Report from Africa # 5

We walked into a Concordia township church that has been vibrant and life changing over the years. The founding pastor passed away in the last few years and difficulties seemed to surface.

There were several mentions of some empty seats in the building. The focus had become those who left and not those who stayed. The question that rumbled in my heart was who needs to change? What do you do when a leader is taken to heaven? Has God changed?

I had prepared a sermon for that morning that all of a sudden did not feel appropriate. The Holy
Spirit took me to the story of Simon of Cyrene. He was the African man who carried the cross of Jesus. He was the first one to have the blood of Jesus go down his back. He had the opportunity to see Jesus intimately. He could see and hear the things said by Jesus. What did it do to Simon?

Later on Peter came to Rome along with John Mark in the first century. People were deeply moved by the powerful stories of Peter. They came to Mark and asked if he would write down his memories from the sermons of Peter. Thus the Gospel of Mark was born. (That is according to Papias and his writings)

Mark reminds the Romans that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus. You see further in Romans 16:13 that Paul greets Rufus, one called by God. He also mentions his mother.

A visit to the cross makes significant changes in our hearts and our minds. Do you suppose that Simon went home and shared with his family the experience. Did they become leaders in the church of Rome? That is speculation but very intriguing.

When our focus is anywhere but Jesus we have the opportunity to wander. We lose sight of the power and movement of God. He has not changed but maybe we have. Who moved God or you?

Cathy and Danny Sartin
www.deeperstillmissions.com.
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