^“When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, ²⁸saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” ²⁹But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. ³⁰The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. ³¹God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³²And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” Acts 5:27-32

“We must obey G-d rather than any human authority.” This is what Peter answered when the council of Jerusalem accuses them of teaching in the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit had come to the disciples in Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost, and they were just beginning to teach and to preach in the name of the Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit. But their friends and family must have thought they had really gone mad at this point. Jesus was dead. Their teacher was crucified. The stories of Jesus’ appearances surely must have been fabricated. Shouldn’t they go back to their previous lives?

I want to share with you something Kyle Fever wrote in his Commentary on Acts 5:

“In 1980 Ozzy Osbourne released a song called “Crazy Train.”  The chorus of the song is ridiculously simple, but very evocative: “I’m going off the rails on a crazy train.”  What the apostles were doing must have seemed like this to much of the surrounding world. The Pharisees and leaders certainly seem to think this. Drawing attention to the public proclamation of Jesus as Lord was indeed crazy. This crazy train, Peter is clear to note, does not have a human conductor, and God is taking it right off of the rails. This is not to condone going off of the rails for its own sake or irresponsible witness to Jesus Christ. Much depends on how one evaluates the rails in the first place.  What to the authorities of the time seemed like going off the rails was accurate? But that’s because from the perspective of Acts, the current rails on which the human train journeyed were no longer bringing God’s forgiveness and renewal, but actually hindering it.”

Beginning with April, and for the rest of your faith life, are you willing to go “off the rails”, like Peter and the other disciples, in your devotion and ministry for the Gospel of Jesus?  When we are empowered with the Holy Spirit, there is no limit for where the gospel will take us.

Pastor Dave

April 7, 2021 — Easter plus Three

^“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:30-31

In John’s Gospel, the writer ends his book with the idea that what was written in his gospel was just a tip of the iceberg for the deeds that Jesus did. It was not intended to be an “all inclusive” book of Jesus and his life. It was just an encapsulation of what John had witnessed. But knowing this was just the highlights of what Jesus did, it makes us wonder about the other deeds. What else did Jesus do that John just did not have the room to include in this edition? Were there greater things? We must realize there were lesser things, but what John did include was purposeful: “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ…”.

So, how did John do? Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of G-d?” Or do you have questions that linger? I often preach on Easter about the empty tomb — wondering what were the possibilities that led to an empty tomb. As Lutherans we believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. And, though we do not have all of the answers, we do have 2000 years of witnesses who have lived their lives believing that Jesus was raised and will come again. We have a Great Cloud of Witnesses over time and space who have lived in the trust and faith that Jesus defeated death through the cross and the resurrection.

We do not need proof as much as we need faith – and trust – living into the new creation that Jesus offers everyone.

Pastor Dave

April 8, 2021 — Easter plus Four

“When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”²²When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”  John 20:19-23

The disciples, the followers of Jesus have been through a difficult, difficult week. They followed Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey – and they shouted, “Blessed is the king”. It was Jesus’ triumphal entrance.  Then he taught them a new commandment, which had their heads spinning.  Immediately he went out and was arrested. He was convicted and hung on a cross. And finally they heard the news that he was not in the tomb, but had been raised.

So, here they are locked away in fear, and their fear is very real. That description sure sounds like our lives over the last year – locked in our homes hiding in fear – another very real fear.

And here I am, Easter plus one day, Easter Monday, and I am wondering how many of our members will climb back into their homes, their year-long pandemic tombs waiting for a vaccination – hunkering down again hoping to be unleashed upon the world sometime soon. And, of course, I also wonder if people will want to come back to church. Why? Some will have become so comfortable with watching church from home this will be their new normal. Others will continue to live their lives without Jesus for most of the year. Something drove them away – the pandemic may keep them away. 

The risen Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit upon his disciples in that room the first day of the week, after the resurrection. It will take until the Day of Pentecost for the Holy Spirit to really take hold – once they watch Jesus’ ascension.  It is that same Holy Spirit that empowers us to face our brothers and sisters in Christ who come only occasionally, to put aside our fears and love them enough to invite them back, again, and again, and again.

Pastor Dave