Acts 10:34-43. Jesus, the risen Lord of all. 12/4/09
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-- how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
He, is risen! He, is risen indeed! The Lord Jesus, is risen from the dead. Jesus has risen after dying on the cross to take our punishment on himself. That is real Good News, because now we know that what he said about his death for the forgiveness of our sins, life and salvation is for real. So this is amazing news; it is tremendous! What a great, powerful and loving God he is. This is the sort of news our world needs to hear: that it longs to hear. This is the very best! This changes life, surely for us all. This is what needs to be shared with the rest of the world: Shouted from the roof tops.
Yet many in our society go back to sleep. Back to eating their chocolates and their long weekend! Back to living for the moment, and for short term pleasure: Hoping again, that somehow it will all work out in the end: Hoping that their excuses will hold out. Amazing, isn’t it! The greatest and most important event in history has occurred. The one thing that changes life in a powerful way for all of us, and yet so many could not care less. So what! She'll be right mate. And sadly, even many who call themselves Christians, think along this line.
But then, there are those many people these days, outside the church, who really have no idea or understanding of these things. Jesus and Easter is merely a fairy story of no real consequence. Jesus is merely a name used in vain, and Easter is simply about chocolate, Easter bunny and a long weekend. As to the church and its message, it is irrelevant. It is irrelevant because so often it has failed to proclaim this Good News. All it simply talks about is being good people and morals and points to me and my feelings and all that stuff, and so Christianity is seen simply as a moralistic social group which can’t even live up to what it preaches. And for these groups Jesus is little more than a good example of how we should live and act. So all of these people are left in no-mans land, with no real hope or future presented to them. They are left to continue to search for that something they know deep within them that they need.
Peter however, reminds us this morning that wherever people are at today and whatever their thinking might be, Jesus Christ, is risen from the dead, and he is now Lord of all. He is judge of all, living and dead, and all who believe in him will now receive forgiveness of sins, life and salvation that has been won for us all. And there is no way around that - this is for real - this is what Easter is all about.
Remember, we have just come from recalling Jesus' death on the cross; where he was strung up on a tree to die. Strung up despite the fact that he, was anointed by God and went about doing good and healing many people. He was hung on a cross to die because he was a threat to the position and power of the leaders in the Church of the day. But, as we have been made well aware of, he willing went to the cross so that he could take the punishment, we deserve, on himself so that we might have forgiveness sins, life and salvation. So that we might again be a part of God's family for all time. That is fantastic! But if it was just his death on the cross we would never be really sure. People are dying all the time, and so what makes this Jesus any different. Well, after three days, God raised him from the dead and caused him to be seen. So now we know for sure that we have a living and powerful Lord on our side. God raised Jesus from the dead so that we can be sure he is our Lord and Saviour. That this is God’s plan for our salvation, and that he is pleased with what Jesus did on the cross for us. So we can be sure of his victory over sin and death! So we can have certainty of life after death, and that our faith in him is not in vain.
Peter and those early disciples who only days earlier were scared stiff, now went forward as bold witnesses of their Lord and saviour. They now knew, and willing went out to tell others, come what may, of how God now was willing to accept all people no matter who they are or what they have done; that forgiveness of sins is available to all. But most importantly; that this Jesus Christ is now Lord and judge of all, both the living and the dead. That he, is now the one who determines who gets to be in heaven and Hell, not you, me, or anyone else. No longer is it determined by how good we are or are not. Not that that works anyway, because none us are perfect, and none of us can make up for the wrong that is in our lives. But Easter is all about Jesus taking care of all of that. That his death on the cross takes care of our punishment, so that forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation can be there for all who believe. Yes, all that is needed and is required from us, is to trust that the Lord Jesus has done everything for us: that he is now our Lord and Saviour.
Yes, as the risen Lord, he is now the one whom God has appointed to look into your heart and mine, and every other human beings as well, and to judge that belief, and to declare his forgiveness for those who do trust him and what he has done for us. Who trust, that he is now our Lord and Saviour.
And look, we can trust him, we can believe in him because he has risen from the dead. He, who died on the cross, was raised again three days later. It is not some made up story. This is for real. We are reminded here that there were witnesses of his resurrection. There were people who ate and drank with him after he rose again. That he did talk to them and remind them again of the work he had given his disciples to carry out. To point people to Jesus Christ and what he has done for them.
And we know that these people, as a result of seeing this risen Jesus, went forward as changed people. Instead of hiding away in fear of their own lives, now went forward boldly, proclaiming, even to the very people who had Jesus put on the cross, the whole message of Jesus Christ and his importance for us all. They now allowed nothing to stand in their way from pointing to Jesus: From holding him up as the only true Saviour for us all and the only source of forgiveness. They were even prepared to die, in order for that message to be spread to all people; and we know that many of them did. Many died as martyrs, for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, because they now knew that he and his message was for real, and that it is most important for all to hear about him and know of the forgiveness he had won for them.
As a result, this Good News has turned the world upside down. Christ and his message of forgiveness, has spread the world over. Nothing has stopped its spread. Nothing, accept the apathy and complacency of our modern affluent society. It is only when Christ and his message of forgiveness is changed to suite the me-centred culture of the day that it loses its power. When the focus is shifted from him to other things, then the church struggles to maintain its identity.
But even today it is still the message of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus, and the forgiveness that is available through him, that is vital for the churches existence. It is that message alone that turns our world and our lives upside down, and gives us hope and joy, life and salvation, meaning and purpose, and so much more. It is this Good News that allows us to go forward boldly and confidently, and face each day as it comes, knowing that nothing can now separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Because Christ lives, we shall live also.
And I – we, now proclaim this Good News. This great news to all! This is what now gives us impetus to go forward boldly to live as Christians each and every day. To have confidence to face life in whatever way it comes, knowing that we now have an all-powerful and forgiving Lord on our side, who has faced death for us and who has been brought out the other side. Heaven is now a certainty. Guaranteed by him who died on the cross and now three days later has risen again.
Yes, let us now be witnesses of this tremendous news. Let us continually point to Jesus, who is the one who has done it all for us. To this one who died on the cross so that we might be forgiven, and was raised again three days later so that we can be sure. Jesus Christ is now our risen Lord and Saviour, so let us sing his praises forever more. For he, is risen! He is risen indeed. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-- how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
He, is risen! He, is risen indeed! The Lord Jesus, is risen from the dead. Jesus has risen after dying on the cross to take our punishment on himself. That is real Good News, because now we know that what he said about his death for the forgiveness of our sins, life and salvation is for real. So this is amazing news; it is tremendous! What a great, powerful and loving God he is. This is the sort of news our world needs to hear: that it longs to hear. This is the very best! This changes life, surely for us all. This is what needs to be shared with the rest of the world: Shouted from the roof tops.
Yet many in our society go back to sleep. Back to eating their chocolates and their long weekend! Back to living for the moment, and for short term pleasure: Hoping again, that somehow it will all work out in the end: Hoping that their excuses will hold out. Amazing, isn’t it! The greatest and most important event in history has occurred. The one thing that changes life in a powerful way for all of us, and yet so many could not care less. So what! She'll be right mate. And sadly, even many who call themselves Christians, think along this line.
But then, there are those many people these days, outside the church, who really have no idea or understanding of these things. Jesus and Easter is merely a fairy story of no real consequence. Jesus is merely a name used in vain, and Easter is simply about chocolate, Easter bunny and a long weekend. As to the church and its message, it is irrelevant. It is irrelevant because so often it has failed to proclaim this Good News. All it simply talks about is being good people and morals and points to me and my feelings and all that stuff, and so Christianity is seen simply as a moralistic social group which can’t even live up to what it preaches. And for these groups Jesus is little more than a good example of how we should live and act. So all of these people are left in no-mans land, with no real hope or future presented to them. They are left to continue to search for that something they know deep within them that they need.
Peter however, reminds us this morning that wherever people are at today and whatever their thinking might be, Jesus Christ, is risen from the dead, and he is now Lord of all. He is judge of all, living and dead, and all who believe in him will now receive forgiveness of sins, life and salvation that has been won for us all. And there is no way around that - this is for real - this is what Easter is all about.
Remember, we have just come from recalling Jesus' death on the cross; where he was strung up on a tree to die. Strung up despite the fact that he, was anointed by God and went about doing good and healing many people. He was hung on a cross to die because he was a threat to the position and power of the leaders in the Church of the day. But, as we have been made well aware of, he willing went to the cross so that he could take the punishment, we deserve, on himself so that we might have forgiveness sins, life and salvation. So that we might again be a part of God's family for all time. That is fantastic! But if it was just his death on the cross we would never be really sure. People are dying all the time, and so what makes this Jesus any different. Well, after three days, God raised him from the dead and caused him to be seen. So now we know for sure that we have a living and powerful Lord on our side. God raised Jesus from the dead so that we can be sure he is our Lord and Saviour. That this is God’s plan for our salvation, and that he is pleased with what Jesus did on the cross for us. So we can be sure of his victory over sin and death! So we can have certainty of life after death, and that our faith in him is not in vain.
Peter and those early disciples who only days earlier were scared stiff, now went forward as bold witnesses of their Lord and saviour. They now knew, and willing went out to tell others, come what may, of how God now was willing to accept all people no matter who they are or what they have done; that forgiveness of sins is available to all. But most importantly; that this Jesus Christ is now Lord and judge of all, both the living and the dead. That he, is now the one who determines who gets to be in heaven and Hell, not you, me, or anyone else. No longer is it determined by how good we are or are not. Not that that works anyway, because none us are perfect, and none of us can make up for the wrong that is in our lives. But Easter is all about Jesus taking care of all of that. That his death on the cross takes care of our punishment, so that forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation can be there for all who believe. Yes, all that is needed and is required from us, is to trust that the Lord Jesus has done everything for us: that he is now our Lord and Saviour.
Yes, as the risen Lord, he is now the one whom God has appointed to look into your heart and mine, and every other human beings as well, and to judge that belief, and to declare his forgiveness for those who do trust him and what he has done for us. Who trust, that he is now our Lord and Saviour.
And look, we can trust him, we can believe in him because he has risen from the dead. He, who died on the cross, was raised again three days later. It is not some made up story. This is for real. We are reminded here that there were witnesses of his resurrection. There were people who ate and drank with him after he rose again. That he did talk to them and remind them again of the work he had given his disciples to carry out. To point people to Jesus Christ and what he has done for them.
And we know that these people, as a result of seeing this risen Jesus, went forward as changed people. Instead of hiding away in fear of their own lives, now went forward boldly, proclaiming, even to the very people who had Jesus put on the cross, the whole message of Jesus Christ and his importance for us all. They now allowed nothing to stand in their way from pointing to Jesus: From holding him up as the only true Saviour for us all and the only source of forgiveness. They were even prepared to die, in order for that message to be spread to all people; and we know that many of them did. Many died as martyrs, for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, because they now knew that he and his message was for real, and that it is most important for all to hear about him and know of the forgiveness he had won for them.
As a result, this Good News has turned the world upside down. Christ and his message of forgiveness, has spread the world over. Nothing has stopped its spread. Nothing, accept the apathy and complacency of our modern affluent society. It is only when Christ and his message of forgiveness is changed to suite the me-centred culture of the day that it loses its power. When the focus is shifted from him to other things, then the church struggles to maintain its identity.
But even today it is still the message of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus, and the forgiveness that is available through him, that is vital for the churches existence. It is that message alone that turns our world and our lives upside down, and gives us hope and joy, life and salvation, meaning and purpose, and so much more. It is this Good News that allows us to go forward boldly and confidently, and face each day as it comes, knowing that nothing can now separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Because Christ lives, we shall live also.
And I – we, now proclaim this Good News. This great news to all! This is what now gives us impetus to go forward boldly to live as Christians each and every day. To have confidence to face life in whatever way it comes, knowing that we now have an all-powerful and forgiving Lord on our side, who has faced death for us and who has been brought out the other side. Heaven is now a certainty. Guaranteed by him who died on the cross and now three days later has risen again.
Yes, let us now be witnesses of this tremendous news. Let us continually point to Jesus, who is the one who has done it all for us. To this one who died on the cross so that we might be forgiven, and was raised again three days later so that we can be sure. Jesus Christ is now our risen Lord and Saviour, so let us sing his praises forever more. For he, is risen! He is risen indeed. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
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