Sermon Illustrations for Easter 2 (2025)
Illustration
Acts 5:27-32
The Acts of the Apostles begins with the ascension of Jesus, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit who galvanizes them to begin the spread of the Good News of Jesus the Christ. It is not long, despite signs and wonders, that the apostles find themselves facing real opposition. Arrest and threats. However, in the leadup to this passage, they ignore these threats and continue to share the Good News. The news about this comes to the religious leaders while they’re debating what to do about them.
So, of course, the religious leaders drag them back into the court. However, because of the popularity of this message with the people, those charged with arresting them have to handle the situation gingerly. Otherwise, those opposing the apostles might be stoned by the people. This is a definite turnabout. Only weeks earlier, it was Jesus who was the one was brought before these religious authorities in dubious circumstances to stand before a kangaroo court and a mob that was manufactured in the middle of the night to condemn him. Now the religious authorities are being held accountable (for now — it won’t last) by a real group (not a mob out of control) of the populace. And it is the authorities who will face an accusation — intentionally or not, you have murdered the Messiah, and to back this up they have the nerve to quote scripture to people claiming to be scriptural experts. “When someone…is executed and you hang him on a tree, his corpse must not remain all night upon the tree; you must bury him that same day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse (Deuteronomy 21:23).”
Nevertheless they attempt to browbeat the apostles into silence. We told you to keep silence! They said, to which the apostles reply, in effect, You’re not the boss of me.
The story continues because the apostles insist, “We must obey God rather than human authorities.” And the same is true for us. In order for the story to continue in our own day, we must witness to Jesus and obey God.
Frank R.
* * *
Acts 5:27-32
C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Obedience is the key that opens every door." That is a profound truth and a difficult challenge. Taking a stand for Jesus in a hostile culture is not easy, but it matters.
Faf Driscoll, in a May 2016 post on the Gospel Coalition website, writes about Chance the Rapper, a hip hop artist from Chicago. He released the album Coloring Book. It contained a unique exploration of his newfound Christian faith while not completely free from mainstream hip hop. In his review of the album, Driscoll writes, “Coloring Book is as much an act of worship as my private journals are: an unharnessed insight into a young man’s heart who, knowing the joy of being in Christ as well as his call to wisdom, is learning to fight the darkness both around and inside him. Throughout the mix tape, we witness the experiences of a Gen Y young adult fighting sin, opening his lips in praise, penning worship tracks, and reflecting on worldly trappings — all the while doing so amidst a culture that is hostile to the true gospel.”
Peter and the apostles also knew what it was like to stand for Christ in a culture that frowned upon such acts. When confronted about teaching Jesus, Peter speaks boldly for the group. But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority” (vs. 29). While Christians are not persecuted in the United States, sometimes it is hard to take a stand for Jesus. Will we boldly stand for the one who died for us?
Bill T.
* * *
Revelation 1:4-8
John’s vision as described in the book of Revelation is one of the most challenging books in scripture. In fact, there was a movement within the early church fathers to eliminate it from the canon. That it continues is a testament to being able to struggle with the proclaimed words of the faithful. Jesus is proclaimed as the firstborn of the dead — the first of the resurrected ones, the one who loves us, freed us, and continues to walk with us — the beginning and the end of all that is, was, and will be.
The proclamation of the second coming of Jesus is found imbedded in this vision and in this reading. Jesus will come again into the world, on the clouds, and everyone everywhere will see him, and know him. What a joyous day that will be! And yet, the world may not be ready. The world may be frightened of the glory of God. Jesus will come — in spite of, because of, in response to our fear and our faith. Jesus will come. That is the glorious promise!
Bonnie B.
* * *
Revelation 1:4-8
As we consider Christ’s kingship and ultimate conquest of evil, Martin Luther finds it comforting to remember that now Christ rules, that the final victory is won. The first reformer writes:
In a word, our holiness is in heaven where Christ is, and not in the world before men’s eyes… If only the word of the gospel remains pure among us… we shall not doubt that Christ is with us, even when things are at their worst… Christ is nonetheless with his saints and wins the final victory. (Luther’s Works, Vol.35, pp.410-411)
Famed 20th- century theologian Karl Barth contended that there is a “pronouncedly revolutionary character of his [the risen Christ’s] relationship to the orders of life and the value current in the world around him.” (Church Dogmatics, Vol.IV/2, p.171) The risen Christ undermines all the things of the world, ultimately makes the world subject to him. On this theme Barth notes:
… as long as there is history at all [the orders of life and value] enjoy a transitory validity. In the history of every human place… This is how he himself deals with them, not in principle, not in the execution of a program, but for this reason in a way which all the more revolutionary, as the one who breaks all bonds assunder, in new historical dvelopments and situations each of which is for those who can see and hear — only a sign, but an unmistakable sign, of his freedom and kingdom and over-ruling history. (Church Dogmatics, Vol.IV/2, p.173)
Mark E.
* * *
John 20:19-31
I came across a story from the playground that was interesting and relevant to this passage in John’s Gospel. Two kids were playing on a hillside, when they noticed that the hour was nearing sunset, and the brother said to his sister, "Look at how much the sun has moved! A little while ago it was right over that tree, and now it is low down in the sky."
"The sun doesn’t move, it’s the earth. You know, Dad told us," said his sister. Her brother shook his head. The sun did move. He’d seen it. The earth did not move. He was sure because he had been standing on it all the time.
"I know what I see," he said triumphantly. "And I believe Dad," said his sister.
Sometimes we believe only what we, ourselves, can verify. Thomas was like that. He wasn’t there the first time Jesus appeared to the disciples post-resurrection. When he heard about it, he was adamant. He would not believe it unless he could verify it. A week later, Jesus appeared again, and Thomas was able to know for sure.
Believing because you can verify is a normal human response, I suppose. Jesus, though, makes a convicting and convincing point. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Believing without having to verify is the essence of faith. Are we people of faith?
Bill T.
* * *
John 20:19-31
Do we believe Jesus is coming? Do we believe that Jesus has come? The disciples huddled in the upper room, quaking in fear, were not sure what was happening when Jesus appeared to them — in spite of their locked doors. Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit on them, the advocate he had promised was shared with those in attendance on that day.
We do not know why Thomas was missing. We can suppose that he wanted to wander the streets and think, to live in the pain of his sorrow and his grief. And we can understand why he doubts the words of his friends. How could Jesus have returned, appeared to them? And Thomas is proven wrong. Jesus comes to them, asks Thomas to touch him to know that this visage of Jesus is real, is truly there. Have you ever had an experience of seeing Jesus, having a vision of Jesus?
I have. It was a wondrous moment of compassion and forgiveness, a moment when I could view my life through and in the embrace of the love of my Savior. Do people doubt this when I tell them? I am sure some of them do. I hope only that they may have an encounter with the risen Christ and know the peace, the love, the joy, and the blessing of that embrace.
Bonnie B.
* * *
John 20:19-31
Commenting on Thomas’ doubts, John Calvin observed how we are affected by Thomas’ propensity to disbelieve. The reformer wrote:
Thus it happens that, when we render to the Word of God less honor than is due to it, there steals upon us, without our knowledge, a growing obstinacy, which brings along with it a contempt of the Word of God, and makes us lose all reverence for it. (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.XVIII/1, p.275)
Martin Luther reflected how Thomas’ disbelief is a source of comfort for us all. In a sermon on this text Luther remarked:
Now, this happened for our example and consolation, that the great apostle also had to fail and stumble, in which we see how Christ shows and conducts himself toward his weak disciples, that he can tolerate also such as are hard and stubborn… and that he will not on that account condemn and disown them… (Complete Sermons, Vol.1/2,p.411)
Calvin also comments on v.31 that miracles are reported so that readers may believe. His comments help us put miracles in their proper perspective:
I reply, no other use is here assigned to the miracles than to be aids and supports of faith; for they serve to prepare the minds of men that they may cherish greater reverence for the Word of God, and we know how cold and sluggish our attention is, if we be not excited by something else. (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.XVIII/1, p.281)
Mark E.
* * *
John 20:19-31
In Luke’s version of the good news, the apostles and disciples, a fairly large group, receive the Holy Spirit, as promised by Jesus, in a dramatic, vibrant, and loud event fifty days after the resurrection, during Pentecost.
In John’s gospel, the giving and receiving of the Holy Spirit happens around fifty days earlier, immediately following the resurrection. Unlike the scene in Acts 2, this is a deceptively quiet scene where something tremendous is unbottled and the apostles are filled to bursting with the Holy Spirit.
For some, the only true conversion comes with fire and thunder like the second chapter of Acts — yet here we see powerfully the authentic reception of the Holy Spirit without all the bells and whistles.
Some believers insist that the only way to demonstrate the presence of God’s Spirit is by speaking in tongues, or through some other emotional ecstatic experience. Could this be like trying to put God’s Spirit into a box when one insists this is the only way the Spirit acts? Or that the only conversion experience has to involve an emotional reaction to a particular style of preaching?
More important, instead of a self-gratifying emotional experience, this passage bundles the gift of the Holy Spirit with a serious task — forgiveness.
This is a big responsibility that many people don’t want. Why should they? This is part of what got Jesus into trouble. When Jesus claimed the power to forgive sins, he became very unpopular with the religious and political authorities.
But if Jesus could get into trouble for claiming the power to forgive sins, how does that affect us? Governors who commute death sentences or sign off on parole can risk their re-election. Survivors of a murderer who seek to forgive rather than pursue the death penalty can run into roadblocks from the legal system. Amish who visit the family of a murderer to share forgiveness for the murder of their young children came into criticism as well.
Frank R.
The Acts of the Apostles begins with the ascension of Jesus, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit who galvanizes them to begin the spread of the Good News of Jesus the Christ. It is not long, despite signs and wonders, that the apostles find themselves facing real opposition. Arrest and threats. However, in the leadup to this passage, they ignore these threats and continue to share the Good News. The news about this comes to the religious leaders while they’re debating what to do about them.
So, of course, the religious leaders drag them back into the court. However, because of the popularity of this message with the people, those charged with arresting them have to handle the situation gingerly. Otherwise, those opposing the apostles might be stoned by the people. This is a definite turnabout. Only weeks earlier, it was Jesus who was the one was brought before these religious authorities in dubious circumstances to stand before a kangaroo court and a mob that was manufactured in the middle of the night to condemn him. Now the religious authorities are being held accountable (for now — it won’t last) by a real group (not a mob out of control) of the populace. And it is the authorities who will face an accusation — intentionally or not, you have murdered the Messiah, and to back this up they have the nerve to quote scripture to people claiming to be scriptural experts. “When someone…is executed and you hang him on a tree, his corpse must not remain all night upon the tree; you must bury him that same day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse (Deuteronomy 21:23).”
Nevertheless they attempt to browbeat the apostles into silence. We told you to keep silence! They said, to which the apostles reply, in effect, You’re not the boss of me.
The story continues because the apostles insist, “We must obey God rather than human authorities.” And the same is true for us. In order for the story to continue in our own day, we must witness to Jesus and obey God.
Frank R.
* * *
Acts 5:27-32
C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Obedience is the key that opens every door." That is a profound truth and a difficult challenge. Taking a stand for Jesus in a hostile culture is not easy, but it matters.
Faf Driscoll, in a May 2016 post on the Gospel Coalition website, writes about Chance the Rapper, a hip hop artist from Chicago. He released the album Coloring Book. It contained a unique exploration of his newfound Christian faith while not completely free from mainstream hip hop. In his review of the album, Driscoll writes, “Coloring Book is as much an act of worship as my private journals are: an unharnessed insight into a young man’s heart who, knowing the joy of being in Christ as well as his call to wisdom, is learning to fight the darkness both around and inside him. Throughout the mix tape, we witness the experiences of a Gen Y young adult fighting sin, opening his lips in praise, penning worship tracks, and reflecting on worldly trappings — all the while doing so amidst a culture that is hostile to the true gospel.”
Peter and the apostles also knew what it was like to stand for Christ in a culture that frowned upon such acts. When confronted about teaching Jesus, Peter speaks boldly for the group. But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority” (vs. 29). While Christians are not persecuted in the United States, sometimes it is hard to take a stand for Jesus. Will we boldly stand for the one who died for us?
Bill T.
* * *
Revelation 1:4-8
John’s vision as described in the book of Revelation is one of the most challenging books in scripture. In fact, there was a movement within the early church fathers to eliminate it from the canon. That it continues is a testament to being able to struggle with the proclaimed words of the faithful. Jesus is proclaimed as the firstborn of the dead — the first of the resurrected ones, the one who loves us, freed us, and continues to walk with us — the beginning and the end of all that is, was, and will be.
The proclamation of the second coming of Jesus is found imbedded in this vision and in this reading. Jesus will come again into the world, on the clouds, and everyone everywhere will see him, and know him. What a joyous day that will be! And yet, the world may not be ready. The world may be frightened of the glory of God. Jesus will come — in spite of, because of, in response to our fear and our faith. Jesus will come. That is the glorious promise!
Bonnie B.
* * *
Revelation 1:4-8
As we consider Christ’s kingship and ultimate conquest of evil, Martin Luther finds it comforting to remember that now Christ rules, that the final victory is won. The first reformer writes:
In a word, our holiness is in heaven where Christ is, and not in the world before men’s eyes… If only the word of the gospel remains pure among us… we shall not doubt that Christ is with us, even when things are at their worst… Christ is nonetheless with his saints and wins the final victory. (Luther’s Works, Vol.35, pp.410-411)
Famed 20th- century theologian Karl Barth contended that there is a “pronouncedly revolutionary character of his [the risen Christ’s] relationship to the orders of life and the value current in the world around him.” (Church Dogmatics, Vol.IV/2, p.171) The risen Christ undermines all the things of the world, ultimately makes the world subject to him. On this theme Barth notes:
… as long as there is history at all [the orders of life and value] enjoy a transitory validity. In the history of every human place… This is how he himself deals with them, not in principle, not in the execution of a program, but for this reason in a way which all the more revolutionary, as the one who breaks all bonds assunder, in new historical dvelopments and situations each of which is for those who can see and hear — only a sign, but an unmistakable sign, of his freedom and kingdom and over-ruling history. (Church Dogmatics, Vol.IV/2, p.173)
Mark E.
* * *
John 20:19-31
I came across a story from the playground that was interesting and relevant to this passage in John’s Gospel. Two kids were playing on a hillside, when they noticed that the hour was nearing sunset, and the brother said to his sister, "Look at how much the sun has moved! A little while ago it was right over that tree, and now it is low down in the sky."
"The sun doesn’t move, it’s the earth. You know, Dad told us," said his sister. Her brother shook his head. The sun did move. He’d seen it. The earth did not move. He was sure because he had been standing on it all the time.
"I know what I see," he said triumphantly. "And I believe Dad," said his sister.
Sometimes we believe only what we, ourselves, can verify. Thomas was like that. He wasn’t there the first time Jesus appeared to the disciples post-resurrection. When he heard about it, he was adamant. He would not believe it unless he could verify it. A week later, Jesus appeared again, and Thomas was able to know for sure.
Believing because you can verify is a normal human response, I suppose. Jesus, though, makes a convicting and convincing point. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Believing without having to verify is the essence of faith. Are we people of faith?
Bill T.
* * *
John 20:19-31
Do we believe Jesus is coming? Do we believe that Jesus has come? The disciples huddled in the upper room, quaking in fear, were not sure what was happening when Jesus appeared to them — in spite of their locked doors. Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit on them, the advocate he had promised was shared with those in attendance on that day.
We do not know why Thomas was missing. We can suppose that he wanted to wander the streets and think, to live in the pain of his sorrow and his grief. And we can understand why he doubts the words of his friends. How could Jesus have returned, appeared to them? And Thomas is proven wrong. Jesus comes to them, asks Thomas to touch him to know that this visage of Jesus is real, is truly there. Have you ever had an experience of seeing Jesus, having a vision of Jesus?
I have. It was a wondrous moment of compassion and forgiveness, a moment when I could view my life through and in the embrace of the love of my Savior. Do people doubt this when I tell them? I am sure some of them do. I hope only that they may have an encounter with the risen Christ and know the peace, the love, the joy, and the blessing of that embrace.
Bonnie B.
* * *
John 20:19-31
Commenting on Thomas’ doubts, John Calvin observed how we are affected by Thomas’ propensity to disbelieve. The reformer wrote:
Thus it happens that, when we render to the Word of God less honor than is due to it, there steals upon us, without our knowledge, a growing obstinacy, which brings along with it a contempt of the Word of God, and makes us lose all reverence for it. (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.XVIII/1, p.275)
Martin Luther reflected how Thomas’ disbelief is a source of comfort for us all. In a sermon on this text Luther remarked:
Now, this happened for our example and consolation, that the great apostle also had to fail and stumble, in which we see how Christ shows and conducts himself toward his weak disciples, that he can tolerate also such as are hard and stubborn… and that he will not on that account condemn and disown them… (Complete Sermons, Vol.1/2,p.411)
Calvin also comments on v.31 that miracles are reported so that readers may believe. His comments help us put miracles in their proper perspective:
I reply, no other use is here assigned to the miracles than to be aids and supports of faith; for they serve to prepare the minds of men that they may cherish greater reverence for the Word of God, and we know how cold and sluggish our attention is, if we be not excited by something else. (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.XVIII/1, p.281)
Mark E.
* * *
John 20:19-31
In Luke’s version of the good news, the apostles and disciples, a fairly large group, receive the Holy Spirit, as promised by Jesus, in a dramatic, vibrant, and loud event fifty days after the resurrection, during Pentecost.
In John’s gospel, the giving and receiving of the Holy Spirit happens around fifty days earlier, immediately following the resurrection. Unlike the scene in Acts 2, this is a deceptively quiet scene where something tremendous is unbottled and the apostles are filled to bursting with the Holy Spirit.
For some, the only true conversion comes with fire and thunder like the second chapter of Acts — yet here we see powerfully the authentic reception of the Holy Spirit without all the bells and whistles.
Some believers insist that the only way to demonstrate the presence of God’s Spirit is by speaking in tongues, or through some other emotional ecstatic experience. Could this be like trying to put God’s Spirit into a box when one insists this is the only way the Spirit acts? Or that the only conversion experience has to involve an emotional reaction to a particular style of preaching?
More important, instead of a self-gratifying emotional experience, this passage bundles the gift of the Holy Spirit with a serious task — forgiveness.
This is a big responsibility that many people don’t want. Why should they? This is part of what got Jesus into trouble. When Jesus claimed the power to forgive sins, he became very unpopular with the religious and political authorities.
But if Jesus could get into trouble for claiming the power to forgive sins, how does that affect us? Governors who commute death sentences or sign off on parole can risk their re-election. Survivors of a murderer who seek to forgive rather than pursue the death penalty can run into roadblocks from the legal system. Amish who visit the family of a murderer to share forgiveness for the murder of their young children came into criticism as well.
Frank R.
