved it – and won.

It seems counter-intuitive to me that such adverse conditions could led to victory.  What I would consider ideal conditions (sunny, warm but not hot, dry) was the complete opposite of what made Justified thrive.  The reality is that “ideal” conditions are rare – there is always something that is a bit sloppy or not exactly to our liking.  What is important is how we choose to act in those situations, and not just survive, but thrive and maybe even “win” (more on that later).

More often than not, ministry happens on a sloppy track.  Most of the Book of Acts are descriptions of ministry situations that were sloppy, but (thanks be to God) most are redeemed and the Holy Spirit is victorious.  In Chapter 15, we hear of a theological crisis from the early Church of whether or not Gentiles who join The Way need to be circumcised.  As a woman, this whole argument seems a bit silly (to be honest) as it has absolutely no effect on me, but it was important to the powers that be at the time, so it became a thing.  Peter reminds those assembled that the Holy Spirit was given to some Gentiles even BEFORE they were baptized, so if the Holy Spirit found them worthy with no other requirements, why should they.  Paul, Barnabas, James and Simeon all offer their testimony to support Peter’s recommendation, and it is agreed – for the most part.

Just when things seem to be going well, Paul and Barnabas have a falling out over John called Mark. Paul thinks he is unreliable after abandoning them on their first mission trip, but Barnabas (being Barnabas) sticks up for the underdog and supports his reconciliation – Mark had the guts to come back!  Since they can’t reconcile the issue, they go their separate ways, which is sloppy and sad, but sometimes it is for the best.

In Chapter 16 we meet Timothy for the first time (two letter from Paul addressed to him are part of the New Testament Epistles).  His mother is Jewish, but his father is Greek, and even though Jewish heritage is recognized through the mother, he was not circumcised.  Paul decides that since so many people know Timothy’s father is Greek, it would be a detriment to his ministry if he wasn’t circumcised, so Timothy is.  Talk about a sloppy mess!  Technically Timothy isn’t a Gentile, so this action doesn’t countermand what the apostles decided in Chapter 15, but it does seem strange at first glance to require poor Timothy to go through circumcision as an adult.  However, Paul recognizes that this small sacrifice will allow Timothy to be accepted AND have authority in his community (rather than just being a follower), so the pain is worth the gain.  But it is still messy!

While Paul, Silas and Timothy are in Thyatira, they get into another sloppy situation because Paul gets “annoyed” (16:18) with a slave-girl possessed by a spirit that recognizes them as belonging to the Most High God.  In his annoyance, Paul commands the spirit to come out of the girl in the name of Jesus Christ, which it does and leave the girl unable to be of service to her masters who made lots of money exploiting her ability of fortune-telling.  Paul, Silas and Timothy are beaten and thrown in jail by an anger mob as a result.  Fortunately, an earthquake brakes open the jail and their chains, but instead of escaping, they witness to the jailer, who declares his faith in Jesus.  The situation gets more convoluted when the leaders realize that they jail Roman citizens without a trail, so they apologize and politely escort them out of town.

What is important to remember in all these stories is that the apostles kept their faith in the worse set of circumstances.  They could have given up or run away in fear, but they didn’t.  They persevered and were supported.  It wasn’t easy, but they thrived in the midst of their hardships.

This is the important message of the Acts of the Apostles – to keep the faith especially when the going gets tough.  How do we do that in our lives today?  What challenges our faith?  How do we understand God at work in our lives when life gets sloppy?  It is important to reflect on the questions so that when live is sloppy, we can endure and thrive ourselves.  Just like Justified.

With Easter Joy,
Rev. Valerie+

PS – Thursday, May 10th is Ascension Day, which is one of those forgotten Christian Holy Days that has much significance.  Forty days after Jesus’s resurrection, he is taken up into heaven as the culmination of the Incarnation.  At Christmas we celebrate God becoming human and on Ascension we celebrate Jesus’s humanity returning to the Godhead.  Wow!

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