Breaking Out of Fear
Acts 16:9-15
Most of you know that we typically follow the lectionary in selecting scripture each Sunday for sermons. Today’s passage from Acts is one of those serendipitous stories that is scheduled for this week in churches around the world and which speaks so well to what is happening in our church today with our “Blessed and Blessing Others” campaign, although that might not be entirely apparent at first glance.
Did you notice what happened in the story? Paul and his companions are touring around cities in present day Turkey. Holy Spirit speaks to Paul in a dream telling him to travel to Macedonia. Many times, we are given the impression from Christians that it is God’s main work to constantly shut doors, yet here is an example of Holy Spirit opening up a possibility that wasn’t being considered previously. Still, it makes me wonder what was so compelling about this particular dream that everything else needed to fall by the wayside in order for this mission to be accomplished. Paul knew they needed to follow this dream, even though there was no clarity about what it all would mean.
While in Macedonia, Paul meets Lydia, a merchant of purple cloth. Purple cloth was used by royalty and the wealthy (and by gay preachers if my wardrobe is any indication!) so the impression is that Lydia is an accomplished businessperson. But did you notice where Paul met her? It was outside the city in a place where people gathered for prayer. Because of the region and the location of this worship spot, it appears that this was a gathering of people who worshipped one of the Greek gods or goddesses. Paul strikes up a rapport with Lydia whom he discovers to be a “worshipper of God” and she and her household are brought into the fledgling church group that is forming.
There are several things happening in this story that I believe speak to the story happening here in All God’s Children.
Paul and his companions allowed Holy Spirit to breathe into their mission and transform fear into purpose.
Most of us are familiar with the Lamaze classes designed to assist in the birth of a child. One of the techniques they teach is to use your breath to overcome the pain and the fear associated with birth. Breath then transforms pain into purpose. The Greek word for “spirit” is the same as for “breath.” Paul and his companions decided to allow the breath of Holy Spirit to transform any fear or apprehension they might have experienced in going to this unknown Macedonian destination and instead follow the Spirit’s prompting as part of their purpose.
I have been awed over the last few weeks by the sacrificial manner in which so many of our leaders have approached the “Blessed and Blessing Others” campaign. As you may have heard if you were at the reception on Friday night, of the $500,000 goal for this campaign, we have already received cash and commitment for over $245,000 of it. That is before receiving any pledges or offerings from the larger congregation. I could tell you story after story of those who have taken the mantel of leadership in this church who have stretched themselves in amazing ways to ensure the success of our effort. I am awed by their faithfulness, their commitment to our future, and their trust that the breath of God will sustain us even into the unknown paths where our dreams take us. Paul allowed Holy Spirit to breathe transformation into his mission, and so has All God’s Children.
Both Paul and Lydia did not allow fear to prevent them from experiencing the grace of God in a new way.
I find it interesting that Paul had a dream about a Macedonian man calling him to come over, yet what he finds are Macedonian women. Curious! Paul could have ignored his dream as just some bad souvlaki from the night before. If he had done that, he never would have met Lydia. For her part, Lydia could have walked away from this stranger with the amazing story of a resurrected Christ. Neither of them did that, and it made all the difference for their future. Some wonder how Christians like us can have this kind of trust – this kind of faith in the face of little that is tangible or even sometimes measurable.
When I get that question I sometimes share an experience I believe helps shed some light. A man was facing a terminal illness and while at the doctor’s office shared some of his concerns with the physician. “I’m afraid. What is death like?” “I don’t know,” said his doctor. About that time they heard a scratching at the door. The doctor walked over and opened it to discover her dog happily greeting her. The dog was so thrilled to be able to come in the room where they were. The doctor said to her anxious patient, “My dog has never been in this room but he knew I was in here and so he wanted to be where I am. As long as I am with him, he is content. I don’t know anything about what death will be like, but I want to be with Jesus and wherever that is, I will be content.”
Lots of Christians have found freedom from fear when they look to eternity. Why can’t we experience the same freedom while we are still here on earth? Grace means throwing yourself off the cliff of life and expecting that God will catch you in mid air. It’s not something you can learn in school – or even in church lots of times – but it is something that once experienced in your heart means you never want to let fear reign supreme again.
Millions of our brothers and sisters are held captive by fear today. Some are afraid to be honest about who they are. Some are afraid of family rejection. Some fear “don’t ask, don’t tell” will end their career. Some fear the effects of constitutional amendments that legislatures have passed or threaten to pass across this country. Some fear God’s grace could never cover them like a blanket.
When you and I live our lives as the blessed people that we truly are, and when we use the resources of our lives to bless others, we become grace incarnate. Think back. What would it have been worth to you to reclaim those years of your life you spent in fear? We can prevent the next generation from having to walk that path.
Paul and Lydia could take this step of faith because they understood their relationship with the divine as one of being blessed and blessing others.
I heard about a woman who had a dream where she walked into a store to discover God was the clerk behind the counter. She asked what things were sold in this place. God responded, “Whatever your heart desires.” Thrilled at this news she said, “Then I want peace of mind, love and freedom from fear,” and then she added, “and not just for me but for the whole world.” God smiled at her and said, “In this store, we don’t sell fruits, we sell seed.”
The antidote to fear is not a tighter grip on what we have or the lifestyle to which we’ve become accustomed. It is not a better vault for our secret stashes or keeping closer tabs on our mannerisms. The antidote to fear does not include holding back, playing it safe, distrusting strangers, and thereby closing ourselves off to the surprising good news that God is putting before us. Rather the antidote to fear is trusting the reality that we are blessed and trusting that our purpose here is to bless others and make this world a better place for all of us.
The good news is that what we can’t do for ourselves, God does for us. When there is something broken about our lives, God provides the means of grace. It simply starts with a seed – a seed that grows in fertile hearts blessed by the warmth of God’s grace and motivated by the desire to bless others.
In 2006 the Washington Times published a survey that revealed that 46% of women surveyed “had a tremendous fear of becoming a bag lady.” Even among those women whose income was over $100,000 a year, 48% reported a fear of ending up destitute. The concept of the “bag lady” has become a cultural icon. I mean, you just say the term and all of us have images that come to mind immediately. It was a similar phenomenon for previous generations when one mentioned “hobos.” You see, those fears that have lurked in the corners of your thoughts are not unique to you. There’s probably a closeted bag lady or hobo in most of us if we were pressed hard enough – although I am sure the bag ladies and hobos in this room would do a much better job of coordinating our wardrobe.
This week in the mail, most of you will receive a pledge card and a return envelop. We are asking that each person and family prayerfully consider what God is calling you to do over and above your normal tithe and offering to help end fear in our world. When we launched “Blessed and Blessing Others” we knew that it could stir up many different kinds of fear within us. So, I want to give you an opportunity to release those fears – whatever they may be about. In a few moments, I will invite you to come forward to receive anointing of oil. The congregation will sing “I Will Change Your Name” while we are anointing. Receiving anointing is simply an act of faith. The oil symbolizes Holy Spirit’s presence in your life. Where the Spirit of God resides, fear has to retreat. When we claim that promise for ourselves – even if there is some tentativeness involved – God offers us grace which honors that act of faith. There will be four stations. The anointer will make a small cross on your forehead while offering a brief blessing. Once everyone who would like to be anointed has done so, we will pray together as a whole body. Come, whoever you are, no matter what fears lurk in your heart. God will meet you here this morning.
Sources:
www.homileticsonline.com The Bag Lady Nightmare, May 2007.
http://www.warbucket.com/dump/ENCYC/thomas/NewYork/crazy%20bag%20lady.jpg bag lady image
http://www.shiftingparadigms.net/pictures/pack_05/hobo-burke.jpg hobo image
