Acts 5:27-39

When (the temple police) had brought (Peter and the apostles), they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “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.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. Then he said to them, “Fellow Israelites,consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared. After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!" They were convinced by him.

According to Wikipedia, Gamaliel was thought by some (not all) Jewish traditions to be one of the greatest teachers in Judaism. Here we have some of his wisdom.

Peter and the apostles at this point have been getting quite a following. Peter is so idolized that some folks try even just to get in his shadow for healing!

So, the council orders them not to teach in Jesus' name, which goes about as you'd expect. Off the prison the apostles go.

And that also goes as you'd expect. An angel of the Lord frees them, and they go right back to the temple to teach some more.

Now I've heard the argument Peter makes come from others in my own lifetime - that they obey God's authority rather than human authority.

The problem with that has often been, however, that who gets to determine if it is God's authority? In history, there have been some awful actions attributed to God: the Crusades, the Inquisition, slavery, and more.

So it is right sometimes to question whether something is of God's authority or not. And good to have some criteria for it.

For many that criteria includes: is it loving? Is it Christ-centered? Is it grace-filled? 

Gamaliel, living in a time when Messiah's came by "the sackful" (to quote Jesus Christ Superstar), had a more pragmatic approach. 

If Peter and the apostles were working under human authority, they, like all the other false Messiahs' followers, would fail.

If they acted on God's authority, they would not.

2000 years later, we only remember one of those Messiahs. Gamaliel was probably on to something. Something that the apostles bore out in a loving, Christ-centered, grace-filled way.

Can we always tell if something is "of God?" Well, sometimes it is admittedly hard. And sometimes things that aren't of God, take an awfully long time to fail. Too long for some of us.

Yet God's authority does have this way of winning out even if we aren't around to see it. Even if we question it. Even if we're surprised by it. Even if we disagree with it.

And we can count on this through hope and faith.

Lord, help me to discern your authority and to make my own decisions with love and grace and in Christ. Amen.

Acts 5:1-11

But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to usbut to God!” Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. The young men came and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him.

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price.” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.

If there's a more troubling New Testament passage, I can't immediately think of it.

At first blush, I'm likely to think about Peter in a not so generous way. You know, um, Peter...I realize Jesus put you in charge and all, but isn't this an abuse of power? I don't think THIS is what Jesus meant?

I mean, I can't picture Jesus causing someone to drop dead for their sin. Causing people to die wasn't really Jesus' thing.

So why does it seem to be Peter's? I mean, of all people, Peter, who certainly messed up a lot, could afford to show some grace here, right?

I'm guessing most people read this with a similar first reaction.

And maybe we are meant to be shocked.

It was a shocking time, after all.

I decided after many readings of this passage that the way to go wasn't to explain it away. I've heard some explanations before: like it doesn't explicitly say in the text that Peter had God kill them. Or killed them himself.  It says of both Ananias and Sapphira that they fell and died. Maybe the burden of their guilt and shame was too much to bear?

Maybe. Maybe not.

We might also wonder how great their sin was. Didn't anyone else ever hold back anything from giving to this early church?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Instead, I want to ask myself and you, why Luke thought this story was so important to share. Whether he was embellishing it or not, there was a reason to tell it.

Maybe the reason had something to do with this:

Once upon a time there was a fledgling little community centered on love. Built around the promise of a Messiah who's death and resurrection gave them an understanding of a loving, compassionate God they hadn't understood before.

And this fledgling community centered in love, relied on each other in the face of forces that sought to destroy them.

All they had among them was love, hospitality, hope, and their word (and the Word).

They depended on each other for the Truth.

And the truth. 

Maybe Luke wants us to know that a community centered on Christ cares for each other, shares with each other, and is always there for each other.

And when those things don't happen, the community is in danger.

Lord, help us to all care for each other, share with each other and be there for each other in truth and in love. Amen.

Acts 4:32-37

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

This is what is frequently referred to as the Acts 4 church.

It's how we began as a church.

What similarities do you see with the church today?

What differences?

And maybe more importantly...

Why?

Why is probably the question I most often hear asked in a church.

Why are we here? Why aren't more people coming? Why am I feeling the way I'm feeling? Why does God love me? Why does God let bad things happen? Why did God choose that person? Why did God choose me? Why don't we have enough resources?

Why aren't we more of a community? Why is leadership not doing what I want them to be doing? Why do I sometimes feel connected here and sometimes not?

So we might easily then ask why the early church functioned so symbiotically - at least according to Acts 4.

And we might ask why it didn't seem to last.

And maybe we have answers or maybe we don't. A lot of ink and web space is certainly given over to the answering of why.

I don't have an answer. At least not one answer. As with everything, there's a whole lot of reasons.

So what I come to with this reading then is not an answer but a hope.

A hope that we can live into the knowledge that even if we are no longer Acts 4 churches, we can still live into the knowledge that great grace is upon us all.

Lord, sometimes we get caught up in the details and forget that we can simply lean into your great grace and live. Amen.

Acts 4:1-10

While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them, much annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead. So they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who heard the word believed; and they numbered about five thousand.

The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. 

Do you see it?

Are you reminded of something?

Can you remember Peter when this happened to Jesus?

Does he seem like the same person?

Are you the same person today as you were yesterday?

Are you being made new daily?

Are you feeling braver about something today that yesterday scared you to death?

Are there times you want to cry "Yes" to God in gratitude and thanksgiving?

Is there something God is moving you toward?

Is there a place God wants you to be?

Is there someone who needs to hear from you about God's love?

The book of Acts is the book of early Christian witness.

What would our book of Acts look like today?

Holy One, you give me courage. You give me what I need. Open my mouth, my arms and my heart to use what you've equipped me with to spread your word of love. Amen.

Acts 3:11-16

While (the healed beggar) clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s Portico, utterly astonished. When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, “You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.


There are many places in scripture where it might be tempting to ask - as I've done myself - why was this person healed rather than another?

Or here: what made Peter choose this person of all other people for his first post-Pentecost healing?

But inevitably with all the healings I come across throughout the New Testament, I always come back to another question over and over again.

What is it the writers of these pages want me to know about healings in general? 

And in this particular healing, a phrase pops out at me that helps me I think make some sense of it.

It isn't about who gets healed and who doesn't. 

It's about the ultimate healer.

The Author of Life.

Peter is clear to credit not himself, or even the beggar.

The credit goes to the name of the one who died and was raised again.

God is the author of life and every healing reminds us of that.

And to that Peter reminds us, they - as well as we - are witnesses.

The Book of Acts could be called the Book of Witnesses. All kinds of things are going to happen.

Have happened.

Are happening right now.

That remind us that the Author of Life is causing life to happen even in those places we don't expect or see it.

And the question we are meant to ask about that is: who should I tell?

Lord, when I am witness to your life giving help me to spread the word! Amen

Acts 2:36-42

(Peter said): Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Skipping to the end of Peter's long speech at Pentecost, there are two things that stand out for me.

First: the fact that Peter gave a long speech. Up until now, Peter hasn't always been "rock-like" has he? He denied Jesus. He was impulsive. He was emotional. He was jealous. He seemed more to be a man to act first and speak later.

Now, here he preaches his first real sermon and it's a doozy. He has truly come into the calling Jesus had for him. He's grown. He's been equipped. He's faced his fear and he's ready.

The second thing is the oft-related description of what these new Christians - or more accurately, these new disciples and followers of the Way - spend their time doing.

Devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching. 

Fellowship.

Breaking of bread.

And prayers.

I've often heard of churches trying to become more like the early churches. Trying to recapture something we've lost. It's not a bad goal. Although, these days, when Christianity is no longer the secretive, small, persecuted faith of the first century, it is perhaps easier to get caught up in the conflicting competitions we feel we have for time in our lives. 

Faith was in many ways a life or death issue for the early disciples in a way it isn't for most of us. Maybe that made the fellowship that much more crucial. More life giving.

What would our faith look like if our life depended on it? Given the example of Peter - who moved from fear to leadership - it's a question I think I need to ask myself more often.

Holy God, empower me to live a life of faith, not fear, and of fellowship, not frazzled distraction. Amen.

Acts 2:1-4

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

My favorite season of the church year to get creative is Pentecost. I've seen church leaders do some really fun things for worship on that day. Balloons, streamers, liturgical dancers, and even fire.

I've been to workshops where we've painted watercolors representing Pentecost.

And to me, that creativity is so wonderfully representative itself of God's work on Pentecost. In fact, Pentecost I'd say is just further proof itself of the creative God we have.

A room of strangers don't even speak the same languages.

An invisible Spirit made manifest as fire, igniting understanding and kinship.

God's work igniting a new way of life.

A new understanding.

A new community.

Igniting hope from fear.

Understanding from enmity.

All from the same God who blew that Spirit over the waters to create life.

Pentecost happened in concert with the Jewish holiday of Pentecost (Shavu'ot). The 50th day.

The day of the first fruits of the harvest.

And the day Moses received the Torah.

All from a creative, active God.

In what ways can the church exemplify this same creativity? In what ways can we be a source of life and community and fruitfulness?

How can we enter into the flow of God's Spirit, alive and active with the igniting of the world? 

Lord of fire and Spirit, ignite in us creative hearts that will be ready to partner with you in the work you have prepared for us! Amen

Acts 1:21-26

(Peter said), "So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.” So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

What is it that Peter calls this band of brothers and sisters right now?

"Witnesses to the resurrection."

They have been called other things - disciples, apostles - but Peter calls them witnesses.

And their group isn't complete. They are expanding their ministry to go back to the number Jesus had started with them. And to do so, they do two things: pray and cast lots.

That's an interesting dichotomy. I'm trying to imagine a church council deciding this way.

Or a Church body choosing their future leaders this way.

Pray and cast lots.

Maybe sometimes the way we go about making our decisions isn't so far from casting lots. I know there are times when I'm trying to discern a path and it feels as if it is nothing more than a gamble.

But for Peter, and for us, the starting place for any decision is prayer. Prayer that takes us out of the internal jibber-jabber in our head, and helps us focus on what God is calling us to do beyond.

This idea of casting lots might seem strange to us. Likely, some of how we make decisions will seem strange to future generations of Christians.

But we now, like then, begin with prayer, and then we go from there to live out as witnesses to the resurrected one.

Holy God, quiet my mind and heart so that I may discern your will. Amen.

Acts 1:12-14

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

So, I decided that since in the Easter season we use the book of Acts rather than a passage from the Hebrew scriptures for the lectionary, that it might be good to look at some of the Acts history, as well as some of its colorful characters and stories. 

Now, I have to own up to the fact that Acts has never been my favorite book in the Bible, so in some ways this is a good test for me!

I won't go through the entire book, but some key passages I think that will give a good flavor or summary of what it all means - or at least what I think it all means.

And to begin, we meet the disciples (now apostles) immediately following the Ascension of Jesus.

Some interesting things for me in this passage that will lead to themes to explore in Acts:

- what does it mean that they are a "sabbath's day" journey away from Jerusalem? What does this say about sabbath in general?

- This is before Pentecost, so upon arriving back in Jerusalem they go back to their upper room. This is the room where they hid out after Jesus died.

- Waiting with them, however? Jesus' family. And women. Luke, who wrote Acts as well as the Gospel, doesn't shy away from telling the story of women. It will be good to see how they plays out and what it means for us.

Lord, we have a precious history. Inspire us to learn from those who came before us how to serve you and your people. Amen.

Acts 1:3-9

After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

For Jesus final post-resurrection appearance, we get Luke's description of the Ascension. For a long time it's been hard for me to imagine this story  without also picturing Salvador Dali's famous painting of the Ascension. (you can see it at this link: Salvador Dali Ascension) 

I mean...looking up and seeing Jesus' feet as he heads out into the clouds.

In a world that was pre-science, where we didn't realize that the world was not flat, and we didn't know all those things about physics and astronomy that we do now, this idea of Jesus disappearing into the clouds and the disciples looking up and seeing his feet was one thing.

But now...

What do we make of the Ascension?

I'm going to admit that honestly, I don't know. But what I do know is this:

That up to this point, even post-resurrection, Jesus' disciples were still fumbling around in the dark a little bit.

And Jesus still left them with authority and power.

God still sent his Spirit to guide them. And comfort them.

And 2000 years later, we still sometimes feel like we are stumbling around in the dark. And we aren't going to always get it right - not as individuals. And not as a church.

Yet we still are prepared. And gifted. And called.

And not alone.

So don't look up into the clouds for God. Look to your neighbor, roll up your sleeves and get ready!

There's still a lot to do!

Lord, you have prepared me. Help me spread my wings and fly! Amen.

Matthew 28:16-20

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore 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 that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The great commissioning ends the Gospel of Matthew with Jesus' final post-resurrection appearance to his disciples being to send them out to continue God's work. Here they are turned from disciples into apostles, which means they are moving from being students (disciples) to the actual doers. They are now the messengers. The actors of God's plan on earth.

And yet what is here that is often overlooked is the simple line "but some doubted."

After everything that has happened, some still doubted.

And yet, as with Peter yesterday in the Gospel of John, Jesus still sent them.

God sends even with doubts present.

God calls and sends us even when we don't feel fully prepared.

Fully ready.

God sends us anyway.

Jesus didn't wait until the disciples were perfectly trained to leave them on their own to take up their mantle. He had equipped them and had trained them, but still left them to get some on-the-job training for themselves.

So, maybe you aren't feeling exactly ready each day to take up the call God has for you.

But maybe God wants you to go out anyway.

Lord you prepare us, but you also trust us to learn on the job. Strengthen my fears and insecurities about the work ahead of me, and keep your Holy Spirit guiding me always along the way. Amen.