THE WORST OF TIMES AND THE BEST OF TIMES

THE WORST OF TIMES AND THE BEST OF TIMES

Acts 13:44-52

Dr. Wm. J. Maxwell

First Presbyterian Church, Newport, RI

October 15, 2006

“Oxymoron.” Do you know the meaning of this curious sounding word? It comes from compound words meaning, “pointedly or sharply foolish.” The Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines oxymoron as “a combination of contradictory or incongruous words.” [i]

An example of an oxymoron would be “sweet and sour.” Another one could be “the worst of times and the best of times.” Paul could have described his experience in Pisidian Antioch in just this way – as an oxymoron. On the one hand, it was the worst of times, with ridicule, reviling, persecution and expulsion from the region. But it was also the best of times, with Gentiles coming to faith in Jesus and being “filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

This is all due to Paul’s faithful proclamation of the Gospel. He shared the Good News and, as a consequence, he experienced different reactions from the Jews and Gentiles who heard and listened to him. It is in this worst case / best case scenario, that we find some lessons for us as individuals and as a church, in the message we are to proclaim as we seek to be faithful to the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE GOSPEL IS NOT OUR MESSAGE,

IT IS GOD’S MESSAGE.

Did you notice in the reading of this passage how the Gospel was described by Luke? “On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.” (v.44) “Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: ‘We had to speak the word of God to you first.’” (v.46) “When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord …” (v.48) Yet again, in verse 49, we find the phrase, “the word of the Lord.”

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is “the word of God” or “the word of the Lord.” This message of reconciliation with the living, holy and awesome God through the person of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is God’s message or the Lord’s message. It is not only about God or the Lord or Jesus, it has it’s very origin and creation in God.

The Bible speaks quite clearly of God’s work of redemption in the world, beginning with promises, prophecies and symbols pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ, and then in the fulfillment of all these in His actual coming to earth as Emmanuel (“God with us”) and as the Lamb of God, who alone can take away our sin and our guilt.

When the Pharisee Saul was so dramatically converted (Acts 9), he was given new insights into God’s gracious plan of redemption. Later on, in writing to the Galatian churches (which included Pisidian Antioch), Saul, now the apostle Paul, spoke of the divine origin of the Gospel:

I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.[ii]

When you and I think of the Gospel, we need to remember that this is God’s Good News. It is His message, His plan and His work in redeeming a world that is fallen in sin and moral decay, a world that has no hope other than that found in Jesus Christ.

The fact that this is God’s message of God’s remedy came home again to me yet again on Friday morning. I was having my Quiet Time with the Lord and the subject of my time in the Word had to do with the seriousness of sin and its radical pervasiveness throughout the world. We sometimes speak of “Total Depravity” in the sense that all of us have a sinful nature that affects our outlook, choices and behavior.

In my time of reflection, I was led to pick up Thursday night’s newspaper.[iii] The titles and subtitles brought ample evidence of a world in need of redemption from sin, guilt, misery and death. One article’s title was this: “I Come from Hell: Women discuss challenges of living in war-torn Gaza strip.” Another was this: “Japan bans North Korean imports; Pyongyang warns of retaliation.” Another: “American linked to al-Qaida charged with treason.” Yet another: “Amish schoolhouse razed after shootings.” And still another: “Magazine turns abortion into sort of fashion statement.”

Such an exercise is never a pleasant one, to be sure! But sometimes it is necessary, necessary in helping us to deliberately turn away from apathy and indifference, to face reality, and to recognize yet again that God is doing something in the world. He is calling His Church to proclaim His message of hope, and to live out the life He transforms and empowers; for by God’s grace and in fulfillment of His plan and purposes, this world of sin and decay will not remain as such forever!

THOUGH IT IS GOD’S MESSAGE,

IT WILL NEVERTHELESS

EVOKE DIFFERENT RESPONSES FROM PEOPLE.

When the Church or you and I proclaim or share the Gospel, there will always be different reactions. Sometimes the sharing of our faith will bring out the worst in others. We are told that, “When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.” (v.45) Likewise, people may respond with questionable motives and even talk abusively about the Gospel, about our church, or even about us.

Sometimes the sharing of our faith will bring about overt persecution. Again, we are told: “The Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.” (v.50) We find persecution in some forms in this country (and in, I believe, increasing measure),

but certainly more intensely in countries where governments are suppressive and oppressive toward Christians.

On Sunday, November 12^th, churches are asked to pray for persecuted believers, our brothers and sisters in Christ, all over the world. And let’s be certain about this - persecution is happening! It is happening in places like Indonesia, Iran, Vietnam, India, Colombia, Pakistan, Nigeria, North Korea, China and more.

In China, for example, Pastor Cai, his wife and brother-in-law were arrested and they are all presently serving terms in Chinese labor camps. Their crime? Printing and freely distributing Christian literature. How we need to pray for the persecuted Church!

Sometimes the sharing of our faith will bring about the necessity of moving on to others who may be more receptive. Here we are told, “So (Paul and Barnabas) shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.” (v.51) Now, in Paul’s day, Jews would shake the dust from their feet when leaving a Gentile town. It was a sign or symbol of leaving contamination and impurity behind them. But in doing this to the Jews, Paul was making quite a statement, in that these Jews were acting no differently than pagans in rejecting the message of the Messiah. And so they moved on to Iconium.

For us as individuals, there may be an occasion where a person is adamantly resistant to God’s Good News. While we ought to continue to pray for them, there are times when we must move on to share with others who are more open and receptive. Of course, sometimes there are those who are just that, “open and receptive,” when the Gospel finds fertile ground in receptive hearts, bringing forth an effervescent joy in the presence of the Lord.

We see this in our text. “When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.” (v.48) “The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (v.52)

Ethel Waters, the great singer who is now with the Lord, provided ample testimony for us of this “joy.” You may recall that she often sang at Billy Graham crusades. Born in Chester, Pennsylvania, she described herself in her childhood nevertheless as “a real dead-end kid”: I just ran wild as a little girl. I was bad, always a leader of the street gang in stealing and general hell-raising.”

But a “children’s revival” held in her neighborhood changed all that. Ethel Waters went to these meetings, three nights in a row. As she heard the “word of the Lord” once again on that third night, she described what then happened:

I was praying hard and hopefully, asking God, ‘What am I seeking here? What do I want of You? Help me! If nothing happens, I can’t come back here any more!’

And then it happened! The peace of heart and of mind, the peace I had been seeking all my life. I know that never again, so long as I live, can I experience that wonderful reaction I had that night in the little church. Love flooded my heart and I knew I had found God and that now and for always I would have an ally, a friend close by to strengthen me and cheer me on. [iv]

It should be of no surprise to us that Ethel Waters’ signature song was “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.”

“Why should I feel discouraged

Why should the shadows come

Why should my heart be lonely

And long for heaven & home

When Jesus is my portion

My constant friend is He

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know He watches me.”

How wonderful it is, is it not, to be a child of God and to know and love and be known and be loved by this dearest Companion, whose eye is not only on the Sparrow, but on us as well?

III

WHEN WE SHARE THE GOOD NEWS

FAITHFULLY AND LOVINGLY,

GOD DOES NOT HOLD US RESPONSIBLE

FOR THE OTHER PERSON’S DECISION.

HE CALLS US TO BE FAITHFUL, NOT SUCCESSFUL.

In good conscience, Paul could look upon his conduct in Antioch and know that he had been quite clear, candid and faithful. That is all God asks of us and of the Church in proclaiming His message. In sincerity and in truth, we lovingly place before others God’s message of hope and renewal in Jesus Christ. From that point on, any response or decision is ultimately in the hands of God and of the particular person to whom the message has been given.

In their own quiet and unassuming way, the Amish of Lancaster County have been doing this. All of us were horrified on the 2^nd of this month, when we learned of the hideous deed of Charles Carl Roberts. Who would have ever expected such awful violence to enter a one room Amish schoolhouse? The death of five little hostages, and then finally that of himself.

But in this dark and tragic event, the Gospel has been spoken. It was first spoken, perhaps, when 13 year old Marian Fisher, one of the Amish girls held captive as a hostage, showed the sacrificial love of Christ. She told Roberts that she would give her life away for the sake of the others. “Shoot me,” she told him, “and leave the other ones loose!”

That was not all, however. The Amish people themselves displayed the message and reality of the transforming power of the Gospel. They reached out to the young family of Charles Roberts, and attended his funeral in a desire to comfort his wife and children.

The Amish also provided for this family, as well as for the families of the victims of Roberts’ horrendous act. In fact, the family of one of the victims went so far as to invite the Roberts family to the funeral of their very own daughter.

The news media has largely been confounded by such grace. In addition, some people might have said that such charity is foolish and largely wasted in a world such as ours. Still others, seeing the Gospel of grace and of forgiveness so undeniably demonstrated, may yet say, “There must be something to all this.” “There has to be something to all this!” Irregardless of the response, however, a Christian people have sought to be faithful. And I believe they have.

In many ways, and in so many places in the world, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being lived out and proclaimed. Sometimes the response of others will indicate the “worst of times,” and sometimes the response of others will indicate the “best of times.” But in either case, let us be faithful, for it is God’s message that we proclaim, and in the end, it really is His message of hope held out to the world!