What's In Our Spiritual Wallets?

REFLECTIONS
April 11, 2010

You’ve no doubt seen the commercial. The buyer takes a credit card out to buy something and a hoard of ruffians heads his or her way. They stop only upon finding that it is a certain brand of card. Then looking into the camera the toughies say “What is in your wallet?,” the implication being that if we don’t have this card our monetary life is in danger. These are interesting times in terms of finances so there is some value to such a message. To be aware of cost and risk is an important question. When I started to work for my father at age fifteen, quite often I would ask the question, “Pop, how much does that cost or what is that worth?” He gave one of three answers consistently. “Too much,” “Enough.” Or my particular favorite now (not then). “Son if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.”

The central question of the book of Acts is, what is the cost of discipleship? The early Church is struggling with not the concept, but the actual risk of following Jesus. In chapter 5:27-32, Peter and the Apostles have been brought before the religious council for violation of religious law. This has, of course, a familiar ring to it, for not a week ago the Scripture reading for Holy Thursday, and Good Friday had similar questions being asked of Jesus. The high priest states ,“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him... and we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit...” It is clear that the Apostles have been warned not to preach in the name of Jesus or to teach his ways in Jerusalem. Yet, here they are before the very same council that warned them not to do so. When they told the religious leaders that it was by the power of God through the Holy Spirit that they preached and taught, at first the Council so enraged wanted to kill them. However, at the urging of one leader they were instead jailed, beaten and released. Whereupon, they rejoiced in their suffering and immediately began preaching and teaching in the name of Jesus.

The early Christian Mothers and Fathers knew the very real risks attached to life in relation with Jesus. Yet they embraced it. We in the modern Church are apt to ask why should I do this or that, or even more pointedly, what’s in it for me? Our ancestors in the faith knew if not intrinsically, certainly in their souls, that personal cost was not the question. Perhaps they knew Paul’s words from II Corinthians 5:19-20 “that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting our trespasses against us, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation... Making us ambassadors for Christ.” We do well not to ask what the salary and benefits are?

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