Emphasis Preaching Journal

Acts 10:44-48
In the football movie, Remember the Titans, racial tension fuels a whole lot of controversy in a newly integrated football team. The white head coach is replaced by a black man; white and black boys are expected to play together as a team. As the team travels toward football camp, most of the boys are mutinous. But there's one white player, Louie, who barrels right through racial roadblocks. Before you know it, he's singing spirituals with his black teammates and having a ball. Picture Louie as Saint Peter. All the Christians are on the same bus to salvation, but they're riddled with division. The Jewish Christians think they should be on the only ones in line for salvation. Surprise! God embraces Gentiles, too. Peter decides this is no problem -- only an opportunity to share God's love with more of his brothers and sisters; maybe even, like Louie, through singing hymns at the top of his lungs.

Acts 10:44-48
Val was coach of the high school girls soccer team. Her team struggled as the lowest seed in the playoffs; but after two victories they played for the state championship and won.

Val's husband was a pastor. He attended and videoed every game. More than anyone he was pleased with the last five seconds of the game. Two players sneaked behind Val and drenched her with a barrel of Gatorade™. On Sunday in worship Val's husband projected the video of the dousing. When everyone finally stopped laughing, he said, "Any doubts about what happened to Val? See her face, right here," he froze the frame as she shuttered and gasped.

"Now, at Caesarea some non-Jews received such a gush of the Holy Spirit as obvious as what Val endured Thursday night. Could any of the Jews present deny that God had offered the Holy Spirit to everyone?"

Acts 10:44-48
Let's remember together the events of the Day of Pentecost, which was a Jewish holy day and harvest festival. The early followers of Jesus were together in an upper room. Although they were all Jewish, they were from many different nations and spoke in many different tongues. The Holy Spirit came upon them like the rush of mighty wind over the chaos in Genesis. They began to speak and hear in other languages. The situation was as if a US citizen could suddenly understand someone speaking in Swahili.

In today's lesson from Acts 10, the Holy Spirit falls upon all the Gentiles listening to Peter preach about the death and resurrection of Jesus. Gentiles are now introduced into the Christian church and baptized in the name of Jesus. God does not discriminate with respect to who may be admitted to Christian salvation. There are no racial barriers. God's intention is to extend Christianity beyond traditional boundaries of race, religion, and nationality.

1 John 5:1-6
It is said of the Emperor Constantine that, on the eve of an important battle in the year 312, he looked up at the sky and saw a cross. Below the cross was the Latin inscription, in hoc signo vinces -- "in this sign shall you conquer." And conquer Constantine did, consolidating his power over the Mediterranean world. The next year, he promulgated the Edict of Milan, which ended the persecution of Christians and returned confiscated property to the church.

The sign by which Constantine conquered was not the imperial eagle -- that bloodthirsty raptor -- but, rather, an instrument of capital punishment, a symbol of weakness, failure, and miserable death. It was not the sort of symbol a military man would typically choose: although, if there's any truth at all to Constantine's legend, he didn't choose that symbol. It was chosen for him, by God.

1 John 5:1-6
Much to Alice's dismay she discovered that her fifteen-year-old daughter was experimenting with drugs. She was devastated that her bright, beautiful daughter who had so many positive things going for her would make such a dumb choice. The situation became worst; her daughter started sneaking around and skipping school. Her once straight-A student began getting Cs and Ds. Alice met with her daughter's teachers and guidance counselor seeking their help. Alice was trying to help her daughter as any parent would. But before she could help, her daughter ran away from home.

Alice's small group from church gathered and together they prayed for her and her daughter. They offered words of encouragement to her. They all promised to keep Alice and her family in their prayers. Although the situation was near crisis, Alice felt the love and support of her small group. She knew that God continued to love her and was present with her and also her daughter. She continues to pray that her daughter will come home and when she does she will be welcomed.

The apostle John, writing words of encouragement to believers who were experiencing problems, penned these words, "For whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith." With our faith firmly grounded in Jesus Christ we are no longer victims but victors.

1 John 5:1-6
It was generally conceded that Mrs. M was a tough coach. She demanded a lot from her high school basketball team. And she got results. Her teams were consistently in the running for the state championships. Her players never found her demands too hard, for they knew that if they followed them, they would become more disciplined people, and they would have a winning team.

Mrs. M's rules were simple:

* 110% effort every game and every practice. A curfew of 10 p.m. on school nights and 11 p.m. on weekends.
* Absolutely no alcohol, drug, or tobacco use.
* Be to practice on time.
* No complaining about or to the officials -- that was her job.

Mrs. M tolerated no breach of the rules. First time was a warning. The second time and you were off the team.

Jesus asks us simply to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. We do not find his commandments burdensome.

John 15:9-17
The novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, follows the life of the two wives of an abusive man in Afghanistan. Mariam is the older, bitter wife, whose life has been one hardship after another, and who has no children. Laila is the young wife, orphaned and left brokenhearted by war. As Laila bears the children Mariam never had, Mariam is bitter toward the young woman; however, constant abuse by their husband creates a necessary partnership between them. Their lives take a turn when their husband, Rasheed, finds out that Laila's childhood sweetheart, Tariq, is alive and has spoken to Laila. Rasheed nearly kills Laila, and it is Mariam who steps in and kills their husband to save Laila's life. In the end, in order for Laila and Tariq to escape, Mariam turns herself in to the police and sacrifices herself before the firing squad in hopes of a better future for the young woman who began as an enemy yet became a friend.

John 15:9-17
Alfonso XIII was king of Spain from 1886-1931, having been proclaimed king at birth. A famous photograph holds him in place when he was, as he expressed it, attempting to have "direct contact with his people." In Spain when almost no one had a car and most roads weren't surfaced, the king drove his car from the palace. The car has broken down and the photo is of peasants now pushing him in the car.

Jesus demonstrates his style of ruling others by not calling them servants but friends and laying down his life for his friends. Although Jesus was born to be king, on the cross Jesus portrays the kind of king he is. Others don't serve him. He serves them. When Jesus hangs from the cross between two condemned thieves, he shows in the most effective and profound way how he has direct contact with his people.

John 15:9-17
Jesus tells us that we are loved because we are children of God. Love is a free gift. In contrast, the world tells us that we only receive love when we earn it.

Jesus tells us that we find meaning and purpose in life when we cooperate with one another; working as an interdependent team and sharing with one another are God's plans for us. In contrast, the world tells us that we must always be in competition with each other. Life only has meaning if we beat others to the top of the ladder.

Jesus tells us to love one another. Love exemplifies the behavior we use both with people we like and those we do not like. Jesus never said we have to like everybody. Love shows patience and kindness. Love does not gloat when another makes a mistake. Love respects the abilities of another and allows that one to share those gifts with us. Jesus asks for us to show respect to one another, to recognize the dignity of every person, and to recognize others as God's children. Love's behavior powerfully affirms our claim to be disciples of Jesus by the way we care for one another.