Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 19: Year 2
Morning, Psalms 69; Evening, Psalm 73:
Esther 1:1 to 4 and 10 to19; or Judith 4:1to 15; Acts 17:1 to15; and John 12:36b to 43:
“And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women,” (Acts 17:4)
The language of the Acts of the Apostles is very interesting. Christians were first identified as Christians in Antioch as explained in chapter 11, verses 25 and 26. But I notice that as we move through this chapter the followers are referred to as, “believers.” I like it. I like it because I think first of all, as observers of all that takes place in the world; each person must see that there is a Creating and Ordering hand at work in life and in the universe. Once we acknowledge and “believe” that, we can wrestle with what we want to believe about our Lord Jesus and his relationship to the Creator. Believing is not limited to one sex or gender.
As the people listened to Paul and Silas with an open mind the Spirit of God began to make sense to them, all of them, men and women. Some of the women were people with power and it helped Paul and Silas to continue with the work of spreading the word.
The fact that women were included is mentioned again. Luke writes that, “Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men,” (Acts 17:12). These new believers were men and women with equal standing in this new form of Judaism, or the Way. I say Judaism only because Paul and Silas were Jews who branched off from their traditionally male dominated theology, to be open to where the Spirit of our Lord Jesus was leading them, and the new believers, all the believers who followed them.
This leadership is still at work today. When we take the time to ponder about the love of God and how God came among us as our Lord Jesus, we too, men and women, are still empowered by that same Holy Spirit to continue the work of spreading the word. Thank You Lord Jesus.
Today we remember John Coleridge Patteson, Bishop of Melanesia and his companions, (20 Sep 1871) John Coleridge Patteson (satucket.com)
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1 and 2). So, for this evening and tomorrow day my friends, Shabbat Shalom.
What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia; Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray:
Dear Lord Jesus, our Savior and Teacher, help us to break down our resistance to good and faithful teachings so that we too may be persuaded and join with true believers everywhere in order to bring the love of heaven on earth. Amen.
onewhoponders 