"The Jesus Disturbance"

Happy Friday and day before Valentine's day! (I'm amused by the Ace Sporting Goods Store commercial that is advertising Valentine's day as "Buy Your Love a Glock Day!") I myself am heading out to a chocolate party later this evening. But before the party gets started, let's get down to business. . .

Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Thurs, Feb. 12- What did the lame beggar ask of Peter and John? What did the lame beggar receive instead?
Acts 3:3 “He asked them for money.”
Acts 3:6 “. . . but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

And here's the question of the day:
Fri, Feb. 13- What was attached around the hem of the priestly robe?

And here's the reflection of the day:
Will Willimon calls this "the Jesus disturbance," this movement of people who preach and do acts of power (see yesterday's post) in the name of Jesus Christ. And they are upsetting the status quo. Peter and John are out and about, healing in His name. It doesn't take long for the religious leaders to take note of the "Jesus disturbance."

After throwing Peter and John in jail for the night, they call the two disciples to account for their actions. Can you picture the scene? The rulers, elders and religious authorities lined in a row, dressed in their finest tunics (4:6), scornfully looking down on the two disciples, dressed simply and poorly, looking like "unschooled, ordinary men" (4:13)

Willimon points out that the rulers, elders and religious authorities ask the question that is usually asked to disturbers of the peace: "By what power or what name did you do this?" (4:7) (Sidenote: He's talking about the man Peter and John healed in Acts 3). They ask this question, because they assume that they are THE "power" and "name" which gives authority. Things done in any other name or power than theirs is out of the question.

Lowly Peter and John are stuck in front of the religious leaders of their day, "unschooled, ordinary men" (4:13). They are roughneck fellas, working class folks, now called into the high court of the temple. What can they possibly say? How can they possibly say it?

But God steps in. God fills Peter with the Holy Spirit and enables him to say, "Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (4:8-12)

Shoot. Peter couldn't have said it any better if he had do it by himself to! But the beautiful thing is--he didn't have to do it by himself because God was with him. God filled him with the Holy Spirit and gave him the words to say. (Sounds a little like Moses and Aaron, doesn't it?) If we are going to be a part of this "Jesus disturbance," we don't need to be afraid of what to say. God will give us the words.

We may not find ourselves in front of the high court of the temple, but we might find ourselves talking about our faith a little more. And we may find that people have questions about our faith--not that they want to debate us, but because they are curious. We can't be afraid to share our faith--to say this is what God is doing in my life--and to encourage others to look at what God is doing in their lives too.

Are you ready to be a part of the "Jesus disturbance?"
Allison

PS As a bonus, here's a link to a song by Jars of Clay (one of my favorite Christian bands) using the line about Jesus being "the stone that the builders rejected": http://www.dizzler.com/music/Jars_Of_Clay/The_Stone. I can't seem to find a video of it, so this is a link to the audio and the lyrics. It's the kind of song that gets stuck in your head--hope you enjoy, over and over again, all day long! It's already stuck in my head!!