HE HAS RISEN!
HE HAS RISEN INDEED!
Acts 5:17-42
Second Sunday of Easter
(see also John 20:19-31)
Authored 4/13/04
A puzzled teenager came up to me and asked in tears that reflected anger, “where is God?” The question came on the eve of September 11th, 2001. We all know what took place that day and this teenager merely reflected the question that was on the lips of our nation. Where was God when thousands of people lost their lives? Where was God when evil men set upon that course of devastation?
The teen, let’s call him Mark, used to hold onto the comfort that Jesus Christ was always with him. You see before 9/11 Mark never experienced the sort of trial that puts God and His love for us into question. He never really had a problem confessing that Jesus was always with him. He, like you and I, knew of Christ’s sacrifice and he was one of many that stood up on Easter Sunday, just six months earlier and yelled with the rest of the congregation that Jesus Christ has Risen!
For us Easter Sunday is just a week old but already I am sure you have experienced or at the very least come across trials that put God’s love and power into question. It is easy to doubt God’s familiar presence especially when you look at what is taking place around us. Right now “family values” are being attacked by a certain powerful group that wants to get rid of the traditional concept of marriage. And as this group continues to have little victories Christians everywhere wonder, WHERE IS GOD? Then there is the partial birth abortion agenda that is so grizzly I will not even begin to describe the details. But yet when such a thing was legalized, again many Christians cried out saying, WHERE IS GOD?
During the aftermath of 9/11 firemen began there search for survivors. Tower one fell on building six and that is where one fireman began his search… all the while asking, WHERE WAS GOD? That day during his search he found the answer he was looking for. When tower one fell on building six a pocket was created where the firemen could actually walk underneath the rubble of the two buildings. And what they saw as they entered that area filled their hearts with joy and their question with answers. There in the middle of the rubble stood… AN UPRIGHT CROSS. You may have remembered a picture of that cross in newspapers and on websites everywhere. What was shown was a cross made out of I-Beams. At first glance I thought the cross was fashioned together by some Christians who wanted to convey hope to the world. Then I discovered that the cross was not fashioned by man. So I concluded that the cross was a complete piece of an I Beam from Tower one that was ripped apart and just happened to end up looking like a cross. This conclusion was enough for me and it remained my conclusion until only a few days ago.
I found out that the vertical piece of that cross came from Tower one while the horizontal piece came from building six. Two different building I- Beams came together in a cloud of fire and smoke, and thus was forged that one cross. Did you know that? The fireman who was asking the question, WHERE IS GOD found his answer. God was right there in the middle of the mess.
The Disciples had their own version of 9/11 when they thought they lost their Savior and their Lord to the cross. When Jesus was taken captive they ran and hid themselves. Their faith seemed violated. Their hope dashed. Their peace was shattered. When Jesus went up on that cross, the fear escalated and when they hid themselves behind locked doors, they too conveyed the question of WHERE IS GOD? But like the firemen who beheld that upright steel cross and rejoiced in being reminded of God’s presence, the Disciples also had their hope restored when Jesus came to them said, “Peace be with you” and showed them his hands and his side. He then breathed upon them and gave them the Holy Spirit, a gift that would always been needed in this world of sin and doubt.
Seeing their risen Lord caused the fear of their surroundings and their question of God’s presence to take a back seat. Thomas’ confession of “My Lord and My God” resonated in the hearts of every believer that Jesus Christ had Risen and indeed God was with them! And with this victory established in their hearts and the Lord’s spirit with them to sustain their joy, they were able to unlock those doors that they cowered behind for far too long. Then they went forth to share the good news. No matter what was taking place around them or in their own life, they went forward to help others come out of their darkness so that they too could know the truth.
This story would seem so wonderful if all we read from this time forward was that the Disciples, now Apostles had victory over victory in their witnessing to the World. How wonderful it would be to not hear about people or attitudes getting in the way of men and woman going about the task of witnessing. But we know better. Their world was no different than ours today. They too had to face leaders and politicians that sought to tear down what Jesus had raised up.
While the Apostles were telling everyone the good news that Jesus had risen from the grave, the high priest and his associates rose up and put the Apostles in jail. Their political power was enough to halt the path of witnessing for a time. If you wonder how the Apostles might have felt when they were taken prisoner, you can just look into your own heart and see what is there during moments when it seems like Christianity itself has been taken captive while wickedness runs rampant. We end up having the same emotional turmoil to our faith as the Apostles might have had. Because anything other than saving souls and guiding people out of darkness for Christ’s sake is sadness to we Christians. There is nothing more important that being used by Jesus to save lives.
So these Apostles now in prison were being kept from doing what was most important to them; at least for the moment. Because during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison and commanded them saying, “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this life.” And upon hearing this command, the men went forth and began to teach.
These men of God had yet another reminder that God was indeed with them always. Like the day when Jesus appeared to them and again here when the angel set them free, their question of WHERE IS GOD was put to rest. So now I ask all of you, do you have that same rest and certainty today?
We are no different than these men of faith that we read about in Scripture. They like ourselves are weak in spirit and when trials befall us we are quick to hide and question God’s presence and power. Sometimes it seems to us that God has just let this world go, especially when the Devil seems to have his way with the way God’s Word is taught, applied and confessed. Even after such a joyous day like Easter Sunday, we might envision this Sunday as something less than its predecessor, especially if you have been shaking your head in fear over where this world is heading. Yet as we heard last Sunday, today is still Easter and we are still God’s people and God is still with us. He too is setting us free yet again from our captivity and he too commands us today, as the angel did, to go out into this world NOW and tell others the whole message of this life despite the bars that might block our way. And if bars do block our way, our Lord has the power to set us on our path despite the obstacle.
Although seeing a makeshift cross in the midst of devastation helps us to say all the more “MY LORD AND MY GOD” it is in truth just gravy. We really do not need any further evidence of God’s presence in this world, for our lips hold the greatest evidence of all. We like the disciples have been given the same Holy Spirit to go forth into this world and tell others that JESUS CHRIST HAS RISEN FOR THEM. The fact that we have the ability to share this news is evidence enough that GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US for no one can say Jesus is Lord without the Holy Spirit.
It is often hard to believe that our Lord is actively involved within this world, especially during moments when we set out to serve Him and things go anything but smooth. On May 1st we will begin our John 3:16 evangelism effort again. I remember last year’s ministry, especially when we were yelled at for walking on a person’s property. Another person demanded that we take back the Bible that we left behind. So, how are we supposed to react when doors are shut in our face and people treat us like dirt because we love them enough to share the message of Christ? What are we supposed to do? How are we supposed to react?
After the Sadducees discovered that the prisoners were gone, they again rounded up the Apostles. When they were brought before the Sadducees Peter spoke up and said, “We must obey God rather than men.” With these words, Peter teaches us to never put aside our convictions. He also teaches us that even when doors close God will find a way to use us. Peter knew the trouble he could get into by doing what God commanded him to do, instead of what man commanded him to do. Peter continued to share his purpose in life and it seemed that the more he shared, the more he wrote his death notice. The political religious leaders planned on killing the lot of these Apostles after hearing Peter’s testimony. And if you were standing there with the Apostles, it may have looked like the end for you too. But God indeed showed His power in a way that the Apostles would have never predicted. God worked through one of the Sadducees. In other words, God came through again and reminded them all the more that He was with them, even in the face of certain danger.
Gamaliel, a teacher of the law spoke up. He reminded the leaders that there were many in the past who claimed to be somebody and who had a following of some sort. He said that such groups were left alone and as a result they disbanded and were forgotten. And so Gamaliel said, “I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”
What does all this mean for us? Well, even during times when it seems like we are all backed into a corner, and that there is negativity on every side of us, we can trust that God will work in the midst of our efforts to produce something positive. He will stand in our midst and walk with us and guard us according to His will.
We can take this Gamaliel’s unintended prophecy to heart this morning, especially when we see so many of the things that Jesus has built up for us, now being torn down. While the family is being torn asunder, while children are being murdered, while all sorts of freedoms to confess and share Christ and God’s love are being challenged, may we never forget Gamaliel’s prophecy. Because if Jesus were just a myth, then truly we would still be cowering behind closed doors and wondering each and every day where is God? But such a question need no longer be asked, even during times when it seems like our faith is being torn asunder by the politicians and faithless leaders of this world.
When the Apostles were set free, they rejoiced that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And we can consider ourselves equally as worthy, equally as secure. And equally as fortunate to be able to go forth and tell others that Jesus Christ has risen.
So the next time you wonder where God is in the midst of all the challenges to our faith and Christian freedoms, please remember what you heard today. Pray for our Lord to intercede even as he did for the eleven. Trust that one day you will see that empty cross where you least expected it to be and know that when Jesus Christ rose from the grave, He promised to always be with us. Then you too will never have the need to ask the question, “Where is God” when you again step out into the mission field.
Amen.
