David Bahn - Reflections

That whole being saved thing must be important. It is a biblical term. So back to the question, "Saved from what?" It just might be that we are being saved from ourselves and our own short-sighted ideas of good and evil, right and wrong, truth and lies. We get it so wrong.

Want proof? How often do you check your foundational belief system against the Bible? How often do you look for a loophole, an end around, or some other means of avoiding the more difficult commandments of God, or the things that don't add up? How easily do you close your eyes to things the Bible says because they don't make sense or align with what you think ought to be? Left to our own devices we'll take the forbidden fruit. And we'll die. 

But God has saved us from this dreadful end. He sent Jesus to fulfill all righteousness for us. And through faith in him we are saved. We may not often think of it in such strident terms, but it is true and good and gracious. We've been saved. That's a message we need to hear again and again. Maybe you know someone who needs to hear that message as well.

Peter is not one I would think of as patient - based on his track record as a disciple of Jesus during his  three year ministry tour. He was more prone to brash declarations, self-confident pronouncements, and talk-now-think-later speeches. But he seems to have learned something from his time with Jesus, the on-going spiritual formation in the days following Jesus' resurrection, and his experience on Pentecost. Speaking by the power of the Holy Spirit and seeing 3000 people brought to faith and being baptized on one day might make one arrogant. But all that and the most recent experience of the foods let down from heaven seem to have centered his heart. He is showing signs of patience here. Years later he would even write, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

Next time someone new sits in your pew, or a new worship song is introduced, or a new group of leaders comes forward, welcome them. We have been grafted into the vine. Neither they nor we are entitled to this. But there is room for more. And God wants all people to be saved. We're all welcome in Christ's church. The proof of this is in the cross of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts: faith, love, mission, and peace.

We also know under what circumstances we are to give thanks. When we experience God's special and particular favor we should thank God. When we see a beautiful sunset: thank God. When we receive a special gift: thank God. When we are healed: thank God. 

We must also thank God in difficult circumstances. "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus," says Paul. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) We thank God for his providential care, gracious love, mercy, faithfulness, and gift of salvation through faith in Jesus. Those gifts don't disappear when circumstances go poorly.

Jesus' first disciples were chosen for a purpose – and so are we. In his mercy, love, kindness, and grace he chose us to receive the forgiveness of sins and salvation through faith in Jesus. Sometimes that may seem to be a burden. But in the end we will rejoice in his grace to us. We and all creation will praise him for his glorious grace. For we have been chosen: a far greater blessing than it is a burden.

We experienced a wonderful Sunday-after Easter worship service while traveling earlier this year. The pastor made the point: When Jesus said, "Peace be with you!", it wasn't a wish. It was a gift. This is God's gift to us. We have peace with God. It is a given. That being so, we must live at peace with one another. God's gift of peace calms the heart and makes peace possible between sister and brother in Christ. That is truly good news.

We don’t always fear God and do what is right. We are all too aware of our sins in thought, word, and deed. The idea of being judged totally impartially is maybe not totally welcome. We’d prefer not to be shown that we stepped out of bounds, were offsides, or didn’t make the play. A totally impartial judgment might not be what we want.

Thank God Peter reminds us that, “everyone who believes in [Jesus] receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” The judgment for our sins fell on Jesus. He fulfilled all righteousness for us. All who believe in him are justified by his death and resurrection. That’s grace. We all need grace. Jesus is full of grace and truth. Whoever believes in him will be saved.

I wonder if I could use a bit of Cornelius' curiosity. Rather than reading the first few paragraphs of a book I've been given, I may need actually to read the whole book. Rather than leaning on the truth that there's nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9), perhaps I should be more humble; that doesn't mean I know everything under the sun that is to be known. I'm pretty quick to dismiss the latest findings by Barna, or insights of recent biblical scholarship - or at least to assume I already know them, or don't need them. A bit of curiosity would serve me well in those areas.

We are individualists. We think about how the political climate will impact us individually. We consider our relationship with God to be a personal and individual issue. While these things are true, God's vision is far wider. He wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. But he doesn't want those who come to faith to be alone in their faith walk. We're better together. This is God's plan.

So don't go alone. To church. To share the gospel message. To serve. To help. Take people along with you. You'll both be blessed for it.

Peter goes to great lengths to determine just what is going on in this encounter with Cornelius. Why did you ask me here? What do you have to say? What do you want from me? He's not jumping to any conclusions here. He's probing carefully to discern what is happening and how he is to be part of it.

Is it because Jesus is gone now? He's ascended to the right hand of God. He's not right there in the flesh to guide, correct, encourage, or challenge Peter. Is it because he sees that the Gospel message is passing into new areas and peoples? That's certainly going to happen. But is there maybe another reason?

There is one big difference between impulsive Peter before and careful, deliberate, and measured Peter we see here. Could it be the Holy Spirit? The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience... (Galatians 5). There it is! Patience!