Acts 7 in The Message and TNIV translations
I think I could go back and do an entire study on the structure of Stephen's speech. The progression, the climax, the resolve...I read it twice, then listened to it on audio and was completely riveted by the delivery...if I could have seen his face, I couldn't have taken my eyes off of him (because of the angel face thing).
Stephen has just spent the first two-thirds of his speech delivering the history of God's people to "God's people." I can hear the "Amens" he got as he spoke of Abraham's covenant, and when he recounted the story of Joseph and the "Jacob family," and the applause that might have erupted when he told of Moses. These were grand stories in the narrative of the Israelite people. They probably really liked him.
But then he had to go and step on some toes. In v42, he says, "God wasn't at all pleased." Sure he could have said "God was disappointed," but would that have carried the same weight? Their worship was whack. Their view of God's presence was messed up during Moses' time and it was messed up as Stephen. Their ancestors carried around a tent shrine for true worship, but David wanted a permanent building. David didn't get to build it but God allowed it to be built during the reign of David's son, Solomon. Then Stephen inserts an incredible sentence:
"Yet, that doesn't mean that Most High God lives in a building made by carpenters and masons." v48
I'm not sure what he would think, nor am I sure what God even thinks. I just know that sometimes it makes me a bit nauseous when I think about the extravagance that we put on buildings to make them comfortable for the presence of people, with little or no regard to the comfort of the presence of the Most High God. I've been bothered by this since I served at a small church in college that seated 125 people to my church in Fort Worth that seated 2000. What do you think?
Focusing on what you picked up on, in the NIV it says "But God turned away" which almost feels worse than God wasn't pleased or God was disappointed. He TURNED AWAY. Makes me thing that when I go to God and say "I really want a church that looks like this/doesn't make me dress up/lets me drink coffee/has cushiony seats, has a great sound system..." that God doesn't even want to look at me because I am SO MISSING THE POINT.
ReplyDeleteEmma, I love that you caught that. See what made God turn away from them? What displeased him was that they wanted satisfaction in something other than Him. They wanted to go back to their old ways. They made an idol, worshiped it, then stood around patting each other on the back congratulating each other on "what their own hands had made." Note the contrast to a temple made by human hands.
ReplyDeleteI do think there is still a disappointment (turning away) that happens in our churches where we insist on doing things the way "we" want them done. God does seem to turn away and let us have some of our wants, but there is definitely certain tragedy in that. So do you think that when God doesn't allow a church to have a building with all the bells and whistles that it's a blessing or a curse?
I don't think it is God allowing or not allowing - I think its more that things are just working out according to His bigger plan. If we/a church pray about what we want but accepting His will for us and recognize that may not be what he wants for us, it is clearer. I think that human hands build churches according to His design to reach the people those different things will speak too.
ReplyDeleteSome people aren't comfortable entering a traditional church with stained glass and pews and hymnals and thats fine - God built a place for them. Some can't imagine attending a church that uses all the latest technology - God built a place for them. Some may like to remain anonymous at church - maybe that's who the huge mega-churches were built for. We got the Y. I like to think that God "builds" churches for each of us, so that WE are comfortable, so that we come and fellowship in His name.
So I think it is a blessing either way. I don't think its about the actual building - its about many type of buildings being built to bring in many types of people. Does that make sense?