“Down by the river to pray,” Acts 16:9-15

Acts 16:9-15

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Pastor Tom Johnson, May 1, 2016

Luke is a physician. At this point in the book of Acts, he is Paul’s companion. That is why he says “we” throughout our reading. What began as a history of the birth of the Church is now a journal of his own missionary journeys. Their journey to share the good news is by water. They set sail from this place to that place by wind and water. The image Luke provides is that they are carried from one place to another along the current of their mission to extend God’s grace. They are called to be witnesses of the death and resurrection of Jesus beginning in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth. And here they are far away from home going to places like Macedonia which were, for them, was well on their way to the end of the earth. Their strategy at this time was to share the good new of Jesus with people who already were people of faith. They found Jewish believers in synagogues. And they also went to commercial, social, and religious centers of activity. In their next journey they will find a place of philosophical discussion in Athens called the Areopagus or Mars Hill. But for now they are prayerfully looking for an opportunity to begin a conversation about Jesus and the resurrection. I am very intrigued by what they decide to do. They go outside the city walls to the river supposing there was a place of prayer. They sat down and began a conversation with the women gathered there.

At work, we have conversations around the water cooler. We gather to drink adult beverages and enjoy each other’s company. We meet for coffee, tea, or a soft drink to not only quench our thirst but also have a wholesome excuse to have a conversation. After the service, we will gather in fellowship hall for refreshments. When people ran into each other at the well or at a river, they would catch up on village news. They would catch up with one another and renew friendships. And the river was a convenient place to meet in larger numbers as a community. Supposing a river is a place of prayer makes perfect sense. For people all over the world, the source of fresh water is a gathering place. People come together at the waters for community and life itself. Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well. They had a conversation about her discover the living water which would quench thirst forever. The living waters is Jesus who is the source of life and cleansing. John the Baptist went to the river Jordan to pray, preach, and wash away guilt and shame. Jesus went to the mountain top to pray and to the sea to preach. He went to the pool of Siloam to heal and demonstrate his power.

We shouldn’t dismiss the fact that enjoying the beauty of God’s creation can be a wonderful way to connect with God’s re-creation. Jesus is the Word through whom all things have been made. Jesus is the Word who makes all things new. And so Luke and Paul go to the river and begin to talk about Jesus. That is where we have come—to the river. It is was John sees in his revelation of how the church is and will be forever—a city with the river of the water of life flowing down her center. It is as clear as crystal and flows from the throne of God and the Lamb. We are part of this same river of God’s mercy and grace. It began in the garden of Eden with the four rivers flowing and meeting in that place. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. They entered the land flowing with milk and honey by crossing the river Jordan. And like all great rivers, they may begin as a trickle at the head. But it soon becomes a brook, then a creek, and then a river. Other brooks and creeks and rivers feed this swelling current. And soon it becomes a river that dwarfs the Mississippi, the Nile, the Ganges, the Yangtze, and the Amazon. This river of grace is sweeping up all nations, tongues and people in the flood of forgiveness and new life. Paul and Luke see their activity as part of this great work of the Holy Spirit.

And so should we as we gather around the water cooler, the coffee house, and places of community and conversation. This is where has God gathered people who are already being drawn and made ready to hear the good news of Jesus. God wants to carry us forward in the current of his love. He wants to sweep us up in the living waters. Baptism is not just a mere washing in one location. It’s part of the flow of water which began to trickle in ancient days. The water is part of a global body just as the prophet Isaiah (11:9) predicted: “for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” God will saturate his creation with the good news of re-creation. Come down to the river to pray. Come to the current of God’s grace flowing through redemptive history. Drink deeply. Wade in the water of his forgiveness and love. Come to the “river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High (Ps 46:4). Bring your joy and message of hope and eternal life. And celebrate and enjoy the One who makes all things new.