Talk and prayer time: Assimilation - Owen Lynch

From the series ‘A community of hope’ on the book Acts of the Apostles.How do we know from Acts that the revolution brought by the Holy Spirit is surprisingly inclusive? Owen Lynch concludes this series with reflection on views he grew up with on what it meant to be Christian, and what he thinks and feels about this now. The story of Acts shows the spread of God’s kingdom beyond the boundaries set by religious and cultural expectations. Towards the end, Paul’s party encountered people who had no stake in Judaism or the dominant cultures of Greece and Rome. Was Paul bringing the Holy Spirit to them, or finding that the Spirit was already there? What does this mean for our part in this revolution of love, and what kind of inclusion we can expect?

From the series ‘A community of hope’ on the book Acts of the Apostles.When ideas and faith spread, how much of a culture clash do we expect, and how do we deal with it? Owen Lynch looks at how the early church came into conflict with cultures that required assimilation in a forceful way. Some Jews wanted to force Christians to obey all Jewish laws. At the same time, Judaism was under threat from the Roman Empire, who tolerated differences up to a point, but would cancel and destroy cultures which they thought to be a threat. How different was Jesus’ approach, and that of his Spirit-filled followers? Had Jesus given people another way to unite through self-sacrificial love?

How can we hear from God and share this to help others? Claire Lynch looks at our belief that prophesy is about connecting with God’s heart of love for someone, and is accessible to all. This is described as a promise in the Old Testament and as practice in the New Testament, thanks to the work of Jesus and the inspiration of his Holy Spirit. But how do we actually do it faithfully, or weigh up whether someone else’s words to us are from God? The guidance here can help us to practise.Find the script for this talk and an image Claire mentions for you to pray about and use at https://www.severnvineyard.org/sunday-talks-bloglist/2025/5/30/prophecy-by-claire-lynch-1-june-2025

From the series ‘A community of hope’ on the book Acts of the Apostles.Why can disputes about things we believe in passionately turn so bitter and desperate? Owen Lynch looks at what happened when a leader of Jesus’ first followers shared his story with people, from his religion, who did not follow Jesus. Emotions ran high and discussion turned to violence and death plots. What happened to the hope they had shared? Can any similar fury and defensiveness rise up in us when we believe we have truth, so people who disagree with us must not? What might Jesus change about our approach to this?

What is the good news about Jesus, and why is it important to us? Dan Morrice looks at how Jesus’ life, death and resurrection are part of a bigger story which involves us and echoes through history. If Jesus came to save people, from what? Sin is a thing, but sickness and systems of evil were also big parts of what Jesus talked about, worked against and defeated. If we can see progress that still needs to be made, how is God calling us to join in?

From the series ‘A community of hope’ on the book Acts of the Apostles.Are people ultimately divided into groups, say by nationality, family or faith? Owen Lynch looks at what happened in the early church when there were arguments about newcomers and what they might have to do to fit in. People were quick to see reasons to divide and either exclude people or force them to conform. Having some agreed, shared boundaries seemed to be helpful. But what if God’s Spirit kept being more inclusive than people expected? 

How do you describe yourself? Is it mainly about what you do, or other things about who you are, and what you are becoming? This talk looks at Moses, a key character in Biblical history, and shows how his identity had many sources. This included how he was born, how others saw him, what people had seen him do, and what he took on from what people said about him. But God had a different view, and became the source of Moses’ identity. How can we live out our identity with God?

What would it be like to see Jesus enter Jerusalem in his unusual triumph parade, days before he died? Jason Whiley looks at what happened, and what this would have looked like from the different angles of people in the story. If you can imagine yourself there with them, how might God grab your attention? What could he show you about his love, encouragement and purpose for you?

What makes a great leader? Dan Green looks at the differences between what people often expect and what Jesus showed through his service and self-sacrifice. Why was it controversial to put a life-size, captive Jesus (Mark Wallinger’s “Ecce Homo”) onto a giant plinth in Trafalgar Square, and would we find this comforting, inspiring or disturbing to see? Could it help to remind ourselves of how people were so surprised to see Jesus lead the way he did, and even more surprised to see the power of his kingdom?Creative Commons image by Dave Pearce, flickr.com

What difference can it make to be told who we are? Joanna Ashby looks at a conversation between Jesus and one of his followers, Simon, who knew the identity and historic role of Jesus as the Messiah or Christ. Jesus gave Simon a new name, Peter, which gave him the identity of a rock that Jesus could build his church on. What has God said to us about who we are and what he can do with us? How can we put that into practice?