Sermons From My Heart

Have you ever made a mistake? Did you learn anything from that mistake? If you did, congratulations. Mistakes are great teaching tools. It is too bad that the Israelites didn’t learn from the mistake of forgetting what God did for them, and we see the result of that forgetfulness in the passage from Deuteronomy 11:1-17.

The people’s firsthand knowledge of what God did for them in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in destroying Dathan and Abiram for their rebellion (as written in Numbers 16) should have caused them to love the Lord and always keep His commandments. The test of an Israelite’s love for God was his obedience to God. Similarly, the ultimate test of our love for God is our obedience to God. He wants us to worship and praise Him because He has done great and wonderful things for us and will continue to do great things for us in the future.

All of Israel’s history was guided by God to motivate them to love Him totally. Our history and our own lives have also been guided by God for the same reason. Our natural habit is to wander from God just like the Israelites. God sent the Israelites “to school” in the wilderness. He wanted them to depend on Him totally for their needs. God often takes us “to school” in our wilderness experiences or trying times so that we can learn to depend on Him totally for our needs.

Some of us are in the wilderness right now, just like the Israelites were for 40 years. The only way for us to get out of the wilderness is to go through it. We have to go through the waiting period, the desert or the dry spell. We are in the wilderness for a purpose. While we’re waiting and wandering through the wilderness, we have to keep a record of the lessons we’re learning. After all, these lessons can lead to success.

God wanted the Israelites to learn from their past, and He wants us to learn from our past as well. There is an old saying that “those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” If we don’t learn from our mistakes, our past or our sins, we will repeat them.

The most obvious and impressive difference between the lands of Canaan and Egypt was the source of water. Egypt was extremely productive for two reasons. The normal flow of the Nile River delivered sufficient water for the daily needs of the people and for foot-powered irrigation. The Nile’s floods renewed the soil and minerals every year. On the other hand, the land of Canaan (which the Israelites would cross over to possess) drank water from the rain of heaven.

Although God promised to give the people rain for the land, the promise depended on the people’s obedience and dedication to the Lord. If the people turned their heart from the Lord, He might well shut up the heavens. God provides for those who love and obey Him. In today’s uncertain world, it’s good for us to be in the hands of a loving God who knows what we need before we even ask Him for it.

As children of God, we’ve inherited His blessings, His freedom and His gifts. All we have to do is go in and possess them. When we move forward in faith, there’s no telling what God will do in us, through us and for us.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 241-242)
2. Maxwell, J.C. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 5: Deuteronomy (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 19897; pp. 161-164)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 237-238)
5. Christine Caine, “it’s Time to Possess.” Retrieved from no-reply@christinecaine.com
6. Pastor Rick Warren, “Small Lessons Lead to Big Success.” Retrieved from newsletter@connect.purposedriven.com

The events in Acts 10:44-48 occurred as part of Peter’s first sermon to the Gentiles. Peter received a vision from God. In that vision, a sheet unfolded from heaven. On that sheet were animals of all kinds, including animals that were unclean under Jewish law. God commanded Peter to eat, but Peter refused because of Jewish dietary laws. God replied that He has made these animals clean and what He made clean could be eaten. This vision was a metaphor for God’s command to expand Christianity to include the Gentiles, who were also considered to be unclean by the Jews.

At the same time Peter had his vision, Cornelius had a vision. Cornelius was a Roman centurion in Caesarea. He and his family members and servants were God-fearing people. They accepted both the Jewish concept of one God and Jewish ethics. They may even have attended the local synagogue. Because they were Gentiles, they were not people Peter and others in the Jewish community would have thought to be included in God’s plan of salvation.

As a result of that vision, Cornelius sent representatives to see Peter and invite him to come and teach him and his family. Just as in Peter’s vision, God made no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. It was during that meeting that the Holy Spirit came and touched Cornelius and his household. God sent several Jewish believers to accompany Peter, so together they could be witnesses when the Holy Spirit was poured out on Cornelius and his household.

Cornelius was a tough Roman soldier, but he was also drawn to the Jewish faith. He worshipped in the synagogue, but in a different section that was reserved for Gentile converts. Since the Jews treated the Gentiles with disdain, it’s a wonder that Cornelius put up with that treatment. Well, he did, because he was a seeker. Something told him that there was more to life than his earthly life. Something told him there was a God. His desire to know God was stronger than the rude treatment he received from the Jews. Even though the Jews welcomed Gentile converts, these converts were never completely accepted. Cornelius’ beliefs changed his behaviour and his personality. He gave alms to the poor and supported the synagogue.

Honest seekers find what they are looking for. Jeremiah 29:13 states that God promises to hear the prayers of those who are looking for Him. God gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to these Gentiles as a sign of His plan to accept them into the church without prior conversion to the Jewish faith. This more than makes up for humiliation and ridicule.

When God sent the Holy Spirit upon the Gentile believers, He sent a clear message to them and to everyone who witnessed the event. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Nothing other than belief is required. Only trusting in Christ brings forgiveness of sins.

When the Holy Spirit touched Cornelius and his family, Peter immediately saw it as an opportunity to baptize them. Since they had received the substance of what the sign of water baptism points to, and since they had been changed by the Holy Spirit, it was inappropriate to withhold the sign that they were part of the body of believers. Baptism is not about salvation or going to heaven. The thief who died on the cross and believed in Jesus was not baptized before he died. Baptism is about being obedient to God, who commanded believers to be baptized once they became his disciples. The baptism of Cornelius and his household must have been one of the most joyous and moving in history. It, like all baptisms with water, was the outward sign of the inner Spirit baptism which had taken place. History was made, and consequently the Christian church took a whole new direction.

Acts 10 marks the expansion of Christianity to include the Gentiles. This expansion was approved by both Peter and Paul. Without expansion, Christianity would have remained a sect of Judaism. Acts 10:44-48 marks a major shift in Peter’s ministry. It was his conversion of sorts. He was torn between custom and convictions. The Holy Spirit whittled away the hardness of Peter’s heart toward those he had been taught to avoid. The Holy Spirit was the true preacher. It makes God’s Word come alive through-or in spite of-our words. It changes our perceptions of others and what they can or cannot do. It changes our own character and leads us to other people whom God loves.

God knows how hard it is for us to change, but He can’t let us remain where we are. We can’t remain tied down with harmful ways of thinking and tied to human sin. He shows us the truth and challenges us to apply what He has taught. He expects a faithful response to His commands. Sometimes this makes us feel uncomfortable, but God doesn’t care about how we feel about His commands. He only cares that we act on them. God knows that our discomfort will pass. When we set aside our discomfort to do what He has commanded, He knows the experience will accomplish its task and we will be changed.

The Holy Spirit allows us to see things in new ways, just like Peter saw things in a new way because of his vision. The Holy Spirit opened Peter to new insights. It also gives us new insights into who needs to be a part of our church family. These insights force us to open our eyes and hearts to those who the world rejects. There is no room in the church for divisions caused by race, colour, social status or other reasons.

Jesus’ friendship is one of mutual love and respect. Friends like Jesus expand our world, expose us to new and creative possibilities and sustain us when we are in need. The disciples did not have any idea what God was doing, what God was capable of, and who God was able to reach. They were close-minded and thought that the only way to God was the same way they came to God. We are the same. We often think that the way people should come to Christ is the same way that we came to Christ. The problem is that this is not the way God thinks or acts. God sees the entire picture, but we can only see a part of it. God sees a church where everyone is welcome, but we sometimes only see a church where people who look, think or act like us are welcome. Jesus said that the two Great Commandments are to love God and love people. When we emphasize the love of law instead of the law of love, we are going against God’s will. We must suspend the rules we have come to rely on and welcome what God is doing in our churches, our communities and our world.

During World War I, a Protestant chaplain serving with American troops became friends with a local Catholic priest when his unit were stationed in Italy. When it was time for his unit to move on, the chaplain joined them, but he was killed shortly thereafter. When the priest learned of the chaplain’s death, he wrote to the chaplain’s commanding officers and offered to bury the body in the cemetery behind the priest’s church. The officers knew that the chaplain and the priest were friends, and so they gave permission. The Catholic Church authorities, on the other hand, were opposed. They told the priest that the body could not be buried in the cemetery because the chaplain was a Protestant.

After the war, one of the men who served with the chaplain visited Italy and met with the old priest. The veteran wanted to pay his respects at the chaplain’s grave, and to his surprise he was taken to a grave inside the fence! The veteran knew of the church’s refusal to allow the body to be buried in the cemetery, so he asked the priest if he had received permission to move the body. The priest shook his head and said, “They told me where I could not bury the body, but they did not tell me that I could not move the fence.”

God did the same thing for the Gentiles. He moved the fence that the Jews built to keep the Gentiles out. He moved the fence to include all of us. He has a way of colouring outside the lines of our limited experiences. In return, we need to welcome everyone. Even though the local church may say that it welcomes everyone, there are people in our community who will never really understand that because they are suspicious of our motives or they have their own prejudices or attitudes.

Sometimes we, like Peter, are called to a ministry of proclamation and closeness. We don’t know who received the greater blessing in this story: Cornelius or Peter. What we do know is that God was at work through the Holy Spirit to break down barriers so that God’s Word could be heard. The Word has the power to re-negotiate our prejudices of others, about what they can or cannot do. The Word has the power to change our characters as well by leading us closer to other people whom God loves.

We, like the Spirit-filled Gentiles in the Book of Acts, need to rediscover the depth of our disbelief and disobedience even if that is not the politically correct thing to do. We need to realize that we hunger and thirst for the story of Jesus and his love for everyone. We need to run to the waters of baptism and drown our old sin-filled lives. We need to be raised from spiritual death and filled with a passion for the Gospel, because it will make one helluva difference in our world.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, Dr. David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing, 2013)

• Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 6^th Sunday of Easter (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

• Ogilvie, L.J. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 28: Acts (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983)

• Witherington, B. III: The Acts of the Apostles: a socio-rhetorical commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.; 1998)

• Jacob Myers, “Commentary on Acts 10:44-48.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1294

• Rick Morley, “Even Astonished.” Retrieved from http://www.rickmorley.com/archives/1585

• Samuel D. Zumwalt, “Easter People Baptize.” Retrieved from http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-81060-521-8-e.html

• Jeremiah, Dr. David: The Revolution that Changed the World (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers. Inc.; 2015, pgs. 179-194)

• Exegesis for Acts 10:44-48. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

1. 1. Rev. Gayle Pope, “Acts 10:44-48.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu

• Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 6^th Sunday of Easter (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

• Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary: Acts (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers; 2016; pp. 206-208) 

If you were going on a long trip, what would you say to your family and friends before you left? If you knew that you were going to see someone for the last time, what would you say to them? When your children moved away from home, what did you say to them? In each case you probably gave them some instructions of words of advice. Well, in the Gospel passage from John 15:9-17, Jesus gave us and his disciples some final instructions or words of advice. This passage is part of the final instructions that Jesus gave to the disciples the night before he was crucified. It follows the passage about the vine and the branches, but it goes even further. Instead of talking about abiding in each other or loving each other, it talks about serving each other, which goes hand in hand with loving each other.

Jesus knew that the disciples would not find love in the world. He knew that the world would largely hate them and his message. In fact, the world still hates his message today. Nevertheless, we, like the disciples, are called to love each other and our fellow man in spite of opposition. When we love each other, we will experience the joy of obeying God.

When we love one another, we also allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and grow in us. How it grows will depend on our connection to each other, to God and to his church. The stronger our faith, the more we will do, and it is the things that we do for God and for others that bring glory to God and strengthen the Holy Spirit within us.

Love for others means being willing to die for others. Jesus showed his love for us by dying on the cross for our sins. The men and women who serve in our armed forces also show this same type of love. They and countless other armed forces personnel who served in WWI, WWII and the Korean War as well as in more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions, were willing to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of others. They were willing to go out of their way for others by dying to save others or coming to the aid of those who were in need-even at their own personal expense, and they are still willing and ready to do so today. Jesus showed how far that type of love can take someone when he died for us. If Jesus could lay down his own life for us, what part of our lives can we give up for others-prejudice, unwillingness to help, envy, material goods, hatred, unwillingness to forgive, or even something else?

God wants us to have relationships that are more than mediocre. Relationship-building takes time and requires compassion, wisdom, empathy, kindness, courtesy and forgiveness. We can’t overlook what taking concrete action can mean. We can be active in love for one another. It is a lot of work, and that’s fine because God knows that we can do this work, and he knows that what we do will enrich both our lives and the lives of those whom we serve. When we love one another, we act as God’s hands and feet to those that he puts in our lives. It does take time, effort and money to be an active friend, but the blessings outweigh the costs.

Loving others as God loved us is the heart of Christian discipleship. Christian life can only exist through human relationships, especially when they are based on mutual respect and humane values-including love. The apostle Peter showed the same type of love in Acts 10:44-48. His love for others, combined with the visions he and the Roman centurion Cornelius had led Peter to minister to Cornelius and his family. When Peter proclaimed the Good News, the Holy Spirit moved within his audience, and it marked both a second Pentecost and the spreading of the Good News to all people (not just the Jews). If the Holy Spirit could move in the hearts of Peter’s audience, it can move in the hearts of people in our world today.

People who do not love God will be his enemy until they allow God to be the centre of their lives. When they do, they will be in their appropriate places as obedient friends of God, and God will be in his appropriate place at the centre of their lives. This will happen in our lives at a time when we will surrender our personal desires and obey the will of God. If we are to be fruitful for Christ, we must seek his will for our lives and let him lead us to what he wants us to do for others and for him.

When we love one another, we fulfill the second of Jesus’ two Great Commandments. When we love Jesus, he becomes our true best friend. Friends have our best interests in mind, just like Jesus does. Friends will be with us in good times and bad times just like Jesus is. They help us to expand our world, expose us to new and creative possibilities, and sustain us when we are in need.

God has chosen all of us for the purpose of bearing much eternal fruit in such personal characteristics as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These characteristics will grow within us and help us when we tell others about Jesus and lead them into a fruitful relationship with him.

We can say that Jesus is our friend, but can we say that we are his friends? Do we listen to him when he speaks to us, or do we only want him to listen to us? Do we want to know what’s on his heart and mind, or do we only want to tell him what’s on ours? Being a true friend of Jesus means listening to what he wants to tell us and then using that information to do his work in our world and in our lives.

Bibliography

 * Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package

1. Craig Condon, “We Will Remember Them”. Preached at the 2006 Remembrance Day Service in Liverpool, NS
2. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslilkegod.org/archives/year-b-sixth-sunday-of-easter
3. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 6^th Sunday of Easter, Year B”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
4. Roland McGregor, “Easter 6-May 13, 2012”. Retrieved from www.mcgregorpage.org
5. Greg Laurie, “When God’s Will Is Difficult”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
6. Exegesis for John 15:9-17. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
7. Steve Preston, “Everyone’s Best Friend”. Retrieved from bibletalk@freegroups.net
8. Marybeth Whalen, “Friends in Action”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
9. Steve Arterburn, “Love is a Choice”. Retrieved from www.newlife.com
10. Leslie Snyder, “Friendship’s Ultimate Gift”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
11. Julie Ackerman, “He Calls Me Friend”. Retrieved from www.rbc.org
12. The Rev. Susan R. Briehl, ELCA, “Sermon for the 6^th Sunday of Easter”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
13. Stanley, C.F., “The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version” (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
14. MacArthur, J., “MacArthur Study Bible, NASB” (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers:2006;2008)

Have you ever wondered how you can share the Good News with the people you meet? If so, the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40 is a good teaching manual. Philip was leading a revival in Samaria that was leading multitudes of people to Christ. God called Philip from evangelizing the crowds to evangelizing to one person, but that one person-the eunuch-led to the spread of Christianity to the African continent. Philip must have wondered why God would take him out of a revival and place him in a desert, but he trusted God.

Evangelism is like that. Evangelism is a team effort that involves each and every member of the body of Christ, but it eventually comes down to a one on one encounter between a follower of Jesus and a person who is following his or her own way. We do not have to be a Billy Graham, or a Franklin Graham or a Will Graham and lead crusades in major cities and large stadiums throughout the world. We can do the same thing in our own communities with the people we meet every day.

We don’t know anything about the eunuch’s spiritual background other than the fact that he travelled 1,200 miles to Jerusalem. Jewish law would have excluded the eunuch from the temple. This is an example of the Gospel spreading to the Gentiles. The passage the eunuch read was the passage from Isaiah about the suffering servant. There is no better passage with which to introduce someone to Jesus.

The eunuch’s baptism confirms that baptism is for those who profess faith in Jesus. Immersion equals death to sin, coming up out of the water equals rising to a new life in Christ. The eunuch’s joy represents a new spiritual state.

Philip had to overcome a lot of barriers to get to the eunuch’s chariot, but the barriers did not matter to Philip. Barriers should not matter to us either. We must be willing to go, sit and spend time with people who want to get to know God. Differences in race, colour, creed or culture must not be barriers to our mission. We need to pour out our lives for their sake.

The only way to reach people for Christ is to preach Christ crucified, dead, buried and risen again. Clever stories or preaching methods or living our lives in front of lost people won’t do the job. We are called to make disciples. It requires our willingness to become a mentor for new believers. We have to take the goodness God has poured into our lives and pour that goodness into the lives of the lost.

This story is fast-paced and full of action. These might not be the first words we think of when we think of the word “church”, but the intention of the Book of Acts is to show us that the Spirit is alive and we are too. If we are alive in Christ, we will obey when the Spirit says to us, “Get up and go.” We must be prepared to seize each and every opportunity to proclaim the Good News, like I am when I’m given an opportunity to preach. If we are to discover God’s guidance for our lives, we have to be receptive to the Spirit, even if it does not fit into our plans, goals, prejudices, etc. Philip is a good example. He wanted to continue the revival in Samaria, but the Holy Spirit had other plans.

There are two issues in this reading-obedience, and preaching the Good News. As I mentioned earlier, the eunuch spread Christianity to Africa. In the case of Philip, he obeyed God’s call to meet with the eunuch at that particular time and in that particular place. The eternal life of someone who would play a key role in the worldwide expansion of Christianity was at stake.

All believers have direct access to God through faith and the Holy Spirit. All believers are able to understand the teachings of the Scriptures and gain the benefit God intends-namely, the ability to share the Gospel with others. Sometimes we wonder about the people and situations God has guided us to. That’s only natural, because we can’t see “the big picture” that God sees. Sometimes the people and situations are difficult for us, but they often lead to blessings. God uses anything he can to convince us to follow his directions. The key for us is to be prepared to follow him, and that preparation includes openness, prayer, Bible study and surrendering to God’s will. If we are prepared we will be ready when opportunities arise. For example, I was a lay minister for several years before I felt the call to preach. God used that time to prepare me through working with other team members and learning from them. As a result, I have had the opportunity to preach over 200 times in locations such as churches in my own Parish , local nursing homes, and churches of other denominations.

If we, like Moses, don’t know what to say, that’s okay because the Holy Spirit will tailor our message to the needs of the people we speak to. It’s like advertisers who tailor the message of their products to a particular audience. For example, you rarely see ads for fishing gear in fashion magazines!

We need to consider the needs, background and experience of our audience when we are called to share our faith. When we find out about our audience, our natural desire to help takes over. When that desire kicks in, we have to start where our audience is in relationship to Christ, and not where they should be. When we are nearing the end of our witnessing, we have to wait for signs of readiness and response. If that readiness indicates belief in the resurrection, the audience is ready to begin their new life in Christ. All of this is only possible if we are willing to talk about Jesus and if we are willing to go anywhere to share the Good News. If we let God direct us where he wants us to go, he will give us the courage and the words. All we have to do is to step out in faith.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

• Tony Robinson, “Get Up and Go.” Retrieved from dailydevotional@ucc.org

• James MacDonald, “Seize the opportunity.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• T.M. Moore, “Read with the Saints.” Retrieved from wwww.colsoncenter.org

• Lysa Terkeurst, “Might We Dare to be a Little More Common?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

• Ogilvie, L.J. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 28: Acts (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983)

• Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2005)

Acts 4:5-12 features a boldness characterized by the Holy Spirit, which shows up just in the time of need. The passage recalls the words of Jesus in Luke 12:11-12: “When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you that very hour what you ought to say.” Both passages foresee how Jesus’ followers will respond. For example, Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 4:8 and answers in a way that Acts 4:13 calls “boldness”.

The Sanhedrin, consisting of 71 members, included the rulers, elders and scribes and was the highest legislative and judicial body in Jerusalem. The Sanhedrin thought Peter, John and the beggar were on trial, but Jesus Christ was on trial again because He was the power behind the paralyzed man’s healing. The message of the resurrection stirred the pot here. They didn’t fix their attention on one thing done by Peter. Instead, they framed an indefinite question. They hoped Peter would say something on which they might condemn him-the same hope they had every time they questioned Jesus. Their whole inquiry was rooted in the assumption that the Sanhedrin looked down at powerless idiots. The irony is that the powerless idiots had something that the members of the Sanhedrin didn’t-the name of Jesus, whom the Sanhedrin rejected, but now who has returned with power. The undeniable evidence against the Sanhedrin was a man who was once lame and was now walking.

The actions of the Sanhedrin show how power operates in the absence of truth. People in power, especially religious power, who have no concern for truth will follow a pattern when challenged:

1. Intimidation. They will use their authority to strike fear in the hearts of their opponents.
2. Tradition. They will invoke the long history of believing something and doing something a certain way.
3. Coercion. They will manipulate the behaviour of opponents by using threats, bribes, blackmail, flattery or death.

The Sanhedrin tried to use their authority to scare Peter. It’s not unusual for the enemies of Christianity to intimidate or scare Christians. Such attempts can only fail, because Christians draw strength from their faith in Christ. This strength helped Peter defend himself and launch into a sermon. This strength changed Peter. Nothing but the conviction of the truth could have caused this change.

The Book of Acts is our window into the lives of the early Christians, who were still fresh from their encounter with the Risen Christ-the one who dared them to live as if death didn’t have power over them anymore. Peter is Exhibit A. He sets an example for us of what it looks like to imitate Jesus in our everyday lives. When he spoke, the Holy Spirit took possession of Peter’s mind, emotions, will and body. Peter surrendered his life and opened himself to be a container and a transmitter of the living Spirit of God. Peter’s need to defend himself before the Sanhedrin brought forth the power the Holy Spirit infused in him.

The Holy Spirit is both sanctifier and strengthener. He helps us remember what God did and said. He gives us the gift of faith to believe. He enables us to grow in Christlike character. He equips us to be bold and fearless in times of trial.

Peter’s first point turned the tables. When he used the term, “whom you crucified,” he became the accuser instead of the accused. Peter noted that the Sanhedrin looked for something to be the cornerstone of the foundation of their faith, while rejecting the real cornerstone-Jesus. In fact, they tried to destroy this cornerstone by crucifying Jesus, but they only made it stronger when they unknowingly because part of God’s plan of salvation.

Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we are reconciled to God. The cross was the final sacrifice for our sins. When we accept what Christ did for us, we are forgiven and set free of guilt and self-condemnation.

Peter’s speech testifies to a powerful reality: the once-muted church speaks because the dead don’t stay dead. Jesus may have been crucified, but God raised Him from the dead. Jesus is the beginning of the resurrection of the dead-the beginning of the Easter Resurrection that ends the settled order based on death. The dead don’t stay dead, so the rule of power and wealth has come to an end. A new creation is at hand.

The temple authorities put Jesus in the lowest place they could. He was given an outcast’s death outside the city walls. That was the ultimate in exclusion from the community, the ultimate in silence. But God raised Jesus to the place of highest honour and authority, at the very centre of God’s new community. Peter used the words of Psalm 118 to put the temple authorities on notice that in raising Jesus from the dead, God made him the cornerstone of a new temple with the only power under heaven to heal. Those who killed Jesus were ignorant of God’s plan. If they had known, they might not have done the deed. The builders referred to in Psalm 118 were identified either as those who do not believe, or Christians had fallen away.

Peter warned the Sanhedrin that the healing of the lame man in the temple in the name of Jesus would have world-changing implications. The name of Jesus brings salvation, healing, wholeness and newness of life to those who believe. There are only two religious paths. The broad one is salvation by works, which leads to eternal death. The narrow one is based on faith in Jesus and leads to eternal life. Unfortunately for the Sanhedrin, they were on the broad path.

Peter explained the two conditions that must happen before people can be called children of God. The first is that we must receive Jesus. We must open the door of our hearts and invite Him to come in. The other is that we must believe in the name of Jesus. Salvation is only found in the perfect person and work of Jesus. When Jesus is with us, anyone who hears His Words with an open mind will find He is anything but boring. His words have not lost their passion. His actions have not lost their power.

Peter’s response in this passage from Acts expresses a bold declaration about the saving nature of Jesus. This bold declaration needs to be expressed today. Peter didn’t aim to exclude future religious movements, but his speech has been used throughout history to discriminate. Any time the name of Jesus is used to divide and not unite, to generate hatred and not love, to separate people instead of joining then together, His Name has been misused and profaned. The Spirit’s boldness empowered an emphasis that seemed to be necessary. We are no less in need of Spirit-driven boldness today so that the world will see us as companions of Jesus. This should encourage us to make other people look at us and wonder why we show hope, grace and joy.

A single route to salvation may sound strange to many people in our world today. It can provoke resistance and even scorn. Many people like to think that they are okay because they are not as bad as some others. The reality is that all of us are sinners. Arrogance plays no part in this declaration. It’s about humility, recognizing that we can do nothing to save ourselves. We depend totally on Christ for salvation. We can’t prove to an unbeliever that salvation can be found in Jesus alone, but we can show the joy and humility that only salvation in Christ brings to our lives.

Many people today buy into the false belief that all religions are the same. These people proclaim that all religions teach similar things, lead to the same God and have equally respectable founders. But did Buddha, Muhammed or Krishna rise from the dead? The answer is no. Only Jesus surprised the world when He rose from the dead, in great power and glory, so that everyone can know that He is the only one who guarantees our resurrection into eternal life. The evidence of Christ’s resurrection is overwhelming, but the devil has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the glory of Christ and the Truth of the Gospel. When Jesus returns to judge the world, they will be in for a big surprise!

Why is there so little evidence of the use of the power of the name of Jesus in modern Christianity? Why do we wring our hands at the enormity of untouched human need in churches today? To answer these questions, we must ask ourselves the following questions:

1. Do we believe that Jesus was who He said He was?
2. Did he do the miraculous works of God recorded in the Gospels?
3. Do we accept that what He did as Jesus of Nazareth He continued to do through the apostles and the early church?
4. Is He ready and willing to do the same today in the new chapter of Acts being written in our time?
5. Are we open to the possibility that this can be an age of miracles if we dare to believe and pray adventuresomely in Jesus’ name?
6. What is it in me, or in my church, which has blighted our boldness with the blandness of expecting little and settling for it?

The reason for the decline of institutional Christianity in the western world today is that we have lost the “Christ-only” reason for living. We need Peter’s boldness to preach and teach, and then model with our living, that there is no other way. In Peter’s statement, he brushed aside nationalism, the sacrificial system of ancient Israel, and the compulsive complex set of rules and regulations of religion. Christ is all or not at all. Only Christ can save us. How often in our own lives do we appeal to an outside authority for an excuse to explain what we are not capable of doing ourselves? While Peter and John had the name of the resurrected Christ to support them, how much do we delight in invoking the name of someone else-namely Jesus-in order to fill our own needs to be appreciated? When do we call on the power of the risen Lord to fill us with the joy and glee of the Holy Spirit? In what way is the Spirit of the Risen Christ moving across our land, our churches today that are upsetting and unsettling to those in power?

In our day God’s power seems neither obvious nor disruptive. Our eyes don’t easily see God at work in the world. We confess that we are disciples-God’s work, our hands. How is our own short-sightedness preventing us from seeing God at work in the world? What might we see if we learned to see with different eyes? What might we lose? What might we gain?

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1492-1493)
2. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, with a Revised Version of the Text. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
4. Ogilvie, L.J. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 28: Acts (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 92-100)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Anne Graham Lotz, “Believe in His Name.” Retrieved from info@angelministries.org
7. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Good Teachers-One Saviour.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
8. Kurt Selles, “Salvation in No Other Name.” Retrieved from today@thisistoday.net
9. Paul Chappell, “The One Cure for Sin.” Retrieved from daily@dailyintheword.org
10. David Marker, “Bible Study: 4 Easter (B).” Retrieved from www.episcopaldigitalnetwork.com
11. The Rev. Dr. Steve Montgomery, “By What Power?” Retrieved from www.day1.org
12. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Surprised by the Only.” Retrieved from www.ltw.org
13. Troy Trodtgruben, “Commentary on Acts 4:5-12.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?community_id=2388

1. Scott Hoezee, “Acts 4:5-12.” Retrieved from http://cep.calvinseminary.edu/sermon-starters/easter-4b-2/?type-old-testament-lectionary
2. Mitzi J. Smith, “Commentary on Acts 4:5-12.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?community_id=1250
3. Doug Lee, “The Parton Saint of the Tongue-tied.” Retrieved from www.ekklesiasiaproject.org/blog/2012/04/the-patron-saint-of-the-tongue-tied/
4. John Holbert, “A Fresh Wholeness: Reflections on Acts 4:5-12.” Retrieved from www.patheos.com/progressive-christian/fresh-wholeness-john-holbert-04-23-2012
5. F. Scott Spencer, “Commentary on Acts 4:5-12.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?community_id=301
6. “Left Behind and Loving It: The Most Misused Scripture on the World.” Retrieved from http://leftbehindandlovingit.blogspot.ca/2012/04/most-misused-scripture-in-world.html
7. Jeremiah, David: A.D.: The Bible Continues (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers Inc.; 2015; pp. 57-73)
8. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary: Acts (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; 2016; pp. 76-

How many of you have pets? I have three of them at my house right now. I have three cats. One is a sixteen year old male named Rusty because he is rust-coloured. My family also calls him Tubby because he is fat. He loves to eat, and he loves begging for food whenever anyone is in the kitchen. He also loves to explore the house and the yard, especially the basement.

We also have his sister, and her name is Mama. She’s usually very quiet and sleeps most of the time-usually outside my bedroom door. The third one is a four year old male name Bo. He loves to stir up trouble, especially with Rusty. Sometimes I have to take a squirt bottle filled with water and let him have it………although one time I had to use a glass that was half-filled with water.

All three of them are a big responsibility, just like all pets are a big responsibility, but everyone in the family loves them. They have to have lots of food and water. They have to be kept cleaned and taken to the veterinarian when they are sick. They need someone to care for them.

People also need someone to take care of them. Who takes care of you? Jesus also looks after us, and he tells how and why he cares for us in John 10:11-18. 

Jesus referred to himself as the good shepherd so that the people would know what he was talking about. Jesus was preaching in Palestine, and sheep were quite common in that area. Sheep are not very smart though. They were easy prey for animals such as bears, foxes or coyotes. They needed someone to protect them from harm and to lead them to fresh grass to eat. They needed someone who would be willing to die to protect the sheep. That person is a shepherd. Let me explain what a shepherd does by telling you a story about a boy named Seth.

“Mr. Markley,” Seth said after class one morning, “in our lesson, why did Jesus call Himself a good shepherd?”

Seth was new in the class. His home was in Texas, and he didn’t usually go to Sunday school. But he was spending a few weeks with his grandparents, and they took him to Sunday school. He liked it very much. Seth grinned at his Sunday school teacher now. “I’d like it better if Jesus said, ‘I am the good cowboy!’ We have lots of cowboys back home. I’m going to be one someday!”

Mr. Markley laughed. “I know you love your Texas ranch, Seth,” he replied, “but Jesus knew what He was saying when He compared Himself to a shepherd rather than a cowboy. Tell me–what does a cowboy do?”

“Aw, that’s easy.” Seth’s eyes lit up. “He drives the cattle where he wants them to go. They used to do it on horseback, but now they use pickup trucks a lot. Sometimes they even use helicopters! That’s what I want to do!”

“Well, how about sheep?” asked Mr. Markley, “How do you get sheep to go where you want them to go? Do you drive them, too–with a horse or truck or helicopter?”

Seth grinned. “I don’t really know a lot about sheep. I just know they used to always need a shepherd to take care of them. Otherwise, I guess they wandered away and got lost or got into trouble. I think they’re kind of dumb. That’s why I’d rather have . . .”

Mr. Markley held up a hand. “Wait a minute,” he said. “Think about the way people act, and maybe you’ll see why Jesus compared Himself to a shepherd. Do you think maybe we’re more like sheep than cattle? Most people don’t mind following a good leader, but they don’t like to be forced to go any particular way.”

“I guess that’s true,” acknowledged Seth.

Mr. Markley nodded. “God doesn’t force us to go His way–like a cowboy would drive the cattle. God is like a loving shepherd, ready to help us and lead us. Without Him, we’re lost and just wander around.”

“I think I get it,” said Seth, “and I guess I’ll be learning more about that while I’m here, right?”Mr. Markley smiled and nodded.

Let’s bow our heads for a moment of prayer. Dear God, Thank you for being our Good Shepherd. Thank you for loving us and taking care of us. Thank you for laying down your life for us so that we can have eternal life with you in heaven. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

Bibliography

“The Good Shepherd.” Retrieved from http://sermons4kids.com/good_shepherd.htm

• “Not a Cowboy.” Retrieved from newsletter@cbhministries.org

• Real Life Devotional Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zonderkidz; 2008)

John 10:11-18 is part of a longer discourse in which Jesus tells his disciples and us that he is the way to heaven and eternal life. In this passage he explains this concept by comparing himself to a shepherd. The image of a shepherd was one that was common among members of his audience. Palestine was more of a pastoral region than an agricultural region, so shepherds were very common. Sheep are quite dumb. They will follow anyone who leads them, even if it means that they will be led astray. A good shepherd watches out for his flock and protects them even to the point of sacrificing himself.

We, like sheep, are vulnerable and oblivious to the dangers around us. Like sheep, we live in a wilderness, and that wilderness is called our earthly lives. These earthly lives, with their emphases on putting ourselves first, shun the notion of putting off pleasure for the good of others. Our society emphasizes self-indulgence and shuns self-giving. In spite of this, there are people who are willing to give up something in exchange for something far greater. They sacrifice themselves for people they love and things they have faith in. Sacrifice is a measure of their character and values. It proves the worth of their words and intentions.

There are many people in our world today who want to lead us. The question we have to ask ourselves is, “Who can we trust to lead us and not lead us astray?” We can’t trust politicians because they often make promises and don’t keep them. We can’t always trust ministers because they are human and are subject to human weaknesses unless they lead us in true faith. Ministers are replaceable. Most churches change their ministers every few years, especially if the minister is called to lead another flock. The minister must not be the one who makes us stay or go. Something even bigger must catch us, connect us and make us want to go deeper.

That something is the only one who we can trust to lead us. He is the only person who can back up his claims-Jesus. He accepts us as members of his flock. He gives us boundaries that will protect us. He gives us spiritual nourishment, rest, refreshment and joy. He gives himself away by laying down his life for us. He gives himself away to bring us closer to God. He protects us from Satan’s attempts to distract us while we are on our Christian walk of life. He gives our lives meaning and purpose. He is good all of the time. He will give us a rich life filled with purpose and true happiness. The eternal life he offers is absolutely wonderful and can never be diminished or taken away from us.

Jesus is our shepherd. He gave up the splendour and glory of heaven so that we could have the type of eternal life I referred to earlier. He protects us and guides us if we let him. He gave up his life on the cross so that we would have eternal life. In contrast, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were nothing more than hired hands. They were poor shepherds. They were selfish, but Jesus was selfless. They abandoned the flock to save themselves, but Jesus laid down his life for the people. The religious leaders obeyed their own lusts, but Jesus completely obeyed his Father. The religious leaders cared only about themselves and their “chosen ones”, but Jesus was for everyone, even people who had not heard the good news-people such as the Samaritans and the Gentiles.

Our lives have a rhythm. We can feel when the rhythm is good. Everything is going well, and everything works together. We can also feel it when our lives are out of rhythm. They are forced. We feel drained. We ask ourselves why life is so hard. Jesus the good shepherd tells us that he came to show us how to live a life that is in sync with God. Like a good shepherd, Jesus came to show us the very best way to live the life God wants us to lead.

A good shepherd has three outstanding characteristics:

1. He has love and compassion.
2. He knows each of his sheep by name.
3. He places his body between sheep and vicious animals. He will die protecting the sheep.

Jesus has all three of these characteristics in abundance. His love and compassion are outstanding. He knows all of his people by name. He knows the weak and the strong, the stubborn and the submissive, the hurts and needs of every sheep. He sacrificed himself on the cross so that we could have eternal life.

Every day Jesus surrounds us with opportunities, challenges, difficulties and decisions…and his grace. Even more, he wants us to live that life to the fullest. We are not perfect people, but we can still have that abundant life. Because he gave up his life for us on the cross like a good shepherd, we can have that abundant life. We have forgiveness and eternity. We are not alone, because he is with us, and he will be with us for all eternity.

The image of a Good Shepherd is a comforting one. We can take comfort in the knowledge that Jesus loves us and cares for us. We, like sheep, are vulnerable to attack. A good shepherd will protect us from attack, whereas a hired hand will flee to protect himself. A good shepherd leads his flock to where it needs to go for food, shelter and protection. We, like sheep, know and trust the shepherd. We, like sheep, know every inflection of his voice, the way he leads us to pasture, and his courage in the face of danger.

Jesus will never desert us. He will always be with us. He comforts us. Our sins have been forgiven. We have been adopted into the family of faith. Our prayers will be heard. We will have help for our problems. All we have to do is submit to his word and respond to his message in faith. That involves being thankful for Jesus and all the good shepherds who try to follow him and do his good work.

Jesus leads us to where we need to go. He leads us to the green pastures of our heavenly home. He protects us from the devil’s attacks. He laid down his life for us on the cross. The image of the good shepherd is a sign of Jesus’ divinity. The sacrificial lamb overcame Satan’s power. It turned the earthly view of power upside down.

Jesus is not an intermediary. He represents God’s love and our positive response. Jesus’ death reveals God’s love to us and our response to that love. We are called on to be shepherds, witnesses of God’s love. That love sustains us and the world. It also protects us and suffers with us. We are called on to show that love. That love encourages us to care for others, especially those who are suffering. It calls on us to move from words to action.

We are to care for others as God has cared for us. We are to work for their safety and security. We are not to refuse to help. We are to support others in using their own best instincts. If we do, we honour the Good Shepherd who leads us and cares for us.

We are called on to continue Jesus’s work. We are called on to be shepherds, witnesses of God’s love. We are to be there for each other. We are to care for and support one another. We must put ourselves in the path of evil when necessary. We are to go out and encourage other non-Christians and non-believers to join the flock, just like Jesus and other Christians encouraged us to join the flock. We are to guide Christ’s sheep, especially if we are in positions of leadership within the church. In other words, we are to be good shepherds ourselves, and with faith in Jesus we will be able to overcome any barriers that would otherwise hinder us in this task.

Bibliography

• Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

• George Hermanson, “Saying and Doing.” Retrieved from www.georgehermanson.com/2009/05/saying-and-doing-year-b-easter-4-sermon.html

• Preaching Magazine, January/February 2015 (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing; p. 64)

• Pastor Ken Klaus, “A Very Real Gift.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org

• Pastor Ken Klaus, “Never Know.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org

• Mike DeVries, “Rhythm.” Retrieved from www.homeword.com

• Dr. Neil Anderson, “Your Journey toward Christ.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Anne Graham Lotz, “Because He Lives.” Retrieved from angelmin.info@angelministries.org

• Frederikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)

• Pastor Ken Klaus, “An Act of Valor.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org

• George Hermanson, “Saying and Doing.” Retrieved from www.georgehermanson.com/2009/05/saying-and-doing-year-b-easter-4-sermon.html

• F. Dean Leuking, “Shepherding.” Retrieved from http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=680

• Lucy Lind Hogan, “Commentary on John 10:11-18.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1239

• The Rev. Dr. Laura Mendenhall, “Led from Behind.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/682=led_from_behind.print

• Exegesis for John 10:11-18. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org 

Has anyone ever told you something so outrageous or so unbelievable that you thought you couldn’t believe it unless you saw it for yourselves? Have you ever seen anything that was so unbelievable that it was scary? If so, then you can understand how the disciples felt after they saw the risen Jesus in the reading we just heard from Luke 24:36-48.

The disciples did not immediately believe after seeing the resurrected Christ. They felt great joy, but the truth had not created faith in their hearts. Perhaps it still seemed too good to be true. This detail alone should quash any thought that the disciples desired so much to see Jesus alive that they made themselves believe. In fact, even when they saw, doubts arose in their hearts. They needed to see that being with Jesus was a metaphor for being with God. He signaled the coming of the Reign of God.

How many of us have been in a similar place? We might have been in a place of disappointment or hardship. Jesus was there with us, but we didn’t see him because our thoughts were on our situation. We might even wonder in the disciples needed consoling so much that their imaginations played tricks on them. Jesus helped them to see that God can bring new life after death.

Luke wants to make it clear to us that our real, physical world is so valuable that God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ, our Risen Saviour. He came to heal our physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs. He continually meets us in this world, especially as we gather around the word of God.

The apostles were the first witnesses, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, all believers are the custodians of the truth. God poured out his Holy Spirit on us at Pentecost. That Spirit is a present power in our lives. We are being healed, transformed, liberated and sent on missions because of the supernatural God living in and among us by his Spirit.

What do you think would have happened if Jesus had not made his presence known when he did? Perhaps the disciples would have gone back to whatever their lives were before Jesus called them. Jesus stood among them. He reminded them that his coming was for peace. He invited them to see for themselves that it was him in the flesh and not a ghost. He told them to stay put and wait for the power that was to come.

This passage emphasizes the reality of Jesus’ resurrected body and the need for Jesus’ death and resurrection to fulfill God’s plan for salvation. In Jewish folklore, the spirits of the dead appear to mortals only to engage in evil activities. When Jesus suddenly appeared to the small group of disciples, it was a frightening supernatural event.

Jesus spent time with his disciples, summarizing his ministry, especially the Old Testament prophecies. He prepared them to continue his work after he returned to heaven. He laid out exactly what their message after he left earth should be about. He gave them the courage to speak publicly on a street corner in Jerusalem at Pentecost, and that speech led thousands of Jews into the Christian faith in a very public baptism as written in Acts 2. The disciples had the mission and power to change the world.

Jesus and the risen Christ are the same. The only difference is that the body of the risen Christ is different from his pre-resurrection body. It is fully healed, strong and not subject to the death and decay of the flesh. Jesus presented himself to the disciples not as a disembodied spirit, but as a person in bodily form. His body was recognizable by sight and touch. His body was capable of eating food. Just like Jesus was raised from the dead, we will also be raised from the dead in bodily form according to the Scriptures. Our bodies are not useless pieces of garbage that we will leave behind when we die. They are an integral part of our identity.

Luke reminds his readers in verse 44 that Jesus came to satisfy all the prophecies made about him in the Old Testament. It has been said that Jesus was concealed in the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament. Everything that was written about Jesus in the Bible was fulfilled. That was why Jesus taught his disciples in the Scriptures while he was with them during his life and his resurrection. They needed to understand the significance of the past. Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament, not to abolish it.

We, like the disciples, can’t understand life after resurrection, but we know that resurrection is God’s plan for us. Jesus is the model for God’s plan. The resurrected Jesus was no ghost. He explained the Scriptures to the disciples, especially the Scriptures dealing with resurrection. The disciples were physical witnesses to the resurrection, and we are witnesses to the risen Christ through the Scriptures. We are witnesses when we come to church. We are witnesses when we come to the Lord’s Table to receive communion. We are witnesses when we do a kind act for someone. We are witnesses when we invite a friend or neighbour to church. We are witnesses when we do things such as teaching a Sunday school class, sponsor a youth group, sing in the choir or serve as an usher. We are witnesses when we get up in the morning and decide to let God guide us through the day.

In verse 39, Jesus offered the disciples proof that he rose from the dead, and he wants us to have the same proof. More important, he wants to prove that he is our friend. God is on our side. Satan persuaded Adam and Eve that God was not their friend and that the fruit of the tree of knowledge was forbidden because if they ate it, they would become as wise as God. Satan convinced them that God couldn’t be trusted. The Old and New Testaments are the records of God’s attempts ever since to convince us that he is our friend and we can trust him. Jesus wants to stand with us through job uncertainty, illness, loneliness and estrangement.

The disciples heard the Lord teach innumerable times. They watched him perform miracles for at least three years. They saw him crucified and now they stood in his resurrected presence. It was only when the Lord opened their minds to understand the Scriptures that they truly comprehended. The understanding of the Scriptures-that is, understanding how all of the pieces of redemptive history fit together-is a gift of God. Spiritual understanding comes through the Spirit of the living God, or it does not come at all. God’s influence helps us understand and accept the truth of his word. Without understanding, the things of the Holy Spirit are foolish to normal human beings.

We can, and should, read the Scriptures at home, but it doesn’t replace hearing the Word of God preached and taught in church. Preaching can strike us in a way that adds new meaning to God’s Word. Understanding Scripture has a lot to do with the mindset that we bring to the pages of the Bible. We need to be open to new revelations to really understand the meaning of God’s Word for our lives. In return, God works in us to go into the world to share the gospel. When we do, future generations will be able to put their trust in Jesus and continue his work until he returns.

In verses 46 and 47, Luke makes it clear that the message of Christ must include a focus on repentance and the remission of sins. One without the other is incomplete. When we understand Scripture, we move from doubt to worshipping and great joy. We are to preach repentance and remission of sins in his name and in all nations. Jesus said that after his death and resurrection, the message his followers would carry to others would be about repentance and forgiveness. In fact, Jesus called on his disciples to preach this to all nations.

Salvation occurs when we trust Jesus as our Saviour. He forgives us, changes us and sees us as righteous. In that moment, we are redeemed, and though we continue to struggle with sin, it is a defeated foe. Then, as time goes on, our service, gifts and love for him should naturally become greater. We as modern disciples are an extension of Jesus’ ministry. We are witnesses to the same real relationship with Jesus that the disciples had. Just like Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to his disciples, he does not leave us alone. We have his power so that we can touch lives and affect eternity.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

• Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on Luke (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

• Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983)

1. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2005)
2. Dr. Charles Stanley, “The Holy Spirit-An Absolute.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
3. Philip Yancey, “As Below, So Above.” Retrieved from noreply@rbc.org
4. Selwyn Hughes, “Changed Perspectives in Church.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
5. Kenneth L. Samuel, “Knowing as Understanding.” Retrieved from dailydevotional@ucc.org
6. Rev. Wayne Palmer, “Passing the Torch.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
7. Exegesis for Luke 24:36-49. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org.
8. George Hermanson, “Standing Near Greatness.” Retrieved from www.georgehermanson.com/2009/04/standing-near-greatness-year-b-easter-3-sermon.html
9. The Rev. Dr. Steve Montgomery, “It’s Touching Time.” Retrieved from www.day1.org/6532-its_touching_time.print.
10. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 3^rd Sunday of Easter (B), April 19, 2015.” Retrieved from firstimpressions@lists.opsouth.org    

Have you ever wondered how the disciples were able to accomplish so much after Jesus returned to heaven? The answer is revealed in the story of Peter and John and the healing of the lame man. We read what happened because of that healing from Acts 3:11-26.

Jesus worked through Peter and the Holy Spirit to heal the lame man. Jesus had two main purposes for healing the lame man:

1. He loved the lame man and released his healing power because of the compassion and concern in His heart.
2. He wanted the people to know that the movement he started when he was on earth was continuing through His disciples, in whom He was living through the Holy Spirit.

Peter directed the attention away from himself and toward Jesus. We as Christians are encouraged to follow the same pattern.

Faith was the secret of the lame man’s healing, and it is the secret of unlocking all power in heaven and earth. That’s why Peter could heal the lame man. He had great faith and consequently great power. Peter wanted the people to receive the same gift of faith.

Faith is a response to Christ’s love revealed on the cross and in the Resurrection. Faith comes by hearing the truth. When we have faith, we receive Christ’s healing power through the gift of the Holy Spirit for our needs and those for whom He guides us to pray. Unless a prayer request glorifies Him, His name can’t be used nor the power released.

The Jews knew about miracles and could interpret them. They should have known that the miracle of the lame man’s healing came from God and not from man. Peter’s sermon was a call for the Jews to repent and accept Jesus as the Messiah. He told the Jews that they were responsible for Jesus’ arrest and death and that they needed to repent, even though Jesus was crucified because of the ignorance of the people. In the very city where his audience had crucified Jesus, Peter used the word “you” four times to confront them with the enormity of their sins. Before these people could repent, they had to see themselves as guilty before God.

Peter could have scolded the Jews for crucifying Jesus, but if he did he would not have reached their hearts. His goal was to encourage the Jews to repent, and that could only be done with tenderness, love and kindness. Love, not scolding, is the key to encouraging people to repent.

The main reason why the Jews crucified Jesus was that they did not know that He was the Messiah. Ignorance must be considered when looking at a crime, but the Jews did have an opportunity to know that Jesus was the Messiah. Peter reminded them that since these events were predicted in the Old Testament, they had hope in God’s mercy, especially since they were living under grace just like we are living under grace today.

In Acts 3:22 and 23, Peter quoted Moses, the hero of the Israelites. Moses said in Deuteronomy 18:15,18 and 19 that God would raise up a prophet. That prophet was Jesus. The New Testament is the glorious revelation of the Old Testament shadows that mysteriously forecast the coming of the Saviour. Peter showed that he preached the same Messiah and God that the prophets proclaimed.

Peter told his audience that he knew that they and their leaders had killed Jesus in ignorance and Jesus appealed to the Father in Luke 23:24 not to hold their sin against them. Their sins could be blotted out if they would only repent and be converted.

It’s one thing to admit our mistakes, and another to actually be willing to turn to God. If we are willing to accept Christ as our Saviour, God’s grace will be enough. He will wipe away our sins. He will restore us and our relationship with Him.

Peter promised three results of repentance:

1. Forgiveness of sins.
2. Times of refreshing. People will be refreshed in their Spirits when the Holy Spirit comes to live within them.
3. Christ will return and establish His kingdom on earth. The earth will be renewed beyond the abundant and productive state it had before Adam and Eve’s fall.

Every sermon in the Book of Acts is built around the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the sermon we heard in the reading from Acts is no exception. If Christ is not resurrected, then His death is meaningless.

Countless people who place their faith in Christ say that their first and most evident emotion is the sense of having a burden lifted from them. The idea of repentance applies to us today. The Scriptures state that if we do not hear God’s Word and repent, we will be destroyed. We have a choice, and we should choose the offer of mercy and embrace the Messiah. If we do, we will receive the same power of the Holy Spirit. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we will also be able to accomplish so much for the Kingdom while we are here on earth.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1491-1492)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Ogilvie, L.J. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 28: Acts (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 81-86)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Dr. Tony Evans, “Do You Need to Change Your Expectations?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
6. “Repentance.” Retrieved from Oneplace@crosswalkmail.com
7. Richard Neill Donovan, “Exegesis for Acts 3:12-19.” Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
8. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

What is the most important item involved in both prophecy and God’s plans? It is prayer, and there is a good example in Daniel 9:1-19. This passage took place on the Sabbath. Daniel read the scroll containing the prophecies of the prophet Jeremiah. As he read Jeremiah’s words, he wept as he was reminded how God’s people had ignored the prophet’s warnings that the Israelites would be captured because they did not follow God’s law.

When Daniel read the prophecy of Jeremiah 25:8-11, almost 70 years had passed since he and his fellow Israelites were carried away into captivity. Daniel was sensitive to what the prophet Jeremiah taught about divine sovereignty and human responsibility. He knew what God had said, because Jeremiah made it clear. Prophetic truth drove him to his knees. A deep understanding of the Word of God and the will of God motivated Daniel’s fervent prayer. The prayers of God’s people ought to be similarly motivated.

Daniel confessed the sins of the people as their representative. He recognized that in order to release his people from their captivity, there had to be a confession of sin on the part of the people. God had warned if the Israelites failed to keep His covenant and disobeyed the law, they would be taken into exile by a foreign nation and restored only because of His faithfulness and mercy. Rebellious Christians can never do enough to reconcile with God. Only because of God’s mercy and faithfulness are they forgiven and restored.

In response to Daniel’s prayer, God revealed His plan for the Jewish people. God was not finished with them, despite their unfaithfulness to Him. That plan involved:

1. Bringing sin under control so it would not grow and flourish any more.
2. Eliminating sin.
3. Atoning for sins.
4. Bringing in everlasting righteousness.
5. Fulfilling all prophecies when Christ comes and establishes His kingdom.
6. Establishing Christ’s Kingdom on earth 

God’s plan doesn’t mean that we can sit back and relax. On the contrary, the plan requires us to act and get involved. Just like the disciples were told to go into the world and spread the Gospel, Daniel had a responsibility to ask God about His plans.

Similarly, we have a responsibility to ask God about His plans for our lives. This involves coming to God in prayer. God does hear, honour and answer prayer. God heard Daniel’s prayer to restore the people. This happened because one person devoted to the Lord became an example of prayerfulness and was used by God to stir up others to do the same thing.

True prayer is based on the fact that God is a God who looks for us and who wants us to look for Him. If we look for Him, He will tell us what He has promised to do and what His plan for our lives is. We have to ask in accordance with God’s will.

True prayer always seeks the glory of God. It should be our motive for living. It should be people-oriented and God-centered. Daniel shows us how to pray with both power and confidence. He went to his knees. His prayers were filled with passion and a strong sense of personal helplessness. He was righteous. Specifically, the key to powerful and effective prayer is to follow these steps:

1. Start with praise. Praise God for His glory, power and love. Thank Him for providing for you.
2. Confess your sins
3. Appeal for mercy
4. Ask God to act
5. Pray the will of God. Study HIs Word. Understand His will for your life.
6. Never give up.

What stirs our hearts to prayer? Is it a trial or tragedy, or is it based on a persistent pursuit of our personal relationship with God based on His Word? We should pray on a regular basis rather that speaking with God only in times of crisis. God wants us to intercede, to grow in love for Him, and love others.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1136-1137)
2. Ferguson, S.B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 21: Daniel (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1988, pp. 172-181)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010)
6. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “The Key to Power.” Retrieved from www.ltw.org
7. Pastor David McGee, “Purposed Prayer Prescriptions.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com
8. Jeremiah, David: Agents of Babylon (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers; 2015; pp. 251-279)
9. Os Hillman, “Spiritual Contacts.” Retrieved from tgif@marketplaceleaders.org