Theological Land Mines

[1]

Friday, February 1, 2019

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.  “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.  “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.   And they replied, “The baptism of John.”  Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin.  But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”  As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.  There were about twelve men in all.  Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God.  But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way.  So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him.  Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus.  This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.  Acts 19:1-10(NLT)

I learned a little theology from Fisher Humphreys sitting in his classroom, and from his book Thinking About God[2].  From the introduction of that book:

The word theology is used in several different ways today, and it is a waste of time to argue about how it ought to be used.  What I can do is to tell you how I intend to use it.  I use it to mean thinking about God.  When we are thinking about God, we are doing theology.

This was Paul’s mission after he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus, to help his fellow Jews (and anyone who would listen) think about God.

One of the greatest realities of the theological minefield is that it’s really hard to discuss some One you (and everybody else in the universe) have never seen.  Frankly, it’s even harder to teach theology, apart from Holy Scripture…which is why I try to stick with what Scripture reveals (to me) and be generously open to hearing what Scripture says through other people.  if you want to help people avoid stepping on the landmines of false ideas about God you can’t just spout-off in deep, theologically-big words, fuzzy metaphysical concepts and academic bore sessions; you must also be a good listener.  If you listen, people will always tell you what bugs them in their hunt to know God better.

Paul invested about three months mixing it up with the synagogue crowd at Ephesus.  As always, there were those who just wanted a good argument.  Paul obliged, but eventually understood those people just didn’t want to hear it.  The truth about a God of love, and the sacrifice of Jesus which proved that love, just wasn’t going to crack their settled (and hardened) idea of God.

So, Paul narrowed his focus and took leave of the synagogue.  He took with him the dozen men who had hearts to hear and learn of God.  He invested the next two years at Ephesus deepening their faith and understanding, teaching them from his well of experience with God how to reach their community.  They listened, avoided the landmine of stubbornness, and God gave the increase.

Division, when there is no meeting of the minds, is not a bad thing.  Just as those who tend vineyards will prune away dead branches and protect the vines from rot and disease, so God sometimes isolates us from the dangerous influences in our walk with Him.  He keeps us from stepping on landmines, so we’ll still have theological legs upon which to walk in this world, but not of it![3]

For You Today

If you’ve taken the time to go this far with me this morning, you’re already thinking about God; you’re already doing theology.  As you do that it’s a good idea to keep your mind, ears, and heart open; that’s the best way to hear God.  He still speaks to people, you know – and that’s a good thing when you walk in the minefield of this world.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

Go to VIDEO

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[1] Title Image:  Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining

[2] Insight Press, 1974

[3] From Jesus’ high priestly prayer:  They do not belong to this world any more than I do.  John 17:16^(NLT)

Saddlebag Sermonizing

[1]

Friday, January 29, 2016

VIDEO

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.  “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.  “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.  And they replied, “The baptism of John.”  Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin.  But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”

As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.  There were about twelve men in all.

Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God.  But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way.  So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him.  Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus.  This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord. Acts 19:1-10^(NLT)

A defining characteristic of 18^th century Methodism was its’ circuit-riding preachers.  John Wesley sent Francis Asbury to watch over the spread of the movement:

In 1771, Francis Asbury answered founder John Wesley’s call to bring the Gospel to America’s untamed frontier.  For 45 years, the premier bishop of American Methodism travelled the back country from Maine to Georgia.

Thousands of miles.  Through treacherous conditions.  Shunned by those who did not want to hear about God.  But, along the way, Asbury saved souls…planted parishes…and mobilized ministers. 

October 14th, 1803, Francis Asbury wrote:

“What a road we have passed!  Certainly the worst on the whole continent, even in the best weather.  Yet, bad as it was, there were four or five hundred crossing the rude hills while we were.  We must take care to send preachers after these people.”

And, Asbury sent saddlebag sermonizers across the land.[2]

Paul was a saddlebag sermonizer.  One of my favorite sayings about Paul came from a seminary professor (who probably stole it from someone else):  wherever Paul went he started a revival or a riot – sometimes both!

From the first century ministry of Paul, to the eighteenth with Wesley and Asbury, and on down to where we are today, the Word of God will produce revival and riot; it’s all up to the hearers.

Paul had the joy of seeing about a dozen men come to Christ in Ephesus (and in all likelihood their families also).  Then, for two years he stayed with them and spread the word in the surrounding communities.  With the revival came the riot of resistance in the temple, so Paul moved out. 

John Wesley did that as well.  Wesley preferred the established church buildings and all the refinement of liturgical ceremony and order.  What dashed that was the staid and stuffy resistance from his peers in clerical robes.  So, Wesley (like Paul) was forced into the streets to preach to the people, and the movement was born.

What we should never forget is that the saddlebag sermonizers, were never alone – the people went with Paul; the people welcomed the circuit-riding Methodist preachers.  And in each case, the combined efforts of preacher and people bore fruit.

Francis Asbury wrote:  “If I can only be instrumental in the conversion of one soul in travelling round the continent, I’ll travel round till I die.”[3]

This was the commitment of a movement.

For You Today

Are you involved in a movement?  Or do you put your time in going to church?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road today…and have a blessed day!

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[1] Title image: Rembrandt, via Wikimedia Commons & Giovanni Paolo Panini, via Wikimedia Commons[both Public domain]

[2] Rural Roots of United Methodism

[3] Ibid.