Acts 8:1-17 “The Church Next Door”
Last month at the Aha Mokupuni, that is the meeting of all of the UCC churches on-island, I was sitting at the business meeting part of it along with pastors and lay people from all over. As we were sitting there, from outside of the building came this sound of praise music. It sounded close. I looked around. Outside of the church towards the back was a green expanse of lawn, and on the other side of the lawn was another church. I really had not noticed before that there was another church there. It was a Saturday morning, so I guessed that their praise band was practicing for Sunday. However, it seemed as if there were more voices there.
I thought about how interesting it was that there were two churches right next to each other. I could not help but ask myself what kind of a witness is that to non-Christians? This is not the only place on the island where one can see two churches built right next to each other. In Hanapepe, the Nazarene Church and the UCC Church are right next to each other. In Koloa there are two churches right next to each other. It is not a rare thing at all.
You know, I will share with you that I have been a missionary to Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist country. I cannot recall two Buddhist temples being built right next to each other. My wife is from Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim country, while being in that country I cannot recall ever seeing two mosques right next to each other. That is not to say that there isn’t such, of course. I really can say that I just don’t remember ever seeing such.
In contrast to this, I recall visiting the ruins of old Greek temples and seeing that there would be several Greek temples built right next to each other. They would be built usually to different gods, all of the same pantheon of gods of course. As is the case of the Acropolis in Athens, you can see two temples both to Athena within a few feet of each other: the Parthenon and the Temple of Athena Nike.
In our scripture for today, we see that Paul and his new followers in the Town of Corinth are setting up the new church in Titius Justus’s home that is right next to the synagogue there. We are left asking ourselves if they are doing this in opposition to people of the synagogue in Corinth. It seems too close for comfort. We know that there are those in the synagogue who have “united in opposing” Paul. Then, Paul plants his new church right next door! What is up with that? It is very provocative!
Moreover as we glean from the text in Acts 18, the leader of the synagogue himself, his name is Crispus, becomes a Christian along with his entire household, and starts worshipping next door to the synagogue. The very leadership of the synagogue defects. Once Crispus leaves with his family, a fellow by the name of Sosthenes takes over the synagogue. And what happens to Sosthenes? The Bible tells us that the people of the synagogue who have united against Paul beat up Sosthenes. We assume that this is because Sosthenes also defects to the Christians. We can read that in 1 Corinthians 1:1, where it says that Paul is writing the letter to Corinth along with his brother Sosthenes!
In all of these happenings, we are searching for the Holy Spirit, for Christ’s Word, for the word for us this day. At the end of verse 8 and on we get to the point where we do see what God is doing in all of this. We read that many became believers. Amen to that. Whatever else was happening then, people were coming to God! Then, we also read that Paul had a vision of the Lord telling him, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent.” Paul does this. He stays for a year and half doing ministry right there in Corinth. Amen to that! When you consider that Paul has been run out of Thessaloniki, Beorea, and essentially laughed out of Athens, this is an amazing thing that he should get this vision telling him to keep on in Corinth!
This is God’s message to us in this as well. Stay. Speak. Don’t be afraid! When one hears those words “Don’t be afraid” from the Lord in the Bible, one knows that something truly prophetic, truly godly, is about to take place! Don’t be afraid to speak the Gospel!
About a year ago, I was at an Interfaith of Kauai Roundtable meeting. A person of a different faith than Christianity was speaking. She made the comment that she did not want to share too much of her faith in that group because she did not want to offend the other faiths that were represented around the table. I have to tell you that I loved the response that came back from the group when that person mentioned that she was afraid to speak up. The group affirmed that the Interfaith Roundtable of Kauai was perhaps the only place on the entire island that she SHOULD NOT feel any fear for speaking about what she believed.
When I sit at the roundtable with people of other faiths here on the island, I am not afraid or shy of speaking about my belief in Jesus Christ! I look at it as a great opportunity to share what I believe with non-believers. I think I am doing exactly what the Lord would want me to do. . . .that is speak up and not be afraid. Not condemn, not judge, just speak what I know as the Truth.
This last year the question came up at the Interfaith Roundtable as to whether the group should attend this year’s “Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast,” which is an overwhelmingly Christian affair. In years past, the group had attended with the understanding that people of all faiths should have the opportunity to pray for the mayor and for the island in general—not just Christians praying for the island but rather all faiths.
Some had felt that maybe they were being excluded in years past. Again the response that came back from the group was that in not one of the faiths represented around the Interfaith Roundtable had the concept of limiting God’s love for all people. So, there had to be enough faith and love in that group to encircle all of the people who would be at the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast with God’s love—no matter what! The Interfaith Roundtable, on this premise, reserved a table at the prayer breakfast. God’s love is wide enough for all!
When we see two churches right next to each other, we should not think that one church is opposed to the other at all. We should rather think that God’s love must have been wide enough for both churches! Amen to that!
When we consider the church in Corinth being set up right next to the synagogue, we should think that “Wow, God’s love is wide enough to encircle both!” And, in extension we might come to the conclusion that God’s love is not just restricted to the building built for religious purposes, but to the person living next door! Of course it extended to Titius Justus’s house next to the synagogue. The love that is in this church is limitless—of course it extends outward into the neighborhoods around us! Of course it extends around the other churches and temples here in Waimea and around the island!
I believe that the central message of this passage is that we do not have to be opposed to anyone else because we believe in Jesus. Instead, we are called to love them in the name of Jesus who told us to even love our enemies. We know what we believe; we know Jesus is Lord and Savior of all; we know that God’s love is for all people. We are not afraid to speak the Truth.
The story we heard earlier during the recognition to fathers is a case in point. Jairus went to Jesus to help heal his daughter. Jairus was the leader of the synagogue. He went to Jesus in a moment of need that was in fact a life-or-death issue for his daughter. A lot of times when we look at the various differences that we have between all of us, we just have to say: “What do they really matter when it comes to the real life-or-death issues?”
So, Jesus goes to eat with tax collectors. So what? Jesus hangs out with fishermen. And? This is just like the story of the Prodigal Son that Jesus tells. The son goes off and takes his share of the inheritance, squanders it, ends up as a slave slopping pigs for somebody else. He comes to the conclusion that he would be better off as a slave in his own father’s house. He goes back home and his father receives him back. The father kills the fatted calf for him. There is a great celebration. What happened before does not matter. What matters is that the son is safe and at home again with the father. The rest is unimportant.
That is what I am saying to you today: You have to know what matters in life. That is, you must know that the goal is to make it back to the father’s house—the Father in heaven. A lot of the other things that keep us separate and hurting one another is of no value to God! Just let it go. This is what Paul tried to do in Corinth.
Let me just close with Paul’s own words to the people there in his first letter, chapter 10:31-32, “So, what ever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God. Just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, so that they may be saved.”
Amen.