Last week I spoke of the people who lived with Jesus and followed him through his last three years here in human form. I spoke of the women who followed Jesus to the very end and of the men who hid behind locked doors in fear. I spoke of Mary Magdalene who actually was the first to meet and speak with the risen Christ, and of the men who didn’t believe her story.
But later that same day Jesus himself appeared to the men in their locked room and showed them his wounds and proved to them the women’s story was absolutely true. He was risen and he was right here in that small room with them once again.
It would take a very long reading even to summarize all that happened next. After spending some time with them again, assuring them it was all true, Jesus returned to his home in heaven, leaving his own spirit with them. Those men who once hid themselves in fear, now newly filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Day, moved out into the world again and started preaching Jesus’ story to the world.
Peter and John were arrested once for teaching the resurrection of Jesus, but they were released since the authorities had no real charges to hold against them. They and those who now followed them took to gathering in Solomon’s Portico, a portion of the outer court of the Temple.
They did not preach there, but miracles happened where they gathered and the people began to talk. Not only talk, but they brought their sick there and laid them on the ground in the hopes that Peter’s shadow might fall on them and they would be healed.
With people even coming from surrounding towns to be healed, the authorities finally moved against them once again. They arrested the apostles and tossed them into prison – but in the night an angel of God came and set them free. When the priests and Sadducees gathered the next morning to discuss what to do with these troublemakers, they were told that the prison doors were still locked, but there was no one in the cells. In fact, the men were back at the Temple teaching about Jesus. And this is where our reading for today picks up the story.
But later that same day Jesus himself appeared to the men in their locked room and showed them his wounds and proved to them the women’s story was absolutely true. He was risen and he was right here in that small room with them once again.
It would take a very long reading even to summarize all that happened next. After spending some time with them again, assuring them it was all true, Jesus returned to his home in heaven, leaving his own spirit with them. Those men who once hid themselves in fear, now newly filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Day, moved out into the world again and started preaching Jesus’ story to the world.
Peter and John were arrested once for teaching the resurrection of Jesus, but they were released since the authorities had no real charges to hold against them. They and those who now followed them took to gathering in Solomon’s Portico, a portion of the outer court of the Temple.
They did not preach there, but miracles happened where they gathered and the people began to talk. Not only talk, but they brought their sick there and laid them on the ground in the hopes that Peter’s shadow might fall on them and they would be healed.
With people even coming from surrounding towns to be healed, the authorities finally moved against them once again. They arrested the apostles and tossed them into prison – but in the night an angel of God came and set them free. When the priests and Sadducees gathered the next morning to discuss what to do with these troublemakers, they were told that the prison doors were still locked, but there was no one in the cells. In fact, the men were back at the Temple teaching about Jesus. And this is where our reading for today picks up the story.
Acts 5:26-32
The captain went with the temple police and brought the apostles but without violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.”
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
This response by Peter enraged the council and they wanted very badly to order the men killed, but one of their number, Gamaliel by name, a Pharisee, counseled them against any such action, reminding them that others before them had claimed to heal in God’s name and had gathered followers for a time, but given time, they had been proven frauds and faded away. “Let them alone and let them prove themselves frauds and not chosen by God and the people will abandon them. And if, by chance, they are blessed by God, it will be well that we did them no harm.” Seeing the wisdom of this counsel, they flogged the apostles as an example and then set them free again. They went out from there and returned to their teaching about Jesus, and more and more people began to follow them.
And this is how it all started. In a world so very different from ours. One that spoke a different language and celebrated a different history. One that had never heard of “church” in the sense we mean today. I’ve wondered if Jesus were to appear today if his message would survive or if TV pundits and internet trolls would destroy his words before they ever had a chance to be heard.
And yet, different as our worlds are we are in many ways the same as those who first came to gather in Jesus’ name. We, just like they, may not even have been looking for a messiah, a leader at first, but what they heard Jesus say – or later, what they heard the apostles and disciples say they had heard Jesus say – those words touched some need in them as they do in us. Some need to believe in something greater than the world around us. Something bigger than the banality of living just for oneself.
We, and they, heard that there is a God who loves us. When we can look at ourselves and see nothing special to be loved, it is a heady thing to be told that the God of the universe loves us.
We hear a message of loving each other rather than hating and scorning each other. We hear a word that says we are all sisters and brothers in God’s love. We are not alone.
We hear that this world is ours to care for and not just use up and throw away. And that there is no such thing as “throw-away” people. That life matters – plants and waters and creatures and people of all kinds -- because all life is a gift of God’s love.
All of this is the gift of those extraordinary everyday people from so long ago – the ones who kept teaching and telling the stories and repeating Jesus’ words all the way down through 2000 years – so that we would one day hear them and feel them deep in our own hearts. And we – quite ordinary people ourselves -- would be moved to say, “Yes”. And to say, “Thank you for all your blessings!”. And even moved to say, “Here I am, Lord. Use me.”
That’s why we’re here. To listen for those words and to let them move our hearts and our hands.
And that is why I say that we are what Easter is all about. We – us – all of us here today. Just as it was about those living in the 600’s or the 1500’s or whenever – all of us who have heard those words, those teachings, those stories – and had our hearts moved by them.
And even more importantly – maybe even most importantly – Easter is about all who have not yet heard -- those still waiting to hear that they are loved and that it is possible for us all to live in peace together. Waiting to hear that they can put hatred aside and start to care for others – to “Love one another” as Jesus told us to do so long ago.
There are still people waiting, and the only voices here today to speak those words those lost one are waiting to hear...are ours. Just as those everyday people long ago told and retold the stories of Jesus – just as they told the waiting ones that they are loved by God – it is now our task to tell others, to let them know they are not alone in this universe. They too can know that they can love others and care for them and help us all to build a world without hatred and fear.
One of the last things Jesus told his followers was to “Go to the entire world and share my Good News in all creation.” It can sound daunting. I’m reminded of a quote attributed to St. Francis: "Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." What we are called to do does sound frightening at times. But with news this good, how can we not share?
And this is how it all started. In a world so very different from ours. One that spoke a different language and celebrated a different history. One that had never heard of “church” in the sense we mean today. I’ve wondered if Jesus were to appear today if his message would survive or if TV pundits and internet trolls would destroy his words before they ever had a chance to be heard.
And yet, different as our worlds are we are in many ways the same as those who first came to gather in Jesus’ name. We, just like they, may not even have been looking for a messiah, a leader at first, but what they heard Jesus say – or later, what they heard the apostles and disciples say they had heard Jesus say – those words touched some need in them as they do in us. Some need to believe in something greater than the world around us. Something bigger than the banality of living just for oneself.
We, and they, heard that there is a God who loves us. When we can look at ourselves and see nothing special to be loved, it is a heady thing to be told that the God of the universe loves us.
We hear a message of loving each other rather than hating and scorning each other. We hear a word that says we are all sisters and brothers in God’s love. We are not alone.
We hear that this world is ours to care for and not just use up and throw away. And that there is no such thing as “throw-away” people. That life matters – plants and waters and creatures and people of all kinds -- because all life is a gift of God’s love.
All of this is the gift of those extraordinary everyday people from so long ago – the ones who kept teaching and telling the stories and repeating Jesus’ words all the way down through 2000 years – so that we would one day hear them and feel them deep in our own hearts. And we – quite ordinary people ourselves -- would be moved to say, “Yes”. And to say, “Thank you for all your blessings!”. And even moved to say, “Here I am, Lord. Use me.”
That’s why we’re here. To listen for those words and to let them move our hearts and our hands.
And that is why I say that we are what Easter is all about. We – us – all of us here today. Just as it was about those living in the 600’s or the 1500’s or whenever – all of us who have heard those words, those teachings, those stories – and had our hearts moved by them.
And even more importantly – maybe even most importantly – Easter is about all who have not yet heard -- those still waiting to hear that they are loved and that it is possible for us all to live in peace together. Waiting to hear that they can put hatred aside and start to care for others – to “Love one another” as Jesus told us to do so long ago.
There are still people waiting, and the only voices here today to speak those words those lost one are waiting to hear...are ours. Just as those everyday people long ago told and retold the stories of Jesus – just as they told the waiting ones that they are loved by God – it is now our task to tell others, to let them know they are not alone in this universe. They too can know that they can love others and care for them and help us all to build a world without hatred and fear.
One of the last things Jesus told his followers was to “Go to the entire world and share my Good News in all creation.” It can sound daunting. I’m reminded of a quote attributed to St. Francis: "Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." What we are called to do does sound frightening at times. But with news this good, how can we not share?
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