Tuesday, May 24 (Day 11)
By: Jack Stulp
What one word do you think of when you think of the Christian Reformed Church? Could it be “comfort” from Catechism Q. 1? That’s a good word, from II Corinthians 1.
What words come to mind, given by Jesus just before He ascended? Notice this repetition:
Matt. 28: 20, “go, make disciples”
Mark 16:15, “go…and preach good news”
Luke 24: 47, “preached to all nations”
Acts 1:8, ‘Power….be My witnesses”
The Synod deals with our mission agencies. The Synod also deals with our church’s ways to strengthen and mature our people so that the Church can effectively do what our Lord Jesus called for in those sayings just before He ascended.
We pray for wise and strong leadership for these ministries. We trust our leaders are not bending to the culture’s call to be secure and comfortable, but for our Lord’s mandate to be the light of the world. May the Synod act with power. May the delegates return home with zeal for our Lord’s program and an eagerness that we are all praying for it and, in loyalty to Jesus looking for ways to participate.
Prayer: Holy Father, may you work in us to be your hands and feet, the hands and feet of Jesus. May we work to make disciples, preach the good news, to all nations whether they be represented within our borders or outside our borders. May we be your witnesses to the ends of the earth, and may we love one another deeply and sincerely from the heart. May your love transcend any difficult conversations or decisions at synod, may you hold your church up to be your witnesses to all. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Monday, May 23 (Day 10)
By: Rev. David Gifford
Acts 15:24-35
Meetings and missions
Religious beliefs inspire our passionate side, and when the stakes are high, the passions can get intense. Synod is usually a time in which delicate, far-reaching decisions are made about matters that impact our deeply held beliefs. And so, Synod meetings can provoke extraordinary levels of fervor, fear and fury.
The Jerusalem “Synod” of Acts 15 dealt with a delicate issue similar to those we will deal with this year: How do we welcome people who are different from us without loosening our commitment to Scripture? What conditions will we put on those wanting in? How do we address with fairness, two constituencies with such different cultural sensitivities?
That Jerusalem council could have been a bloodbath, with one side screaming, “Get those Gentile freaks out of here, or else!” and the other side shouting, “You Pharisees are the old guard, holding back progress!” But amazingly, despite the high-tension racial and religious issues involved, cooler heads prevailed. They listened in silence to testimonies. They rejoiced at what God was doing. They listened to Scripture and to the Holy Spirit. And the end result was a decision that honored God, reached out pastorally to both sides, brought joy and encouragement to those who read it (v. 31), and spurred a new explosion in missions.
How can we utilize a similar process so that denominational matters and missions matters are not in separate mental categories? So that, quick decisions and decisions well-weighed don’t debilitate the global mission of the church? So that, spiritual fatigue doesn’t take over? So that denominational loyalty does not slip, nor our giving?
This year we have already had enough fighting. We have watched civil wars between superheroes. And we have watched not-so civil wars between presidential candidates. Where are the real superheroes among us? Who will show the world how it is really done? Who among us, both delegates and bystanders, will be the ones who understand instead of undermining? Pray instead of plotting? Discern instead of destroying? Rejoice instead of retaliating?
Prayer: Sovereign Lord, may the spirit – and the Spirit – of Acts 15 take hold of us all, bringing us together, bending our knees before you, and sending us out with a good news that has taken such deep root in our souls that we produce rich fruit for the nations.
Friday, May 20 (Day 9)
By: Rev. George de Vuyst
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” ~ John 10:10
Yale historian Timothy Snyder called his history of Ukraine “Bloodlands”. The title points to the centuries of suffering. Just in 1932-33 alone around 8 million Ukrainians perished in a genocide created by Soviet leader Josef Stalin. And that’s just one of the myriad of deep wounds suffered by Ukraine over the last century.
John speaks of the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy. Ukraine has suffered deeply at the hands of this thief. In our reconciliation work we help Ukrainians to recognize what has been stolen from them and how they have been wounded by the thief. It’s a vital step to coming to the cross to give our wounds to the Pain Bearer who died not only for our sins, but also to take upon himself the pain we carry from our losses and wounds (see Isaiah 53:4).
In our reconciliation workshops we also speak of what we as Americans have been robbed of, things like our security, community, the ability for kids to be kids, and many other things that the thief has stolen. As the synod of the CRC prepares to meet, I wonder about what we as the CRC have been robbed of by the thief. Our unity? Our community? Our faith? Hope? Love?
Pray with me that this year’s Synod would look to the cross not only as a place to bring our sin and receive Christ’s righteousness, but also as a place to bring our pain to receive Christ’s healing, to receive the abundant life that he promises in John 10:10. When Christ has healed our wounds can we forgive those who wounded us and repent of the wounds we have caused others. Pray that Synod would not be a place where there is wounding, but a healing and life-giving place. Pray that Synod would facilitate the establishment of God’s kingdom and the fullness of the promised life of abundance in our churches, communities and around the world.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son who bore our sin and our pain on the cross. Heal our wounds. Help us to give you our pain, since you have already paid the price for them on the cross. Bless our leaders as they gather at Synod. May they bring healing, reconciliation and facilitate the coming of your Kingdom here among us all. In the Name of our risen and reigning Lord, Jesus Christ, and by the power of his Holy Spirit, Amen.
Thursday, May 19 (Day 8)
By: Rev. Steven Van Zanen
Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia - Acts 16:6-10
6 “Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8
So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.
9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”10
After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
How confusing! Paul's missionary band had clearly been called to reach Gentiles for Christ. They assessed the situation, considered the options, developed their plan for future ministry and . . .the Holy Spirit said no. What was going on? The province of Asia (now western Turkey) had many people and significant cities where Christ had not yet been preached. It must have seemed like a promising location to which the Gospel should be brought. In fact, Paul later spent a lengthy period in Ephesus, the capital of this province. However, these verses tell us that at this time the Holy Spirit kept them from preaching the word there.
Plan B was also blocked by the Spirit. When they tried to enter the Roman province of Bithynia, "the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to."
Only later, and through a vision, did Paul's missionary band get the positive direction they needed. Instead of hearing the message, "No to Asia, no to Bithynia," they heard, "Yes to Macedonia." The result was that the Gospel was preached in Europe for the first time and with history changing impact.
God does have a way of speaking to His people about the goals He has for us. He is really good at that. Way better than we are at listening. But sometimes, for reasons of His own, that direction may not come as quickly, or as clearly, as we might like. In seasons of uncertainty in the lives of God’s people, we are moved to pray with fervency. “Where should we go? What should we do? What is the path of obedience and faithfulness in this situation?” Like Paul’s missionary band, we too must pray.
Prayer:
Our God and Father, we are thankful that Your will about many things is made clear in Scripture. When we face questions or controversies about how to live for You in Your world, we pray that Your Spirit would direct our paths. Keep us from going in the wrong direction at the wrong time. Then guide us into the path of fruitful ministry in which lives and communities are transformed by Jesus.
In His Name, Amen