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.

John 21:20-22

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” 

Oh, Peter, Peter, Peter...

Just when it seemed like the climactic ending for our hero Peter, his human-ness gets in the way again.

He's confirmed three times that he loves Jesus, and three times Jesus has told Peter to care for his sheep.

But then...

"Hey Jesus...what about him?"

And Jesus replied, "What's it to you?"

Isn't that just like us? 

Everything seems to be going well. We've hit our stride. Gotten into our groove. Worked out whatever our something is, and then...

Bam.

Someone else comes on the scene and their something seems shinier than our something. Their something is something we wish was our something.

A little more attention.

A little more money.

More praise.

Better looks.

A higher IQ.

More power.

More importance.

Better grades.

Better health.

Less grief.

More friends. Or the friends we want.

A seat at the table.

The council position we wanted.

The job we wanted.

The house we wanted.

The neighborhood we wanted.

The life we wanted.

Maybe it comforts me more than just a little bit to know that even though at the very end...

After the resurrection.

Not long before Peter became the father of the church.

Peter still acted like a regular old human being.

And Jesus trusted him and loved him anyway.

What is it to me, whatever your generosity is toward others? Lord, remind me that your love is sufficient. Amen.

John 21:4-19

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

There is lots to speculate with what's going on here between Jesus and Peter.

Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him and three times, Peter (in increasing frustration sounds like), answers yes. 

First, it may - or may not - be important that Jesus and Peter are using two different words for "love" here. In the Greek, there are at least four words for 'love.' (more depending on who you are asking).  Two of those words are used here: Jesus begins by asking Peter if he loves him using the words "agape:" the highest, more spiritual love. It is the love we are called to for all of humanity. It is the most profound love. It is unconditional love.

Peter replies using "phileo," which those of us from Philadelphia might know from hearing the term "brotherly" love. It's affection. It's warm feelings of tenderness. It's the highest form of platonic love.

By the third time he asks the question, Jesus changes to "phileo" and leaves it there.

Maybe Jesus gave up that Peter would reply with "agape."

Or, it's possible that the words were often used interchangeably and there was something else going on.

Maybe Jesus was messing with Peter just a little bit after Peter's three times of denial.

Or maybe, in love, Jesus was giving Peter the chance to repent of those three denials so that Peter could begin again.

So that all that had come before the crucifixion would be over and Peter would move from disciple to apostle.

Jesus, teach me to love unconditionally and prepare me not simply to follow you, but to show your love to the world. Amen