Getting Faith Out of the Closet
- davidwperk
- Aug 28, 2023
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 30, 2023
Devotional Reflection, Monday, August 28, 2023
Proper 16, the week of the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s Acts reading:
16But get up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you.
You will find the full text of today’s Acts reading at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 980)
AM Psalm 1, 2, 3; PM Psalm 4, 7
1 Kings 1:5-31; Acts 26:1-23; Mark 13:14-27
Today we celebrate the Feast of Augustine of Hippo. (See below.)
David's Reflections
In this passage, the author of Luke/Acts shares the story of Paul appearing before Herod Agrippa II, the Jewish client king of Palestine under Roman rule. As in his account of Paul’s earlier imprisonment, Luke relates that Paul shared the story of his life before his conversion, of his becoming a believer, and of his life since his conversion. The outline of this passage has been used by evangelicals as a model for equipping Christians to share their witness with others (see below).
The earliest church thrived on the enthusiasm of ordinary people about their newfound faith. Examples abound of their sharing one-on-one with those they knew and even with strangers. That still is the main way the church grows; marketing, advertising and media exposure obviously are not unimportant, but they lack the personal touch. If someone cares enough to share and invite another, that caring itself can create a loving connection.
Newcomers find their way into churches primarily as worshippers become aware of and sensitive to their relationship network: close friends and family, the larger circle of friends, acquaintances and coworkers, and those with whom they regularly come in contact (the grocery checker, the mail carrier, etc). Each of us could probably count 150 or more people in that network. How many of those people have no faith or have become inactive? You will begin to know as you more intentionally relate to and listen to them.
Some of those people know you and trust you and would receive your personal story. Paul's way of sharing creates a convenient way of organizing it. First, your life before Christ became more than a word. For Paul, that was quite a story. For me, it is a short chapter, since I've been a Christian most of my life. Second, how Christ became more than a word, or how you came to faith. Again, for me, a short chapter, because faith came gently and early for me. If you were an adult convert, this could be a more dramatic part of the story. Third, what difference Christ has made in your life. This chapter makes up my longest one. I can organize my story easily around the major ways in which my faith has affected and enriched my life and around the people who have enriched my journey.
People without an active faith in Christ are missing so much in their daily life, not to mention lacking any measure of deliverance from the fear of death. It is urgent that we muster up our courage, think through our story, and invite and share. Imagine someone finding their way into the experience of God's love through your invitation. How much more thrilling a joy could you envision?
One note of caution. The Anglican way of sharing differs in a number of ways from that in the revivalist traditions. We always share in the context of community. Any witness or sharing of our story aims at getting people to worship with us, to hear the story of salvation in the Great Thanksgiving, and to experience the sights, smells, and tastes of salvation in Holy Eucharist. Our ways of sharing involve conversation and dialogue and a lack of control. And, our ways of sharing begin with listening and not with talking, with trying to understand the other person and sharing comes only after the other person has evidenced an interest in things spiritual. (I recommend the book by Ben Campbell Johnson, Speaking of God: Evangelism as Initial Spiritual Guidance. Westminster/John Knox. Although it’s out of print, used copies remain plentiful on Amazon.)
I would invite you to entrust yourself to Spirit and begin each day with prayers for sensitivity to those around you and for open doors to share your story. Enter your day with that resolve. Johnson, in the book referenced above, suggests that we not initiate a conversation about spiritual things. But, if the other person initiates, we can respond. That will require some advance preparation of your story, as outlined above. Stand on tiptoe, be alert, and be prepared.
These loines from Peruvian poet Cesár Vallejo capture the spirit of this reflection.
Eyelash of morning, you cannot lift yourselves!
Give us our daily bread,
Lord . . . !
Every bone in me belongs to others;
and maybe I robbed them.
I came to take something for myself that maybe
was meant for some other man;
and I start thinking that, if I had not been born,
another poor man could have drunk this coffee.
I feel like a dirty thief . . . Where will I end!
And, in this frigid hour, when the earth
has the odor of human dust and is so sad,
I wish I could beat on all the doors
and beg pardon from someone,
and make bits of fresh bread for him
here, in the oven of my heart. . . !+
+Cesár Vallejo, Neruda and Vallejo: Selected Poems, edited and new preface by Robert Bly, trans. Robert Bly, John Knoepfle, and James Wright. (Boston: Beacon, 1971, 1993, pp. 198-201.
Collect of the Day, Proper 16, the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 232-33)
Today we celebrate the Feast of Augustine of Hippo, bishop and theologian (died 28 Aug 430 CE).
Collect of the Feast of Augustine of Hippo
Lord God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the hearts that serve you: Help us, following the example of your servant, Augustine of Hippo, so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whose service is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
A Collect for the Renewal of Life
O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 99)
For Those Who Mourn
Merciful God, whose Son Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus: look with compassion on all who are bound by sorrow and pain through the death of N. (or a loved one). Comfort them, grant them the conviction that all things work together for good to those who love you, and help them to find sure trust and confidence in your resurrection power; through Jesus Christ our deliverer. Amen. (Enriching Our Worship: 2, pp. 65-66)
A Prayer for Light
Almighty God, we give you thanks for surrounding us, as daylight fades, with the brightness of the vesper light; and we implore you of your great mercy that, as you enfold us with the radiance of this light, so you would shine into our hearts the brightness of your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 110)
A Collect for Mission
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100)
Daily Office Epistle, Acts 26:1-23
Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You have permission to speak for yourself.’ Then Paul stretched out his hand and began to defend himself: 2‘I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg of you to listen to me patiently. 4‘All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I have belonged to the strictest sect of our religion and lived as a Pharisee. 6And now I stand here on trial on account of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, 7a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship day and night. It is for this hope, your Excellency, that I am accused by Jews! 8Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? 9‘Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And that is what I did in Jerusalem; with authority received from the chief priests, I not only locked up many of the saints in prison, but I also cast my vote against them when they were being condemned to death. 11By punishing them often in all the synagogues I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was so furiously enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.
12 ’With this in mind, I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13when at midday along the road, your
Excellency, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. 14When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.” 15I asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16But get up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you. 17I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” 19‘After that, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout the countryside of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance. 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would take place: 23that the Messiah must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.’
Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer
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