From Faith Comes Heavenly Things

REFLECTIONS
January 11, 2009

Acts 19:1-7 is a text detailing what some refer to as Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Paul has followed Apollos into Ephesus and encounters followers of John the Baptist. In conversation, he discovers they have no understanding of the Holy Spirit. Paul and those with him lay hands on them, and their world is changed radically because they can now speak in tongues, and prophesy. Luke reports that there were about twelve, which is a way of linking this story back to the ministry of Jesus and the original twelve disciples. The ultimate question here is, what does it mean to follow Jesus? More importantly, how do believers respond to life in terms of the gifts it brings?

Stephen Schwartz in the song “All Good Gifts,” written for the musical “Godspell,” gives a wonderful indication. “We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land, but it is fed and watered by God’s almighty hand. He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain, the breezes and the sunshine and soft refreshing rain.” (Then the refrain) “All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above, So thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love.” The difficulty, of course, is in keeping balance, lest we fall into a faulty theology where we thank God and feel blessed when things go well and then feel cursed or perhaps even curse God when bad things happen.

Here believers’ receive the Holy Spirit and have a transforming experience. However, we are all too aware that an active and deep faith does not exempt any of us from sadness, pain or suffering. The openness of these disciples is key to grasping the power of a lasting faith. For in receiving the Baptism they are saying that they understand God’s presence is lasting. This means the Love of Christ does not exempt us from harsh and hurtful times, rather it surrounds and supports us always, but especially then. The late prophet of the Protestant Church, William Sloane Coffin wrote, “When the worst in life happens in this world, we are called in the name of the Spirit to show the best of God’s love.

Dr. Joey K. McDonald
First United Methodist Church
4832 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91601