Easter
Resurrection of the Lord
Acts 10:34-43
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
John 20:1-18
Can I get a consensus, that to tell a lie is wrong? What about a “white lie”? What about withholding information that would be beneficial to someone? What if the information may get them out of jail, out of a crime or some other reason that helps a person in anyway, justification for the person, is that wrong too? Good, glad to see that you understand the intent of the ninth commandment.
Although Christians are not bound by the Ten Commandments, it is also incumbent upon us to live out a faithful life, one that has a grounding in what God intends us to be. Yes, we can lie, cheat and steal and know that we are forgiven by Christ Jesus, through His death, the death that we remembered on Friday.
We are an Easter people, we celebrate today the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God, who’s family we have been adopted into and receive all that is promised to us through Christ Jesus. Never are we required to do anything, other than have faith, and even that is given to us through the Holy Spirit. How do we respond as Christians, to the gifts bestowed upon us, not by our works but through faith?
We respond to God’s gift in Jesus to us, trying to be all that God intends us to be. There are people all over the world that are responding as Christians. They are responding to God for the sake of Christ, in their proclamation of the Gospel. It can be as simple as just living life as a Christian and announcing that they are Christian. That is itself, proclamation but more can also be done. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus commissions the disciples when he says, 19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”[1]
It is about 10 years later that Peter finally understands the true message of the commission. In the same chapter, prior to our reading today from Acts, the Spirit tells Peter to go with the men that Cornelius sent. Cornelius is an officer in the Roman army in Caesarea, the Roman capital of Palestine. Cornelius had received a vision from the God of the Jews, who he worshiped, to send for Peter.
Shortly after Peter’s arrival, we pick up our reading from Acts today. Peter is speaking with Cornelius and others that are gathered with Cornelius. It is then that Peter understands that the commissioning was not just to the Jews in every nation but also to every nation. Cornelius is a Gentile, a non-Jew, and the gospel is preached to the Gentiles gathered. Peter and other disciples are not to hold back on their witnessing. They are not to witness to just the Jews but to everyone, every nation, showing no partiality, as God shows no partiality.
The last verse of the reading today tells us how and who is forgiven. It says, 43 All the prophets testify about him [Jesus] that everyone who believes in him [Jesus] receives forgiveness of sins through his [Jesus’] name.”[2] What we did not read today is in verse 44-46, where it says, 44 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.[3]
It is the Spirit that does the work when Peter speaks. It is not Peter that causes them to extol God. It is not Peter that causes them to speak in tongues. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. Peter testifies to the truth of Jesus Christ and the Spirit works upon those that Peter testifies to.
To be a witness and stand up for the truth, to tell the truth to whoever will listen can be very scary. There is bound to be opposition to the truth. In this country telling the truth might get you called names. People may not like you when you tell the truth and live as God intends you to live.
In other countries it can be dangerous to tell the truth, we have it good here though. Last week in Kenya was a deadly attack upon students. 147 students were killed and most of them for being Christian. Non-Muslim students were targeted. Reports are that when students were asked if they were Christian and they answered truthfully, they were shot dead for their truth telling, for their witness of being a Christian.
It would be pretty rare indeed, for us to speak the truth, in this country, and have the same actions being taken upon us for witnessing about Jesus Christ. The Great Commission, calls to us, the Easter People, to witness to the truth of the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. The Spirit is with us. We know that because Jesus told us that the Father will send the Spirit of Truth. From John 14 it says, 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. [4]
It is in carrying out the Great Commission, without partiality, not withholding the truth, that our proclamation, our witness as Christians, that the Spirit of Truth, brings others to extol, to magnify, to lift up God and receive forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus. Truth telling is the proclamation, evangelism to all nations, “…baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, …” [5]
Without truth telling, without following the ninth commandment, being who God intends us to be, others miss out on the opportunity to hear the gospel. They miss out on the opportunity through faith, to believe in Jesus Christ, and to experience the forgiveness of sins. They miss out on the opportunity of the Risen Lord, Christ Jesus, who came to testify to the truth, for our sake, so that we might believe.
Go today, witness to the truth of the Risen Lord. Tell everyone you encounter today, tomorrow and to the end of time, of the gospel truth, having confidence that the Spirit of the Father is with you. Go and witness to the nations, without partiality, that Jesus Christ, the risen Lord is Lord of all. The truth shall be victor, over all evil, because the Truth has already come into the world and defeated death, for all nations. Go tell the truth and witness.
[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Mt 28:19–20.
[2] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Ac 10:43.
[3] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Ac 10:44–46.
[4] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Jn 14:15–17.
[5] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Mt 28:19–20.