Sermon
28th April 2019 – 2nd Sunday of Easter
Text:
Acts 5:27-32 – Obeying God’s authority rather than human authority
The
sporting world has been divided in recent times regarding the punishment dished
out on Rugby League player Israel Folau.
In
case you missed it, Folau posted a quote from the bible that offended some
people because he said unless they repented of their sin that they would end up
in hell.
Irrespective
of whether you believe he was right or wrong in posting what he did on Social
Media, he was so convinced in what he wrote about his Christian faith that he
was prepared to risk his $4,000,000 contract over it.
A
couple years ago, tennis champion Margaret Court now a Pastor in a church in
Western Australia faced similar backlash about her controversial comments but
refused to back down even after threats of removing her naming rights from the
iconic Melbourne tennis arena – Margaret Court Arena.
In
our bible reading today, Peter and the disciples are also warned about speaking
about their Christian faith in the public sphere to which they respond -
"We
must obey God rather than any human authority”.
There
may come a time – or maybe you’ve had a situation – where you’ve had the
opportunity to speak out about your Christian faith but felt that fear that
many, if not all Christians have felt at times.
Peter
and the disciples weren’t always that brave.
We
have the situation in our Gospel reading when they had gathered together and
the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the
Jews,
Whether
you have conservative views of Christianity or more progressive views it’s
getting harder to share your faith as the rejection of the Christian faith is
growing in Western culture.
In
fact a senior magistrate is calling for all Bibles to be removed from
courtrooms in Victoria, labelling them relics that belong in a museum.
Again
the outcry is that Australia is a secular society so why are we swearing on
Bibles in court.
It’s
the same with the teaching of RE in schools, playing football on Good Friday,
singing Christmas Carols, or whatever other attack is made on our religious
freedom – how can we respond.
First
of all we need to remember what our mission is.
The
first place we go to when understanding that is to what we call the Great
Commission.
Matthew
28 says - “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore
go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I
have commanded you.
The
first thing we take from that is recognising that the world can say and do
whatever it likes but it doesn’t take away the fact that - All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus.
That’s
what Jesus’ victory on the Easter cross is all about.
Secondly,
there is the sending – go and make disciples of all nations baptising them.
Not
go and fight the infidel – or go and make sure everyone believes what you
believe.
No,
the final part of that says – “teach” them to obey everything I have commanded
YOU.
Not
“force” them to obey everything I have commanded THEM.
The
call is to live YOUR faith not to demand it from others – that’s the work of
the Holy Spirit.
St
Peter says that in his letter when he says: Always be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect.
We
should not be frightened by the criticisms and attacks on the Christian faith
because it has been the pattern of things for it since the birth of Jesus even
before he is born.
There
was no room for Jesus when Mary gave birth to him.
Just
as there is no room for Jesus for many people today in our society.
He
was rejected when he went to preach in his home town and they wanted to throw
him off a cliff.
He
was abandoned by his own disciples when they fled at his arrest.
He
was betrayed by his own disciple Judas.
He
was denied by his closest disciple and friend Peter 3 times at his arrest.
His
death was demanded by his own people even though Pilate, a foreigner, looked
for any way that he could release him.
One
of the mistakes that we can easily make as Christians is to believe that our
success in mission is gauged by the same measures as worldly success.
As
we see the change in courage from those frightened disciples locked away
fearing for their lives and now prepared to stand up for their faith, it was
not because of some worldly courage they had received.
What
enabled the apostles to open the doors where they were huddled in fear and go
out into the threatening world to proclaim the resurrection?
What
enabled Peter and the other disciples to resist the orders to stop preaching
Christ among the people?
It
did not come from earthly courage they had suddenly attained.
Our
gospel reading tells us quite clearly today what, or rather “who” gave them
that couage.
Before
his death Jesus had promised to send an “Advocate” to teach the disciples the
truth, set them free and send them out into the world.
Today
Jesus keeps his word and breathes his Holy Spirit upon his followers.
We
know what the disciples were like during Jesus’ ministry, right up to his
death.
They
showed early signs of ambition hoping Jesus was the promised Messiah who would
give them positions of earthly power in the new kingdom he was proclaiming.
But
when their world fell apart and Jesus was arrested and killed, they fled in
fear.
That’s
what earthly courage does – it fails in times of distress beyond our control.
That’s
where we find them in today’s gospel -- behind locked doors in fear.
Again,
what changed them?
Jesus
breathed the Holy Spirit on them.
If
we think back to the opening verses of Genesis which describe the earth as “a
formless void, and there was darkness over the deep...” what brought light and
order to the darkness and “formless void?”
“God’s Spirit hovered over the water.”
Then
God began the work of creation.
What
gave the lifeless Adam life?
Formed
from the dust of the ground God breathed his life – his spirit into Adam.
John’s
Gospel began the same way as Genesis – in the beginning;
In
the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth – Genesis.
In
the beginning was the Word and the word was with God and the word was God –
John’s Gospel.
Now
John’s gospel ends the same way with the Spirit of God bringing order into the
chaos of the disciples fear.
Bringing
courage to replace fear.
And
now God sends you out into the world and asks you not to fear.
You
have nothing to fear as Jesus earlier told his disciples:
Do
not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the
kingdom.
God
sends you out into a hostile world where again we see what the world thinks of
Christians in the example in Sri Lanka where Christians worshiping on the most
holiest of days are slaughtered.
And
in the midst of this hostility towards us the primary mission of the church is
to preach and act as Christ’s messengers of peace and forgiveness and love.
Jesus
says – love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
It
is Jesus’ gift of his Spirit that gives the power to disciples to overcome
their fears, prejudices, and doubts and become powerful witnesses and preachers
of God’s love and forgiveness – not revenge and hatred.
Each
of us has that same power, the Spirit, given to us in our Baptism, that urges
us to move out from our comfortable places into a world that sorely needs the
good news -- Jesus Christ is risen from
the dead.
That’s
who we are; that’s our mission statement as disciples inspired by the Spirit of
Jesus.
Jesus
commissions his disciples to continue his ministry:
“As
the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
They
will proclaim forgiveness of sins, not by their own power but from the power
the Spirit gives them.
They
will pronounce forgiveness, not on whom they determine to be worthy but on
those whom the Father moves to repent just as he forgave the thief on the cross
– just as he forgave those who crucified him crying out – forgive them Father
for they do not know what they are doing.
We
are called to urge those who have committed the atrocities in Sri Lanka, in
Christchurch, anywhere in the world to repent so they can be forgiven.
We
are not called to condemn them because that alone is the work of God.
What
an example we can be to the world when we come out of our fears and be brave
enough to forgive those who persecute us – to love those who hate us – to
befriend those who reject us – for that is what Jesus did and that is what his
Father sent him to do – and as the Father has sent him so he now sends you.
And
if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them;
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