The Lutheran Hour
-
"Surprise!"
- Download MP3 Reflections
-
Text: Acts 3:11-21
-
Life is full of surprises — isn’t it? — some that bring great joy and some tremendous sorrow. Several years ago our family was gathered for Thanksgiving dinner. We had just finished eating a wonderful meal. We were sitting by the fireplace enjoying some good conversation. At one point our 4-year-old grandson wandered through the room wearing a t-shirt with this printed on the back: “I don’t know it yet but I’m going to be a big brother.” As each family member read his shirt, their facial expression changed. Surprise! A simple time of conversation became a time of celebration as our daughter and son-in-law shared the exciting news that they were expecting their second child-in coming weeks the joy would be doubled as they would share an early sonogram and it would show not one baby but two. Surprise!
Life has joyous moments of surprise, doesn’t it. But we all recognize that life brings more than joyous surprises. There are also the times of sorrow and struggle that come without warning and often catch us unaware. Health issues, the death of loved ones, unemployment, broken marriages, challenges with children and parents, relationships at work and relationships in our neighborhood.
The apostle Luke wrote the New Testament book of Acts. It gives an account of the young Christian church as it lives and grows after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Especially during the weeks following Easter I love to read through the pages of this book. It is filled with excitement, men and women of God, filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly sharing the truth of the Christ who died and rose again. It is also a book filled with surprises. Chapter 3 tells about a man crippled from birth who received the surprise of his life. We don’t know his name, Luke doesn’t tell us. For many I feel he was just the crippled beggar who sat daily by the Temple gate asking for assistance. Unable to walk, family or friends carried him to the gate to beg-counting on the kindness and generosity of others for help-just enough to get by.
One day as two men named Peter and John passed by, he cried out for assistance. Peter looked right at the beggar and said, “Look at us”-commanding his attention. Usually people don’t really look at beggars, and beggars don’t usually look at those from whom they beg. But this time things were different. The men explained that they did not have money to give but would give him what they did have. What could that be? Maybe this was a momentary let down for the beggar. But Peter spoke these words “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth-walk.” Walk? Did he say walk? You can imagine what went through the man’s mind-walk-I can’t walk. I have never been able to walk-I would love to walk but I have been crippled since birth-what is this, some kind of a cruel joke?-walk? But the beggar did hear Peter correctly. Peter took him by the hand and helped him to his feet. Instantly his ankles became strong, and he walked. This started with a request for a few coins, but he received so much more-surprise! He could stand and walk-he went with them inside the temple courts. Not only did he walk but he jumped and, I think he probably danced. The Scriptures said he praised God. Surprise! The people who witnessed this event were amazed! The crippled beggar, who sat daily by the Gate Beautiful, walks and leaps and dances, and praises God.
Gripped by this surprising event a crowd begins to gather, praising Peter and John and perhaps looking for a little of this blessing for themselves. As Peter realizes what is happening, he addresses the crowd, “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? We didn’t do this — Jesus did! The resurrected Jesus, the glorified Jesus, did this!! The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers has glorified his servant Jesus! Surprise!
Now this is really a double surprise. The crippled man walking is surprising but to see who is speaking is also surprising. This is the same Peter, who just a few weeks before had betrayed Jesus. Jesus Christ, his friend and teacher, had been arrested on trumped up charges by religious leaders, jealous for the attention that Jesus was getting from his followers. Peter, who had told Jesus that he would stand by Him as supporter and friend no matter what –denied even knowing Jesus. Peter, who watched his friend suffer and die the horrors of crucifixion. Peter, who after the crucifixion hid behind locked doors fearing for his own life. This same Peter-Surprise! — now speaks a bold and direct message to the crowd. “We didn’t do this! The Jesus you handed over to be killed. The Jesus you disowned, the Holy and Righteous one, Jesus, the author of life, you killed-But God raised Him from the dead. We have seen Him alive. By faith in the name of Jesus, this beggar whom you see and know was made strong.”
Peter goes on to explain that all they have seen has been the work of Jesus, God’s Messiah, the Christ, the Savior of the world. But there is an additional surprise here. The beggar was completely healed. Yes, he could walk, jump, and dance, but through faith that comes through Jesus, this man received more. The physical healing was obvious but God brought a healing of heart to this one who sat by the Temple gate. Through the gift of faith he has a relationship with the living God-The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Where did Peter’s bold and courageous confrontation come from? Peter too had been the recipient of such healing from this same Jesus. No, Peter’s struggle was not a crippling disease but it was a heart crippled by sin. The effect of that sin displayed in the denial of his friend. But Peter had found healing and peace in the forgiveness extended to him by Jesus.
Surprise! God had a surprise for the crowd that day in the temple courts -God desires that they, too, should share in what He has to offer.
So Peter pleads with the crowds” “Repent and turn to God that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” You might expect that to those who had crucified the very Son of God, God’s attitude might have been “enough is enough.” You have had your opportunity-the plan of God was clearly proclaimed by the prophets-you missed it! But Surprise! He is the God who desires that all people have an eternal relationship with Him and He does all that it takes to make this happen. The Christ went to the cross to bear on His body the sin of the whole world. The Bible describes Jesus, who was without sin, became sin for us. Jesus would express the heart and desire of God even while hanging on the cross, watching soldiers gamble for His garments. He cried out as death was approaching, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” To those in Jerusalem that day Peter said, “Repent, turn from your sin—turn to God by confessing that He whom you killed is in fact your Savior.”
Peter knows what is at stake here. He is a recipient of God’s grace and mercy and his words become the means by which God offers that grace to those who would listen.
To simply hear this story today as an interesting and even surprising account taken from the pages of an ancient book would be to miss the intent of God for you this day. God provides this story for you because He desires a personal connection with you.
Here is a startling statement, one that you might not like to hear, but it is the truth. My sin killed Jesus, and so did yours. I know that’s extreme language, but it is true. The reflection of my life and yours in the mirror of God’s perfect moral law is an ugly reflection. God gives Ten Commandments, and I keep none of them in the manner God requires — and neither do you. We bend and twist His law trying to make it manageable, trying to justify our actions, trying to come up with what we think is a passing grade with God. God’s Law says: “You shall not steal.” We rationalize: “What is a little adjustment to my 1040? After all the government wastes my tax money anyway. At times, they even spend it on things that I do not morally support. I should just use it for my family. God understands.” God’s Law says: “You shall not commit adultery.” (We respond:) “Why, if I am surfing the Internet, watch a little porn, who gets hurt? It’s not like I am unfaithful to my spouse. God understands.” God’s law says: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” (We reply:) “Sunday morning; it’s the only day I have to catch up on sleep. We do family things on Sunday morning. God understands, doesn’t He? Well, doesn’t He? God understands. He understands that we do not measure up. Nobody’s perfect. That is true, but our imperfection is not an excuse for our sin before a Holy perfect God.”
We do not measure up. We will never measure up. But God in Christ has measured up for us. God does not dumb down His Law so that we can rise to the minimum standard. God does not ignore our sin and say, “Well, they just do the best they can.” God provides a solution to our sin. His solution is Jesus Christ who has kept His Law perfectly in our place. Rather than playing our foolish games and trying to justify ourselves before God, He says turn from your sin: “Come to Me that your sins may be wiped out.” Forgiven! Non-existent. Remembered by Him no more.
Surprise!-This God proclaimed by Peter is the God whose love is for you. As we come to Him acknowledging our sin, He brings times of refreshing. He gives forgiveness. Never withholding His love-never saying, “First get your life together” or “Show me that you are trying and then I will love you.” To Peter, who had let Him down, denied Him, claiming that he did not even know Him-to Peter, Jesus gave forgiveness.
He says the same to you, whether society would call your sin great or small. Before God it is all the same-a total offense. Your sin separates you from God. But Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for your sin. Today He says you are forgiven-know the time of refreshment. Know that the burden of your sin has been laid on Christ and you are free from its penalty. You are forgiven. If you are tempted to respond to me today and say-“Yes, but, you don’t know what I have done-the things that I have thought, words from my mouth, the magnitude of my sin is great, God could never forgive one like me,” you are partially right. I don’t know the magnitude of your sin, but God does. And He still says, “Come to me”-across your life He speaks His grace–forgiven. Loved! This is the magnitude of God’s love for you.
If you are feeling today, “Well, I’m not so bad; I know people with a far less righteous life than me; surely my righteous lifestyle is worth something to God,” this is self deception of the worst kind. No one measures up-no one. Turn from your self-deception and find real refreshment in Jesus Christ. Later in his life,John, who accompanied Peter that day in Jerusalem, would write,”If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Is that surprising for you today? It is always surprising for me. I am always caught off guard by this God who brings me His eternal time of refreshing. The God who never tires of loving and forgiving. I hope you never tire of hearing and receiving what He has to give. God’s love and forgiveness does not mean that all the struggles of life will end,but rather it means in the midst of all that life can throw at us, God is with us.
I have a young friend. She is a member of my church-her name is Jenny and she is 11 years old. For the past nine years she has dealt with mitochondrial disease. Her mind is sharp but her muscles are held captive by this disease. She doesn’t speak but communicates through as assistive device or sometimes the blinking of her eyes. She is a blessing and an inspiration to many. She lives each day with more struggles than many of us have in a lifetime. As a baptized child of God,she lives each day in the security of God’s love and grace. Jenny recently wrote, “I see my friends watch me and wonder how I can be happy being me. Today, I went to church and just sat on my mommy’s lap thinking, ‘I was so lucky. I am loved. I am loved by Jesus, my family, my friends and my teachers.'” Jenny knows this magnificent love that God has for her in Christ. I hope today that you know the same. It is love that is eternal and brings comfort and joy, even on the toughest days.
Following the healing of a beggar by the temple gate, the crowd was attracted by the obvious ability of the beggar to walk. But Peter’s message was clear. The greatest problem in life is not walking, but rather the condition of our heart and our broken relationship with our heavenly Father. The healing of that relationship happens on God’s terms, not ours, and we receive it only by His grace. Life will continue to have its joys and its sorrows- this side of eternity, problems will not disappear. But in the midst of both comes our Savior Jesus Christ, who daily forgives your sin, who loves you and desires you to be His own.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for April 26, 2009
Announcer: What’s in a name? I’m Mark Eischer. With me, answering questions about that seemingly innocent subject is Pastor Ken Klaus.
Klaus: Hello, Mark.
Announcer: This is a question which may or may not take much time to answer. In the Bible, certain names were given to people for a purpose. Sometimes names were even changed to reflect some aspect of their relationship with God. Abram became Abraham and Saul goes by the name of Paul. Many names that are still popular today come from the Bible, for example: John, Elizabeth, and Sarah.
Klaus: …and some that aren’t. I don’t think I’ve ever met a child named Habbakuk or Zepheniah.
Announcer: Probably not. I know people who don’t like the names their parents picked for them. I also know many folks nowadays choose names today because they just like the way they sound and not because of any meaning behind them. But does the Bible say anything about the names parents give their children?
Klaus: So the question really is: are there names which are right and names which are wrong.
Announcer: Or does the Bible approve of certain names and disapprove of others?
Klaus: It’s a fascinating question. I would imagine that everyone who hates the name their parents picked for them is listening very carefully.
Announcer: No doubt.
Klaus: Mark, I think we could make this a really short Q and A. All I would have to say is, “Nope, the Bible is silent on the subject. It is true that in Bible times there were special names given for special people. Jesus would certainly be the most obvious and most important-His name, Yeshua, Joshua-Jesus-means “God saves.” Even so, there is no Scriptural command to do the same today. That would mean parents are free to pick whatever name they would like for their child.
Announcer: That’s pretty simple. Should we continue on with another subject?
Klaus: We could, but there might be a few things which, although not Biblically mandated, still might be proper to speak about.
Announcer: Such as?
Klaus: For example, of all the many Baptisms I’ve done, I’ve never had a child named “Judas.”
Announcer: As you say, there’s nothing in the Bible to prevent giving such a name.
Klaus: No, there isn’t. At the same time, at least in the western world, at least for the time being, the name Judas is seldom given. The connotations are so negative, the mental images so offensive to people it can cause problems.
Announcer: So, if a set of parents came into your office and requested such a name be given to their child….
Klaus: I think I would probably ask them to think twice. Maybe three times.
Announcer: Anything else on the subject of names?
Klaus: You know, Mark. Once upon a time it was customary for the Puritans to give their children names which they hoped they would grow into and remember.
Announcer: How so?
Klaus: For example, there was a child who was called, “Through Much Tribulation We Enter Into The Kingdom Of Heaven…Crabb.” Her friends called her “Tribby,” which was short for Tribulation. There was also “Stand Fast On High Stringer and Be Of Good Comfort Small and Search The Scriptures Moreton.” Now I bring that up because, although those names were good and proper, they are not the kind of thing a child wants to carry through life.
Announcer: I can imagine them filling out those little boxes on the standardized tests. Not enough spaces! So, try to avoid names with bad connections and do your best to avoid that which might be a burden for your children later on.
Klaus: Once again, what we’re saying here is not a Biblical prohibition, but it is, I think, some pretty sound advice and a matter of common sense.
Announcer: Anything else you would like to add?
Klaus: You mean beyond talking about the family from North Carolina who named their eleven children: Zadie, Zadoc, Zeber, Zylphia, Zenobia, Zeronial, Zeslie, Zeola, Zero, Zula and Zelbert?
Announcer: You’re having way too much fun with this. Anything else for our listeners that might touch upon right and wrong when it comes to names?
Klaus: I suppose I could say it’s not so much important what name appears on a person’s birth certificate. It’s far more important if that name, no matter how strange, weird, unique, or common it might be, is written in the Book of Life, through faith in Jesus, the only name by which we are saved.
Announcer: This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music selection for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“For God So Loved the World” by J. Williamson & J. Young. From By Grace by Songs for the Masses (© 2004 Takestone Music, Nashville) Mass Voice Music/BMI
“Suite in C for Organ” by Charles Callahan. From Love Divine, All Loves Excelling by Charles Callahan. (© 1993 Concordia Publishing House)
“Christ lag in Todesbanden” by J.S. Bach. From A Year of Grace by Craig Cramer (© 2003 Dulcian Productions)