Tuesday 23 May 2017

Psalm: Psalm 11:1-5

Background

Today's passage presents us with the strategies for missionwhich Paul and his companions used. For some reason John, actuallyJohn Mark, leaves Paul's group to return to Jerusalem. We don'tknow why - although we can surmise that he may have had doubtsabout preaching to Gentiles or have been afraid of the ratherdangerous journey the others were about to undertake. It isinteresting to note that on Paul's second missionary, Barnabaswanted to take John Mark but Paul refused. Paul and Barnabas splitover this (Acts 15:37-39). There were similar fallings outin early Methodism, as in so many other Christian missions andChurches. From Paul's later writings we know that John Mark wasback with Paul on some later journeys. There had been areconciliation.

Paul's initial mission strategy was to seek out a group of Jewsin each place he visited, to go to the synagogue and sit down withthe people. Jews would have the background against which to hearthe Jesus story. But Paul did not just barge in and begin topreach. He sat down with them first and let them get to know him.Then Paul begins where they are and traces God's work ofrevelation, salvation history, up to the time of Jesus in the onlyfull-length sermon of Paul's which we possess.

To Ponder

• Mission was at the core of the early Church - how fundamentalis it in the life of our congregations?

• Paul and his companions always tried to identify with thepeople to whom they spoke. They told them about God's work in Jesusbeginning from where the people were. How hard do you try inoutreach to start from where people are, rather than from where onewould wish them to be?