Observation: Another great story from the Book of Acts. Today's snippet comes from Ephesus, where Paul's preaching about Jesus has gotten him into trouble with some devotees of Ephesus' patron goddess: Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt. These fine, red-blooded patriotic local folks are in an uproar about Paul's preaching of this foreign god, and start chanting "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" My favorite verse says that in the chaos, "some were shouting one thing, some another, and most of them did not know why they had come together." If that doesn't describe human behavior around controversial issues, I don't know what does. One thing our reading for today does not reveal: Paul's chief adversaries are those who make a bundle of money selling silver Artemis statues...
Application: After over a thousand years of Christianity being a dominant faith in Western society, it's hard to imagine what it would be like for Jesus to be a "foreign" god. What if you had never heard his name before? What if you had been raised to believe your nation had a special patron god, who bestowed blessings and favor only on your community, and looked with approval on all you did, so long as you made sacrifices to your national god? Suppose into the midst of your community walked a preacher, who had a bigger story to tell? The story of a God who loves, not just you and your town, but everyone? Even those who don't believe? Even your enemies? Suppose this God loved this world so much, that, rather than demanding our sacrifices, he sacrificed himself, to save us from our own worst, most hateful impulses? Suppose this God required no membership fee, no sacrifices, but only your trust?
I'll be honest: I think that this God, to many, remains a "foreign" God. Jesus will continue to be a "foreign" God, for as long as there is money to be made, and influence to be gained, by preaching a more exclusive, nationalistic, prejudiced "god". As long as there is someone out there saying God loves only who we love and hates who we hate, that God wants us to be rich and is okay with others living hand to mouth, that God blesses everything we already feel like doing, and absolves us from any responsibility to do more, Jesus of Nazareth will remain a foreign God.
Be assured: if we think preaching the real Jesus, who blessed the poor and the mourning, who healed and fed the crowds for free, who commanded us to love our enemies, couldn't cause a riot today, maybe Jesus is a little "foreign" to us, too.
Prayer: Jesus, may we live your way in this world, no matter the consequences. May I be a little more like you today, and a little more "foreign" to this world as it is. Amen.
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