A Step on the Way
November 3, 2013 | Patrick Preheim
In the order of books as they appear in our Bibles “Acts of the Apostles” is the last one written in narrative form. I love stories. I love the hyperbole of biblical history, the provocative nature of the parables, the meaning underneath the myths. And I intentionally use the term myth.
As far as I can recall none of our preachers have taken time to explain the way we often read the biblical stories. The importance of clarifying my methodology has been heightened for me in the last few weeks. I have heard multiple accounts of friends and family members who feel as if they must choose to believe in either science or the faith tradition. The assumption is that science and faith are incompatible. I suspect this quandary arises because some people think the Bible is to be read as a history textbook or a science report. The biblical story tellers and canon compilers would be, I am sure, dismayed if they knew of this situation. The biblical narratives are much more powerful than history or science. They are myth.
The word myth is controversial, but I don’t have a better term. We often use the word “myth” to mean something that is untrue. Anthropologists and sociologists, however, use it to mean a story or a ritual that helps give meaning. Alan Watts defined myth in this way: “a complex of stories—some no doubt fact, and some fantasy” which demonstrate the inner meaning of the universe and of human life (Myth and Ritual in Christianity, p.7). Joseph Campbell succinctly, and rather opaquely, defined myths as “clues to the spiritual potentialities of the human life” (Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth with Bill Moyers, p. 5). Bill Moyers puts it more plainly, “Myths are stories of our search through the ages for truth, for meaning, for significance. We...all need help in our passages from birth to life and then to death” (Ibid). According to Moyers, mythic stories help us make meaning as we transition through life stages.
I ramble on about myth for once again we are exploring a book of the bible with some pretty wild stuff. Tongues of fire descend upon the disciples (2.3); the Holy Spirit offers instantaneous and simultaneous linguistic translation of Peter’s sermon (2.14); 3,000 are baptized in one day (2.41)—all of this in chapter 2 with it getting crazier from there on out. The lame are healed (3.7). Ananias and Sapphira are smote dead after lying (5.5,10). Doors are angelically opened freeing imprisoned apostles (5.19). The Spirit dramatically teleports Philip from Gaza to Azotus (8.39). On the Damascus road lights and voices burst from heaven showering down upon Saul (9.3-4). Visions are given (10.11; 16.9). Earthquakes rock prisons (16.26). Exorcisms happen. Poisonous snakes bite with no ill effect. And on and on. The underlying message of these stories in Acts is that the mission of God will be infused with the power of the Risen Christ. Nothing will be able to stop the Spirit’s work of reconciliation—not barriers of language, not prisons, not poisons, not divisions, not lying and cheating church people, not martyrdom, not storms on the seas...nothing. The power of myth allows us to take these stories, some of which really happened and others of which are fantasy, for interpreting the Spirit’s work in our world.
The Way is a term used often in Acts to describe the Spirit led movement which came to be called Christianity (9.2, 18.25-26, 19.9, 19.23, 22.4, 24.14, 24.22 ). We who have committed ourselves to the Way about which Acts speaks had better pay attention. We had better put on our seat belts and buckle on our helmets because the ride will be one to remember. When we give ourselves to the Way the maimed will be healed. Locked doors will be opened. Social reconciliation will happen. Conversions of the most hard hearted and antagonistic will take place. The power of the risen Christ will work through us and in spite of us. All of it for the glory of God and for service to our neighbour. All we need to do to experience these miracles is step out on the Way. The power of myth is that we are allowed to locate our story within these larger stories of the faith. This, in turn, empowers us to view the present with a different set of lenses. I ran across a short article in one of the periodicals to which we subscribe that made me think of Acts.
“Buying local” can help reduce a shopper’s carbon footprint. It can also unify warring neighbors—such as Israelis and Palestinians now working under the radar of big business and government officials to form organic food co-ops. The goal: Avoid pesticides and circum-vent the military closures, which keep most Palestinian produce from getting to Israeli markets.
To do so, groups of Israelis buy produce directly from Palestinian organic farmers in West Bank villages and then sell it to a network of people in Israel who are interested in buying “green market.” For some, the appeal is the organic farming techniques. For others, it is...a vote against the policy of “separation” that the Israeli government has pursued...Though instituted in the name of security, it has been deeply damaging to the Palestinian economy.
IIan Shtayer goes weekly to the village of Wadi Fukin to buy produce for scores of Israeli families. He once got detained by the army for trying to bring in loads of eggs without a permit. But other than that, he usually gets through the checkpoints because he’s not traveling in a massive commercial truck. “For me, it’s an opportunity to meet each other...The government policy is to try [to] cut off all contacts between us, and that’s something we don’t want to give in to,” he says.
Ilene Prusher, “Markets without borders” in The Christian Science Monitor Weekly (June 14, 2009)
The Spirit finds a way through checkpoints. The Spirit finds a way around walls. The Spirit finds a way to bring jailer and jailed together. The Spirit finds a way. The Way carries some risk, but it is exciting stuff, no?
Back to Acts. It is important to note that from the perspective of Acts it is the quality of the vision which a missionary group serves that will determine if the Spirit works for it or against it. In the narrative there are a number of examples in which the Spirit blocks a mission contrary to God’s purpose (Ananias and Sapphira hoarding resources which resulted in death (5.5,10); the magician Bar-Jesus trying to block Apostolic work which resulted in blindness. (13.11); the insistence upon the Judification of Gentile converts which resulted in the Spirit anointing Gentiles who then spoke in tongues (10.46)), but I will not go into those cases. On a positive note, the Spirit undergirds work that is deemed holy. And what exactly constitutes holy work?
Back in Luke’s gospel John the Baptist cries in the Wilderness that “all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (3.6). Not just some flesh, but ALL flesh. Through the remainder of Luke Jesus enacts this project in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. In Acts (written by the same author (Acts 1.1) the Spirit of Jesus takes this mission beyond Palestine into the rest of the known world so that indeed ALL flesh might see the salvation of God.
The ALL in Luke-Acts becomes clear as we consider the stories. Jesus and his Spirit reconcile the nations; so we have positive stories about Roman Centurions (Lk 7.2, Acts 10.1, 27.31), Samaritans (Lk 10.33), and Ethiopians (Acts 10.27). Jesus and his Spirit reconcile the genders; so we often have stories which pair male and female characters: Simeon with Anna, Simon the Pharisee with a sinful woman, Jarius the synagogue leader with a woman suffering a flow of blood, a Philippian jailer with Lydia (Acts ch 16), Pricilla with Aquilla (Acts ch 18), and so on. Jesus and his Spirit reconcile the rich and poor; so we have positive stories about the likes of Zacchaeus, Joseph of Arimathea, the sharing of goods mentioned (twice in Acts 2.45, 4.35); appointment of deacons to serve the poor widows (Acts 6.1-4), and so forth.
The first and last stories of Acts underscore this business of ALL flesh seeing the salvation of God. On the cover of our bulletins we find a wonderful little map depicting the nations present in Acts 2. We notice that every country surrounding Jerusalem has descended upon the city for the festival of Pentecost. Jerusalem is the centre of this world with all the nations having gathered together for a celebration. And then the Holy Spirit descends, Peter preaches, 3000 tourists are baptized, and by week’s end they have returned home. These 3000 newly baptized persons from the far reaches of the earth become the welcoming committee for the apostolic mission as it spreads throughout the world. This story is, I believe, to be paired with the sailors from this morning’s scripture out of Acts 27.
Acts 27—one of my favorite stories. (Apostle Geschichte is the German name for Acts). We have a boat full of pagan sailors, the Apostle Paul, and a sympathetic centurion. The boat hit heavy weather and things looked bad. An angel appeared to Paul reassuring him that none would be lost, or in other words all would be saved. Several sailors tried sneaking away on their own, and Paul clarified that ALL must remain on board or none would be saved. And then Paul did something truly shocking. He offered the substantial crew something substantial to strengthen them. He took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread, and passed it around. Do we hear the sacramental words and cadence? The language Paul used on the boat closely resembles the words of Jesus at Emmaus, at the Last Supper, at the feeding of the 5000. The language convinces me. I think Paul offered the body of Christ to believer and unbeliever so that ALL might be saved. And, indeed, ALL are saved. Wow, a story of mythic proportions!!!
The quality of the vision will determine the success of the mission. The preached Good News of Jesus Christ, a social Gospel, and an unrestricted distribution of Christ’s body is the vision of Acts which the Spirit invigorates.
We at Nutana Park Mennonite have been reflecting on the ways we might contextualize this vision of Acts. Like the apostles we will be called to use words and get active. To that end the Deacon Board has drafted the Visionary Intentions which appear as a bulletin insert. We are testing the language which will clarify our direction, explain our action to others, and be used to evaluate our worship and service. Take a moment to read through them. [significant pause] The quality of the vision will determine the success of the mission. How do these stand up when compared to Acts? Do these preach Christ crucified and raised? Do these strive to heal social divisions? Do they extend the body of Christ to believer and unbeliever alike?
One final point must be made about the book of Acts and our living into it. There will be resistance. In a presentation on the Powers and Principalities last spring, retired Methodist bishop, teacher, and author William Willimon made an observation that supports what we find in the book of Acts. The Powers and Principalities don’t spend much energy in those places where nothing is going on. Where Jesus is changing lives and the social fabric is being healed, however, they will resist (“Survival of the Weakest: Amidst the Powers” (April 13, 2013) at Lakeview Church, Saskatoon). His word to us was one of comfort and warning. Be comforted if you are trying to do good things in the world and are facing a bit of adversity. And be warned that if you are trying to say and do good things in the world you will likely face resistance.
Individuals and faith communities deeply rooted in God and the mythic stories will weather these difficulties even as the early church survived their controversies, persecutions and storms. It is, none the less, good to be warned about the consequences of stepping out on the Way. It is also good to be reminded that nothing will be able to stop the Spirit’s work of reconciliation. God’s kingdom will one day be fully realized on earth as it is in heaven. People of faith and courage contribute to that transformation, so let us partner boldly with the Spirit.
Amen.
