The Bible and Civil Disobedience / Divine Obedience – Part 3 of 3

(Excerpted from Ched Myers, Sojourners May 1983)

[Note: Part 3 focuses on the early Christian church – The Post-Easter Community Takes up Where Jesus Left off]

The format for this worship/teaching is a drama, with (1) a questor (21st century peacemaker seeker), (2) a Voice representing Jesus and (3) three persons garbed in 1st century robes representing the apostles Peter, John and Paul. Gamaliel comes in at the end briefly either in person or as a voice.

Call to Worship (Prayer from Acts 4:25-26 NEB)
Sovereign Lord,
Maker of heaven and earth and sea and of everything in them, who by the Holy Spiritdid say:
"Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples lay their plots in vain?
The kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers made common cause against the Lord and against his Messiah."

Song:
"Lamb of God"

Dramatic Reading:
Questor: Jesus, it seems from the way Ched Myers interprets you, that you deliberately chose a prophetic style of confrontation with authorities. Why? [enter Jesus as a voice behind a wall, door or partition]

Jesus: Simply put, it was in order to underscore that with my coming and as prophesied, the New Authority was the reign of God.

Questor: OK, but your allegiance to that choice led you to the cross! Do you really expect us, your church to also embrace such a lifestyle and the cross?

Jesus: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me..." (Mark 8:34)

Questor: You mean that when we publicly challenge the contemporary order of sin and death that we too can expect to be delivered up to councils, beaten in synagogues, stand before governors and kings? And all because of you, as a testimony to them ? (Mark 13:9) And we are not to worry when we are on trial cause the Holy Spirit will give us the words?! (Mark 13:11) Awesome!

Jesus: Just take a look at the early apostolic church. This is precisely what you'll find. Start with Acts where its recorded that it all flows from bearing witness to Jesus (2:3) (voice trails off).

Questor: Guess we have a New Order here! [Enter Peter and John] Oh, whom do we have here?

Peter: Ah, I'm Peter, the outspoken one. (Looks around) Wonderful to touch down here with you 21st century followers of THE WAY.

John: And I am John. Grateful I am that you all are also IN THE WAY as we were so often after that powerful Pentecost experience. Here's a very brief look at what we said and did when the first century Jerusalem authorities nailed us (so to speak) and arrested us for preaching about Jesus. The details are all there in the third and fourth chapters of Acts.

Peter & John: We simply said: "Whether it it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than God, you must judge." (Acts 4:19)

John: We were released but not for long. Soon you'll find that the two of us plus others were arrested and put into the public prison (Acts 5:18) after signs and wonders were done among the people.

Peter: Miraculously during the night an angel opened the prison doors. First thing you know, we were teaching in the temple. So the police brought us again before the full senate of the Israelite nation for interrogation. Our reply was:

Peter & John: "We must obey God rather than any human authority. God exalted Jesus as Leader and Savior. We are witnesses...." (Acts 5:29). That time we weren't killed, only flogged and let go – [laughing] rejoicing! Must go now. [Peter & John exit singing "Marching in the Light of God"]

Song:
"How Can I keep from Singing?"

Dramatic Reading:
Questor: Wow. There is a lot to think about... [enter Paul, from a distance, singing] Who is that?

Paul: I'm the persecutor Saul turned Resurrection/Witness/ Paul. Now before you 21st century followers rush away from reflecting on Peter and John, I do want to briefly (I know you are always strapped for time in these trainings!) encourage you to dig even more deeply into the post-Easter community. Check out the Acts 16 story where Silas and I were seized and dragged before the authorities in Philippi. As you know they called us "disturbers," had us beaten and jailed. Remember our midnight prayers and songs? And that wonderful jailer and his family? What a night that was for moving ahead God's reign! But it was just one of many encounters we first century folks had with the authorities. So go ahead, read on in Acts 19 and 20 and 25...You'll recall also that many of my letters were written from jail cells, including Philippians and Ephesians. "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them, as you are doing nonviolently in Canada and the U.S. and in Colombia and other places!" (Eph. 5:11). Must go now before I start preaching on the non-cooperation of Romans 13 [exit Paul, his voice trailing off as he leaves.]

Questor: Well, my fellow CPTers, we have run out of time, so we can't talk about John banned to the Island of Patmos, or how Ched Myers speaks of resisting the slave trade and oppressive economies and military policies, but you are encouraged to study his document.

Reflections:
What are your impressions, your thoughts of these Biblical characters? Do they inspire, discourage, enliven? What contemporary (or even historical persons) come to mind as you take several moments to silently reflect on this drama from the past. When the five nuns were jailed for their September 2000 Plowshares Action in Colorado, were they being faithful to the Acts episodes? Have you been compelled to act with love and compassion in your heart for justice, for the earth, for peace? How do we discern when, where, why and how we are to be the Divinely Obedient (D0) folks in our time?

Prayer:
Remind us, O Lord, of the debt we owe to our spiritual ancestors who willingly gave their lives and left their homes to follow you. Remind us that they, too, struggled with sin, relationships, and power, as they sought to live faithfully. Let us neither forget them nor attribute to them powers unavailable to us, but instead learn from their struggles and their witness to live faithfully in our homes and in our communities. Amen.

Song:
"It Doesn't Matter"

Benediction:
May the wisdom of God in its rich variety be made known to the rulers and authorities in boldness and confidence through the faithful followers of Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ephesians 3:10-12)