St. Mark’s Lutheran

Readings
Job 8:1-10, 20-22
Acts 10:17-33
John 7:14-36

Meditation
Evangelism is a odd thing. The typical corporate response is to set up a “spear-catcher”. One of the group has to tell the bad news about the quarter or the event, and that person catches the spear because the messenger is always shot. After that sacrifice, the higher-ups can look good talking about the plans, visions and what-not to make the future look better. The guys in charge give the bad news to lower totem pole people and keep the good news. God did the opposite. He proclaimed that we are all sinners, and He caught that spear, a centurion’s spear right in His side. He then tells us to go and tell the good news of forgiveness. God’s ways are not ours.

Evangelism is also odd in who is prepared to hear the Word. Would a Gentile Roman Captain living in Caesarea have been Peter’s first choice for evangelism. Probably not. In fact Peter even admits that he would not be there at all except for a vision. Yet, Cornelius was prepared while those with the revelation and the law were not. We just don’t know who God has prepared to hear his Word.

But the point for the disciple is that when called you respond. God has prepared things in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10). We can throw off that planning, it is called sin, but the better spiritual path is to say yes, however reluctantly. Peter, why he is often an example, he just goes. And it is not like we are sharing bad news. The law is on everyone’s hearts. They know they are sinners. What they don’t know is the gospel. Jesus lived and dies and rose for them. Jesus took care of that sin. We get the message of a solution.

May you recognize and respond to the various good works that God has planned for you in advance.

Tags: Meditation //