1^st Sunday in July (Isaiah 6 and Acts 23:12 – 26:32) 

Nations states are at best unreliable partners in Christian mission. This is because ultimately they claim a kind of absolute obedience that rivals our commitment to God in Christ. In North America, July 1^st (Canada Day) and July 4^th (American Independence Day) are major celebrations which raise which raise deep anxieties. People rejoice in the freedoms they have, but there is an increasing fear that what the state gives today it can take away tomorrow if it is in the best interests of the powerful. Civil liberties might be jeopardized. At the time I write, the CIA is declassifying documents describing “dirty tricks” and the RCMP is under fire for concealing them. War increases the anxiety that the state might ultimately claim life itself, an absolute obedience faith generally gives to “God”. This uneasy tension between “faith” and “state” adds to the hidden anxiety of summer for many seekers. 

Team Meditation 

It seems that in the actual practice of justice, flattery will get you somewhere. In the long story of Paul’s extradition to Rome, everybody uses the justice system for their own purposes. Ananias flatters the Roman Governor Felix to get his way (Acts 24:1-4). The succeeding governor Festus passes the buck to Rome to further his career. Even Paul ingratiates himself with Agrippa (Acts 26:1), although Agrippa dodges responsibility on a technicality (Acts 26:32). Paul is accused of being driven mad by so much prison time. Two years rotting in a Roman prison is no joke. Yet through it all, Paul is remarkably calm. He understands that the state will always be an unreliable source of justice and that only God can rescue him. Politely, respectfully, he is even willing to step outside the law. It’s called ‘civil disobedience’, and it is not out of self-interest but questing for a higher justice. Chrysostom interprets Acts 26:29: “If the Gentile hears of chains and tribulations, he will immediately take flight. He does not know the power of chains. Let him first become a believer, let him tat of the word preached, and then he will, of his own accord even, run toward these chains” (Homilies Concerning the Statutes 16.9). 

Worship Theme 

Isaiah 6:8  “I heard the voice of _____ saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me.” If we leave the source of the question blank, we might speculate on exactly what voices claim such authority over our lives, and which voice deserves it. It is not hard to imagine the state asking this question to recruit more soldiers to fight in wars; or the corporation asking this question to induce more consumers to buy their product; or the voice of a parent sending children to school; or the voice of children sending parents to nursing homes. Yet only one voice truly has authority to command the direction of our lives. God’s authority to do so lies in a power the escapes all other claimants, namely, the power to forgive sin and utterly remove guilt.

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 2nd Sunday in July (James 1 and 2; Luke 20:9-26)

 Isn’t it interesting how modern people excuse their pampering ways by complaining that life is so complicated and hard. “The workplace is so stressful. School is so demanding. Family life is so argumentative. The world situation is so volatile. We deserve a break.” We make it sound like our ancestors had it easy, as if none of these things were true for them. Yet they did not “take a break”. Sure, they took a weekend or a few hours, but hardly an entire summer! More than this, they still found time for compassion. They took no holidays from service.  

Team Meditation 

James 1:26-27  ²⁶ If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man's religion is vain.  ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. 

Among the many ways Christians accommodate themselves to culture is the 20^th century church habit called the “summer slump”. Everybody is on vacation. The choir is canceled, the ushers are whoever shows up early, the Sunday school is on holiday, the small groups have disbanded, the care givers are at the cottage, and even the clergy have clubbed together to rotate crisis intervention and preach old sermons. The time has returned when the church must become a “Four Season” church … a church that is never on holiday, even though the world is. 

Worship Theme 

Wine drinking and wine tasting is one of the growth industries in the world, especially Australia and North America. Beyond what is imported and advertised, there are wineries springing up in the most unlikely and unheralded places. There are wine tasting magazine, wine collectors, wine making kits, and exclusive wine shops. Vineyard tours are big in the summer. So it is not hard to imagine the situation in Jesus’ parable. There is a struggle for control over a beautiful and productive vineyard. The vineyard is a symbol for authentic faith community, the people of God, the Body of Christ, the society of true believers … and the wicked servants are the Pharisees, dogmatists, and hypocritical leaders who have hoarded the fruits of life for themselves instead of giving grace away. The Pharisees got the point and were afraid; and religious leaders today are getting the point an reforming. The question is … do you get the point? Do you understand that you are invited into God’s vineyard, not simply to enjoy the fruits yourselves, but to partake of the harvest and carry the fruits of grace beyond the vineyard to a the thirst, needy world? Will you come to church and just go home to lunch? Or will you come to church, to take away the fruits of grace to give to others? 

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3^rd Sunday in July (Luke 20:41-47; 1 Samuel 16 and 17) 

Who is big and who is small? Who is righteous and who is not? Who is really rich, and who is really poor? Who will be approved, and who will be judged? The Bible is constantly exploring these paradoxical questions. The people you think are important are not; and the people you think unimportant are great in God’s eyes. Lest this is merely idle speculation, the Bible is always framing this conversation around your own life. Where are you in the scale of “important or unimportant” … “big or small”? 

Team Meditation 

The credibility of church leadership depends more on what you do in July than on what you do in January. July has more temptations toward self-indulgence. July is the time when leaders are more likely to lose focus, mission urgency, energy for the Gospel. July is when you are more likely to say one thing, and do another. People are watching you … in July. Seekers are testing you … in July. Jesus’ warning to the Pharisees is a warning to us. Clergy may enjoy the salutations in the shopping mall, the best seats at the summer concerts, and the place of honor at wedding dinners … but are you doing more for the Gospel than wearing long robes when everybody else is in short sleeves or making pastoral prayers longer to fill in the time caused by the choir’s absence? Now is the time to mentor leaders, model leadership, and talk about Christ when people are stopped long enough to listen. 

Worship Theme 

1 Samuel 17:37  ³⁷ And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." 

These are the key words to understand the real story of David and Goliath. As Saul observed, David was but a small youth and Goliath a huge and experienced man of war. Yet David had two things going for him: 

1)       David had confidence. He knew what it was like to be the underdog. He had experience being small and overcoming great odds. He had fought lions and bears and won. David thought highly of himself. He could look back over his young life, and recognize the times when he found inner wisdom and strength. Can you do that? Can you look back over time, and remember your hidden strength? 

2)       David had humility. His confidence was not arrogance. He knew that his strength came from the Lord. Any innovation, creativity, and courage that he had came from God. Whenever he surrendered to God, he was victorious over lions. If it were up to him alone, it would be impossible. But he was not alone. He relied on God. And can you do that? Can you surrender yourself and rely solely on God’s strength? 

This is how little David vanquished mighty Goliath. It is how you can vanquish your own demons.  

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4^th Sunday in July (John 4:1-42 and Acts 3:1-4:31) 

Who will you meet today? Many people are traveling on long vacations or short trips, or simply going places they have never gone before. You will have more “chance encounters” in July than perhaps any other month of the year. But are they “chance encounters”? Is there a hidden purpose in your meeting? Will a single word or look change your life … or change their lives? Perhaps all is not as random as it seems. God is in it. 

Team Meditation (John 4:1-42) 

So Jesus is traveling again, this time taking a short cut through Samaria which is universally recognized as a “bad neighborhood”. His disciples go away looking for food, and Jesus sits down by a well or in a café and (as he always does) strikes up a conversation with the person next to him. It’s a woman of poor reputation and honest heart. Perhaps you have seen her, or even sat next to her in the restaurant. It doesn’t take long for Jesus to see her problem or for her to share her issues. Jesus promises to refill her coffee mug with a liquid grace that will give her abundant life, such that she will never thirst again. Incredulous at first, she soon becomes a true believer. One conversation in the coffee shop bore more fruit that a hundred sermons. 

Worship Theme (Acts 3:1-4:31) 

Acts 3:6  ⁶ But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 

So Peter and his buddies are walking in downtown Jerusalem. Maybe they are out for exercise, or shopping for bread and wine for the emerging Christian commune. What is true now was true then: the city was full of beggars. Some beggars are con artists, and some are legitimate. There is a man lame since birth, whose family and friends carry him to a busy intersection every day. People see him all the time and pity him. Some give him money. Maybe you have seen him yourself, and throwing a dollar into his cup you have sighed with a deep wish to give him something more. Peter does just that. He gives him two precious things. He gives him Christ; and Christ gives him mobility. He has faith; and his faith has given him life. What a gift!  

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5^th Sunday in July (Habakkuk 2:1-5 and 3; Acts 18) 

Remember the thunderstorm last night. You were first awakened with a sense of anxiety … and awareness that something was different. Then you hear the first, faint, rumbling. Then a quick flash of lightening … or was it a trick of the eyes in the dark? Again the rumbling, stronger now. More lightning. You know what’s coming. Yet the wind is gone and all is motionless. Wait for it! Wait for it! It’s coming! 

Team Meditation (Acts 18)

Acts 18-10 tells of a great turning point in Paul’s mission and it has to do with a change in worship (that most stressful of all changes for churches to make). Up until now, Paul has been in the habit of preaching in the synagogue in the traditional worship patterns of the denomination. Increasingly he is alarmed that seekers from beyond the established faith are unwelcome in the sanctuary; and that his message is unwelcome among the members. His message, after all, is a message of grace and grace alone as the key to salvation … liturgy is just tactics. This time Paul is fed up with the uproar. He goes next door to the home of gentile and God-Fearer Titius Justus and starts an “alternative worship service”. God speaks in a vision encouraging Paul, saying that God has many people in that city eager to worship in a new way to experience the fullness of grace. Chrysostom makes an interesting comment on this passage: “So we too are accountable for the blood of those entrusted to us, if we neglect them” (Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles 39). We spend so much time worrying about the blood of the traditional members … but God has many, many more in this city for whom we will be held accountable if we do not bring them to worship.

Worship Theme (Habakkuk 2:1-5 and 3)

Let’s face it, we are not good at waiting. We are a culture of instant gratification. Our credit card debt is unmanageable. We can’t wait a single day, hour, or minute to get what we want. Even though we are told time and again that the best things are worth waiting for, we don’t believe it. So it is hard when God says “Wait!” God’s healing, vindication, counsel, friendship, and new life are coming. Just wait for it! God’s will fulfill his promises. Just wait for it! It is not like we do nothing while we wait. We pray, study, meditate, discuss, learn, grow, mature. We ready ourselves for the coming of the Lord. After all, the only thing worse than waiting is being unprepared when it comes. Can you imagine all that waiting, only to miss it? It would be like waiting for rain, and failing to have anything to catch the water once it pours. Declaring the vision means interpreting the signs, encouraging the people … and warning them to get ready.