Are you drunk on Christianity?

An Amazing Partner — An Amazing People:
I want to begin our study with some comments made by the famous British preacher G. Campbell Morgan — he writes about the accusation leveled at the Spirit-filled disciples on the day of Pentecost — the accusation of many in the crowd was that the Spirit-filled disciples were — drunk!

Morgan writes:

"[Carefully consider] Peter's answer to the accusations — 'These are not drunk as ye suppose' — that is, in the way you think. Compare this with Paul's injunction in Ephesians 5:18 — "Don't be drunk on wine — but be filled with the Spirit." The one is a false and destructive method of attempting to realize life in its fullness. The other is the true and effective method.

Has anyone ever charged you with being drunk with your Christianity? O God, how seldom men have thought us drunk. We lack the flashing eye, and the pulsating song, and the tremendous enthusiasm of an overwhelming conviction. That is what the city needs to ... create the opportunity for prophetic proclamation!

The church's responsibility is that her members be so Spirit-filled that the Spirit may be able to produce the new phenomena required to startle this age. The church has been far more anxious about wealth, and theologies, and organizations, than about the Spirit ... what's the use of preaching when the world is not amazed?"

Pentecost Last Year

Here is what I was thinking about last year. There is a also some neat artwork by Ian McKillop to check out.

What is it all about?

Diocese of East Tennessee: Sunday Lectionary Readings:

"Today’s readings examine the role of an apostle of Jesus Christ. In Acts, the eleven remaining apostles welcome Matthias as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection. The author of 1 John asserts that those who acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God will abide in God and God in them. In today’s gospel, Jesus prays for his followers’ sanctification in the truth of God’s word."

How about unity? In the gospel it is clear Jesus' main concern is unity. I've always thought the passion of his prayer in "Jesus Christ Superstar" is closer to the truth than the calm prayer used in the great passion plays down by Branson MO.

He is concerned that his friends live out what he's been living and teaching infront of them, especially in the farewell discourse of the past few weeks.

Judas is a character central to Jesus Christ Superstar. He is the contrast to the unity Jesus prayed for. What an instrument of God - damned for the plan of God. Will the body be able to survive the betrayal? How many times do we face the story again and again in the church? I'm not sure such betrayals continue to be the will of God, or simply a fact of life, but we deal with them weekly it seems. In Acts the body is continuing on in unity. It is interesting that this buisness precedes the Gift of the Father. Perhaps it is not as mundane as it seems on the surface, the unity of the 12 must be restored for them to be in "one accord." The Spirit is involved and trusted in the casting of the Lot. Oh, that church politics were left to God so simply now.

John writes about the unity of our witness in his epistle. In it he echos the Psalmist. "Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son," he says. The Psalmist tells us,

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.

John says it this way, "And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."

Extolling God

Ray was caught by the word “Extol.”

Acts 10:46 says, “they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.”

The Psalmist says, “O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!”

John calls us “friends” of Jesus, a term he uses when talking about the best man at the wedding feast. He extols his friend in his toasts and duties.

1 John tells us the Spirit testifies with us. It is as the people in the house of Cornelius were filled with the spirit that they extolled God.

The word “extol” is the same term Mary uses in the magnificat, “Magnify the Lord.”

How do you magnify one who is bigger than creation? It must be in our experience. It is by loving, obeying him.

In this farewell discourse we see the church as the beloved community. The disciples are his dear friends. If we would be his friends we should obey his commands.

Cliff was caught by that “if.” Does it mean that Jesus’ friendship with us is conditional? Or does it mean that it is the friends joy to obey. A friend wouldn’t dream of ignoring his dear friend’s dying wish. His servant only does what his duty requires, his friend does all he can from the love of Him.

Resurrection Ethics

From a sermon at laughingbird.net

In Jesus Christ, God is doing things in radically new ways. The fear of death is broken, the powers of evil have been disarmed. We no longer need to live life cautiously protecting ourselves against anything about which we are not absolutely sure. Those things which are different from us or outside our experience need no longer be treated with suspicion. We are now free to live in radical openness to the unlimited scope of the all inclusive love of God. We are free to celebrate with whoever is celebrating the welcome they have found in Christ. And we are free to follow Christ in loving others, openly and generously, and to allow the rest of our moral discernment to flow out of that instead of being dictated by timid legalism.

Christ is risen, and the fear of death is broken. Christ is risen, and the powers of evil have been disarmed. Christ is risen and is coming in glory to remove every trace of corruption from the earth, leaving only that which is born of the Spirit and baptised in God’s love. This is the faith of the church. This is the faith in which we stand. Alleluia!

Overview

www.etdiocese.net

Today’s readings urge believers to come together in a community characterized by love. In Acts 11 (BCP) Luke describes how, in Antioch, the Christian community expands to include Gentiles. In his sermon in Acts 10 (RCL), Peter tells Cornelius of God’s work in Jesus Christ, thus opening the doors of the Church to Gentiles. The author of 1 John describes Jesus as God’s love for us, and calls us to embrace one another in that love. In the gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that they have been chosen to love one another; in this they will find perfect joy.

Dylan - mother's day and abiding

It's just not our culture's way of reckoning things. We appreciate our mothers, and I do think that we tend not to appreciate them anywhere near enough. But every Mother's Day, I think also of all my friends, acquaintances, and fellow or former parishioners who feel judged as a failure by everyone around them because they don't have our culture's ideal: a lawfully married spouse (or at least a life partner) and kids, preferably living in a well-kept house the adults own. The floral-industrial complex -- and far too many Mother's Day sermons -- leave them out entirely.
And then I think about some other mothers who won't be getting flowers, breakfast in bed, or ice cream cakes this Sunday. I think about mothers in Darfur facing agonizing decisions about which of their children to feed. I think about a mother in Zimbabwe I read about recently in the newspaper who wonders who will care for her children once the menengitis she's suffering from -- a treatable condition, but she can't afford the treatment -- takes her from them. And as much as I want to love and appreciate and honor the women in my community who give of themselves to love and nurture the children I see playing in the aisles of the church during the Eucharist on Sunday morning, I want to pose the question that seems unthinkable in our culture, and especially on this Sunday:
What if we saw every mama as our own mother or sister? What if we welcomed and nourished and stood up for every child as if each one was our very own flesh? Jesus' love -- the love we have received, and therefore are equipped to live out and pass along to our world -- is such that he said, "I will not leave you orphaned"; instead, he gave us an Advocate, the Holy Spirit of truth. And this week particularly, my heart breaks for all of those children who will be orphaned today, and tomorrow, and the next day, and Sunday.