THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD!

I usually do my Bible reading in the morning, but today it was interrupted by a trip to the airport.  I got all my Old Testament readings finished along with my Gospel reading.  So, tonight, before watching any television, I read from Acts and James.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, to be honest, I sat and giggled with joy as I read Acts 12.  It's a tragic, miraculous, hilarious chapter.  It begins with the martyrdom of the Apostle James.  Peter gets locked up by a power-crazed ruler - Herod.  The church prays;  on the eve of his execution, they pray through the night!

Meanwhile, Peter sleeps like a baby while chained to soldiers - with even more posted outside his cell, to make absolutely certain that he does't escape!

Sometime during the night, an angel pokes Peter awake and tells him to get up.  As Peter gets up, his chains fall off.  Together, they walk past guards and to the prison gate - which swings open all by itself!  Peter, dazed, thinks it's all a dream;  until he's left standing alone outside of the prison!

He goes to the home where he assumes he might find friends.  A girl named Rhoda answers his knock.  When she sees him, she leaves him standing outside and runs to tell everyone that "Peter is at the door!"

Peter knocks again and they let him in to tremendous rejoicing.

At daybreak, there is mass confusion in the prison!  No one can explain how Peter got away.  Herod orders the execution of the guards who were responsible!  Meanwhile, Peter goes into hiding.

As a kind of post-script, Herod gives a great speech at an event designed to restore peace between Jerusalem and the cities of Tyre and Sidon.  The people cry out:  "The voice of god!  The voice of god!"

Herod accepts their adulation instead of deferring glory to the God of Heaven and Earth.  As a result, God sent an angel to afflict Herod with a humiliating and debilitating disease that eventually took his life!

What an amazing story!!!!!

I know that I'm a pastor and a lifelong student of the scriptures, but I just don't get it when people say that the Bible is boring.  Maybe they need to get a more recent version, like The Message or The Voice!  Granted, there are boring sections!  But so much of it is scintillating and captivating.

Just this week, I read some scriptures to a small group.  These scriptures divulge some of the most AMAZING things about Heaven!  I was so excited to share this information!  I slowly unpacked it all expecting to get an awestruck response.  It didn't happen.  I can't help but be perplexed and somewhat disappointed at times like that.

There are times when I read the scripture in public and wait for a response from the people - it never comes.  I guess we've heard it too many times.  It doesn't 'Wow!' us anymore!  I think this is SO SAD!

"Lord, give us fresh eyes and ears for Your Word!  Help us to read and hear it as though we were doing so for the first time again!"

Liturgical churches have an exchange that always thrills me when I hear it used:  
LEADER:  "This is the Word of the Lord!"
PEOPLE:  "Thanks be to God!"

This really is the Word of the Lord - AND IT'S AWESOME!  It deserves a response!

Well, preachers preach;  I guess that's what I've done here.  Enough for now - I've got to get back to my giggling!   :-)