In Acts 6:1-7, the Hellenistic Jews complain their widows neglected in daily distribution. The apostles say "it is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve tables." The community chooses seven men "full of the Spirit and wisdom" (including Stephen and Philip). The apostles pray and lay hands on them. Word of God continues to spread; many priests become obedient to the faith. How quickly even in an inclusive environment we are to find ways of categorizing those who are "in" and those who are "out" this is a problem older than the church? How do we be people who are cautious not to overlook those who wouldn't naturally fall into our tribe?

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In Acts 5:41-42, the apostles leave rejoicing that they were "counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name." Every day in temple and house-to-house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah. Sometimes we have been given the vision in the Western church that being a Christian means living the good life… but here the disciples rejoice because they have been considered worthy of suffering. How is suffering something we rejoice over? 

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The apostles find themselves before the Sanhedrin again, the High priest asks: "We ordered you to stop!" Peter responds: "We must obey God rather than men." he goes on to describe Jesus' resurrection, exaltation. The leaders furious, want to kill the apostles. Gamaliel intervenes: "If this is from God, you can't stop it; if not, it'll fail on its own." The leaders are persuaded and the apostles are flogged, ordered to stop speaking about Jesus, and are then released. There is a sense in this passage that God can work however God wants to. There is also this element of exploring the movements that went before the Jesus movement--the ways they missed it, and the ways we are still missing it 2000 years later. 

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In Acts 5:12-26, we see the community grow despite what is referred to as "fear" in the text. Simultaneously, Peter's shadow heals people, signs and wonders are present. In the midst of this, Jewish religious leaders throw the apostles in prison. An angel breaks them out at night, and tells them  "go tell the whole message." 

This text encourages us to consider the church as a "brave space" rather than "safe space." The invitation toward healing in community can be messy, and scary, and sometimes we find ourselves as an instrument of invitation for someone else's healing.

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Join us this winter solstice for our immersive podcast, The Longest Night.  In this liminal space for worship and reflection, we remember the returning of the light after the darkness. Click here to access our accompanying companion guide to support your time of reflection and engagement.

Have you ever noticed that those who have experienced great suffering, are also those who often seem to have a greater capacity for joy? Those who have wept bitterly, are often those same ones who laugh most sincerely. Perhaps there is some nugget of this truth being revealed as Jesus looks to John, the life he led and tells us "yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. In the 3rd week of Advent we light the Candle of Joy. We take joy in the nearness of Christ. But, joy breaks in not by eliminating pain or doubt, but by transforming it. Even John questions Jesus, and Jesus calls him great. Joy grows in wilderness soil. 

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This week we reflect on the peace brought through Christ’s coming kingdom. But, Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice. In our text, John the Baptist’s fiery confrontation is the necessary disruption that prepares us for God's true peace. God's Peace calls us to address the violence within us all. There always seems to be something about the season of Advent that heightens for us the absence of "shalom" or fullness of peace we ought to experience in this world. This season invites us to listen afresh to the prophets, and to ignite our prophetic imagination for the peace to which we are ultimately called. 

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On the first week of Advent we light the Hope Candle. We are invited to Hope in the coming of Christ... But, Hope is not passive; it calls for our attention. Isaiah’s vision of swords into plowshares requires us to "walk in the light of the Lord" — not a soft image, but one that disrupts our violence. For Matthew, divine timing is placed in this image of a thief in the night. Why a negative vision for the hope that we have? How is Matthews invitation one that calls us not towards a passive hope, but one that invites us towards wakefulness?

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