Folding and unfolding…

Linda Pollock April 23, 2023 0 1

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Acts 2: 14a, 36-41 (NRSVA)

14a But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them:

36 Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.’

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ 38 Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’ 40 And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.

When travelling on the Subway in New York City, I noticed that people held their newspapers in an unusual way. They were broadsheets, not the small, tabloid size most prevalent these days. The Subway was packed tight and reading the newspaper meant it had to be folded in such a way that only 2 or 3 columns were revealed at a time. The newspapers were folded so that instead of everybody stretching out their arms to turn the page, only their wrists moved, thus not bothering their neighbours. It was like watching a ballet - but the folds had to be just right for the choreography to succeed. I tried folding my newspaper like that and it took me several attempts before I was successful.

Our readings this week invite us to witness the unfolding of the Kingdom little by little and to respond to that gradual movement daily.

The assigned reading today is another page to turn in the unfolding of the Kingdom, and what can be “greater” than the resurrection?!!

The coming of the Spirit and the people responding with belief.

If we read from verse 14 all the way to verse 41, the story tells us that Peter preached, and the people welcomed his message. They needed to hear how the story of God had unfolded through Christ Jesus before they could choose to believe it. Having chosen to believe the good news they, “devoted themselves to the teaching and fellowship, communion and prayers,” offered by the Apostles.

So, the process of unfolding in the Kingdom of God entails a willingness to hear, see, believe, and then practising the call to follow Christ Jesus in service to Him. It appears that the unfolding requires effort on our part, intentionality on our part, a desire to receive the next unfolding. I confess that at times I don’t want to follow the process of unfolding, I just want to get to the next instalment and in a hurry! Do you ever feel this way? I remind myself that unfolding takes preparation, it takes a willingness to be ready to receive, an awareness of those around me, a desire to seek… and time.

PRAYER:

Holy God, thank You for trusting Your Kingdom to us feeble, fickle — yet loved beyond our imagination — people. Thank You for unfolding Your story faithfully to us and for inviting us to participate in Your story afresh each new day, building Your community of grace, mercy, and hope. Amen.