Unexpected

Over the next few weeks in worship we will be focusing on passages from the Book of Acts.  This is usually not a book that we spend too much time in, but it is one from which we can learn a great deal.  The book of Acts was written by the same author as the Gospel of Luke, which is the gospel that has made up the majority of our New Testament readings in this liturgical year, Year C, which stretches from Advent through the late Fall. The book of Acts traces the early beginnings of the Christian church, following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
The readings that are scheduled for the next few weeks all have one thing in common.  They all feature an encounter or an event in which the eventual outcome is unexpected.  This week we will hear the story of how one of the most dangerous enemies of the early church becomes its most ardent evangelist.  The following week we will see how the healing powers of Christ are carried on by his disciples.  Finally, we will listen as Peter shares his vision of how the boundaries of the Kingdom of God are expansive, and will include those that were previously considered outsiders.
As I read these stories, they remind me how dynamic the church is meant to be.  Just when we feel like we have things all figured out, God comes in and does a new thing, moving us to unexpected places we thought were not possible.  While this can sometimes make us nervous, it is also exciting to know that both in the early days of the church and in the current days of Starmount Presbyterian Church, God is at work expanding our concepts of what it means to live as faithful disciples and challenging us to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit wherever it may lead.
May is always such a busy month for everyone, but I hope you will join us for worship as we learn the unexpected ways that God was at work in the early church.  Perhaps you too may find God moving in your life in ways that are unexpected.
In Christ,
Charlie Lee