Text: Act 1:1-9 (see below)
Baseball and Evangelism
Now I imagine that anybody reading this post is thinking right about now how can baseball and evangelism be related; right?
The text that I am using for today came from yesterday’s lessons for the feast of Channing Moore Williams. He was a missionary bishop to the people of China and Japan in the nineteenth century. Many of the lessons for this week focused on the proclamation of the Gospel so I thought I would close this first week of Advent with one more thought on evangelism.
My friend, Bill Easum, whose writings, lectures, and wisdom have guided me in so many ways in growing the Church, was responsible for sharing this combination of two of my favorite subjects. It is really very simple to understand.
Jesus said: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Let’s think about baseball: specifically the New York Yankees. If the Yankees play a home game, they play at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. That would relate to the disciples witnessing to the Good News of Jesus in Jerusalem. This was their home field advantage, a place they knew well and could be known by many. “Judea” would still be considered home field advantage for the territory surrounding Jerusalem was filled with friends, family, people of the same persuasion. It would be like the Yankees playing at Shea Stadium in Queens – they would still be on home turf so to speak.
What city, or better, what team are the arch rivals to the Yankees? Of course, the Boston Red Sox are the correct answer. They represent the “Samaritans” in this baseball metaphor – the place where you least want to play for the reception to your message will be hostile at best. Jesus concludes by saying that you finish playing by proclaiming the Good News to the ends of the earth.
It is really genius. If you can share the Gospel at home and in the surrounding area – well, that’s pretty easy. If you can go to that place where you least want to travel and share the story you are well on your way. If you have accomplished your mission in the easiest place and in the most difficult circumstance, the ends of the earth seem like child’s play.
Where is your Jerusalem? Where is your Judea? More importantly, where is that place in your life called Samaria? Where might the end of the earth be that God wants you to go to and share the story of Jesus?
The exciting journey begins when we can faithfully answer the question: What is it about my relationship with Jesus that the world cannot live without knowing?
Love One Another - Brian
Embracing Brokenness
Robert Benson
To embrace one's brokenness, whatever it looks like, whatever has caused it, carries within it the possibility that one might come to embrace one's healing, and then one might come to the next step: to embrace another and their brokenness and their possibility for being healed. To avoid one's brokenness is to turn one's back on the possibility that the Healer might be at work here, perhaps for you, perhaps for another.
Source: Living Prayer
Acts 1:1-9
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over the course of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This’, he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
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