Dear Families,
What Dads Can’t Do, by Douglas Wood, was our children’s message today, read by Pastor Sarah. The picture book cleverly described things that Daddy Dinosaur couldn’t do without the help of his son. The story of things that our own dads do with us is a reminder that Jesus referred to God as “Abba,” an informal term for father in the Aramaic language. “Abba,” in English translates to “Daddy.”
Jesus special relationship with God is not unlike the relationship we have with our won father, who never stops loving us with the same kindness and compassion that Jesus felt for God. Today we celebrate all fathers in the world and remember that God, our father, never ever stops loving us.
Our scripture today comes from Acts 9:1 -19.
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
Our Sermon today was about the story of Saul of Tarsus, raised by his parents who were Jewish citizens of the Roman Empire. When his family moved to Jerusalem, Saul was educated by Gamaliel, the most respected rabbi and Pharisee in Jerusalem. He learned to follow the Law with the belief that righteousness was the way to eternal life. Saul was a strong believer in the rules of the Old Testament and as the number of “Followers of the Way,” began to grow, he united with religious and political leaders to destroy and punish them for their defiance to the laws of the Sanhedrin. Saul sought out Christians, (men and women) to be imprisoned and killed. He did this because he believed it was God’s will.
Saul defended the institution of his religion with all of his power. He was committed to protecting the Law and persecuting those who failed to follow his same beliefs. Early Christians, “The Way,” threatened the accepted beliefs of oral and written traditions. “The Way,” was a part of a movement that was creating an upheaval in the institution of religion. The possibility that Jesus was truly the Messiah, was inconceivable to Saul, until God blinded him on the way to Damascus. God’s plan for Saul was to become one of the greatest Christian teachers in all of history. With a new name, Paul, he began to minister to people far and wide, as an apostle of Jesus.
Pastor Sarah said, “Acts 9 helps us understand that The Way is a movement and movements are messy. They are filled with misunderstandings and conflict, but also are moments of trust, courage and grace for those willing to follow. We are in a time of social unrest and if we truly want to be a part of Jesus’ movement, we need a healthy dose of descaling.”
The story of Saul is a story we are living today. God is asking us to listen, to be understanding and to lead with trust, courage and grace. Let us be leaders in opening the door to the poor and oppressed. Let us be “The Way” for Christians struggling to understand the unrest happening in our country. Movements are never easy. They upset our values and make us take a look at our belief systems. The Book of Acts was written to help us understand that God will guide us and give us what we need to have the strength to stand up with our fellow Christians and help bring about necessary changes the world.
Peace be with you.