Here at the end of Acts, the narrative of the first church, the author Luke leaves us hanging on to hope and unsure of the future. We know that we are the next chapter, the church continued in the power of the Holy Spirit, commissioned to be Christ's witnesses to the ends of the earth (1:8). As we close this story of the first Christians and gain a vision for what God is calling us (the church) to today, I find these hopeful and releasing thoughts very helpful:
"Acts is not a manual with blueprints and a set of instructions on how to be a church. Acts is not a utopian fantasy on what a perfect church would look like. Acts is a detailed story of the ways in which the first church became a church. A story is not a script to be copied. A story develops a narrative sense in us so that, alert to the story of Jesus, we will be present and obedient and believing as we participate in the ways that the Holy Spirit is forming the Jesus life in us. The plot (Jesus) is the same. But the actual places and circumstances and names will be different and form a narrative that is unique to our time and place, circumstances and people.
"Churches are not franchises to be reproduced as exactly as possible wherever and whenever – in Rome, and Moscow, and London and Baltimore – the only thing changed being the translation of the menu.
"But if we don’t acquire a narrative sense, a story sense, with the expectation that we are each one of us uniquely ourselves – participants in the unique place and time and weather of where we live and worship – we will always be looking somewhere else or to a different century for a model by which we can be an authentic and biblical church. The usefulness of Acts as a story, and not a prescription or admonition, is that it keeps us faithful to the plot, Jesus, and at the same time free to respond out of our own circumstances and obedience. " (Eugene Peterson, The Pastor: A Memoir )Peterson's point here hits me in a tender place as I continue to struggle with the church and my role. The church is to be a hostage for hope - not a hostage to a model, a curriculum, or a personality - and that hope is only found in Jesus. I have been the worst offender in looking for the perfect blueprint. Paul's call to hope here is a call to a new vision for the church - the Body of Christ. Peterson's words tie well into Crabb's definition of vision for the church:
"When people connect with each other on the basis of a vision for who they are and what they could become; when we see in others what little of Jesus has already begun to form beneath the insecurity, fear and pride; when we long beyond anything else to see that little bit of Jesus develop and mature; then something is released from within us that has the power to form more of Jesus within them. That power is the life of Christ, carried into another soul across the bridge of our vision for them, a life that touches the life in another with nourishing power. Vision for others both bridges the distance between two souls and triggers the release of the power within us." (Larry Crabb, The Connecting Church)That's being a hostage for hope in Christ alone. As we finish our reading of the book of Acts, how has your vision for the church changed or deepened or strengthened?
2 comments:
Maybe it's just me, but this journey through Acts has seemed like a really long one and has surfaced many different emotions in me.
The fix-it, everything in its place side of me is overwhelmed by the seemingly disorganized nature of the Church as the Spirit of God led Paul and the early followers. But I know that response is triggered by my sinful desire for control in situations that are unpredictable and unsafe.
Part of me wants life in the church to be much more structured and controlled, but most of me is amazed by the freedom that God gives His people. As Peterson says, Acts is a story, not a script for us to follow. And I love the idea that the Body of Christ is to be a hostage of hope, not to personalities or music styles or methodologies.
Acts has reminded me that my job is to follow Jesus in community with others and to allow the Holy Spirit to form the life of Jesus in me. It's not to demand that everyone else conform to my way of following Jesus.
Loved reading acts alongside you sisters!
Thanks for sharing your meditations about acts, even this blog today and the comment!
Love thinking about how when I started reading Acts I was just critical of how the churches around me or I'm involved with or the ministries and community of believers around me don't look like Acts 2 churches. My heart attitude was not hope-filled but discouraged. But by continuing to read through Acts- I think I just am now more encouraged to see how the Holy Spirit leads and revives and builds churches. How God is the One who saves and grows the church.
Really so encouraged too by following Paul's radical life in Acts and how God used him and his desire to love Him and share Him with others regardless of if he was in chains, saying goodbye to dear friends/believers, going from place or place or strengthening believers. It's just such a different perspective to think... "I don't have to copy this to do what God wants and be a part of Him growing the churches. All ministries and churches don't have to look like this. They just have to be in the same way centered on, focused on and relying on Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. The Lord will lead and move and transform the churches of the world, and moreso people's heart towards Him."
Reminded and challenged to just also be in community- whatever community it is and look for Jesus. And ask for Jesus to be in it. Ask for the Holy Spirit to lead and have more confidence and thankfulness for what God has planned- as we follow Him- not my plans. His are bigger and better and what will happen anyway. Definitely a big heart check/challenge/encouragement reading slowly through Acts. It's not just a bunch of little stories to me anymore- it's a bigger bigger part of this grand story- this grand plan!
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