Acts 4:1-12 Staying On Message

First century Jews didn't have much concept of Deja Vu, but if they did, Peter and John's situation would be pretty scary. Here they are, spending the night in custody for proclaiming a message about resurrection...much like their teacher had, the night before he was crucified. It might even have been the same prison in Jerusalem. Having been to the traditional site of Caiaphas' house, where it is believed Jesus was kept, trust me, it's no place to get a good night's sleep. But up they get the next morning, out in front of the council.

But even here, Peter stays on message, giving pretty much the same sermon he's already given 3 or 4 times. "None of this is my doing, all this good stuff is happening by the name of Jesus, whom you religious leaders crucified, but who rose and who is our salvation." 

I am often tempted to stray from the simple message of Jesus. It's so easy to get distracted, to crave some more "relevant" word that'll give us what we want instead of what we need: the "Christian" way to manage your marriage, your kids, your finances, the "Christian" way to fight for social justice against racism, colonialism and patriarchy. Those are all hugely important things, don't get me wrong. But when we place them at the top of our "to do list" in sharing a Christian witness, ahead of telling the story of what Jesus has done, they become another law we can't fulfill, another despairing story of our utter inability to save ourselves. Instead, like Peter, I want to try being boring for a while. I want to have enough trust in the story I have to tell, that I simply tell it, over and over, like a broken record, and let the Holy Spirit make the connections in the hearts and souls of those listening. To actually trust that my listeners have a conscience, too, and they can process the implications of this story in their own lives and place in society better than I can process it for them. I'd like to think if I spent the night in jail for that, that I wouldn't change course afterward.

God, keep me on message. Keep me telling your story, and let that story rhyme with my story and the story of others however you will it. Amen.