The Park Forum

Links for today’s readings:

Jun 30  Read: Isaiah 29 Listen: (3:55) Read: Acts 16 Listen: (5:53)

Scripture Focus: Acts 16.15

15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Reflection: Avoiding Avoidable Offense

By John Tillman

Accommodating to the culture does not include compromising the gospel. The gospel is non-negotiable. Paul consistently defends the gospel, refusing to compromise with sin or affirm sinful behaviors. But he strives to accommodate to the culture of those he is reaching, adjusting his behavior and language. The gospel is offensive and countercultural in its nature, but Paul strives to avoid avoidable offense. 

In the rest of Paul’s ministry, he goes first to a synagogue to teach the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles. Here in Phillipi, he goes out to the river to find a “place of prayer” and speaks to a group of women. The word proseuchē, which is translated as “place of prayer,” is occasionally synonymous with a synagogue; however, many commentators believe its usage means there were not enough male Jewish believers to form a synagogue. 

What is unusual about this Jewish gathering is the prominence of Lydia—not only a woman but a non-Jew. In all the other cities they visit, Luke neglects to name the male leaders of synagogues who either welcomed or rejected Paul’s message, but here in Phillipi, Lydia is given special attention. By comparison, later in the chapter, Luke leaves nameless the Philippian jailer who also came to faith “with his entire household” as Lydia did. 

Lydia is also the first person scripture records as being baptized in Paul’s ministry (though we know there were others before her). She is also the first baptized Christ-follower on the European continent. Scripture tells us that after Lydia’s conversion, she “persuaded” Paul and the others to stay with her. The word implies entreaty or compelling someone to do something they would not ordinarily do. Jews would not normally stay in the home of a non-Jew, not even a proselyte believer such as Lydia.

What we see at work here is the continuing development of Paul’s pattern of accommodating himself to different cultures for the sake of spreading the gospel. As Paul set out on this journey, he had Timothy circumcised, so as not to be an offense to Jews as they traveled. This was an accommodation to his intended audience. Paul was opposed to requiring non-Jews to be circumcised. And here, among the most Jewish part of Phillipi’s culture, Paul abandons Jewish customs that he upholds at other times.

Too often, perhaps, we confuse “boldly” proclaiming the gospel with “rudely” proclaiming the gospel. This is a mistake Paul works hard to avoid. May we do the same.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Show your goodness, O Lord, to those who are good and to those who are true of heart. — Psalm 125.4

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Cringing at Culture or at Christ?

As we attempt to manifest Christ in our world and to our culture, we must allow the Holy Spirit to bring out in us the fullest picture of who God is.

Cringing at Culture or at Christ?

Read more: Detoured by the Holy Spirit

When following God, we need to be ready and willing to take a detour in unexpected directions.

Detoured by the Holy Spirit

Links for today’s readings:

Jun 29  Read: Isaiah 28 Listen: (4:49) Read: Acts 15 Listen: (5:43)

Scripture Focus: Acts 15.5-11

5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” 
6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Reflection: Neither Cave Nor Cling to Culture

By John Tillman

It seems silly to have to say it, but…Jesus was Jewish.

One reason we must say it is that, at times in history, the Jewishness of Jesus was de-emphasized or erased to promote anti-Semitism. Another reason we must remember that Jesus was Jewish is in order to understand New Testament controversies.

Jesus and his followers were so Jewish (How Jewish were they?) that many had a hard time imagining anyone following Jesus without first becoming a Jew. Jesus’ followers affirmed that the gospel was for everyone. Some just thought it had the prerequisite of Jewishness.

Don’t you have to become Jewish to follow a Jewish rabbi named Jesus? Don’t you have to be circumcised? Observe Sabbath laws? Food laws? Purity laws? Is Jesus for everyone? 

To some, not upholding circumcision was caving to Greek culture. “If we approve of uncircumcision, what’s next? Eating in idol temples? Sexual immorality? Eating impure foods?”

It’s a valid concern. Accommodating some cultural norms would mean betraying vital truths of our faith. We must look downstream and beware slippery slopes. When addressing a cultural shift, we should rightly ask, “What’s next?”

Caving to culture as it changes is a problem and erodes true faith. Clinging to cultures of the past is also a problem, and poisons our faith with pride, self-righteousness, and hypocrisy. On one hand, we “let go of the commands of God” to hold on to new “human traditions.” On the other hand, we “nullify the word of God by” the traditions we “have handed down.” (Mark 7.8-13)

When the Jerusalem Council struggled with these questions, they set an example for us. They separated essential from non-essential. They separated unchanging commands from cultural traditions.

How? They 1) listened to the Holy Spirit 2) applied the teachings of scripture, and 3) analyzed the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work.

Through Peter’s vision, Paul and Barnabus’ testimony, and James’ application of the scriptures, they realized requiring circumcision would hinder God’s work. Then they carefully and lovingly explained their convictions.

Christian communities engage in this process today. The Holy Spirit will not negate or overturn scripture. If we think he is, the error is our own. In biblical communities, we must check each other, challenge each other, and work to convince each other, all within the security of loving and accepting one another as Christ loved us.

Neither cave nor cling to culture. Cling only to Christ.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Retched Leaders

There is vomit covering the tables…like the aftermath of a fraternity party….Israel’s religious elite…were unfit for their jobs and…a nauseating mess.

Retched Leaders

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Links for today’s readings:

Jun 25  Read: Isaiah 24 Listen: (3:11) Read: Acts 11 Listen: (3:52)

Scripture Focus: Acts 11.1-2

1 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
4 Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story:…

18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Reflection: Listen and Change

By John Tillman

We’ve heard Peter defend himself to the Pentecost crowds when accused of being drunk too early in the morning. We’ve heard Peter defend himself before the Sanhedrin for healing a crippled man. But now we hear Peter defending himself, not to strangers or Romans or the powerful Jewish leaders, but to fellow Jesus followers!

These Jewish Jesus followers were incensed that Peter had eaten with the “uncircumcised.” He had done something that, according to their interpretation of the Bible and of Jesus, was unquestionably wrong.

Sometimes we must defend ourselves from those who should be standing with us. Sometimes those whose beliefs are the closest to ours attack us more often and with more vitriol than atheists or adherents to other faith systems. However, Peter’s confrontation doesn’t drag on forever like endless Christian-on-Christian attacks on Twitter.

First, Peter explained himself. But then, two things happened that rarely seem to happen today. First, the confronting parties listened to what Peter said. Then they changed their opinion about what he had done.

We can’t get too idealistic about the New Testament church. They were learning how to be the church following Jesus’ ascension. Many things went wrong. Like us, they had scandals, squabbles, and horrible errors. Church history after the canon of scripture includes even greater fights, arguments, and power struggles. There are heresies, councils, excommunications, and, according to tradition, at least one famous punch/slap thrown by Saint Nicolas.

The New Testament church had many of the same problems we do but they did at least one thing better than us by far. They listened to one another and changed. The apostles listened to the neglected Greek widows. And they changed. They listened to Barnabus about Saul. And they changed. The Jerusalem church listened to Peter about the Gentiles. And they changed. Peter listened to Paul when challenged about slipping back into hypocrisy. And he changed.

When was the last time you listened to a brother or sister in Christ…and you changed? I don’t mean abandoning the gospel or losing trust in the scriptures or compromising biblical principles… When have you listened and turned away from an idol? When have you changed your treatment of others? When have you apologized and made amends? When have you repented? When have you admitted you were wrong?

May we, when confronted with truth, be willing to listen and to change.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Turn to me and have mercy upon me; give your strength to your servant; and save the child of your handmaid. — Psalm 86.16

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Cursed is the ground because of us.
Reversed is the curse because of Christ.
God, make us cursebreakers.

Cursebreakers

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Cultivation begins with destruction, but continues with tenderness and care…cultivated ground…is carefully controlled.

Cultivation Means Tending