David Bahn – Reflections

I’m in charge of trees. And I’m going to see to it that you plant 24 3 inch caliper trees on your property. We were over a barrel. We couldn’t move forward with our building project unless she signed off on it. And whether or not she was being unreasonable had nothing to do with anything. She was in charge of trees. There is much more to this story, but suffice it to say we planted 24 trees. Three inch diameter tree trunk trees. Never mind we had just the previous year planted 50 saplings on our church property in Arlington, Texas. She was in charge of trees.

Some people throw around their weight. Others don’t want to make any decisions. They want to pass the buck on up the chain. So nothing gets done until the chain comes to an end. Passing the buck is a favorite activity for politicians and bureaucrats.

This is what is happening with Paul. He is held prisoner by people who won’t make a decision. They won’t either let him go, or send him back to Jerusalem with his accusers. The former is a sad impediment to Paul’s continuing mission work. The latter is an inaction that protects Paul from the Jews’ plans to ambush and kill him.

Paul is stuck in the middle of all this, seemingly out of the game. But there are hints of God’s influence all over this saga. Their refusal to send Paul back with the Jewish leaders protects Paul. Their sending for Paul to hear his defense is an opportunity for Paul to give witness to God’s work in his life. Their posturing reminds us that lines of governmental authority and accountability may serve the cause of the gospel.

God works through means. Sometimes those means are obvious: Word and Sacrament. Other times it is more subtle: government, regulations, laws, and policies. Just because we can’t see what God is doing doesn’t mean he’s not doing anything. God is at work. Whether it’s Festus, Felix, or King Agrippa, God is at work. That applies even to the tree lady in Arlington. She played a role in God’s work which we may never fully understand.

Next time you’re stymied by bureaucratic red tape or unreasonable regulations. Keep in the mind God’s work is seen most clearly through the eyes of faith. I can’t help but think of Caiaphas, Pilate, the Jewish leaders, and the mob calling for Jesus’ crucifixion. God was profoundly at work throughout that whole ordeal.

I’ve been doing a lot of driving in Houston traffic these days. Between regular trips to Friendswood as I serve as Acting Senior Pastor there, and travel to meetings and gatherings for church business and entertainment, I’ve gotten to know the many facets of the Houston traffic grid. Let’s just say I’m glad I don’t commute to downtown Houston on a regular basis. A few times a week is enough for me. And I’ll do anything to avoid going through downtown. Almost anything.

I am – at the same time – working on being patient with other drivers. Get me behind the wheel and my speech filter flies out the window. Gone with the wind. I’m not given to expletives. But I am very loose with my criticisms of other drivers. “Get going!” “What are you doing?!?!” “Are you serious??!?!” “For crying out loud!” Just a few. With just cause in my opinion.

Whether it’s checkerboarding through the traffic flow, acting like a NASCAR driver, tailgating, or cutting me off without a signal: there are many rude and reckless drivers out there. And I’m working on my patience with them. I really am. Breath deep. It takes patience.

So here Paul is under the protection of Felix for days on end. Perhaps we would call it protective custody. But the fact is that he is not traveling to new places, sharing the gospel with new people – Jews or Gentiles. He’s at a stand still. His mission is on hold as far as we can see.

But maybe we don’t see things as we should. God’s mission is ongoing. And there are seasons of productive work and times of rest and waiting. And just because we’re resting, God is not. He who watches over Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps (cf. Psalm 121:4). God can run the universe without us. He may put us on the sidelines for a time. But even in those times when God is not at work through us he is at work in us. I suppose God was working on Paul’s heart and mind.

Maybe his friends needed an opportunity to serve Paul. Perhaps those in charge of Paul needed to see a man of God willing to suffer for the sake of Christ in a way different manner than they would have. In any case it must have tested Paul’s patience. So I am reminded of the need for patience. And key to that is realizing that God is in control of all things, and at work in and through me at all times. Who knows how my kind and patient demeanor might actually bless a fellow commuter who is in a hurry, late for work, or anxious about a loved-one and on the way to the hospital.

Patience is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit, come. Fill my heart with patience!

I was sharing my experiences of serving as a chaplain at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. I was serving there in connection with a quarter of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). CPE is designed to offer pastors and other pastoral ministry servants learning experiences to sharpen their pastoral care skills. It involves lots of visits in a clinical setting, together with group feedback sessions. I was part of an interesting group of men and women. One was a Roman Catholic pastoral care minister. Another was a Baptist pastor. Still another was a liberal Methodist minister. None saw ministry or pastoral care the way I did.

I learned a lot from those folks. But sometimes I became defensive. My understanding of Scripture, God, and pastoral care were often challenged and sometimes attacked. As I shared some of those experiences with a colleague, admitting that I was perhaps a bit defensive, he offered this cogent observation: “Sometimes you need to be defensive.” A simple truth that encouraged me and helped me put things in perspective.

Being overly defensive is not healthy or helpful. But there are times.

Paul was right in defending himself from the false charges of his enemies. These were not just his enemies. They were enemies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They wanted to kill Paul. They wanted to thwart the spread of the gospel message. That’s an appropriate time to speak up for yourself. Paul will defend himself all the way to Caesar.

There will come a time when Paul’s defense will crumble. According to early Christian tradition and historical accounts, Paul was executed in Rome under the reign of Emperor Nero, likely around 64-67 AD during a period of intense persecution of Christians.

Paul’s martyrdom was a reflection of another. Jesus did not defend himself when he was accused before Pilate. Paul’s death was testimony to the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus knew he would lay down his life as the once and for all sacrifice for the sins of the world. He also knew he would take his life up again. And so he did. When Paul encountered the resurrected Jesus it changed his life.

In whatever ways we might face accusations and danger, we can remember that Jesus is our sure defense. He was there for Paul. He’ll be there for you.

I’ve always had a healthy respect for the men and women in blue. I considered police officers to be worthy of my respect. One two or three occasions in my teenage years I respectfully offered my drivers license to a police officer who thought I was perhaps going too fast. But I think my respect for them paid off. I did not get a speeding ticket until I was much older. Much older. I still respect our police officers. They do a thankless and challenging job. The thin blue line – the concept that the police are the line between law-and-order and chaos in society – is important to the safety of law-abiding citizens.

I want to suggest that there is also a thin purple line. Purple is the color of royalty. I don’t want to equate government with royalty, but I believe that a thin purple line is also vital for the  peaceful and orderly functioning of society. The line of proper governmental laws and courts keep the thin blue line from becoming a thick red line of the police state.

We see the thin purple line here in this episode of Paul’s imprisonment and trial. Felix had held things at bay for some time. Now Festus will hold the line against the vigilante efforts of the Jewish leaders. They  had claimed that they wanted to bring Paul to Jerusalem for trial. But they were actually intent on killing Paul even before he got to trial. They we held in check, however, by this thin purple line.

Festus will not let Paul be taken to Jerusalem – especially when he appeals to Caesar. In Paul’s day, a citizen of Rome had the right to appeal directly to Caesar in any dispute. When Paul made that appeal Festus had to let him go. And he did – though he did take some time to confer with his counselors.

I think of this even today as we face an election in our nation. People on both side of the race claim that theirs is the way to preserve the American dream, keep democracy from being torn apart, and guide our country forward for the next four years. It doesn’t matter who you wish to see elected. In either case, we here in the United States may be thankful for the thin purple line that guards our freedoms and preserves order and peace in our land.

Think about it. I don’t worry about being pulled over for speeding and taken to prison, put on trial and convicted of government sedition because I am a Christian pastor. There are, no doubt, abuses of power, sleazy back-room deals, and questionable alliances made by politicians of all types. But the overall level of peace and prosperity we enjoy today in this country is unparalleled.

Paul was the beneficiary of this thin purple line. And so are you and I. That makes the words of Paul even more applicable:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ² for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. ³ This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.– 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Notice this: the purpose of these prayers is not only so that we may enjoy quiet and peaceful lives. It’s so the message of Jesus may be proclaimed and people be saved. The people drawing that purple line are worth praying for – no matter who holds the offices of government.

The year before Diane and I were married I and a business buddy built a speculation cabin in a private “fishing village.” Hidden Valley, located in southeast Missouri, had about 100 cabins, four lakes, and a picnic/commons area. Dennis (my partner) and I built a 900 square foot cabin on speculation of selling it for a profit. It sat empty for months. Diane secretly wondered whether it would be our honeymoon cabin, and first home. Happily it did sell, and I didn’t have to write a check to complete the sale! We had escaped the speculation trap. 

Speculating can be dangerous – both in the housing realm as well as in regard to others’ motives, thoughts, and plans. But that doesn’t stop me from speculating about the conversations of Felix and the Jewish authorities on their way to Caesarea. This is speculation in the truest and wildest sense because it’s not clear that the Jewish leaders traveled with Felix. Felix had invited them, saying, “let the men of authority among you go down with me” to Caesarea. But they may have traveled separately.

The intent of the Jewish leaders was to silence Paul and even kill him. Paul was the single most powerful human influence for God’s mission to bring all people to faith in Jesus. Their motive was against God. So their actions and conversations were surely not guided by God’s true ways. There certainly would have been much planning, conniving, and conspiring on their way – all within the echo chamber of their hatred for Paul and their disbelief in Jesus.

This, however, is pure speculation. We don’t know what they said. We don’t know if they conspired with Felix along the way. We can only presume to know. 

But we do not have to presume to know the heart of God. We do not have to speculate about his plans and purposes. I just shared a Bible verse with our niece whose baby is facing some severe medical issues. Jeremiah 29:11-12 says, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.” 

We need never speculate as to God’s good will toward us. It is all good. Anchored in Jesus’ death and resurrection. To be fully realized in the life of the world to come. We might try to imagine what that will look like, how it will be. But we need never speculate as to whether God wants us to experience the fullness of his goodness, grace, and love. 

Our youngest son was one of the fastest people on his high school soccer team. Only Justin was possibly faster. His soccer team was named Relentless Pursuit. Although they were not the best team in their recreational league, they were good enough to enjoy watch them play. I am reminded of that because of the relentless pursuit of Paul by his enemies. They. Will. Just. Not. Give. Up.

I wish the devil and his minions were not so dedicated to our destruction and doom. Wouldn’t it be great to have just a moment’s respite from his attacks? Why can’t he find someone else to trouble? Oh for a time of peace! Oh for a moment of true rest.

OK, I’m exaggerating a bit. We do have moments of peace. I think of when I have held one of my grandchildren for his or her baptism. I recall the time we had watching the sunset on our recent vacation. The walk in the woods. The hike by the lake. Times of peace – thanks be to God!

But the devil is always working. Satan is always seeking to steal, kill, and destroy. He is like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. He will set up scenarios, incite others to act in his behalf. And then there is our own sinful flesh. It gets into the act as well. There are so many fronts on which Satan can attack. We have three enemies: the devil, the world, and our flesh.

We have but one Savior, but he is over all. He has destroyed the power of the devil and given us a new identity as children of God. The Holy Spirit is also within the believer to incite us toward good, resisting temptation, and tipping us off as to his schemes.

Until the very Last Day we will battle with these enemies of God and good. But there will come an end to the battle. Every tongue will one day confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Every knee will bow before him. The devil is not the only one relentlessly pursuing us. God is too. In the words of the song, Wreckless Love,

There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up
Coming after me
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
Lie You won’t tear down
Coming after me

• Reckless Love Cory Asbury

God is pursuing us – because he loves us, and he wants to be with him forever.

When’s a good time to call? Did I catch you at a bad time? Do you have time for me now? What time will you be home? When can we expect the delivery? Time is the currency of our times. For many people, time is more important than money. Younger people will choose a job with more freedom over one with higher pay but more hours required. I’m sometimes guilty of saying, I don’t want to deal with that now. It may be that my mind is shot and I can deal with it better after a good night’s sleep. Or it could be that I hope that if I put it off long enough it will go away.

Felix seems to be wanting to do both. He wants to put off dealing with Paul and the charges against him. Maybe he thought it would eventually fade away. But it’s clear, also, that he was wanting to be offered a bribe, so he calls for Paul from time to time.

Felix offers the most clear view into his motives, however, when he says, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.” 

It is a dangerous thing to put God off until a convenient time. That’s because God is not beholden to our schedules or convenience. He is not our genie be be summoned at our whilm. Our time is in his hands. We can say that in faith or in resignation. Better to say it in faith, remembering that God’s timing is good. It is better than acting at our convenience.

We might become impatient with God, wishing he would answer our prayers more promptly. We might wonder what is taking him so long to act. It might seem that God has us on hold for all too long. Peter reminds us, however, that “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

The most convenient time for us to yield to God’s call, repent of our sins, and trust in God is now. Today. Now is the acceptable time. Now is the time of salvation. Now is the time to listen when God is speaking to us. For his words are grace and truth. Life and salvation are found in faith in his words. Now.

Yesterday I quoted Romans 1:16-17 in connection with faith. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” Romans 1:16-17 

Today I quote it in connection with righteousness. Paul speaks here of the righteousness of God. When Martin Luther was studying this passage he initially thought this was speaking of the character of God – his righteous character, God’s justice. It was a condemning thought. God is just and Luther realized he was not. He had no hope of standing before a just God, sinner that he was. 

But as Luther continued to study this text, he realized that the righteousness of God is more accurately the righteousness from God. This is a gift of God’s grace which we receive by faith. We don’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. God gives it and we receive it. 

This all seems so dry, though. Dusty theological factoids. So let’s bring it closer to home. I am convinced that we all want to be justified or vindicated. We want to be justified in decisions we make at work. We want to be justified in our demands at home. We want to be justified in our political decisions. We want to be shown right (justified!) in our moral decisions. It matters to us.

Paul speaks to Felix about faith in Christ Jesus, about faith, self-control, righteousness and the coming judgment. The word for righteousness is the same word as justification. The Greek word is δικαιοσύνης, and although it is a forensic and legal term, it carries great weight in the Gospel message. God vindicates those who put their faith in him. We don’t need to prove ourselves. We don’t need to justify our actions. We live in grace by faith.

What if you never had to defend your actions, justify your words, or prove we are right in our beliefs? What if the pressure is off. We will be publically vindicated on the Great Last Day for our faith in Jesus. Every time we’ve been ridiculed, suffered for righteousness sake, sacrificed for the benefit of another, and gone the extra mile for love’s sake, we will be shown to be right. Good. Holy. Just. And when we’ve failed and repented and returned to Jesus we will be vindicated before God. That’s God’s gift: we are declared righteous by grace through faith. Thanks be to God.