“They preached the good news in [Derbe] and won a large
number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening
the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.” Acts
14:21-22
It’s hard to believe our society was once entertained by spinning plates! I’m not kidding. Whether on Ed Sullivan or any other variety show, if you tuned in often enough, you’d see a guy whose schtick was to get a plate spinning on top of a long, skinny, flexible pole ... and then another plate on another pole ... and then another. His objective was to get as many plates as possible spinning at the same time, starting up new ones while reviving others as they began to slow down and wobble, falter and fall. And of course, there was the inevitable shattering of those that didn’t make it. (It was the Cold War era, so we were conditioned to handle such tension!)
Our church’s mission statement – "To be and to make disciples of Jesus Christ" – has a “spinning plates” element to it. We make new disciples, even as we build up and nurture those who have been in Christ for some time. It’s no different than Paul and Barnabas traveling to Derbe “to make” new disciples, then turning their attention to more tenured believers, strengthening and encouraging them to continue “to be” disciples.
Unlike the aspiring entertainer on “The Ted Mack Amateur Hour,” not one of us acts alone in mission. Some of us are the observing eyes that see plates in peril. Some may be the legs and feet that take the body of Christ to to one that is falling. Perhaps we’re the right hand that reaches out to keep a plate twirling, or the left hand that performs the same function elsewhere. Maybe we’re the knees and waist that bend down to pick up a new plate and launch its eternal revolution.
But with so many plates in so many places at the same time, and each varying in velocity, how can we possibly keep it all straight and move each part of the body exactly where it needs to be at the right time? (Rhetorical question.) That would be the job of the head, the brain, always aware and constantly coordinating each member of the body with the others, each doing its part in its time. That would be Jesus, the living Son of God, the head of the church who moves each member as he wills and for his purposes.
Ours is simply to trust him and move where he directs us to move. When he says, Speak," we speak. Where he says, "Go," we go. And as we obey – each doing his or her own part – it is the Spirit of Christ who does the work in people's hearts.
One more thing. Sometimes, we attend to plates, and sometimes we are the plates in need of attention. As we open ourselves to minister to others, it’s also important to open ourselves the to ministry of others.
[Note to husbands: “Spinning plates” is used here only as a metaphor. Don’t spin your plates at home.]
To see today’s full text, Acts 14:21-25, click here.
It’s hard to believe our society was once entertained by spinning plates! I’m not kidding. Whether on Ed Sullivan or any other variety show, if you tuned in often enough, you’d see a guy whose schtick was to get a plate spinning on top of a long, skinny, flexible pole ... and then another plate on another pole ... and then another. His objective was to get as many plates as possible spinning at the same time, starting up new ones while reviving others as they began to slow down and wobble, falter and fall. And of course, there was the inevitable shattering of those that didn’t make it. (It was the Cold War era, so we were conditioned to handle such tension!)
Our church’s mission statement – "To be and to make disciples of Jesus Christ" – has a “spinning plates” element to it. We make new disciples, even as we build up and nurture those who have been in Christ for some time. It’s no different than Paul and Barnabas traveling to Derbe “to make” new disciples, then turning their attention to more tenured believers, strengthening and encouraging them to continue “to be” disciples.
Unlike the aspiring entertainer on “The Ted Mack Amateur Hour,” not one of us acts alone in mission. Some of us are the observing eyes that see plates in peril. Some may be the legs and feet that take the body of Christ to to one that is falling. Perhaps we’re the right hand that reaches out to keep a plate twirling, or the left hand that performs the same function elsewhere. Maybe we’re the knees and waist that bend down to pick up a new plate and launch its eternal revolution.
But with so many plates in so many places at the same time, and each varying in velocity, how can we possibly keep it all straight and move each part of the body exactly where it needs to be at the right time? (Rhetorical question.) That would be the job of the head, the brain, always aware and constantly coordinating each member of the body with the others, each doing its part in its time. That would be Jesus, the living Son of God, the head of the church who moves each member as he wills and for his purposes.
Ours is simply to trust him and move where he directs us to move. When he says, Speak," we speak. Where he says, "Go," we go. And as we obey – each doing his or her own part – it is the Spirit of Christ who does the work in people's hearts.
One more thing. Sometimes, we attend to plates, and sometimes we are the plates in need of attention. As we open ourselves to minister to others, it’s also important to open ourselves the to ministry of others.
[Note to husbands: “Spinning plates” is used here only as a metaphor. Don’t spin your plates at home.]
To see today’s full text, Acts 14:21-25, click here.
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