Four Eyes. Four I's.

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. My focus is Acts, Chapter 2. … Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”[1] Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Four-Eyes! Kids called me that as soon as I started wearing glasses. Kids have called their classmates four-eyes for over 100 years. Four-eyes is simply slang for a person who wears glasses. Four I’s is also the title of my sermon. Four I’s as in the letter between H and J, and not the organ for vision. Four I’s: intoxication, indwelling, involvement and indifference. Intoxication and indwelling from Acts; involvement and indifference from our place in the world today.

First, intoxication. We commonly understand intoxication as drunk. Picture Mayberry’s Otis or the lovable Foster Brooks. Drunks. Only for 400 years have we understood intoxication as drunk on rum, rye or red wine. Before that, intoxication meant poisoning. The root word – toxic – pertains to Greek warriors who dipped their arrows in poison before combat and shot them at their enemies.

Intoxicated is what the apostles’ opponents claimed they were. And while I enjoy the way the New Living Translation of the Bible puts it – “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” – the version that reads – “They had too much new wine” – is ironic. Ironic because in the Old Testament, new wine or sweet wine symbolized the joy and abundant blessings that God would give his people in the messianic age.[2] In Joel, we read, “On that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk.”[3]

In Amos, we read, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.”[4]

Jesus hinted that he would give the new wine of divine life when he turned water into wine at Cana. And in Mark, chapter two, he said, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins – and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”[5]And so, at Pentecost, new wine is the Holy Spirit, the gift of love that is poured forth into our hearts.

Though the crowd heard diverse languages from a group of Galileans, their reactions differed widely, from bewilderment to scoffing accusations that the believers were drunk; however, miraculous signs invite faith but do require an explanation of what they signify.[6] In other words, the apostles were intoxicated, but not poisoned. Intoxicated with the Holy Spirit, but not wine.

From intoxication to indwelling. Indwelling describes a medical condition, such as a catheter, but more commonly describes an inner guiding force. Something takes up residence within you and becomes part of you, such as a catheter or a spirit.

Something took up residence in the apostles and became part of them. Acts described this force as the Holy Spirit that descended from heaven like a terrifying wind, filled the house and then rested on each believer.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost reminds us how indispensable the Spirit is for our faith and salvation. Pentecost reminds us that we are not saved by doctrinal orthodoxy or our determination to follow scrupulously rules and commandments. We are saved by the acts of God.

The indwelling Holy Spirit bestows on us the virtues of faith, hope and love from which all other Christian virtues and actions follow. As it did in the first believers, the Spirit produces in us a particular kind of fruit. St. Paul listed the fruit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.[7] In short, the Holy Spirit dwelling within the believer produces the character of Jesus.

On Pentecost, the Trinity imparted a gracious gift that produced in each believer the character of Jesus. Frightened men and women who hid from authorities no longer feared dungeon and death. They faced it because the character of Jesus now dwelt within them. The character of Jesus dwelt within them.

From indwelling to involvement. Acts teaches us that on Pentecost, the believers did not remain in the place where the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Rather, as soon as they received the Holy Spirit, they began to witness.

Following Jesus’ last command – You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth[8] – their witnessing flowed naturally.

Their witnessing began in Jerusalem, and quickly reached Italy, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Libya – the cities and regions mentioned in verses 9 and 10. The Gospel spread like wildfire because Christians – filled with the Holy Spirit – cut people to the heart with words like repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; and save yourselves from this crooked generation.[9]

Christians spoke like that because they were intoxicated with the power of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Spirit brought about their ability to speak other languages, but it was clear that the church was not building a language institute but a body of believers sent to every nation on earth.[10] Christians involved in the world resulted in 3,000 baptisms on Pentecost.

Folks, I have preached and pastored since 1987. I participated in gatherings of a million Christians, and in 2015 traveled to Ecuador where I saw the phenomenal growth of an evangelical churches, but I never witnessed a baptism of 3,000 people. This occurred because Christians intoxicated with the Holy Spirit were involved in the world.

Christians intoxicated with the Holy Spirit involved in the world. … Folks, are you intoxicated with the Holy Spirit? Does the Holy Spirit dwell within you to the degree that you speak and act like you drank too much? Are you involved in the world?

Apart from voting, most Christians avoid involvement in the world. We excuse ourselves because we dislike politics and despise dirty tricks. Yet, we see that Jesus involved himself in the lives of thousands of people by teaching God’s Word, forgiving their sins, healing their infirmities and quenching their hunger. In short, Jesus challenged the establishment.

Jon Kuhrt, a Christian involved with London’s homeless recently wrote, “We have no choice about being political because if we choose not to engage then it is a vote for the status quo … Christians [must] be involved because we believe in a God who cares passionately about his world and his creation, and consequently how it is run. The Bible is hugely political – in that it is about how God wants people to behave and act towards him, and towards each other. This involves economics and law because these are tools that need to be used to build justice.

As believers in God we have much to bring to politics – a deeper commitment to justice and compassion which throughout history has made a difference in the political sphere through people like William Wilberforce, Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu and many others.”

Kuhrt goes on to say, “Be involved in your local community – what issues do local people care about? How can you help make a noise about key issues local to you?  How does your church or youth group connect with issues of justice either locally or globally?  How can you build knowledge of what is going on and get passionate with others about making a stand?

Join the Christian group of the party that you believe in and be an advocate for Jesus’ politics within it.  Be brave and courageous – don’t just follow the crowd, but be willing to ask the difficult questions.”[11] Be involved, but be indifferent.

Hence, my last point, indifference. My last point does not contradict my previous point. By indifference I do not mean apathy or a “who cares” or “whatever” attitude. On the contrary, holy indifference means total openness to God’s will in one’s life. In other words, whatever God wills for me, I will strive with all my heart, mind and soul to conform to His will. I will not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short one.

How did Jesus expect His disciples to attain holy indifference? How did the first Christians achieve acceptance of God’s will? How did sentenced Christians bring glory to Christ? Through a constant, dynamic prayer life which led them to total confidence in God and a willingness to give themselves wholly to the Trinity.

They were indifferent because they knew God directed them. Their love for Father, Son and Spirit was so deep that all obstacles between God and themselves were removed to the point that they knew how to use things properly, for example, talent, money, property or politics to glorify God. They were able to do so because they recognized that all things came from God, and that all people were from God. Hence, the first Christians not only withstood their enemies’ insults about intoxication, but also welcomed them if they brought glory to Christ and His Gospel.

Friends, four-eyes is not the worst insult people will hurl at you. Intoxication is not the worst accusation people will make. A Christian intoxicated with the indwelling Holy Spirit involved in the world who employs holy indifference will make all the difference needed to bring about God’s Kingdom because of what Father, Son and Spirit have done. Allow God to work in you, and know that when He does, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] Psalm 122.

[2] William S. Kurz, Acts of the Apostles. (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing, 2013), 46.

[3] Joel 3:18.

[4] Amos 9:13-14.

[5] Mark 2:22.

[6] Kurz, 46.

[7] Galatians 5:22-23.

[8] Acts 1:8.

[9] Acts 2:37-40.

[10] John W. Martens, “Continuing Education,” America. May 16, 2016.

[11] Krish Kandiah, “Why Christians should be involved in politics,” https://resistanceandrenewal.net/

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Scripture, with Christ and in the Church Today

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. … My sermon focuses on the role of the Holy Spirit in Scripture, with Christ and in the Church today.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”[1] Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

On May 23, 1987, I was one of five men ordained at St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While the ordained laid hands on us and prayed, the congregation sang Veni Creator Spiritus or Come, Creator Spirit. We sing this hymn on Pentecost, marking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church, as Jesus promised. Years later, as you heard in my prayer, I still ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten my mind and move my heart to love deeply as Jesus loved.

Today, I examine the Spirit and Scripture, the Spirit and Christ, and the Spirit and the Church. First, the Spirit and Scripture.

The word spirit comes from the Latin spīritus meaning breath. Spirit is the force or principle of life that animates the body of living things. It can also mean temperament, liveliness or mood. We got spirit. Yes we do. We got spirit. How bout you?

In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God is present in at least three ways. First, the Spirit of God is present in creating the world and sustaining life. The Bible’s second verse reads, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

The Spirit of God is also present in history, using a rebellious Israel to reveal God’s redemptive purpose. In Psalm 106, we read how Israel angered God and troubled Moses by the waters of Meribah, for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses’ lips.[2]

Finally, the Spirit of God is present in individual believers. For example, in Ezekiel we read, “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”[3]

The Chaldean King, Belshazzar, recognized the spirit in Daniel enabled him to interpret dreams.[4] Finally, the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed God’s promise. “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”[5]

In short, the Spirit of God has always been active. It is that Spirit Jesus promised to send to the Church. My second point, the Spirit and Christ.

You may be aware that over the next several weeks, we will celebrate Pentecost and Holy Trinity Sundays. The readings chosen for these last weeks of Easter purposefully point towards the power of the Spirit Christ and His Father promised to send. Since we spend so little time focusing on the Holy Spirit, we should reacquaint ourselves.

Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God. He is not an "it." He is not a divine influence or a fleecy white cloud, a ghost or concept. He is a Person possessing a will, intellect and emotions. He is God – with all the deity’s attributes. He is the Third person of the Trinity – co-equal with God the Father and God the Son.

Why did the Holy Spirit come? Could we not follow the Law and Gospel without a Helper? It seems to me the Holy Spirit meddles too much. After all, the Church of the East and West never agreed on the exact wording of the Nicene Creed because of the Holy Spirit. Some ministers never preach about the Holy Spirit, preferring to talk only about Jesus Christ. So, why do good and proper Christians need the Holy Spirit? Because the Holy Spirit enables me to know Christ.

The Holy Spirit enables me to know Christ and gives me the power to live and share the abundant life that Jesus promised to all who trust and obey Him.

I cannot live this abundant life apart from the help of the Holy Spirit for the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control,[6] all qualities of the abundant life.

Yet, people deny the Holy Spirit. In fact, not long after the Church penned the Nicene Creed and settled the Arian controversy, another sect declared the Holy Spirit inferior to the Father and Son. Fortunately, theologians like Basil the Great defended the deity of the Holy Spirit. Basil cited not only the words of Jesus, who taught that sin against the Holy Spirit is unpardonable,[7] but also the Acts of the Apostles where Satan filled the heart of Ananias who lied to the Holy Spirit.[8]

Sadly, today there are numerous nontrinitarian denominations including Christian Scientists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Quakers or Friends, Jehovah's Witnesses and the Unitarian Universalists.[9] This is not to say that they are bad people, but we must be clear about our beliefs and teachings regarding the Holy Spirit. My third point, the Spirit and the Church.

The orthodox teachings of Martin Luther remind us that the Holy Spirit empowers the church to perform its mission.[10] Without the Spirit, could the first followers of Jesus remember his words and deeds? Could they read the Law and Prophets through the prism of His Paschal Mystery? In other words, the Spirit inspired writers to remember how Christ fulfilled Scripture. Those who followed Jesus, saw Him die and witnessed Him alive passed on the Good News. Today, that good news is announced to you. You are saved through Christ.

The Spirit brings us into a saving relationship with Christ. However, without the Spirit, could the first followers remember Christ? Think how powerful a force the Holy Spirit is – that we know the story of a man born 2,000 years ago.

To put that force into perspective, consider that 100 years after you draw your last breath, 100 years after your spirit is gone, no one will remember you. Your great-great grandchildren will not know your name or know your favorite ice cream flavor. Wanna bet? Name your 16 great-great grandparents. Now, name their favorite ice cream.

I say that because most of the time we do not remember those who have gone before us, but on Memorial Day, we remember those who died fighting for our nation. With that, a personal story.

Most people never heard of Private First Class Leonard F. Cwynar. I never met my Uncle Leonard, eldest son of John and Helen Cwynar. The War Department declared him dead on the Anzio Beachhead during Operation Shingle, the costliest battle of the Second World War. I say ‘declared dead’ because not enough remains were left to identify Leonard. He was one of 67,000 Allied casualties. The enemy suffered 25,000 casualties. Audie Murphy and James Arness survived.

We have no pictures of Leonard, but we have his letters. This is his last – written to my grandparents on March 10, 1944 from the Anzio Beachhead in Italy.

Dear Mom & Dad, … Just dropping you a few lines to let you know that I am in fine health. I feel better today than I have for quite a while. I wasn’t sick, just plain tired. Will you please say hello to all my friends cause I don’t have time to write them. Thank Mrs. Weigel for the card she sent me. Tell Weigels, Ewings, Hollisters, and Red I said hello. I miss all the folks at home and will be glad when it’s over.

I didn’t hear Roosevelt’s Christmas Eve speech … I’m running out of words and paper so until my next letter, So long and God Bless You. … Love, Leonard.…

I can read you Uncle Leonard’s last letter because my grandparents, father and uncles loved and remembered him. I can read you Scripture, God’s letters, because the first followers of Jesus loved and remembered Him. … Love, the power of the Holy Spirit, enables the Church to remember and present Christ as active and alive in every continent and culture for 21 centuries.

The Holy Spirit also empowers us to share how Christ is active in our lives. … You would not have heard of PFC Leonard Cwynar if I had not talked about him. You would not know Christ if His first followers had not talked about Him. Will Christ be remembered if you do not share what He did for you? In a word, no.

So, what prevents you from sharing your faith? Memorial Day reminds us no ordinary soldiers sacrificed supremely. Only extraordinary soldiers. The promise of the Holy Spirit reminds us no ordinary Christians sacrifice supremely for the Gospel, only extraordinary Christians.

For me, the last 30 years have been extraordinary. Every chance I get to preach God’s Word is extraordinary. Likewise, your chance to live an extraordinary Christian life is right before your eyes. All you have to do is believe the power of the Holy Spirit is present in the ordinary moments of life. All you have to do is share with your family how the Spirit is active and alive in you. Then, 70 or 150 years after your spirit leaves your body, people will remember you as the most extraordinary Christian whoever lived and loved.

On Memorial Day, honor those who sacrificed their lives by sharing the Gospel. Honor those who shared the Gospel with you by remembering them. Thank them and thank God for them. When you do, may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7). Amen.

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[1] Psalm 122

[2] Psalm 106:32-33

[3] Ezekiel 36:26-27

[4] Daniel 5:10ff

[5] Jeremiah 31:33

[6] Galatians 5:22

[7] Matthew 12:31-32

[8] Acts 5:3-4 (See also http://cyclopedia.lcms.org/display.asp?t1=s&word=SIN.THEUNPARDONABLE).

[9] See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity#Holy_Spirit_as_God

[10] Matthew 28:19-20

Hope While Suffering

God’s grace, peace and mercy to you. My theme for today’s sermon is Hope while Suffering. My focus is our Epistle.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

We define the verb suffer: to submit to or be forced to endure. It also means to feel keenly or labor under. Additionally, it means to endure death, pain, or distress; to sustain loss or damage; or to be subject to disability or handicap.

In the mid-13^th century, English speakers incorporated the word into their language from the French who adopted it from Latin. Throughout its history, the word has not changed much with the exception of the phrase Suffering Succotash, an exclamation of annoyance and surprise, made famous by the cartoon character Sylvester the Cat.

Sometimes we use the word in the narrow sense of physical pain, but more often we mean psychological pain, or in the very broad sense, any unpleasant feeling, emotion or sensation. The words pain and suffering are often used together but in different ways. For instance, they may be used as interchangeable synonyms or to contrast differences. One says “pain is physical, suffering is mental”, or “pain is inevitable, suffering is optional”. They may also be used to define each other, as in “pain is physical suffering”, or “suffering is severe physical or mental pain”. Other words with some similarity to suffering include distress, unhappiness, misery, affliction, woe, ill, discomfort, displeasure or disagreeableness.

Since much of the New Testament was written against the backdrop of the Greek world, we turn to see what their philosophers said about suffering. The Cynics taught that suffering is alleviated by achieving mental clarity or freedom from some false belief, mindlessness or folly. One must develop self-sufficiency and love of humanity.

The Hedonist Epicurus advocated that we should first seek to avoid suffering and the unwelcome consequences of fleeting pleasures. His version of Hedonism claims that good and bad consist ultimately in pleasure and pain.

For the Stoics, the greatest good rested in reason and virtue, but the soul best reached the greatest good through an indifference to pleasure and pain. As a consequence, this doctrine became identified with stern self-control.

While the writers of the New Testament were persuaded by Greek schools of thought and culture, they were influenced to a greater degree by the Old Testament.

Suffering in the Old Testament is mostly understood in terms of pain, sorrow, affliction and anguish, emanating from different and numerous experiences, such as loss of loved ones, property or land, sickness, guilt or frustration because of the absence of God. Pain or affliction may also be physical or emotional brought about by childbirth, manual labor, or the effects of war and hunger.

Suffering is inherent in the nature of creation and is a result of sin or the transgression of God’s law. The latter view is the more dominant, and is understood in terms of retributive justice or punishment. In other words, actions have consequences. Good deeds or good behavior lead to reward, while bad actions or bad behavior lead to punishment.

Retribution is seen in terms of the direct intervention of God. This is emphasized in Deuteronomy, the Prophets, the Wisdom of Solomon and the Book of Job. A just God has the power and will to execute justice. Now, there is a lot more that can be said of suffering for breaking God’s law, as well as innocent suffering as portrayed in Job, and vicarious suffering, such as that endured by Isaiah the Suffering Servant, but suffice it to say that the New Testament writers were inspired and influenced by the culture, the Holy Spirit and Sacred Scripture as they penned the gospels and epistles. So, we move from suffering in the Greek and Hebrew worlds to suffering in the early Church.

Peter has been bringing both words of hope and caution to his readers in the first chapters of the letter. They should act in ways that are honorable and holy so that their neighbors and family members have no reason to criticize them. The tension inherent in their situation comes to the fore in our passage, where Peter asks the question that seems to be plaguing his audience: “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?”

You see, followers of Jesus were on the recipients of slander and malicious talk. They were treated this way because of their allegiance to Jesus as Lord in a culture where withdrawing from temple worship of their former gods was equivalent to treason. Into this difficult situation, Peter advises Christians to adhere as much as possible to the expectations of state and household: “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.”[1]

So, when Peter asks the question of 3:13, his audience could easily respond that they have been harmed precisely for doing good -- for following their Lord. But it seems that Peter asks the question to call for even deeper reflection on their situation. He will readily concede in the very next breath that it is possible for his audience to suffer slander even as they live worthy lives, but seems to want his readers to do a double check when this kind of external pressure comes their way.

The need for self-reflection comes into even greater focus in verse 17 where he wonders aloud about the absurdity of suffering for doing good “if that should be God’s will.” Peter is bent on ensuring that the slander directed toward these Christians comes from their allegiance to Jesus and nothing else.

Pursuing allegiance is a central appeal of this passage: “in your hearts honor Christ as holy.”[2] In a world of many lords and gods, these believers are to have only one Lord and are to be ready to speak to the hope they share in common with the community of faith. By speaking of their hope respectfully, humbly and honorably, they remain above reproach even if they are slandered by neighbors and family members. The hope held out is that their honorable behavior will put to shame those who slander them.

In the rest of our chapter, Peter offers the example of Jesus to encourage his readers. The narrative trajectory of Jesus’ life gives them hope. As Jesus was vindicated after he suffered unjustly, so these struggling followers can look forward to vindication if they commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

There are numerous difficulties interpreting vv. 18-22, most notably the identity of disobedient and imprisoned spirits, the nature of Christ’s preaching or proclamation to them, and the source or rationale for the analogy between Noah’s situation and the community’s situation.

An answer to these three significant textual questions comes from the Jewish apocalyptic book, 1^st Enoch, which dates from about the second century B.C. In Enoch 6-16, we hear an expanded interpretation of Genesis 6-9 in its narration of the exponential growth of human sinfulness and the subsequent flood, which only Noah’s family survived. In 1^st Enoch, the Nephilim, or giants of Genesis 6:4, give birth to evil spirits who bring great wickedness upon the earth that is the impetus for the great flood.

The author of 1^st Peter draws on this expanded telling of sin and flood from Enoch to assert Christ’s proclamation of victory over all evil, including the spirits “in prison,” a picture of God’s patient restraint from their destruction. Christ’s victory over death brings his full lordship over all angels, authorities, and powers, including these spirits who epitomize evil.

Because of his resurrection and his vindication, those who trust Jesus can be assured that they, like Noah’s family, will be rescued through water, an analogy for Christian baptism. If the readers of 1^st Peter knew about Enoch the way we know the writings of modern Christian authors, then we know that they hear the story of Jesus’ vindication after suffering and his removal of all opposing powers. This gives hope that their own suffering will turn into vindication.

Now, let’s move out of Peter’s world and into our own where we are influenced not only by contemporary philosophies, but also by faith. As Greek thinkers influenced the world in which Jesus and his first followers lived, modern philosophers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill affected our culture. They developed and promoted hedonistic utilitarianism, a popular doctrine in ethics, politics and economics. Bentham argued that the right act or policy was that which would cause the greatest happiness of the greatest number. Others advocated the use of biotechnology to abolish suffering. Still others taught that we should consider not only the interests of human beings but also those of animals.

Humanitarianism seeks to make the unhappy happy rather than the happy happier. It is a main ingredient in many of our social attitudes.

Now, I am not against making unhappy people happy or happy people happier. Yet, I know that truly deep happiness is rooted in something beyond this world and the time I spend living in it. For me, the Resurrection means everything, and therefore, the teachings of the Resurrected One, our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, mean everything to me. It is in Him and His teachings that I find true happiness.

Nevertheless, not every moment of my life and not every event in my life stirs happiness. Suffering still is part and parcel of my life as a Christian.

So, we want to be careful in making direct comparisons between 1^st century Christians and 21^st century Christians in the U.S., where we often have significant advantages in relation to people of other faiths. Many live and work among people who practice a non-Christian faith or no faith at all.

Yet some of the themes we hear in our epistle resonate with us. As Peter pressed his readers to greater self-reflection to ensure that any suffering they experienced came only from their allegiance to Christ, so we might consider that any persecution we encounter arises not because of our faith, but possibly because of bad behavior.

That said, suffering occurs in our world. Beyond the suffering we experience when death is pending or sickness is present, when we face the strain of finances, friendships or families because of mandated lock-downs, there is suffering directly related to living as a Christian, and we need to be aware of it as much as 1^st century Christians were. We are aware that 1^st century Christian were persecuted for being Christian, but did you know that there were more martyrs in the 20^th century than under any Roman ruler?

Throughout the 20^th century, faithful Christians were murdered throughout Mexico, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Communist China and Vietnam, as well as many oppressive regimes in South America, Eastern Europe and Asia. Today, Christian persecution occurs regularly in North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Pakistan, India and many other nations.

In Iran, Christians, face systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. The government of Libya trains militants to attack Coptic Christians. Even in France, vandalism, theft, arson and other increasing attacks are occurring on churches. Bishops of Nigeria asked the faithful to wear black on Ash Wednesday to protest the ongoing persecution of Christians in their country. Worldwide, 260 million Christians are suffering from persecution as I speak.

What do they ask us and what is there we can do for people who suffer at this time? I want you to pray, engage and partner with believers who share our faith but not our freedom. Pray, engage and partner with believers who share our faith but not our freedom.

Look, realistically, we can still gather in stores or walk our dogs and engage in friendly conversations with one another. So, as a congregation, we can still pray together for persecuted Christians throughout the world.

My friends, it may seem that suffering seems to be winning the day, but the story of Jesus offers hope to all who follow in His footsteps for we know deep within our hearts that the God who vindicated and exalted Him, offers the same to us. Today, pray, engage and partner with others suffering from whatever life hurls at them, and know that the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] 1 Peter 2:15.

[2] 1 Peter 3:15.

Peter: Person, Pericope, Prayer

God’s grace, peace and mercy to you. My theme for today’s sermon is The Three P’s of Peter. My focus is our Epistle.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

By Three P’s of Peter, I mean Person, Pericope and Prayer. First, Person. The person we know as Peter was originally named Simeon or Simon. We do not know when he was born, but Peter was the son of Jonah and the brother of Andrew, and they were natives of Bethsaida, near Lake Tiberias.

Jesus gave Simon the name Cephas, meaning Rock; hence Peter, from the Greek word Petros. Most of what we know about Peter comes from the Bible. The three Synoptic Gospels – Mark, Matthew and Luke – recount how Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law at their home in Capernaum,[1] which clearly depicts Peter as being married. Paul also implies that Peter was married.[2] The name of his wife is unknown.

The Synoptic Gospels tell us that Peter and Andrew were fishermen. In Matthew and Mark, Jesus called Simon and his brother to be ‘fishers of men.’[3] The Gospel of John also depicts Peter fishing, even after the resurrection of Jesus.

Of the Twelve Apostles called by Jesus, his name is always listed first. When Jesus walked on the water, Matthew describes Peter as walking on water for a moment before he began to sink when his faith wavered.[4] At the beginning of the Last Supper, when Jesus washed his disciples' feet, Peter initially refused, but when Jesus told him: “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me,” he yielded, but requested: “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” We know that the washing of feet is often repeated in the service of worship on Maundy Thursday.[5]

When Jesus was arrested, Peter cut off the ear of Malchus, a High Priest’s servant.[6] We know that subsequently Peter denied Jesus, and that he was the first Apostle to enter the tomb on Easter Sunday.

Twice, Peter was arraigned before the Sanhedrin and directly defied them.[7] After receiving a vision from God that allowed for the eating of previously unclean animals, he took a missionary journey to Lydda, Joppa and Caesarea, becoming instrumental in the decision to evangelize Gentiles.[8] Peter was imprisoned by Agrippa, but was rescued by an angel, and left Jerusalem. Concerning his subsequent activity, there is no further information from extant sources, although there are short notices of certain individual episodes of his later life. The date of Peter’s death is about 64 AD. He died in Rome by crucifixion but upside-down because he felt unworthy to die as Jesus did.

Two general epistles in the New Testament are ascribed to Peter, but many scholars generally reject his authorship. The Gospel of Mark was traditionally thought to show the influence of Peter's preaching and eyewitness memories. Several other books bearing his name‍ —‌ Acts of Peter, Gospel of Peter, Preaching of Peter, Apocalypse of Peter, and Judgment of Peter ‍—‌ are considered apocryphal and are not included in any version of the Bible.

And so, we segue from my first point, Person, to my second, Pericope. Pericope – not a word as familiar to people today as social-distancing, but definitely older. It means a section or an excerpt from a book, particularly a passage of Scripture appointed to be read. Pericope was first used in the English language in the 1650s. Pericope is a Greek word literally meaning a cutting all round, from peri meaning around or about and kopē meaning a cutting, as one cuts wood with a hatchet.

Our pericope today is First Peter 2:2-10. Now, first of all, you should know that the early Christians were sometimes accused of being atheists by their pagan neighbors and pagan authorities. This is because primitive Christianity did not have temples, priests or sacrifices. Nor were there any icons that openly signified their faith. In fact, early Christianity did not have any of the things that most people usually associate with religion; hence the accusation of atheism.

There is no doubt that Jewish and pagan converts to Christianity felt something was missing in their new faith. They missed their rituals. For Jews, this uneasiness was compounded by the fact that they no longer had access to the Temple for important Jewish pilgrimages. New Christians in Asia Minor or modern Turkey felt out of place. They were strangers and foreigners, spiritually and socially, because of their allegiance to Christ and his people. And, Peter attempted to alleviate their feeling of displacement and estrangement.

Although the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., Peter described Christian believers as living stones built into a spiritual house. The Old Testament Tabernacles and Temples were a concession. It was how God’s Presence abided with his people on earth, while sin was still a problem. Now that the sin problem was dealt with by Jesus, God no longer uses Tabernacles and Temples because his Presence is within us and among us. God’s chosen sanctuary is his people.

The “rock-stone” image is common in Scripture. There is the stumbling stone, the foundation stone, the parental rock, the rejected but vindicated building stone, the supernatural stone and the burdensome stone.[9]

The “rock-stone” image was also a messianic title among Jews and Christians. Jesus’ claim of being the Messiah was rejected by Jewish leaders.[10] They expressed their rejection and disapproval of Jesus and had him executed. He was cast aside as rubble that others now trip and stumble over.

While Jesus was rejected by some, he was chosen and exalted by God. He is the choice and precious capstone, the pinnacle of the spiritual house. All believers are integrated into this house as living stones. Peter says that Jesus is the cornerstone in the foundation of the Spiritual house, and in verse 7, he also says that Jesus is the capstone, the apex, the highest point and unifying center of the building under which we all take our place.

Interestingly, the name that Jesus gave to Simon, that is, Peter, means rock. In today’s passage, however, Peter uses the Greek word lithos for stone, and not petros (rock), so that he does not draw any attention to his name.

Our epistle continues by referring to Christian men and women as a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a people for his possession.

A Chosen People: Our epistle was addressed mainly to Jewish Christians who are referred to in Isaiah 43:20 as a chosen people or a chosen race, into which Gentile Christian believers are grafted to become joint beneficiaries of God’s favor, grace and mercy with their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ.

A Royal Priesthood: Under the New Covenant, all followers of Jesus Christ, both men and women, are part of a priesthood. All of us can offer spiritual sacrifices—of praise, thankfulness, contrition, devotion and obedience—directly to God. We can be sure that our sacrifices are accepted when we offer them through Jesus. We do not need any other mediator or priest other than Jesus, our High Priest.

A Holy Nation: The nation of Israel had been set apart by God as holy.[11] The description of believers as a holy nation reinforces the concept of obedience and sanctification . . . Ancient Israel’s holiness as a nation derived from the Holy King of the universe, who had cut a covenant with them, binding themselves to him as his chosen nation and special possession.

God’s Own Possession: Being God’s own possession means that we are separate and distinct from unbelievers. Paul’s letters remind us that God has called us out of darkness and brought us into his kingdom of light, so we must abstain from the deeds of darkness. I am part of God’s own possession. I belong to him. One of our responsibilities as people belonging to God is that we make known his mighty acts or his eminent qualities.

At this time in our lives, we may feel restricted in making known God’s mighty acts or eminent qualities, but that will soon end, and so will my sermon. So, let’s move onto my third point, Prayer.

Throughout his life of ministry, Jesus encouraged his disciples to pray earnestly to the end. Luke recorded that when Jesus was in the Mount of Olives, he was in agony but prayed more earnestly. In Acts, when Peter was in prison, the church prayed earnestly to God for him.

So, what is prayer? Prayer is the necessary foundation of our work as church and individuals. It is communal and personal. We pray in our sanctuaries and rooms. To paraphrase one holy person, prayer is God looking at me, and me looking at God. It is from the heart, but it is also vocal. We speak the Lord’s Prayer as Jesus taught it to his disciples. Prayer also involves reading Scripture.

However, my friends, we all take time away from prayer. This summer, many of us may look for the opportunity to get out of our homes and go on vacation. Unfortunately, for some, vacation means time away from Word, Sacrament, public worship and private prayer. We become spiritually lazy. Oswald Chambers once wrote, “We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints.” We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints. That is why I am giving you this free prescription to combat spiritual laziness.

When I pray the Scriptures, I use the Five Ps of Prayer: Passage, Place, Posture, Presence and Passage. The Five Ps of Prayer is an easy method for anyone. Let me outline it for you.

First, Passage. Depending on the circumstances, choose a Scripture passage. Read it slowly several times until a word or phrase rises to the surface.

Place. Choose a place where you will not be disturbed. It may be in your home or a quiet church.

Posture. Find a sturdy comfortable chair that will allow you to sit upright. Posture is important. Do not slouch or lie down.

Presence. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Start there and gradually increase your prayer time to 25 minutes. Close your eyes so you are not distracted. Be present to God as He is present to you. Thoughts, feelings, physical discomforts and audible distractions will occur. Stand firm in the stream and let these distractions flow by as flotsam and jetsam go downstream.

Passage. When you get distracted, return to the passage and refocus. When your minutes have passed, close your meditation by reciting aloud The Lord’s Prayer.

Because you and I have the capacity to become spiritually lazy saints, but truly wish to imitate Jesus, try the Five Ps of Prayer for 25 minutes a day for the next 30-some years – the lifespan of Jesus. I guarantee you a deeper, richer, fuller, more intimate relationship with our Triune God. And this method has a money-back guarantee. I guarantee you that if you are not fully satisfied; you can return it … for your old relationship with God. …

Now, my wife Cindy, and I pray daily. In the morning, we take a few minutes for reciting aloud the psalms and other passages. At meals we always pray and we each have our own devotional readings. Every afternoon around four, we spend 30 minutes meditating on a Scripture passage. Right now, we are focused on the Resurrection appearances.

When I pray over Scripture passages and apply them to my life, I don’t fret so much about the Wuhan virus, travel restrictions, cancelled plans, portfolio losses. I tune out the bitterness and fear-mongering of the media and turn my mind and heart to what God does for me. My belief in my Resurrected Lord enables me to accept what I cannot change. I cannot change my date or place of birth, my height, gender or race, my parents or siblings. My belief in a Risen Lord also means that I accept whatever the Lord provides and not to prefer wealth over poverty, honor over dishonor, health over sickness or a long life over a short one. My relationship with the Holy Spirit enables me to see that our Triune God gives me all I need because He gives me love and grace.

God – working in Jesus through the Holy Spirit – has ultimate power over all things in our natural and supernatural world, including Satan. There are times when I want God to fix in me and others what I deem as sinful … and I want him to fix it now. Yet, despite the sin we see in our lives and in our world, we remain hopeful, knowing that we are nourished by what God gives us: Word and Sacrament. We know that evil will ultimately be vanquished and complete unity with God will be realized.[12] However, what God does will only occur through prayer, that is, complete dependence on God and never a reliance upon myself. And so, I continue to pray.

Friends, as you begin your Five P’s or Prayer and take your faith into the world, I pray that you place yourself at the feet of Jesus, and ask Him to free you from whatever prevents you from giving yourself totally to Him and the abundant life he offers. And I pray that the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keeps your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] Matthew 8:14–17, Mark 1:29–31, Luke 4:38.

[2] 1 Corinthians 9:5.

[3] Matthew 4:18–19, Mark 1:16–17.

[4] Matthew 14:28–31.

[5] cf John 13:1ff.

[6] Matthew 26:51, Mark 14:47, Luke 22:50; John 18:10.

[7] Acts 4:7–22, Acts 5:18–42).

[8] Acts 9:32–Acts 10:2.

[9] See Isaiah 8:14; 28:16; 51:1f.; Psalm 118:22; Daniel 2:34; Zechariah 12:3.

[10] Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22.

[11] Exod. 19:6; Lev. 20:26.

[12] James A. Schmeiser, “Demons, Demonics, Devils,” The New Dictionary of Catholic Spirituality, Michael Downey ed. Collegeville MN: The Liturgical Press, 1993, 259f.