Acts 17:1-9
Christians of the
1st Century had quite a reputation—they were the people “who have
been turning the world upside-down”! How different from our reputation today.
Ask many Americans today about “Christians,” and they’ll come back with words
like ‘conservative’ or ‘reserved.’ The Scriptures and history paint a rather
different picture of Christians.
Here in Thessalonica,
we were a “people who turn the world upside-down;” in Nero’s Rome, Christians embraced
death just for claiming the name of Christ; Martin Luther boldly nailed his 95
Thesis to the door of the Wittenberg church…just spoiling for a fight; Tyndale
translated the Bible from Latin to English—in opposition of the Church…and was
burned at the stake; in the 1800’s and 1900’s, missionaries went out to all
parts of the world…and many were killed by the people they went to serve; the
great social movements of the 19th and 20th
Centuries—against segregation, seeking women’s liberation and voting rights for
all, and more—were often led by the Church or Christian groups. Yes, Christians
have a long history of turning the world upside-down because disciples don’t
embrace the status quo; they change the world. And we shouldn’t be surprised.
Jesus—You are Going to Do More! — In John 14:12, Jesus makes a seemingly audacious claim about the future disciples and what they’ll do: “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these….” Woah! “Greater works?” In the Gospels, we find about 40 healings. Eight people are cured of blindness. Over 9000 people were fed in two separate moments. Greater works than these? Really? Well, Jesus doesn’t lie.
- In 2025, Methodist Healthcare of South Texas brought care and healing to over 600,000 people. Methodists have hundreds of hospitals and clinics around the world….
- The
Lowell and Ruth Gess United Methodist Church Eye Hospital in Sierra Leone, West
Africa, treats and brings sight to over 20,000 people every year—just one of
many Methodist hospitals bringing sight to people.
- Our Manna
Food Pantry here at McAllen FUMC has fed an estimated 133,000 people over 17
years. And, ours is just one of hundreds in the US, one of thousands around the
world.
Yes, greater
works than these…and we are doing this together as United Methodists—we know
that our giving supports ministry here…and around the world.
A Little is a
Lot—The money we give, the
volunteer hours we put in, the words we share—to encourage others, to share our
faith, or to call to justice—these work together to change our world. Jesus
tells that brief and powerful parable: “And again [Jesus] said, “To what should
I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a
woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was
leavened.” (Luke 13:20-21) Have you baked bread or worked with yeast? If so,
you know. A little bit of yeast works through the flour as we mix and kneed
it…and what a joy when it all comes together in something like a homemade cake,
cinnamon roll, or pancake.
In the kingdom or
reign of God, every penny we give, every act of goodness and kindness, every
word motivated by God’s love is yeast in this world. The love-inspired giving,
serving, and speaking of disciples around the world is yeast, leaven…and
together we change the world.
Our Reputation—In our communities, the McAllen First UMC
is known as a “doing” congregation. This is because we have determined to Love
boldly, Serve joyfully, and Lead courageously. That is how we’re called to
live, and we’re doing all we can to live this way. We do these things because
God has poured out his grace in our lives and brought us into his kingdom.
God’s love and grace motivate us. Let us keep doing this together, let’s
continue to be leaven in this world, let’s keep changing the world…as we live
the faith and share the Good News of God’s love in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Disciples – Change the World
Watch/Listen: HERE
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