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Acts 16: 16-34

Many years ago when my age was in the single digits, I remember my mother telling me about a particular night in her life.  My father, who did not live with us, had called my mom and asked her out to dinner.  She accepted the invitation and the next thing I knew, I was being farmed out to a baby sitter down the street. 

    As the story goes, my mother and father had a delightful dinner and then he drove her to her home—our home.  Apparently she was in a hurry to get into the house and down to the ladies room.  But when she opened the front door, the lights went on and everyone yelled, “Surprise!”  And her 32nd birthday party began as a surprise.

    The next year, a girl friend took my mother out to dinner for her birthday.  And when they returned to my mom’s home. . .you guessed it, “Surprise!”  And my mom was surprised.  Twice!!!

    The third year, a church committee on which mom served had a meeting.  When mom returned home and opened the front door, the party began:  Mom was surprised a third time!!!   

    The next year when my mother’s birthday approached, she announced to all her friends that there would be no more surprise birthday parties.  Rather she was going to have a party to celebrate everyone’s birthday!  And so a tradition began, a celebration of everyone’s birthday in March.  The tradition lasted over a decade!
    Surprises can be fun.  We love them.  And we hate them.  Undoubtedly all of us have had surprises in our lives at one time or another.  And even the Disciples of Christ were often surprised, usually at something that Jesus did or said.  Of course you and I are never surprised at what Jesus says or does, are we?  *S*

    When a man named Saul, who was persecuting Christians, was on the road to Damascus, he had an unexpected surprise.  And Saul, now known as Paul, became one of the Lord’s chosen:  An Evangelist spreading the good news of Jesus the Christ throughout the region.

    And now this man, Paul, finds himself in prison with Silas.  And why is Paul in prison?  Because he did something good for a young woman:  This woman had a demon inside her; she was able to see the future; but the woman was a slave to her affliction, and wanted a normal life.  However, she was an asset to her owners.  Her owners enjoyed the money they collected from people who wanted their futures foretold.

    Paul has taken away this profit machine from them.  He has made her ‘well,’ and the owner’s income will suffer.  Having influence in the town, the owner has Paul thrown into jail for his kind act.
    Following Jesus has never meant smooth sailing, at least not for long.  Think about Simon Peter and the other Disciples.  Many ended their careers with untimely deaths.  Others were casts into the fringes of society.  And Paul is thrown into prison.

    It surprises me that some Christians, often those on the far right theologically, seem to think if they follow Jesus that good things will always happen to them.  Heck, even middle-of-the-road and those on the far left seem to think that, at times.  Why?

    Do we think if we simply believe, we will be saved?  And in being saved, we will ALWAYS be looked upon favorably?  We hear stories about a person who decides to tithe, and then wins the lottery.  Someone who stops to help a homeless person by giving him a little money, and the next day gets a raise at the office.  We hear a story about a woman who stands her ground and refuses to lie in order to get a contract; and the next week lands three even larger contracts.  These are nice stories, but not the norm.
    The reality is, that following Jesus the Christ can, and usually does, involve sacrifice. 

    I remember in my first parish, one Monday morning, sitting in my office that overlooked the large church patio, a gathering place for all after worship.  One of our elders, a man named Larry, was slowly unloading his pickup truck.  He had borrowed some folding chairs Sunday afternoon, and now he was returning them.  Something caught my attention, however.  Larry was moving very slowly; his face looked sad; his body language was that of a man with a terrible burden.

    I got up from my desk and walked outside.  Normally Larry would have greeted me with a big smile and a hug, but instead just kept unloading the chairs.  Saying nothing, I began helping Larry to unload the chairs and put them away.  When we were done, I said, “Larry, if you’d like to get a cup of coffee and talk, I’m here.”  Larry nodded and got into his truck.  I turned back towards my office.

    “John,” Larry called.  “Yeah, let’s get a cup of coffee.”  I hopped in Larry’s truck and off we went.  Over coffee Larry’s story began to unfold.  Larry owned a small company that was very successful.  However he had just caught his number one sales person buying a prostitute for one of his customers.  Since Larry had warned this sales person once before concerning the unethical practice, this time the man was fired on the spot.

    Larry’s understanding of scripture, his faith and his beliefs left him no choice but to do this.  The sales person was totally unrepentant.  But Larry knew that 40% of the company’s business was because of this sales person.  And Larry was concerned that his actions would doom the company to failure, and that many good people would loose their jobs, their livelihood because of Larry’s decision. 

    The Disciples understood that following Jesus and his teachings did not always lead to immediate success.  And certainly Paul understood this as he felt the stocks and chains around him in jail.  But Paul isn’t sitting around brooding over making the woman well.  Rather Paul breaks out in song!  Paul and Silas are singing hymns of praise to God! 

    You see Paul understands something that most Christians either don’t understand, or more likely, forget:  Namely that we have already been saved.  That the war has been won.  That ultimately God is in charge and that we will spend an eternity WITH the Lord.  Yes there are many battles yet to be fought.  And some will come out in our favor and others will not.  But we are saved!  And Paul sings as a joyful response to this good news, bound in a jail cell.  Now that’s “Music Appreciation” Sunday!!  Believe in Jesus and sing in your suffering!

    And then scripture says a great earthquake comes over the land, springing the jail door open, breaking the chains and stock that hold Paul and his friend.  And what do these two men do?  Do they flee?  No, they just stay put, amazed at the situation.  Knowing that they are in God’s good hands.  And in doing so, Paul and Silas become a witness to the jailer and his family.  And converts to Jesus are made that night.  // Amazing.

    Throughout our recent history, others have suffered for their beliefs in Jesus.  Remember Detrick Bonhoffeur, the German theologian who opposed Hitler and was hung for his beliefs?  Or Martin Luther King, Jr. who was convinced because of his understanding of the Bible, that all men and women should be free.  In the Viet Nam war, Chaplain Jones, one of 2800 military chaplains, paid the ultimate price for his beliefs, staying behind with his men to provide comfort for his fallen comrades. 

    Even here at Hidenwood Presbyterian Church, people like Scotty McArthur and Sam Maler gave generously of their time and money, making sacrifices to help give birth to this church.  Or the young family I recently heard about, that has little money, but decided to tithe to their church because they had discovered such joy in letting Jesus into their lives.
    I don’t think anyone enjoys suffering.  At least most of us don’t.  But you should understand that if you believe in Jesus, if you try to live a Christ-like life, I guarantee you, that at times you will suffer.

    Maybe it will be something simple:  When you do your income taxes, you won’t cheat, resulting in having to pay more.
    Or maybe it will be at work or at school when you stand up for a Christian ideal, and must pay the consequences for your actions.
    Maybe it will be when you come upon a car accident, and you will have to decide if applying pressure to that man’s wound is needed to save his life…not knowing whether or not he has Aids.

    Today I invite you to prepare yourself for Surprises!  The Surprise of Suffering as we follow Jesus the Christ.  So sing your way through life, giving praise to God for the gift of eternal life.  Sing your way through the frightening times, knowing that God is there with you.  And know that your reward for your faithfulness has already been assured.  You and I are ‘saved’ people. 

Amen