The 2024 season for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) could only be described as being bi-polar. The season began over the first 6 weeks with Da Bears having a record of 4-2, winning 3 straight. They looked confident and they had their fans thinking this was the year that they would turn things around (their last NFL Championship was in 1985). Then came the last few seconds of Game 7 against the Washington Commanders. After scoring a late touchdown to take the lead with only 12 seconds left, the Bears defense left the Commanders 55 yards away from the end zone and only 2 seconds remaining. The Commanders quarterback threw up a “Hail Mary” pass (one where only a miracle could result in a touchdown). The ball was tipped in the air by a Bears defender and right into the waiting arms of a Washington receiver. Bears lose a tough one. The Bears then proceeded to lose another 9 games in a row. In one week they went from heroes to being despised.
Why this walk down the Chicago Memory Lane of Shame? We have a story today from the book of Acts that reflects a bit of what the Bears went through last season. We find our heroes, Paul and Barnabas, in Antioch and they are invited to speak at the synagogue there. Paul proceeds to recount salvation history to the Jews and also to the Gentiles gathered there. A little background is needed here. The Jews, including those who were followers of the Gospel, and the Gentiles were not fans of each other, Here’s the thing. The Jews felt that the Gentiles had to convert to Judaism before becoming Christian. Including the need for the Gentiles to go through ALL the rituals entailed for conversion…if you catch my drift. So when the Gentiles heard the message that they were accepted into the Kingdom of God through Jesus without “prerequisites”…well, that was a big hit with them as you can imagine. As for the Jews, who felt that Christianity was merely a branch of Judaism, they were not so happy with this message. And for those who had not converted, they had another reason to object to Paul and Barnabas preaching the Good News. Many earned their living selling idols. The growing popularity of worshipping the ONE true God threatened that.
Paul and Barnabas were invited back to the synagogue to speak the next week by those who rejoiced over their message. In the interim week, the Jews stirred up leading women and men of Antioch to get the town to persecute the disciples the following week. The strategy worked as they were driven out of town following their return engagement. P and B, upon leaving Antioch, shook the dust of the town from the shoes as Jesus had once commanded the Apostles to do if they were greeted with adversity and disbelief.
Can you recall another famous week where things began on a high note and ended in a very different way. Holy Week. Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey to the screams of a multitude of onlookers crying out “Hosanna in the highest”. He was a rock star entering the city. But just 5 days later He would be led to crucifixion with only a very few of His followers remaining by His side. In the words of Country Music singer, Jerry Reed, “When you’re hot, you’re hot. When you’re not, you’re not”.
But here’s the thing. When Paul and Barnabas left Antioch they traveled to Iconium. They remained here for a period of time and made disciples for the Gospel. Eventually the Jews there planned to stone them and they had to leave here as well, traveling to the city of Lystra. They were greeted so well after curing a crippled man that the people of Lystra wanted to treat them as gods. When the Jews repeated their now all too familiar routine of stirring up the masses against them, Paul and Barnabas left for Derbe, winning over more disciples. But Paul was stoned almost to the point of death. Eventually they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch to build Churches there. In fact, it was in Antioch that the word Christian was first used to describe followers of Jesus.
The moral of the story? Persevere. Except for John, all the Apostles were martyred for the faith. But not before laying the groundwork for the Church that we have today. Without that perseverance Jesus’ life, death and resurrection would have faded into obscurity. Mother Theresa revealed in her private writings, made public after her beatification, that she had experienced almost 50 years of spiritual dryness and loneliness while maintaining her cheerful public image in serving the poor in Calcutta. Mother Teresa’s story highlights the importance of persevering through spiritual dryness and accepting the suffering as a path to greater holiness. Life is a series of ups and downs as we all know. We have successes and failures at work. Sports is notorious for winning for a stretch and then losing for an extended period. Relationships come and go. But we hang in there with an eye on the prize. What better prize is there than life eternal and fulfilling the mission Christ has for us all. To live and spread the Gospel. It is for this that we are born. And it is for this that we will die…and rise.
Oh, and that other individual who had a “bad week” after entering Jerusalem in triumph? Let’s just say that he too “rose” to the occasion.
