Tampa airport

Let me just start out by saying this is the best airport. Quick and easy entry and movement from checkout to gates. That is a must.

But free internet and great workstations that makes it the best. Very very nice.

I went to bed last night at 3 AM. That has been normal for this convention. I'm talking EST now. I never did switch my watch to Eastern time. So I have to do the mental calculation. It's not always easy. We leave for the Convention Center, here called The Forum at 4:30 PM. That with traffic and time for loading close to 600 people means we get there pretty close to 7 PM, the time the convention starts.

Then we get done at 11 PM. What with getting out, getting on buses, switching to new buses at the football stadium, Raymond James Stadium, and a 40 miles trip back to Saddlebrook Resort we get back between 1 AM and 3 AM. Each of the three nights the setup was different. Last night we rushed out, thinking we have figured out their loading system to get on as quickly as possible, only to find they have changed their pattern again. Tonight the stadium was pretty much filled, this was the big night. There were close to 20,000 people to move out. Switching at Raymond James, after the first night, was not as bad. The walk was significant but I can handle that. Our buses were easy to find and we got off pretty quickly.

But now I am exhausted. I do not feel like I even slept. I have been getting to bed around 3 AM. It takes me a while to get settled. I do check the mail and see what's on the channels, really nothing. Last night I quickly packed, never made a mess, everything was pretty orderly and my bag is still big. I had to get up at 6 AM to get to a 7 PM Supershuttle ride to the airport. I set my alarm clock twice, for 5:50 AM and 6:15 AM. It never went off. Yes I should have gotten a wake up call on my phone. But as usual, God was good. He woke me up just in time to make the shuttle. Officially I was 4 minutes late since I had to rush in and check out. But I missed cooking my last breakfast on the apartment stove. I had enough time to pack my computer and do so last minute things. I did a quick double check. I still don't think I left anything. I did not even get any milk. I wonder if my roommate will take any of the food we have left over. I have taken some of it (tuna fish) but did leave a few things I wanted, potatoes maybe. I also packed myself a lunch from the leftovers last night.

I said I'm in a great airport. But the bad news is that I have a 3 hour layover in Miami before embarking for home. My experience is that Miami is a contrast, the worst airport in the world. Lots of walking, less than friendly staff. I will not have as much baggage as last time so the walking will not be as bothersome.

I am taking American today. like United each checked bag is $30 and over 50 pounds is $100. On the way over I had to take out a few books to get under 50 pounds. Today my bag weighs 66 pounds. I cannot take enough out to get down to 50. The check in lady clearly explains they can put extra in a box and I save $70. Two bags costs $60. One overweight bag costs $130. So I find enough to fill a 6 cu. ft. box. She wraps it up and I'm all set. Aside from the cost, pretty painless. Then a quick tram shuttle to Terminal F and I am now waiting for my plane to leave. I have about two hours to wait here. Yes there are seven terminals but each one has fewer gates so less walking once you get there.

Last Day of Convention

I am not a great speech or variety show junkie so often the presentation put me to sleep or made me bored. But there people were nice. There were some good conversations. The books I read could not keep my interest. I did finish a couple of books but ended up just hanging out or napping.

My roommate was very nice. He knew a lot of people and inside information. He ate lunch out a lot, presumable finding out more inside information. I feel much more informed.

Mitt Romney was not my first choice and I wondered why people voted for him. After this convention I think I know. He was certainly the most qualified candidate running, having run a state, several successful businesses, and turned around the almost failed Salt Lake City winter Olympics. It's on a bigger scale but he will have a similar task if he should win. This country has run away spending going on. Obama does not even pretend to have a budget. And I think a lot of it is because Obama is trying to repay cronies.

Romney is most qualified to take on this task having turned around several entities int the past. I wonder if the population of this country is willing to allow a government to make the tough decisions necessary to lower spending. As a group we see what we what and figure someone else can pay for it. A lot of people want to believe Obama's divisive rhetoric. That way we can justify taxing them more. We are a tough group to govern.

golfing attire at Saddlebrook Resort, Tampa

Oh yes, at the entrance to Saddlebrook resort are a couple of driving ranges and putting greens. Almost everyone is suitably attired.

The shirts were day-glow colors. Wow! There were a couple of day-glow yellow shirts and three very bright orange shirts. Also bright white. Then the pants tended to be just as white from bright blue to white. There was some green. I don't remember pink. The women tended to have the green shirts.

There were a few people in dark pants. But I did not see any dark shirts.

shallow impressions of Tampa

Quickly I have to get out to the bus.

I have seen waterless urinals. I knew they were possible. I had thought of it. But now I've seen them. I don't know how they work. I really never stuck around to see.

The homes on the fairways of this golf resort have screened in back yard. I guess it keeps out golf balls and especially mosquitoes. Cool. We are pretty much as humid in Houston, but I have never seen screened in back yards. Some of the large twenty foot high screened backyards include swimming pools.

I walked just off the premises. It's about two miles from our resort hotel to the front entrance. I found that just next to us is a pretty large orchard. They seem to be oranges. Several have died from lack of water it seems. But most are doing well with a lot of almost ripe fruit on them.

RNC - Tampa Bay

RNC - Tampa I have walked the perimeter of the golf course twice now. The second time I was in what we are getting of the hurricane, sprinkles that sometimes generate into hard sprinkles but often just muggy. Little wind.

< P> I saw a lot of different sea birds: egrets, gulls, herons, even a falcon. That was pretty cool. I got some great pictures.

The delegates have a scavenger hunt which I have joined. I might not be much help.

We had a planned welcome party at the local baseball field, Tropicana last night, Sunday. The lead act was Todd Akin. I hope I have got that name right.

Since the Monday convention was called off due to the hurricane. So instead I guess we have another party to go to.

We got dropped off and saw the demonstrators with what looked like army between them and us. There was as much of the police people as there were demonstrators. But they have discovered several people with guns nearby.

Everything is fenced off with six or seven foot high temporary fencing. I think there is wire on top. The buses have a security guard with an automatic rifle. There are thousands of security of various agencies. At the airport lot of people walked about with shirts saying they were RNC staff. But they did not help us, they must have been a type of security too, though seemingly without weapons.

The locals seem pretty sanguine. I'm a little surprised I don't hear or see more complaining about all the closures.

When we are bused around the police have blocked and stopped traffic. You would think it was a big VIP, the president or something moving in a caravan.

Last night at a party on the bay there were a half a dozen patrol boats with machine guns moving around.

We were at a place called Taylor's (or something) last night for our second party. The first rowdy drunken party at Tropicana Field Sunday was good. I had a good party experience there. I met a lot of interesting people including several media. It was fun to watch the dancing. The act, Chet Akin (?) was pretty good. But the second was too much of a good thing. I laid back on the alcohol this time. I may be repeating myself but Tampa food is none too good. They tout Cuban food. It will never be Tex-Mex.

One party was pretty good. Two in a row is too much. I guess we would not have had the second without the hurricane. The second was sponsored by AT&T who had screens all over with advertising for the company.

Today I am going to a Pro-life convocation at 11 PM before the main meeting calls to order at 2PM. I don't know why I am in such a hurry since I am just an alternate.

Each alternate is paired with a delegate. I can only get on the floor if my delegate expressly allows me to. My delegate is a nice lady, very politically experienced. She only half jokingly said if I wanted to get on the floor I had to kiss her ring. It a big brightly jeweled ring in the shape of Texas. So when I see her I pretend to kiss the ring. Hey why not? It's a good joke.

Luke 21:5-19 persecution

Jesus predicts persecution and links it (somehow) to the end of the world. In the first section he is asked about the temple and he predicts that it will be destroyed. This happened 40 years later. Was this written after the fact and simply put in his mouth to make him look good? I don't think. But this section is only an introduction to the main point. The temple is only the first of the signs.

Then he speaks of false messiahs and terrible events that will make one think the end must be near. We know both of those things have happened. Many times they have happened, haven't they? We have a new one. The Mayan Calendar had an end and it is coming at the time of the Winter Solstice. Some are taking this seriously as an end time prediction. Most of us are planning to have fun with it.

Interesting to me, Jesus says, "These things must take place but the end does not follow IMMEDIATELY. I have never noticed this before. Or it is just underscored to me right now.

Then he speaks of persecution. Jesus predicts the persecution of his followers. He is probably thinking of his own future experience here, that it will be like that for his faithful as well. Later when the disciples think back on his teaching here, they will remember his persecution and death, as well as his resurrection. It will give them hope when they are persecuted.

Jesus speaks of this as an opportunity to testify, to witness, to explain who Jesus is and why they persist despite disapproval and hatred. In verse 15 Jesus assures them that God will give them wisdom that none of their attackers can refute.

No one can refute my experience. I suspect in my children's time persecution in this country will get worse. But in all ages there are things that Christians believe that cause anger and at least mild persecution among average non-Christians.

Today some of those things are monogamy, a mindset that homosexuality is not normal and in fact self destructive, and pro-life (anti-abortion). Not every Christian agrees with all these things but they are obviously the teaching of the Bible and the church since the beginning. Speaking of these things publically can get you ridiculed and increasingly into trouble with the government. But they are definitely time for witnessing.

Other things that some Christians believe I am not so convinced of myself. Perhaps they are right. I could be ridiculing what God loves. So I try to resist the wish to make fun or put down.

Not that long ago there were Christian women who demonstrated about alcohol. This was about 100 years ago. "Demon rum" it was called. Many ridiculed Carrie Nation and her followers. Even today Carrie Nation is a name that brings a titter. Was she following God? She certainly thought so. Yes alcohol can be a demon. Many have been ruined by abusing it. The movement she started later caused us to outlaw alcohol and start the era called Prohibition. We now feel that was an overreaction and are scared to prohibit other addictive substances, such as nicotine. Perhaps PSA's against alcohol and nicotine are the better solution.

The Prohibition movement was certainly a Christian movement. But after it was passed we found out what hypocrites we were. It was a good idea. We just did not have the discipline to keep it.

Pharisees and Sadducces - Acts 22:30-23:11

OK I am using this portion of scripture to mainly speak of the world view of Harry Kemelman, who is the author of the "day, the Rabbi " series. The first one is called "Friday the Rabbi Slept Late". These are fun mysteries without lots of sex and violence. My wife and I love them. As a student of cultures and sub-cultures I especially love this series.

Several times in each book there is a scene where the rabbi speaks of what Judaism is and what it is not. By and large I agree with his view. The view is definitely one of the Sadducees.

At the time of Jesus Christ there were two major schools of thought in Judaism: Pharisee and Sadducee. Jesus most definitely fell on the side of the Pharisee. But over time the Pharisee view fell out of favor and has almost died out.

As we read in the Acts scripture Sadducees felt there was no afterlife, no angels, nothing spiritual, which I assume means no healing, no real way of experiencing God, at least spiritually. The Pharisees believed all of those spiritual things were real. God can be experienced. He intervenes into our world.

But the view of the Sadducee is the take that Kemelman's rabbi, Rabbi Small takes. God cannot be known really. Judaism has become a religion of dietary rules and moral laws. Jews follow the laws and obey the moral laws simply because God said so. But there is no expectation that one will receive benefits from all this. The major rites of the Jewish religion occur at home among family, not at church or synagogue.

Speaking my opinion now this change in Judaism is for two major reasons. First the temple was destroyed. It was not rebuilt and likely will never be rebuilt. So the major rites of the Old Testament which involved the temple cannot be done anymore. Our sensibilities have changed much over the centuries. Today one cannot even imagine ritually killing animals in the name of God. We wonder why anyone would do it and what would it prove?

Secondly the hope of a religious savior, however one envisions that, has died. They partially died as a result of the destruction of the temple. But also the time that the savior was to come, according to most views of the prophets, was at the time that Jesus came. Since no other man that the Jews could accept did come and Jesus has been such a world wide success the Jews are left with a big problem. Their leaders quickly closed ranks after Jesus died and reportedly rose from the dead. They decided anyone who believed Jesus was the Jewish messiah would be declared not a Jew. Some were stoned and killed.

As Rabbi Small has said, Judaism is about ritual and laws, not about beliefs. One can be an atheist and still confidently attend services and do the rituals. But he doesn't mention the only exception is one cannot accept Jesus as the Jewish savior. That puts one outside the pale of Jewishness.

But since the Jews had no alternative to put forward as the savior who is definitely predicted in their scriptures they have decided over time that no savior will come. So they have had to redefine what God had meant. Whenever the prophets speak of an individual they have decided this refers to Israel as a group. The talk of a savior is to be "spiritualized". Often it actually works pretty well.

Anyway this is the view of Kemelman's rabbi. He expresses it very well, certainly better than I have.

Life is good

My life is good. I planned it. Now it's by God's grace. Paul criticized some disciples for saying, "I will go to such and such a city and conduct business and make a profit." Rather say, "By God's grace I will go and do such and such."

I am so aware that my planning has come true by God's grace. Nevertheless I did plan this and by and large it has come to pass. I know how tenuous this is. Do not trust in goods that mold can rot. Money can rot quickly because of inflation or several kinds of financial disaster.

It's not quite what I hoped for 20 years ago. But it's pretty close. I had a plan, I worked the plan. Interest rates are sure not what we expected 20 years ago. But these things come it cycles. It's not totally unexpected.

That is why the lack of control on my Israeli trip was so startling. I know God's loves me because he worked to test me about how I would react to situations where I found myself desperately out of control. Would I still trust him and love him? I could have done better. But I knew God's presence in all that.

Part of life is good: I was reading in the WSJ that people are now using public hotel bars as a mobile offices. (Is that what WG does?) Some hotels think this is good for business and actually encourage it. It sets an ambiance that business travelers might see as friendly. These hotels have free wi-fi, great lighting, and sufficient plugs for laptops. If you are making a lot of phone calls you may have to take it outside. But it's a pretty cool idea. I should try the Hilton Americas down the road sometime.

But I have always planned to use my college library like that. It's going full circle. I used to hang out there when I was in high school, before I even matriculated there. Now I am hanging out there in my semi-retirement. I have a desk I always use. There is even a desk drawer. There is free wi-fi and a snack machine close by. But I always bring a lunch and some cold tea. It simulates going to an office to work. It helps to separate oneself from home.

I do some personal business, personal projects, personal reading, check email and Facebook. I don't do much corporate business but I do take some calls and email. More business people know my personal phone number than I'd like. I have no problem keeping busy for eight hours.

Then I might go to the gym on the way home. It's pretty cool.

Man proposes and God disposes. Each breath I take is a gift from God. Yet one still must have a plan. With no plan your plan cannot come true. As plans go my plan was pretty modest. It was a plan for retirement. I know a man from Hawaii who was very public about his plan to retire. He was working the plan while also living his life. His life included exercise for fitness and increasingly for adventure. While hiking a mountain pass he fell to his death. He was with a group. It was dangerous but he felt he had taken every precaution. Yet he died young, early 40's I think.

So one plans but one never knows how it will work out. We remember you RS, rest in peace.

today's sermon - healing

Today was our annual healing sermon. Or so it seems. I think DG preaches about once a year and it is always on emotional healing. Why? Because we need it. We likely had not done much since the last one.

DG spoke on having the courage to seek God about our healing. We do not want to face into the hard emotional work it will take to get healing. We must admit that we are broken and we need help. It takes courage to be vulnerable. It takes courage to seek prayer from a fellow human being. Yes, he says, we must include others in our healing. We cannot do it ourselves.

We have experienced external stresses that cause us to be broken. He listed shame, trauma, abuse, betrayal, and abandonment. We have emotional baggage. Perhaps the thing that jumped out at me was the comments about avoidance. I am very guilty there. I sure do a lot of avoidance. Why do I avoid certain movies and certain people? It has to do with emotional baggage, no doubt. But I don't know the details. I have not really wanted to know. Do I have the courage to ask God? Or others?

He spoke on spiritual exercises: prayer, Bible reading, quiet time. That I can do. He spoke of being part of the body of Christ, church going, Life Groups (small groups). That I can do too. But being vulnerable is pretty hard. Courage? Yeah perhaps that's it. Lack of courage.

I can always increase in my knowledge in God's love. I know partially that God is proud of me.

I spoke recently of all the challenges of travel during our July vacation. I know God wanted me to deal with issues of avoidance. Thank God he is still working with me.

DG spoke of opportunities to grieve. I have experienced some of those too and try to use them as opportunities for healing.

I always feel challenged after this annual sermon. The question is always how much am I going to do about it? I will do some.

testing - our vacation

I have probably gone over this before, but it bears another try.

I have the definite feel that on our July vacation trip we were tested. Every travel plan was messed up. Things did not go the way I planned. A lot of this was my fault, poor planning, poor leading on my part.

Also DW got sick and could not work on the mountain. She was not able to visit friends while in Kansas. It certainly did not turn out the way she expected it to.

Well, I am always tempted to think God is testing me because he is angry with me or he is disappointed in me. I have to struggle with those thoughts and feelings every time I face adversity. However we are told in scripture we are tested because he loves us. The testing is to get us closer to God and the perfection he wants for us. He is proud of us. But like any good daddy he wants us to grow. This is for our happiness and joy.

After thinking about it from a couple of weeks I can encourage myself that God took the time to test me because he loves me. He wants me to grow in ability, in grace. He is working to bring me higher. And he wants me to bless him in the midst of it.

At the time it was happening I knew I should feel that way but it was hard to act out of it. I have so much more to learn. At the time I felt very unspiritual. I spent less time in prayer than I usually do. One might think that in the holy land one would feel more holy. We I didn't. I felt less holy if anything. Possibly because my cares and concerns overwhelmed me.

He wants me to know he loves me in the midst of testing. In the midst of testing I allow myself to doubt God's approval of me. I worry testing occurs because he is mad at me. But I can thank God that he takes the time to teach me. It is a good thing.

Acts 19

You can read the passage first if you like.

I wonder if Paul did not get a little carried away with his big plans. It is good to have a big vision. Paul was undaunted despite physical danger. In the meantime though there was a lot of opposition. Paul's brash personality got him into a lot of trouble. Greek democracy could border on mob rule. Here we have an example. The silversmiths, rather than try to find something that Paul had really done wrong, which was fairly unlikely, tried to stir up patriotic sentiment to get him killed or at least thrown out of the city.

Back in chapter 15 we find that God had somehow kept him out of the province of Asia. But now he is in Asia preaching and making disciples. You can expect a backlash when you are successful. There are always unintended consequences.

I was reading that the temple of Diana (Artemis) in Ephesus was considered one of the seven wonders of the Roman world. It must have been truly spectacular. And the Ephesians had every right to be proud.

This was like a protest riot. The crowd chanted slogans. (But two hours? Wow!) Most of them had no idea why they were even assembled. Most of them had little faith in a statue made from human hands. Artemis was a concept not really a god, not like we think of God. She was not transcendent.

We are not sure if Paul ever made it to Spain, his other big idea. We know he got to Jerusalem, found more opposition and got to Rome, but not the way he hoped. e came as a prisoner. Still Paul used every opportunity to serve God, to preach and proclaim. And God confirmed his words with Holy Spirit power. Luke's history ends before Paul's death. Perhaps his history was written right as it was happening and the rest of Paul's life was in the future. Some say he did make it to Spain after being released from prison.

As the Roman world became more and more a Christian world it did cause many outward changes. What silversmiths created was only a small one. They would find other ways to make money. The silversmiths were prophetic in this, as pagan worship passed away the temple would go out of use. The building would be adapted to another role or the stones be taken down and used to build other buildings. Basilicas became churches.

Acts 19:21-41 ^ Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." ^ And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. ^ About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way. ^ For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; ^ these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. ^ You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. ^ Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence." ^ When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" ^ The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia. ^ And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him. ^ Also some of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater. ^ So then,some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together. ^ Some of the crowd concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly. ^ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" ^ After quieting the crowd, the town clerk *said, "Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image which fell down from heaven? ^ So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. ^ For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. ^ So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. ^ But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly. ^ For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today's events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering." ^ After saying this he dismissed the assembly.

Sunday message

Last Sunday I gave a message at Brighton Retirement Home. This wonderful place I call it in my mind an old folks home. Is that good enough?

I struggle with what to call my presentation. Sermon? I don't feel talented enough or qualified. I'm still high church enough to think a sermon must be delivered by an ordained person with a seminary degree. Besides I did not organize three points. I thought about it but hardly organized anything. Homily? That would be shorter than what I delivered and usually has only one main point. This was a rambling message and longer than a homily.

I did it without notes. I'd prefer to have notes at least to help me organize my thoughts. But I never made myself sit down and do it. I talked to Sam beforehand and he wisely said to come with a Bible scripture to base it on. I had determined to speak about our vacation trip to Israel and Kansas City. I wanted to give an account of all our adventures. But I really could not see how to speak on this for 20 minutes. I know myself, I would summarize and it would be over in a flash. So I told DW she might get a chance to speak too. I know I can rely on her to provide details. It turns out that after I spoke that is just what she did, giving wonderful word pictures.

Anyway I took Acts 15:36-16:15 something I had recently read. I tried to liken it to our trip. We went off with one plan in mind but God changed it in so many ways. Perhaps you can say that about the sermon because it ended up being mostly about this passage. I spent a lot time reading this passage and commenting on it.

I really do not know what I said. Did it finally have a point? I guess if it did it was that ministry was not always glorious, always successful. And we might start out with one plan and God could change it, force you to make changes. You might not get the glory. You might appear a colossal failure. Yet you can trust God to be in control, even if you are not and even if it appears nothing good happened.

I did not mention this but I wonder why Luke included these details at all. If you look at it critically it sort of makes Paul look bad. To me it makes him look petty. But I think Luke included it because to him this was normal. Real live ministry is full of disagreements, arguments, setbacks. And he was showing that despite it all, the gospel was being preached and many people were converted. The church was growing by leaps and bounds. The people doing it were human, talented yet flawed. But they were God's chosen. God used all this strife to advance his kingdom here on earth.

The commentator of this passage quoted Bonhoeffer twice. He said in ministry God might be building up or he might be pulling down (in preparation for something new). I see so many ministries that try to hang on after the newness is gone, the freshness it gone. I think so many times a ministry hangs on long after it should close up and prepare the way for something new. Yet if I am in the midst of that ministry I do not want to stop. Even in this I can trust in faith that God is in control.

The commentator concluded with this Bonhoeffer quote: "It is a great comfort which Christ gives his church: ‘You confess, preach, bear witness to me, and I alone will build where it pleases me. Do not meddle in what is my province'"

So we are God's laborers. But God brings the fruit. God touches hearts. God is in charge.

Acts 15:36-16:15 - Ministry Frustrations

Anyone who has seen ministry work in practice can identify with this passage. There are arguments, frustrations, and often little apparent fruit. Paul and Silas are frustrated in their first plans and must adapt. They end up going a different way, to a different place than they originally planned.

Paul and Silas saw a vision of a man in Macedonia yet their first convert is a woman. Did that surprise them?

Areas are closed up to them. Why? How does this happen in practice? We can only guess.

After all the controversy about circumcision Paul does circumcise a man. Why? We can guess it is because his mother was Jewish. But this does not completely explain it.

My commentator quotes Bonhoeffer. In ministry we never know whether Jesus is "building up or pulling down".

Missionary work may seem romantic from far off. Read Acts carefully to see that it was not. People did what they felt like was right. They were not wrong but God interceded to correct and change so that what happened was what he wanted. This is what happens in all missionary and ministry work. We can only trust God, despite the fact that things are not as we would have them. Even if we see little results God's ways are not our ways. We go wrong when we start second guessing God.

Bonhoeffer - "It is a great comfort which Christ gives his church. You confess, preach, bear witness to me, and I alone will build when it pleases me. Don not meddle in what is my province.'" This reminds me of our July trip to Israel and then to Kansas City. Things did not go as we expected. We had few ministry opportunities and the ones I had were with people we randomly met in our traveling, not with the people at our destinations. I take encouragement that I can trust God was working in ways I can never understand and perhaps will never understand.

Acts 15 - barriers to conversion

Some people had come down from Jerusalem and told the Gentile converts that they must live like Jews, take on dietary laws and other traditions of the Jews. Paul and Barnabas strongly objected to this. God had shown many signs of power to these people just because they had repented and believed the Good News. God seemed to not discriminate. So why should man?

So there was a meeting in Jerusalem, a summit, what would later be called a synod. At this point Jerusalem was still the center of the new sect. Peter's testimony was recalled. But Luke says there was lots of debate. I assume some people were strongly emotional, voices raised, maybe even some name calling. But Paul and Barnabas stood their ground. They felt they were right. Experience and God's inspiration plus there are some Old Testament scriptures foretelling the Gentiles coming to praise the One God. They felt these scriptures were being fulfilled.

Finally James spoke. He warned of putting barriers in the way of faith. This is still good advice today. What barriers do our churches put in the way of faith? What unnecessary barriers? Circumcision and dietary laws would have been very hard on Gentiles. It would have been offensive.

What things do we put on new prospective converts that could be offensive? Language barriers? Reading barriers? Some people may not be able to afford the unwritten dress codes some churches demand. They may not own suit and tie and dress shoes. Must they get new clothes before they will be accepted?

How are our churches making an effort to reach out to prospective converts? How are we making it easier for them to fit in? Our church makes a conscious effort. Regular members are expected to dress casually. We do our service singing in English and Spanish. We are expected to greet and include newcomers. In what other ways can we be more inclusive?