Conversion as a Transformed Vision of Power and Authority- by Rev. Jacob P.Thomas, Gurukul

Text: Acts 19:1-20

The narration of conversion of Paul is thrice repeated in the Acts of Apostles in chapters 9, 22 and 26. It means that it is an important model event of transformation that runs through the whole Lukan narration of the life and conversions of the early church and gives the reader a vantage point to see how a new power discourse rooted in the divine help the transformation of persons. The Conversion of Paul signifies very clearly a change of perception in the understanding of power. We read in the passage that Saul had secured power and authority to persecute the Christians living in the midst of diaspora Jews in Damascus. Power is an important theme that is substantially dealt within the Lukan writings on the history of early church. There are instances of misunderstanding the divine power in other writings of Luke in Acts. There is mention about a certain Simon the magician in Samaria in Acts 8: 18ff trying to bribe Peter and John to receive the power of God. This perception of commoditized and commercialized power stands against the biblical understanding of power as something coming from God and going back to God. Peter and John are seen rebuking Simeon for reducing God’s power of transformation as something transactional in monetary terms. For young Saul power and authority meant the official consent to destroy that which is different and hence threatening to the homogenized religiosity of Jews. His intention was therefore to manipulate the power entrusted to earthly institutions such as High Priest by God to torture the poor followers of Christ, which was originally meant to exercise its resources and power to the service of the poor and marginalised. The biblical revelation of divine always occurs in the context of persecution due to the hegemonic build up of power dictating the destiny for certain people by tampering with their future that God offers them. The divine revelation to Moses and therefore to the Hebrew people is an instance of a counter discourse of power rooted in the divine to that of the hegemonic power imposed on them by Pharaoh. God intervenes in such situations by blinding those who wield power to destroy people. This blinding is not simply to destroy them but to help them have self reflexive introspection to deconstruct the hegemonic notions of power. If somebody is not able to manage this blindness in creative ways that will lead them to total destruction as it had happened in the case of the Pharaoh. Here in this passage revelation of Jesus, whom Paul was trying to persecute, is the revelation of divine power that would counter the power that destroys the different expressions of faith other than Jewish, in God. The blindness that engulfs Paul is too symbolic that it primarily denotes a divine interference with the power discourses that unmindfully destroys the lives of innocent people. And it also signifies the veiling of common sense perceptions on power as something repressing the differences and the opportunity for self reflexivity and new insights for those who exercise power.

Paul’s conversion ultimately is a change in perception of power that he exercised. He could understand that it is not a license to manipulate situations to push through someone’s selfish agendas. But it is the resourcefulness God entrusts someone to fulfill the divine imperatives that is linked to the building up of lives of the poor and marginalised. Thus Paul a staunch practitioner of Pharisaic faith transforms to the apostle of Gentiles, a servant of God ready to sacrifice his very own life to extend God’s love to the people beyond the boundaries of Palestine to the ends of earth.

Our call as servants of God today involves this aspect of managing the power and authority in the respective responsibilities we undertake or going to undertake. What will be modality in which we are going to deal with such situations of exercising power and authority? Is it the modality of Jesus who had seen his authority as the freedom to cross the repressive boundaries that created and sustained by the hegemonic power discourses of his time and dared to be called the friend of the sinners? Is it the modality of Paul who saw power and authority as the freedom to reach out the people beyond the boundaries of the conventional salvation history in divine compassion and love and dared to be called the apostle of the gentiles? Power is bivalent in the sense that it is both repressive and creative. It is our perception of power that is going to decide how we are going to use power. Are we realizing divine interventions in our midst many a time blinding us so that we may respond with kind and constructive acts rooted in a transformed vision of power and authority that God entrusts us? May the triune God initiate such transformed visions of power and authority in us. Amen.

[Rev.Jacob P.Thomas, the leader of this meditation, is a final year MTh (Missiology) student in Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute.]

"Reception of Holy Spirt" by Gorder Wise, Gurukul

Text: Acts 10: 44 ff

The reading from Acts relates the Gentiles’ reception of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues after Peter’s preaching in the home of the Roman centurion Cornelius. It illustrates not only the action of the Holy Spirit in spreading the Christian mission to “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8) but also the theme of equal footing for all who receive baptism. The Gentiles, baptized by the Holy Spirit as were the Jewish Christians at Pentecost, are in no way eminent from those initial believers who were sharing secret knowledge to God’s revelation to Israel.

The significance of the event is not exhausted on the Jewish believers who went with Peter. They were "surprised", because the Spirit came on the Gentiles in exactly the same way as He had come on the apostles at Pentecost; they "heard them speaking in tongues and praising God", (2:11). The phrase "praising God" literally means "magnifying God", which probably support with the description given on the day of Pentecost, "speaking.... the mighty acts of God." The Spirit's coming on the Gentiles in exactly the same way as on the apostles, removes any doubt that the doors of the kingdom are now open for Gentiles as well as Jews. In fact, this sign further proof the presence of the kingdom.  Again, we are unsure what "speaking in tongues" was like. Clearly there is language content to the experience, in that the onlookers heard them "glorifying God". In fact, the experience probably paralleled Pentecost where "each one heard them speaking in their own language."

Now, the Holy Spirit comes, as a “gift” on all present, “even on the Gentiles”: to the surprise of the Jewish Christians “who had come with Peter”. “Speaking in tongues” is a sign of the presence of the Spirit. The pouring out of the Spirit and baptism are closely associated in Acts; here baptism follows the coming of the Spirit. Peter’s question amounts to: we Jewish Christians received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2: 14; now these Gentiles have received it, so surely they can be baptized. During his stay, Peter presumably ate with these non-Jews. God has given the Gentiles “the same gift that he gave us when we believed” so who was I to stand in God’s way? As we see in Jesus’ discourse with Nicodemus, Jesus tells him that ‘… the wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit”. The Holy Spirit is poured on whom God wishes. It is not a human effort to receive Holy Spirit. It is a free gift of God for to bring glory to God. Jesus explained that we cannot control the work of the Holy Spirit. He works in ways we cannot predict or understand.

What makes this biblical account noteworthy in the studies of Baptism and Salvation is that neither Cornelius, nor his household have been baptized; yet, they are guaranteed their heavenly inheritance by, and have received gifts of, the Holy Spirit. We know they have not been baptized from Acts 10:47-48,

- - " Can anyone forbid water that these, who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we, should not be baptized? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord."

Acts 10, Cornelius & his household, and Luke 23, the crucified thief, disprove the assertions, and teachings, of some Churches & Denominations, that to be saved you must be baptized.

Although salvation is not obtained through baptism, the Bible clearly teaches, that in the normal course of events, if you are saved, you are required to be baptized as a matter of obedience to Our Lord & Savior Jesus, Christ. Amen.

  [ W.Gorder Wise, the preacher of this sermon is a third year BD student in Gurukul Lutheran Theological College ans Research Institute, Chennai, India.]

Characteristics of presenting the gospel- by G. Vasthi Charisma, BD IV

Text: Acts 22 :22 – 23:11

Once there was a Brahmin poojari, who heard about Jesus, and respected Jesus so much that he went in search of Jesus to a church. He took a flower basket, a bell and camphor with him. He reverently entered the church, and came to the altar, kept the flower basket near the altar, and started worshiping by lighting the camphor and ringing the bell, as he used to do in the temple. On hearing this, the pastor came and he was shocked on seeing this. He shouted to stop the pooja and said this is not the Christian way of worshiping. On hearing the pastor’s rebuke, the poojari was very much offended and he told the Pastor that he was honouring Jesus in the way which he knew. But the pastor did not listen to him and said, he’s profaning the holy place. On this the poojari went away silently thinking that ‘My Jesus is not here in this Church.’

This may be an imaginative story but this is what would happen in reality if at all. The background of this passage also reflects the same thing. Here we see Paul coming to Jerusalem temple to take over purification rites and when it was over, the problem started.  Already the Jews were angry on Paul, on hearing that he was preaching a different doctrine from theirs. So when the Jews saw him in the temple, they caught hold of him and plotted to kill him. On seeing this, the Roman soldiers rescued Paul from the Mob and brought him bound up into the fortress to know what crime he had done. When he was taken in, Paul asks permission to the tribune to speak to the people and thus began addressing the crowd in Hebrew. So the people who were shouting became very quiet when they heard him speak in Hebrew. So they all became quiet listening to him and he was explaining to them about his Apostolic call. When he mentioned as in vs.21 that the Lord has sent him to the Gentiles as well, the crowd could no longer bear it and was asked for his head.

And this passage explains that, the tribune ordered Paul to be taken in and enquired by flogging. This is a Roman practice of punishing a criminal, tying him up to the poles and beating with a leather thong to which pieces of dry bones and metal pieces are attached. Many died during it and mostly crippled for life. This is a brutal way of punishing people. But here Paul defended himself by saying that he is a Roman citizen. And again when he was taken before the Sanhedrin, where Sadducees and Pharisees were present, he introduced himself to be a Pharisee and won the support of Pharisees thereby instigating conflict between the two groups. Again he was taken safely by the soldiers.

From these incidents I could not restrict myself in bringing two things that this passage as a whole would reflect. First is that,

In the beginning of this passage in vs .22 ff, explains clearly that the crowd were outrageous, pent up with anger on Paul, that they tore their clothes and threw dust into the air, and shouted that Paul should not live anymore. What was the reason for their sudden change and anger?

Its nothing but the mention of ‘Gentiles.’ They listened to him quietly till his mention of the Gentiles. They burst out into anger when they heard him say that he was sent by the Lord to the Gentiles as well. It was hard for them to accept the unclean Gentiles into their fold as they are. They could no longer bear that God would save both Jews and the Gentiles in the same way. They insisted that the Gentiles should accept circumcision and the law. If Paul would’ve preached the restricting demands of Judaism to the Gentiles, all would’ve been well. But it was because he preached the grace of Christianity they were enraged. But Paul broke out their traditional inbuilt ideas and boldly proclaimed even after being caught up them, that he was an Apostle to the Gentiles as well.

Paul in all his manner of proclaiming the Gospel, presented the Gospel to the people in their own culture and language. There are many examples to quote this attitude of Paul. In Athens he introduced Jesus as the ‘UNKNOWN GOD,’ here he claims his Roman citizenship, in the second part of this passage that is 23:1-11, he introduces himself as a Pharisee and so on. His stand is very clear from his first letter to the Corinthians 9: 20 -23, where he says for the sake of Gospel, he became a Jew, weak, to those under the law as under the law  and became all things to all people, so as to save them. This is how Paul Presented the Gospel. He did not impose a so called ‘Christian culture’, but presented Jesus to the people in their own way.

This is what is probing us to ask a question to ourselves, How are we going to present the Gospel, the Good news of Jesus Christ to the people around us? Are we going to impose our culture, our values and in-built ideas? Or are we going to present Jesus as the one whom they knew?  How about taking Paul as an example?

Secondly, here in these two incidents when Paul was caught up before the authorities, he wisely escapes punishment by defending himself as a Roman citizen in one place where it would be appropriate and as a Pharisee before the Sanhedrin. For it is against the law to punish or bind a Roman citizen during those times. When he said that he is a Roman citizen by birth, the tribune was afraid and they stopped enquiring him.            In the Sanhedrin, Paul saw Sadducees and Pharisees being present and he successfully divided the assembly by claiming the doctrine of the Pharisees in believing in the resurrection. A tumult broke out and again he has to be taken in safely by the soldiers.

This attitude of Paul reminds me of Jesus’ saying in the Gospel according to St. Matthew 10:16, ‘Be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves.’  Jesus when sending out the disciples advised them that they are being sent as sheep into the wolves and so they ought to communicate His message wisely but without hurting people who heard it, as harmless as dove.

Defending the truth requires the wisdom of a serpent so as to discern the situation and act accordingly. Jesus Himself in Luke 4: 29 -30, when the people led him to the brow of the hill, that they might cast him off headlong, he passed through the midst of them and went his way. There was Christ’s wisdom in not giving himself into the hands of his enemy, as he had to preach the Gospel in other cities too. In the same way, Paul also many times has proven himself willing to suffer for the cause of Christ, but at the same time, he do not want to do the same needlessly as here in this passage. So he claimed his right as a Roman citizen, thereby obeying Jesus’ word of being wise as serpent, so that the gospel will be proclaimed elsewhere through him.

Therefore the second question that this passage puts before us is, taking this example of Paul, How is our conduct today in defending the truth? Are we being as wise as serpents?

As we close lets ponder upon these two questions.. Is it hard for us to embrace the truth to include the excluded and grant access to God’s liberating grace via a different route than the one we’ve already taken?  And are we being as wise as serpents? How about Paul’s example in these two aspects? 

Let us examine ourselves and may the Lord speak to us through his word.   Amen.

[This meditation is led by G.Vasthi Charisma, final year BD student of Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, India.]

 

Inclusive Gospel- by Philipose John

Text: Acts of Apostles 10:44-47

"Naam onnalle Nammal Onnalle

Namukkudayonum ee Manninudayonum Daivamalle"

This Malayalam folk song says that all are one in the sight of God. God came to this world not to save some selected peoples, but to save all people without any color, race, cast, culture etc. Luke gospel and Acts of the Apostles mainly focused on the mission to the gentiles. In chapter 10:1f and 11:18 we can see that Luke has narrated the story of the conversion of Cornelius with considerable details.  The passage explains about Holy Spirit comes upon the gentiles and they are filled with Holy Spirit. Caesarea was dominated by gentile population. It was the head quarters of a unit of roman army with 100 soldiers headed by a roman officer holding the title of centurion, whose name was Cornelius. The meeting of apostle peter and Cornelius in Cornelius home was gods plan.

This event can be interpreted as the repetition of the Pentecost day on which the apostles and other disciples were empowered with the power of Holy Spirit. But these recipients were not those believers, who considered themselves as chosen people but those who were always considered outside the frame of Gods plan of salvation.

This is the only incident recorded in NT that Holy Spirit fell on non baptized peoples. This incident reveals baptism is not only for Jewish Christians but also for the uncircumcised gentiles. On the Pentecost day Jews filled with Holy Spirit likewise here gentiles received the gospel and at the same time they baptized with the Holy Spirit.

 ‘The wind blows were it wills, so also is the spirit’. As in the case of Cornelius those who open there hearts to Gods word will be filled with Gods spirit. Here the gift of Holy Spirit is connected to the hearing of Gods word. In v 47 “can anyone withhold the water for baptizing this people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have” here peter raises this question to himself as well as to those believers who were with him. The answer was quite clear. They were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Then peter and his companions were staying some more days with them is the further proof of breaking the social barriers. This demonstrates a new Jewish gentile solidarity which Christ envisioned.

Here Cornelius is a welcome example of Gods willingness to use extraordinary means to reach those who desire to know Him or Her. God does not play favorites and God does not hide from those who want to find Him or Her. The coming of Holy Spirit even to the gentiles shows that they are also part of gods plan and all are equal in front of God. There fore the mission of god is for all.

 This event teaches us that the gospel is beyond the practice of purity and impurity. God select and give vision for everyone by breaking the human made social boundaries. This can be visible in the life of Jesus Christ also. Christ is a true revolutionary who destroys all types of isolation, who protests against the evil orders and who restores the isolated one in to the social life.

How can the present days Christians avoid the mistake which peter made before he met Cornelius, by seeing one part of Gods creation as holy and another part as unholy. God united all through the gift of Holy Spirit. But today we are making separate churches in the name of cast and color. And still alienation and isolation exist among us. Here what bold theological vision we have? “Conversion is not just turning to God from sin. Turning from narrow God concepts to God who is the lord of all humans is a real spiritual conversion”.

May the god almighty help us to become the true ministers of God who can treat everyone as equals.   Amen

[Philippose John, the preacher of this sermon, is a final year BD student of Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, India.]