On a Roll – June 6, 2021

Psalm 25, Acts 3:1-21
June 6, 2021

In thinking about where we go in our readings after the Pentecost story, this is the obvious choice.  We don’t always look at all the stories, but we can hardly skip over this one, because it’s the cause of so much of what happens in the next several chapters of Acts.  This is the story of Peter and John healing the lame man at the Temple gate.

This is the next big thing.  And as I think about this story, I have to be wondering what the Pharisees were thinking.  They had just witnessed the Pentecost event.  Miraculous things were starting to happen, people were being brought into this new belief, this new faith – by the thousands!  And the biggest thing was that there was talk about this Jesus again!  What were they thinking?  We will soon find out!

Well, the next thing that happens is this!  And it happens right under their noses!  It happens right at the very gate of the Temple!  Here we have this miraculous healing!  And we know this story.  We might even know songs about this story!  Maybe one of those is running through your head right now! (Or it will be!)  “Silver and Gold have I none…”

So this man is brought to the Temple every day.  He’s brought there so that he might “ask alms” of the people going in to worship.  That was his only means of living.  And it was expected of the Jewish people to give alms as part of their religious practice.  That was their means of taking care of those who couldn’t take care of themselves.  There was no public assistance.  There was no welfare.  This was it!

So Peter and John approach the gate of the Temple, because in the early days of the church that part of their lives was still the same.  They were still good Jews.  They still worshipped in the Temple, as did all the other new converts.  But we would now begin to see the impact their new faith in Jesus would have on their practice of Judaism.

The man looked to Peter and John for alms, and that’s when Peter said this famous line, “Silver and gold have I none, but that which I have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise and walk!”  And the man stood and walked and followed them into the Temple, “walking and leaping and praising God.”  (Do you hear the song now?)

As I said, this all took place in full view of all the people, and in full view of the same Pharisees and Scribes and Temple leaders who had been part of that whole controversy surrounding Jesus.  And now Peter, this fisherman, this so called “disciple” of Jesus, had seemingly performed a miracle – a miracle that was reminiscent of the ones Jesus had performed.  It had been hard enough for them to deal with Jesus when he did such miraculous things.  Now it was happening again.  And now that same Peter, that same uneducated fisherman, was speaking to the people and invoking the name of Jesus once again!

That’s the scene.  And this was now the second Christian sermon, and Peter was “on a roll.”  And now, what the religious leaders thought was over, was happening again!  That which they feared before, seemed to be coming true.  As they said in Matthew’s Gospel, they feared that the disciples would steal the body of Jesus, and claim that he had risen from the dead.  Well, there they were, speaking about him.  And worse, they were making amazing claims about him, saying that he was exalted, and he was at the right hand of God.  And they were blaming his death on all of them!

They had to stop this – quickly!  Next week, we’re going to see what they did.  But for now, let’s just see the preview, the “teaser” for next week’s story.  Do you remember when TV shows did that?  “And now here are some scenes from next week’s episode.”  And they had you, didn’t they?  You couldn’t wait!

Chapter 4 begins, “And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees came upon them, annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.”  You may recall that the Sadducees didn’t believe there was any kind of a resurrection.  So they were annoyed on that point alone.  “And they arrested them and put them in custody until the morrow, because it was already evening.  But, many of those who heard the word believed, and the number came to about 5,000!”

Next week we’ll hear of their trial before the Sanhedrin – the Jewish council.  But for now, back to Peter.  And he who denied he even knew Jesus when his life was on the line, now has the boldness of the Holy Spirit, and he’s speaking openly.  And that makes me wonder how many times Jesus made Peter squirm a little, when he was teaching in that very Temple, maybe at that very gate, and saying things that made him feel uncomfortable.  I wonder how often Peter thought, “Hey Jesus, maybe you should tone it down a little.”  “These people can’t be happy with what you’re saying!”

Well that was over.  Now Peter was on a roll!  And his message here is very interesting.  He starts by telling the people that this lame man was healed by the power of Jesus.  And then he launches into his message about Jesus, saying, “The God of our fathers glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him!”

All of a sudden his message was not about Jesus, it was about them!  And it was about himself too, for it was not lost on him that he too had denied this Jesus!  Peter had to be aware that there were probably people there that day who had turned on Jesus on Good Friday.  They may even have been some of the ones who shouted, “Crucify him.”  To them he said, “But you denied the holy and righteous one and asked for a murderer to be granted to you.”  It’s interesting that he used the word “denied” – twice – for that was what he had done!

For Peter, this speech – this second sermon – was a look into his own heart.  And, I think, into the hearts of every believer.  Because I think most believers over the years have had their moments – moments when the message of Jesus or its presentation was a little too uncomfortable for them.  I’m sure we’ve all had those moments, too.

The name of Jesus is taking a beating in our modern world.  Jesus and his followers are not looked at with such high regard as they once were.  And that’s very sad to me.  I hope it’s sad to you, too.  But we need to recognize that these are times we may feel a sense of discomfort in being associated with his following.

So what do we do about that?  How does the Church respond to the world we now find ourselves in?  Well, I think first and foremost, we need to look to the love and grace we have found in Jesus.  We need to focus on that.  And we need to find ways to show that Grace to the world.  And we need to find ways to dissipate some of the negative things that have been attached to his message in recent years

And that’s not easy.  If you talk to some people about Jesus, they’re going to talk about the bad things that have been done in the name of Christ over the years.  They’re going to talk about the exclusivity of the Christion message.  Or worse, they’re going to associate Christians with political groups they don’t like.  And those are tough arguments!  And we need to find ways of getting around those things, and simply living out the love and grace we know in Jesus.

Dealing with the world’s views of our Savior and our faith can be tough!  There can be a lot of pressure to conform to the world.  These are times we especially need to heed the impassioned words of Paul, saying to the Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Peter once succumbed to those pressures of the world.  Now he’s standing tall once again!  Once Peter “the Rock” had crumbled.  Now he was “Peter the Rock” once again!  Like him, may we seek to know that “renewal of our minds,” so that we can prove to the world the will of God, and what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Prayer

Eternal God, help us to focus on your love and Grace, that we may be people of love and Grace.  May we show the world that “still more excellent way.”  Help us to be aware of your Holy Spirit working within us, giving us strength to live our lives for you.  May we know your light, so that we can be the light of the world that Jesus has called us.  For this we pray in his name, Amen.