Macedonia was not on the travel schedule.

This past week has been a busy time of assessing tornado damage and orchestrating clean-up around our city.  The electricity is being restored, and power is flowing, and people are connecting, which is necessary after a disaster—to let people know they’re not alone. 

There are lots of ways to show up, to be present.  We can’t all wield chainsaws to clear fallen trees—I mean, I certainly can’t do that—but neither is that the only work needed.  Some people will need food, or prayer, or someone to listen, or help with paperwork.  Every gift is needed in what will be a long journey of rebuilding. 

Some of us experienced damage in this storm, but all of us know someone who did.  It will be vital that we stay attuned to the direction of the Holy Spirit because she can surprise us and send us in a different direction than what we originally planned.

Today’s lesson from the book of the Acts of the Apostles gives us one such example.  Macedonia was not on the original itinerary for Paul and his traveling companions, who are traveling from town to town, sharing the gospel and building relationships with new disciples.[1] 

It sounds like everything is going smoothly, that the Holy Spirit is supporting these travelers at every step along the way.  Now, no journey is complete without some roadblocks, but listen carefully to this section in chapter 16 (you can read along in your Bible).  This section comes just before today’s reading:

“They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.  When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.”[2] 

Did you catch that?  The Spirit of Jesus is stopping Paul from traveling further?  The Holy Spirit is inhibiting the spread of the gospel?

Luke, who is writing the book of Acts, doesn’t tell us exactly how the spirit of Jesus informed them not to travel further, but their original plans are frustrated.  However God does not set up a roadblock without offering a detour—so God sends a vision to Paul.  During the night, Paul dreams of a man of Macedonia saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”[3] 

The very next morning, the group sets out for Macedonia.  If you look at a map of Paul’s missionary journeys, there’s a line to represent their journey headed north, and where they would turn east into Bithynia, they instead head the opposite direction: west toward Macedonia. 

And maybe you’re not familiar with the land of Macedonia, but you’ll recognize the names of some cities there: Thessalonica and Philippi.  Paul will build networks of disciples and keep in touch with them through letters that end up becoming canonized as part of Christian Scripture: the books we now call first and second Thessalonians and Philippians. 

These Macedonian cities will be mentioned again in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, the people of the church in the city of Corinth, when Paul praises the Macedonian churches for sharing their generosity even when they did not have much to give. 

The Macedonian churches are not exceptionally rich, but that doesn’t stop them from participating in ministry with other believers in other places.  In that second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul says,

“During a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.  For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints.”[4] 

The Macedonian churches are contributing to the greater good of the gospel, looking beyond their own interests and their own needs.  They know they are part of something far bigger than themselves.  They trust the Spirit of Jesus that they’re being introduced to; they trust the Word of God that Paul and his traveling companions are bearing witness.  The Spirit is working through individual people.    

This is how Paul is led right into the presence of Lydia—who happens to be a worshiper of God, and God opens her heart to extend hospitality to Paul and his crew. 

MaryAnn McKibben Dana, a pastor in Virginia, notices something interesting here, and she writes:

“The first act of discipleship of a Christian convert on the European continent is not proselytizing, and it’s certainly not a crusade or an inquisition. It’s hospitality, giving of oneself. Lydia opens her home and her heart, which is the ultimate act of vulnerability.  …we the church are called to—and capable of—an obedience born of open-hearted hospitality. Lydia, our foremother, shows us the way.”[5] 

Paul had not planned to go to Macedonia, but he trusts God and goes anyway.  It turns out God has already been there, working in the heart of Lydia, who happens to have the wealth and the means to continue supporting the spread of the gospel and building a church, a network of disciples, connecting the people of God in far-flung places and even sending money to people they would never meet. 

God is at work in Macedonia.  God has always called people into discipleship without discriminating against the amount of wealth they possess, rich or poor, without discriminating against any nation, without discriminating against gender or sexuality or ability or mental capacity.  It is the Holy Spirit that holds them together, united in Jesus Christ. 

Our congregation here is networked with churches all over the world, as well as nearby.  Among the ELCA congregations in Missouri and Kansas, we make up the Central States Synod, and in two weeks, we’ll gather for an annual assembly where, among other business items, we’ll elect a local bishop.  But part of the value of these annual assemblies is tending relationships among congregations. 

In this week’s synod newsletter came a story from our city:

On May 16, 2025, a violent EF3 tornado devastated neighborhoods across St. Louis, including The Ville—a historic African American community long rooted in resilience and hope. Amidst widespread damage, St. Philip’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, under the leadership of Pastor Richard Ashley, became a center for relief, outreach, and healing.

In partnership with LuMin St. Louis Ecumenical Ministry and neighbor churches like Antioch Baptist, we launched immediate response efforts: distributing hot meals, hygiene kits, and offering prayer and presence. Through worship turned outward, we declared not only that “God is here”—but that we are here for our neighbors.

Support came swiftly from across the Eastern Conference of Missouri. Congregations like Christ Lutheran (Webster Groves), Peace Lutheran (Washington), Christ the King, and St. Mark’s provided volunteers, donations, and spiritual solidarity. Our sanctuary became a staging ground for compassion—and a sanctuary for a shaken community.

The work continues. …offering essential supplies and meals. Volunteers are still needed.

This is not just disaster response—it is discipleship. It is faith with sleeves rolled up. As one member put it: “We don’t just preach Christ—we pack Him in a bag and send Him into the streets with a smile.”[6]

Jesus said, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit…will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”[7]  Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled!”[8] and “Do not be afraid!” 

Jesus said all these things to his disciples before he died and things went really bad.  Jesus said all of this would happen—“I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.”[9]  So we review these words from John’s Gospel every year in the season of Easter to remember that God is present both before and after disaster occurs. 

If Jesus has made good on his promise to return after dying, then might Jesus also be serious about these other things: like enduring peace, like freedom from fear, like this thing about the presence of the Holy Spirit, even though we’re not sure yet what that’s going to look like or sound like? 

It begins with hospitality—an open heart that welcomes the Word of God and is willing to be changed by it.  People whose lives are changed because Jesus has healed them, because Jesus has welcomed them, because Jesus has issued an invitation: “Follow me.” 

This is the difference between participating in a civic club and participating in the kin-dom of God.  This is the difference between being simply a member of a church congregation and being a disciple of Jesus.  This is the difference between going where you think you should go and going where God calls you. 

Do you want to know Jesus?  Do you want to know the way to the Father, to God the creator, who is always drawing us together in the Holy Spirit? 

God is here now, doing mighty things among us, just as in Macedonia so long ago, leading us to destinations we didn’t plan for.  Macedonia is closer to us than we think, and the kin-dom of God is coming close, too. 

Amen.

Pastor Cheryl

[1] Some of this sermon is taken from a sermon I preached on May 5, 2013. 

[2] Acts 16:6-7

[3] Acts 16:9

[4] 2 Corinthians 8:2-4

[5] https://hardest33.rssing.com/chan-7977290/article49.html archived version of a preaching commentary blog called The Hardest Question.

[6] https://us12.campaign-archive.com/?u=050c5abb7810e68eee62d5d55&id=eb88c14506

[7] John 14:25

[8] John 14:27

[9] John 14:29