This is the Way . . .

Peter Fitch, St. Croix VineyardSunday, September 8, 2013

The Weavings of God

• Can be intricate and developed over a long time

• Examples: Gilead, Arthur• Generally involve a step of obedience or faith

to walk forward into seeing outcomes• This is a call to a rich and holy life, the way• It can be flattened into a life of moralism

Moralism

• Seems so good but there are hidden shadows• Jesus fights this over and over• It’s a religious tendency that looks like the

Way of Life, but it isn’t the same• This is a legalistic approach to life that creates

division and boundaries around behaviour and belief

Moralism

• It allows some people to feel superior• In fact, it develops a tendency in the heart to

maximize the perceived sins of others while minimizing its own problems

• Remember the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18

• Or the teaching about the log and the splinter

Evidence of Problem

• Think of Romans 13• Calls us to obey the laws of our societies• Yet it’s easy to think of times when it would

be wrong to do that (Germany, Rwanda, USA, South Africa and race relations)

• There must be something better than simply following a prescribed law or portion of Scripture (some things are contradictions)

Acts 18 may have an answer

12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal. 13 They said, “This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the law.”

Context: Paul reviled at Corinth but encouraged by the Lord to keep speaking

Another person from Acts 18

24 Now there came to Ephesus a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria. He was an eloquent man, well-versed in the scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord; and he spoke with burning enthusiasm and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him more accurately.

What is the Way of the Lord?

• Distinct from the Jewish Scriptures, though clearly related to them

• Something that can exist in greater or lesser degrees of accuracy

• Not moralism, but something better: learning to walk in the way of Jesus

• The difference between moralism and the way of wisdom and love

Prescriptive or Transformative?

• We don’t follow every simple prescription of Scripture—we would not be very pleasant to be around!

• Rather, we enter the atmosphere of encounter that many people and societies have had with God and we ourselves are transformed

• More important than law is heart and love and care for others

Back to Romans 13

8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Is this dangerous?

• Welcome to real life• Welcome to Paul’s experience• We are not to use thinking like this as a

rationalization for doing whatever we want to do

• Rather, we enter deeply into following Jesus in a life of obedience to God and loving care for others

Personal Thoughts

• Ups and downs since my last book was released

• There’s a cost• But I feel like I had something like Paul’s

experience in Acts 18 . . .

Acts 18 (Paul in Corinth)

9 One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people.” 11 He stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Recent experience of weaving

• Psalm 42 (before we left for the UK)• Told many people the vision I’ve adopted for

SCV for this year (“I really like baseball”)• Some great times (eg. Freedom Church), some

difficulties on trip• Asked for sign, then repented . . .• Movie on flight: 42 (Jackie Robinson story)

Harrison Ford

• “D’you think God likes baseball, Herb?”• “What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”• “It means someday you’re going to meet God

and when He inquires as why you didn’t take the field against Robinson in Philadelphia and you answer that it’s because he was a negro it may not be a sufficient reply!”

The number 42

• Worn by all baseball players each April 15• Means welcoming all people into the game• I feel encouraged to keep telling people the

dream, the vision• SCV is a place where everyone is welcome,

believers, unbelievers, gay and straight and young and old (in line with Desmond Tutu’s word)

Time for some homeruns

• We welcome people• We do kindness• We welcome God• We explain what we are doing

“I really like baseball . . .”