Second Sunday Of Easter
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VI, Cycle A
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Acts 2:14a, 22-32 (C, E)
Peter addressed the Israelites, referring to miraculous events which God had performed through Jesus, then chided them for the way they had treated Jesus. On the one hand, he saw this as part of God's plan, but still blamed the people for allowing sinful men to crucify Jesus. But death would not be able to "hold him prisoner."
Peter quoted David, and his sense of joy, gladness, and hope which resulted from his own realization of God's intentions, and his conviction that God would not allow him "to rot in the grave." David had, as Peter saw it, predicted the reemergence of the Messiah from death and this has happened, with many of those within the hearing of Peter as witnesses to the fact.
This is a clear statement of life after physical death in the case of Jesus. Peter believes that David also survived. Peter stops short of promising the same for everyone, a promise Paul would make. But the strong implication of that promise is here.
Lesson 1: Acts 2:42-47 (RC)
(See Easter 3)
Lesson 2: 1 Peter 1:3-9 (C, RC, E)
Peter has managed to say a lot in few words here. It is through the return from death of Jesus that we are able actually to receive an inheritance which nothing can damage. Peter remarks that "it is kept in heaven for you," which leaves room for some interesting discussion. He immediately refers to those "who are being protected by the power of God," which raises some more interesting questions. Then he speaks of a salvation which is to be revealed "in the last time." More questions. We learn that various trials are necessary to prove the genuineness of our faith, which is, like gold, tested by fire. But finally we will know "indescribable and glorious joy," for we will receive salvation of our souls.
There are a lot of interesting theological questions raised in this brief passage. What did Peter mean by "heaven" and why is the inheritance kept there? What does he mean by "protected by the power of God"? What is "the last time"? What, exactly, is meant by "souls"?
Gospel: John 20:19-31 (C, RC, E)
Doubting Thomas. Many a Christian has identified with this man. He's the quintessential scientist-computer technologist-left brain person. Jesus had been there, and for one thing, Thomas was probably feeling a little left out. Everyone else has seen Jesus, who had appeared in a locked room saying "peace be with you," so now everyone is talking about the remarkable reappearance of their dear friend, even though they have seen him die. My guess is Thomas was pretty tired of hearing all about this appearance in his absence. Who among us has not been left out of something shared by all our friends? A few years ago, my wife and I, along with four other couples, planned a trip to Europe. For a year we all looked forward to sharing the experience. One evening, one of those friends heard of some short-term special air fares, called the rest, they all got on the phone, made reservations. My wife and I were gone, and when we learned of the new plan, we realized that we could not go. My wife is a teacher and she had to return to school.
When our friends returned, they invited us to their gathering to see videos of their wonderful trip. It took all the Christianity in my very being to pretend pleasure as they spent the entire evening reliving their trip. I have to think Thomas felt some of that. Add the fact that the whole report smacked of some exaggeration anyway, and there was no way he was going to go along. Until. Until Jesus returned a few days later, evidencing both his love for Thomas and his sympathy for the man's dilemma. Setting aside all the rest, you have to like Jesus for going to all that trouble for the sake of a questioning, miffed friend. He allowed Thomas actually to touch his wounds. Thomas may very well have experienced more joy than all the rest at that point. "My Lord, and my God," he said.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "New Life The Dead Receive"
Text: Acts 2:14a, 22-32
Theme: Peter referred to the many wonders which God has performed through Jesus Christ, and as a result of his death on the cross. Most remarkable of all is the miracle of return from death. Peter doesn't get as specific as Paul does about the manner of life after death, but he clearly asserts the fact of it.
1. God can perform what to our little minds appear to be miracles. We can save for another occasion to define that word and decide what we believe about such things, but wonders do happen to those who sincerely invoke the name of Jesus.
2. The effect of these miracles is often newness of life in the earthly sense. I think of Charles Colson, who went to prison for his admitted crimes as part of Richard Nixon's administration. Because of this servitude, and his newfound faith in Jesus Christ, he founded a prison ministry which has saved thousands of men from probable death in prison or on the streets.
3. The ultimate wonder, according to Peter, is life after death. Jesus lived. David lived. The promise is there for all who name the name of Christ.
Title: "If Thou But Suffer God To Guide Thee"
Text: 1 Peter 3:5
Theme: Let's use this phrase, "You, who are being protected by the power of God, through faith ... " As suggested, there are a number of sermonic possibilities in this passage, but I'm intrigued by Peter's assertion that we are protected by the power of God, through faith. Obviously this doesn't apply in the physical world. Peter found this out soon enough. Paul died in prison. So far as we know, none of the apostles died in bed.
1. Faith strengthens us. People are able to do all sorts of things as a result of religious faith which they could not otherwise do. Remember Paul's assertion? "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
2. Faith guides us. I can bear my own witness as one who spent several years out of college trying this and that, basically making a mess out of things until I accepted Christ into my life. Since then there is very little I would change had I life to live over. As one hymn states the matter, "If thou but suffer God to guide thee, and hope in him through all thy ways, God will give strength, what e'er betide thee, and bear thee through the evil days...."
3. Faith saves us. That was Peter's main point. Faith doesn't protect us from earthly harm. Devout Christians become ill, die. Today's newspaper told of a sixteen-year-old boy who recently returned from an evangelism mission to Jamaica. He came home barefoot so he could leave his shoes for someone else. His mother said he left almost everything he owned for the people he went to serve. Yesterday he was killed in a car accident. However, Peter's assurance of life after death enables people of faith to believe that something after this will make that tragedy a blessing.
Title: "The Reverse Side Of Faith"
Text: John 20:19-31
Theme: Not long ago I spent time with a faith-struggling friend who said to me: "Carver, I believe in God with all my heart. I believe that Jesus was God's way of communicating with us in a way we could understand. I love the church, and above all, I believe the ethical teachings of Christianity are the hope for mankind. I even believe in prayer, though I have a little difficulty with that. But try as I will, I can't believe in a resurrection. Not for us." I have since suspected he speaks for many people.
1. Doubt is normal. George Buttrick called it the reverse side of the coin of faith. Paul Tillich insisted that the person who has never wrestled with the problem of doubt has never seriously wrestled with the issue of faith. In today's world, largely created by the left-brain folks, it's little wonder that we find it hard to believe in things we can't touch, see, feel, or hear. Furthermore, we can see from Jesus' patience with Thomas that there's nothing at all wrong with being a doubter. Times are so very different today from the time of Jesus. Nothing was known at that time about natural laws. Every time a stone was thrown in the air, early people knew there was a slight possibility it wouldn't come down. We know better.
2. Faith, by definition, has an element of doubt. The writer of Hebrews called it the "assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." The bad news is we aren't going to have any more assurance than we have already been given. The good news is that doubt does not keep us from the benefits of faith. In the movie Keys Of The Kingdom, there's a scene in which the now-elderly priest kneels by his longtime friend, a doctor. Together they have served the people of China. The doctor, dying, having been a confirmed agnostic, looks up at his friend and says, "I'm sorry, but I still can't believe in God." The priest gently replies, "It's all right, my friend, God believes in you."
3. Faith requires that we trust God for what we can't explain. However, we're not left to the necessity of reasoning ourselves into some form of belief. When we ask for it, we receive it as a gift. "Blessed Assurance," some people call it. It probably doesn't matter much whether it all makes sense, any more than love does, any more than spring sunshine does, any more than the first glimpse of a baby daughter's face makes sense. Our little minds weren't built for such immensities. Best just quietly to let God do what God does. All we have to do is say and mean "Yes!"
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
Gypsy Smith, a nineteenth century evangelist, told of the time he came home early, when a young man, so he could spend some time with his toddler son. As part of their play, he put the little fellow on the kitchen table, then asked him to run and his daddy would catch him. He said the boy ran, but stopped at the edge of the table. He looked down and it seemed an awful drop to him. They tried again with the same result. Finally, Smith told his son to run and jump as far as he could and he would promise to catch the boy. He said this time the little fellow ran and jumped as hard as he could, but with his eyes tightly closed. Smith said that of course he caught his son and they both laughed. But he thought to himself, that's what I must do if I'm to have faith. And so he did.
____________
In 1955, The Cambridge Humanist Society was formed at Cambridge University in England. Sir Julian Huxley explained that their purpose was to enable people to cope with their environment without resort to the idea that there is a God. He said that one hundred years hence, people would find it as hard to believe in God as they currently do to believe the world is flat.
A few years later, another distinguished man of science was asked to address the faculty of Cambridge. He opened his address with these words: "Before my lecture, I want to tell you something. I am a Christian. I was brought up in a Christian home with my brother, and the two of us were closest friends. We were both at the University together. My father and mother were deeply religious. My brother and I had no time for religion. We thought that religion was all right for old people, but we were scientists and we thought we had found our way through by what we were pleased to call scientific methods. Then my brother was killed. My father and mother had resources. And with these resources they met the shattering loss. But I had no one. I had no resources at all. One night, brokenhearted, and with all my proud science in ruined uselessness at my feet, I knelt down. I did not know how to pray. I had scorned prayer, but I put out my hand -- and I found it was grasped. I knew that someone was coming to my help and somehow I knew it was Christ. I have been a Christian ever since and no one, nothing, will take Christ from me any more."
____________
"Something has spoken to me in the night
And told me I shall die,
I know not where, saying:
To lose the earth you know
For greater knowing;
To lose the life you have
For greater life;
To leave the friends you love
For greater loving;
To find a land more kind
Than home, more large than earth."
-- Thomas Wolfe
____________
In Bunyan's incomparable Pilgrim's Progress, there's a scene in which Christian finds himself beset by doubt and weariness. He happens to encounter a friend along the way and turns to that friend for help. "Evangelist," he cries, "can you not help me?" Evangelist turns to Christian, then points toward the dark horizon in the direction of the holy city toward which they journey. "See thou yonder wicket gate?" Evangelist asks. Christian stares for a time. Then, unhappily, he replies "No!"
Then Evangelist tries again. "Do you see yonder light?" This time, Christian looks hard and thinks he sees, if not a light, at least a place not quite so dark as the rest. "Yes!" he says. "I do see."
"Keep that light in your eye and go directly thereto, so thou shalt see the gate," Evangelist replies.
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 16 (C) -- The practice of the presence of God.
Psalm 111 (E) -- Great are the works of the Lord.
Prayer Of The Day
In darkness, Lord, sometimes we walk. Brave words we speak, bright hopes we share, but in the silence of a darkened soul, at times we reach like frightened children for the hand which is always there. Amen.
Lesson 1: Acts 2:14a, 22-32 (C, E)
Peter addressed the Israelites, referring to miraculous events which God had performed through Jesus, then chided them for the way they had treated Jesus. On the one hand, he saw this as part of God's plan, but still blamed the people for allowing sinful men to crucify Jesus. But death would not be able to "hold him prisoner."
Peter quoted David, and his sense of joy, gladness, and hope which resulted from his own realization of God's intentions, and his conviction that God would not allow him "to rot in the grave." David had, as Peter saw it, predicted the reemergence of the Messiah from death and this has happened, with many of those within the hearing of Peter as witnesses to the fact.
This is a clear statement of life after physical death in the case of Jesus. Peter believes that David also survived. Peter stops short of promising the same for everyone, a promise Paul would make. But the strong implication of that promise is here.
Lesson 1: Acts 2:42-47 (RC)
(See Easter 3)
Lesson 2: 1 Peter 1:3-9 (C, RC, E)
Peter has managed to say a lot in few words here. It is through the return from death of Jesus that we are able actually to receive an inheritance which nothing can damage. Peter remarks that "it is kept in heaven for you," which leaves room for some interesting discussion. He immediately refers to those "who are being protected by the power of God," which raises some more interesting questions. Then he speaks of a salvation which is to be revealed "in the last time." More questions. We learn that various trials are necessary to prove the genuineness of our faith, which is, like gold, tested by fire. But finally we will know "indescribable and glorious joy," for we will receive salvation of our souls.
There are a lot of interesting theological questions raised in this brief passage. What did Peter mean by "heaven" and why is the inheritance kept there? What does he mean by "protected by the power of God"? What is "the last time"? What, exactly, is meant by "souls"?
Gospel: John 20:19-31 (C, RC, E)
Doubting Thomas. Many a Christian has identified with this man. He's the quintessential scientist-computer technologist-left brain person. Jesus had been there, and for one thing, Thomas was probably feeling a little left out. Everyone else has seen Jesus, who had appeared in a locked room saying "peace be with you," so now everyone is talking about the remarkable reappearance of their dear friend, even though they have seen him die. My guess is Thomas was pretty tired of hearing all about this appearance in his absence. Who among us has not been left out of something shared by all our friends? A few years ago, my wife and I, along with four other couples, planned a trip to Europe. For a year we all looked forward to sharing the experience. One evening, one of those friends heard of some short-term special air fares, called the rest, they all got on the phone, made reservations. My wife and I were gone, and when we learned of the new plan, we realized that we could not go. My wife is a teacher and she had to return to school.
When our friends returned, they invited us to their gathering to see videos of their wonderful trip. It took all the Christianity in my very being to pretend pleasure as they spent the entire evening reliving their trip. I have to think Thomas felt some of that. Add the fact that the whole report smacked of some exaggeration anyway, and there was no way he was going to go along. Until. Until Jesus returned a few days later, evidencing both his love for Thomas and his sympathy for the man's dilemma. Setting aside all the rest, you have to like Jesus for going to all that trouble for the sake of a questioning, miffed friend. He allowed Thomas actually to touch his wounds. Thomas may very well have experienced more joy than all the rest at that point. "My Lord, and my God," he said.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "New Life The Dead Receive"
Text: Acts 2:14a, 22-32
Theme: Peter referred to the many wonders which God has performed through Jesus Christ, and as a result of his death on the cross. Most remarkable of all is the miracle of return from death. Peter doesn't get as specific as Paul does about the manner of life after death, but he clearly asserts the fact of it.
1. God can perform what to our little minds appear to be miracles. We can save for another occasion to define that word and decide what we believe about such things, but wonders do happen to those who sincerely invoke the name of Jesus.
2. The effect of these miracles is often newness of life in the earthly sense. I think of Charles Colson, who went to prison for his admitted crimes as part of Richard Nixon's administration. Because of this servitude, and his newfound faith in Jesus Christ, he founded a prison ministry which has saved thousands of men from probable death in prison or on the streets.
3. The ultimate wonder, according to Peter, is life after death. Jesus lived. David lived. The promise is there for all who name the name of Christ.
Title: "If Thou But Suffer God To Guide Thee"
Text: 1 Peter 3:5
Theme: Let's use this phrase, "You, who are being protected by the power of God, through faith ... " As suggested, there are a number of sermonic possibilities in this passage, but I'm intrigued by Peter's assertion that we are protected by the power of God, through faith. Obviously this doesn't apply in the physical world. Peter found this out soon enough. Paul died in prison. So far as we know, none of the apostles died in bed.
1. Faith strengthens us. People are able to do all sorts of things as a result of religious faith which they could not otherwise do. Remember Paul's assertion? "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
2. Faith guides us. I can bear my own witness as one who spent several years out of college trying this and that, basically making a mess out of things until I accepted Christ into my life. Since then there is very little I would change had I life to live over. As one hymn states the matter, "If thou but suffer God to guide thee, and hope in him through all thy ways, God will give strength, what e'er betide thee, and bear thee through the evil days...."
3. Faith saves us. That was Peter's main point. Faith doesn't protect us from earthly harm. Devout Christians become ill, die. Today's newspaper told of a sixteen-year-old boy who recently returned from an evangelism mission to Jamaica. He came home barefoot so he could leave his shoes for someone else. His mother said he left almost everything he owned for the people he went to serve. Yesterday he was killed in a car accident. However, Peter's assurance of life after death enables people of faith to believe that something after this will make that tragedy a blessing.
Title: "The Reverse Side Of Faith"
Text: John 20:19-31
Theme: Not long ago I spent time with a faith-struggling friend who said to me: "Carver, I believe in God with all my heart. I believe that Jesus was God's way of communicating with us in a way we could understand. I love the church, and above all, I believe the ethical teachings of Christianity are the hope for mankind. I even believe in prayer, though I have a little difficulty with that. But try as I will, I can't believe in a resurrection. Not for us." I have since suspected he speaks for many people.
1. Doubt is normal. George Buttrick called it the reverse side of the coin of faith. Paul Tillich insisted that the person who has never wrestled with the problem of doubt has never seriously wrestled with the issue of faith. In today's world, largely created by the left-brain folks, it's little wonder that we find it hard to believe in things we can't touch, see, feel, or hear. Furthermore, we can see from Jesus' patience with Thomas that there's nothing at all wrong with being a doubter. Times are so very different today from the time of Jesus. Nothing was known at that time about natural laws. Every time a stone was thrown in the air, early people knew there was a slight possibility it wouldn't come down. We know better.
2. Faith, by definition, has an element of doubt. The writer of Hebrews called it the "assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." The bad news is we aren't going to have any more assurance than we have already been given. The good news is that doubt does not keep us from the benefits of faith. In the movie Keys Of The Kingdom, there's a scene in which the now-elderly priest kneels by his longtime friend, a doctor. Together they have served the people of China. The doctor, dying, having been a confirmed agnostic, looks up at his friend and says, "I'm sorry, but I still can't believe in God." The priest gently replies, "It's all right, my friend, God believes in you."
3. Faith requires that we trust God for what we can't explain. However, we're not left to the necessity of reasoning ourselves into some form of belief. When we ask for it, we receive it as a gift. "Blessed Assurance," some people call it. It probably doesn't matter much whether it all makes sense, any more than love does, any more than spring sunshine does, any more than the first glimpse of a baby daughter's face makes sense. Our little minds weren't built for such immensities. Best just quietly to let God do what God does. All we have to do is say and mean "Yes!"
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
Gypsy Smith, a nineteenth century evangelist, told of the time he came home early, when a young man, so he could spend some time with his toddler son. As part of their play, he put the little fellow on the kitchen table, then asked him to run and his daddy would catch him. He said the boy ran, but stopped at the edge of the table. He looked down and it seemed an awful drop to him. They tried again with the same result. Finally, Smith told his son to run and jump as far as he could and he would promise to catch the boy. He said this time the little fellow ran and jumped as hard as he could, but with his eyes tightly closed. Smith said that of course he caught his son and they both laughed. But he thought to himself, that's what I must do if I'm to have faith. And so he did.
____________
In 1955, The Cambridge Humanist Society was formed at Cambridge University in England. Sir Julian Huxley explained that their purpose was to enable people to cope with their environment without resort to the idea that there is a God. He said that one hundred years hence, people would find it as hard to believe in God as they currently do to believe the world is flat.
A few years later, another distinguished man of science was asked to address the faculty of Cambridge. He opened his address with these words: "Before my lecture, I want to tell you something. I am a Christian. I was brought up in a Christian home with my brother, and the two of us were closest friends. We were both at the University together. My father and mother were deeply religious. My brother and I had no time for religion. We thought that religion was all right for old people, but we were scientists and we thought we had found our way through by what we were pleased to call scientific methods. Then my brother was killed. My father and mother had resources. And with these resources they met the shattering loss. But I had no one. I had no resources at all. One night, brokenhearted, and with all my proud science in ruined uselessness at my feet, I knelt down. I did not know how to pray. I had scorned prayer, but I put out my hand -- and I found it was grasped. I knew that someone was coming to my help and somehow I knew it was Christ. I have been a Christian ever since and no one, nothing, will take Christ from me any more."
____________
"Something has spoken to me in the night
And told me I shall die,
I know not where, saying:
To lose the earth you know
For greater knowing;
To lose the life you have
For greater life;
To leave the friends you love
For greater loving;
To find a land more kind
Than home, more large than earth."
-- Thomas Wolfe
____________
In Bunyan's incomparable Pilgrim's Progress, there's a scene in which Christian finds himself beset by doubt and weariness. He happens to encounter a friend along the way and turns to that friend for help. "Evangelist," he cries, "can you not help me?" Evangelist turns to Christian, then points toward the dark horizon in the direction of the holy city toward which they journey. "See thou yonder wicket gate?" Evangelist asks. Christian stares for a time. Then, unhappily, he replies "No!"
Then Evangelist tries again. "Do you see yonder light?" This time, Christian looks hard and thinks he sees, if not a light, at least a place not quite so dark as the rest. "Yes!" he says. "I do see."
"Keep that light in your eye and go directly thereto, so thou shalt see the gate," Evangelist replies.
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 16 (C) -- The practice of the presence of God.
Psalm 111 (E) -- Great are the works of the Lord.
Prayer Of The Day
In darkness, Lord, sometimes we walk. Brave words we speak, bright hopes we share, but in the silence of a darkened soul, at times we reach like frightened children for the hand which is always there. Amen.
