“We Are Witnesses of these things.” (Acts 5:27-32).

 

S-1232 5SAE//3A 02/06/11 (O) #506; (S) #412; (C) #48

Text: Isaiah 58:3-9; 1 Corinthians 2:1-12; Matthew 5:13-20

Theme: “We Are Witnesses of these things.” (Acts 5:27-32).

Question: “Are you a WITNESS for the Gospel?

SOLI DEO GLORIA, Armour, SD Observing Lutheran Hour Ministries Sunday

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! The text for the 5^th Sunday after the Epiphany is from the book of Acts: “And when they had brought them [disciples], they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, ‘We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.’ But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree. God exalted Him at His right hand as Leader and Savior, to 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.’” (Acts 5:27-32).

Introduction: In Nomine IESU

You who are the most beloved in the Lord Jesus, transformed to be witnesses of the cross and empty tomb. It was on January 15^th, 1967 in Los Angeles, CA the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs met in what was called the Supergame (today the Super Bowl), when the final gun sounded the Green Bay Packers won with a score of 35-10. Ever since that day people in the United States and around the world; have sat, watched and talked about the game, the plays and the commercials. Today is no different. This evening some of us here will sit, watch, eat and talk about the 45^th consecutive Super Bowl. When the game will be over, people will continue to talk about the plays, commercials and the outcome. PAUSE.

However, there is an even LONGER running Super event that takes place today.75 years ago, (October 2, 1930) with a prophetic voice of proclamation, Dr. Walter A. Maier went on The Lutheran Hour Broadcast and speaking for Lutheranism and all of faithful Christianity said this:

“…we acknowledge as our own the apostle’s determination, “Not to know anything...save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” ....I offer you, in the name of the Triune God, not the Christ of present-day compromise and concession, not the Christ of twentieth-century indifference and indecision, not the Christ of modern doubt and denial, who has been exalted in His humanity, only to be robbed of His deity, but the Christ of the cross. With my hand on the Bible I dedicate this radio mission to the preaching of that cross, the cruel gibbet on which the Savior died the blackest death of all history. That crucified Christ, Son of God, yet Son of Man, the all-sufficient Savior and Him alone, we offer with the pledge, “Nothing Save Jesus Christ and Him Crucified in every message, every prayer, every hymn broadcast over this Gospel network.”

With that pledge, The Lutheran Hour was joined with this pulpit, with every parish, with every prophet and apostle who has believed and proclaimed God’s Word is truth; with every soul which has courageously confessed Jesus Christ alone is the Savior of the world, and His Name is the only Name which they trust for forgiveness and salvation. Jesus Christ is the Savior. This is God’s truth and it is a truth which Satan, the “The Father of Lies”[i], does not wish you, or anyone in this dark and damned world to know or acknowledge. And although Satan has worked tirelessly in every age, it is in our time that he has seen his efforts bearing some terrible fruit as more and more people refuse to believe they need the Savior, they need the Redeemer, and they need the Christ.

Jesus is the Savior of the world. There is no denying it! That is a truth Satan does not want the world to hear. And lest you think this is mere empty oratory, let me point to a case last year in California where, at the Los Angeles Community College, a professor called a student a “fascist”, and threatened to expel him for making a speech which defended Christian marriage.^[ii] Consider Georgia’s Augusta State University student Jennifer Keaton who was told she would be expelled from pursuing her counseling degree program unless she altered her “central religious beliefs on human nature and conduct.” In other words, Jennifer had to stop being the Christian if she wanted to be a counselor.^[iii] “Christians be silent” is the order which is being heard again and again in America’s institutions of higher education.

“The Father of Lies” does not want people to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. In his unholy crusade he has enlisted extremists from other religions. Go to Baghdad and ask the few Christians who survived the Reformation Day attack on Our Lady of Salvation Catholic Church. Let them tell you how the priest was ordered to lie down and then was murdered. Let them tell how gunmen shot at the crucifix, how they murdered more than 50 of our brothers and sisters as they prepared to worship. Understand, this was not an isolated incident. Again and again it is happening as religious terrorists demand, “Christians be silent.”[iv]

Or would you care to look at one of America’s great banking firms, J.P. Morgan Chase. This past Christmas the brilliant powers-that-be ordered all of its banks to “take down any and all Christmas decorations which had not been supplied by company headquarters.” Wishing not to be offensive to unbelievers, they decided it would be best if they ignored the Christ Child’s birth. True, when the Christian community cried out, the company reversed itself, but they had, like so many other stores, tried to profit from Christ’s birth, even as they wished to minimize the Savior’s coming. Once more the world had said, “Christians be silent.”

In truth, it would be easier to be silent. It would be politically correct to be silent. It might make us more popular if we were to be silent or preached a message without sin or repentance, without the Savior, or the salvation He has won. It would be easier to preach a social Gospel, a name-it-claim-it brand of religion. But we can’t do that. The faithful followers of the Lord can never do that. Turn to Scripture and see Peter and John who were arrested and arraigned by the same Sanhedrin which had orchestrated the crucifixion of the Christ. When these apostles were told to stay silent in regard to the Savior, with deliberation and dedication they declared: “We cannot help but speak about what we have heard and seen.” These special servants of the Savior knew preaching Christ must take priority over silence or political correctness.

And, we, His modern day disciples cannot remain silent to the truth of the Savior’s cross and empty tomb. Every son of Adam and every daughter of Eve has been called upon by the Lord of the Church to bear witness of His gift of salvation which He earned for us through His suffering on the cross of Calvary. PAUSE.

Many talk about the weather, the Super Bowl, the events in Cairo and the economy. But when was the last time you spoke about Jesus to a friend; perhaps to a brother or sister who have not darkened the house of the Lord? When was the last time you gave a powerful witness to the God of the Bible even though you knew you would be ridiculed for it?

Oh you, who are blood bought and redeemed by the Christ of the Bible, witnessing is not an obligation but an opportunity; it is not a payment but a privilege; it is not a have to, but a want to. When we are faithful in ignoring the father of lies, and speak of the Father of Love God will work in the hearts and ears of hearers.

Let me introduce you to an Arab Palestinian from the West Bank. Tass Saada was born into a Muslim home in Gaza. He and his friends murdered Jews in Israel. They murdered civilians and soldiers alike. They attacked Christians in Jordan. Sometimes they tossed hand grenades at Christians’ homes. Other times they strafed houses with machine-gun fire.

But in 1993 after marrying an American girl (Karen) and moving to the US a country he had long hated—this Jihadist met the Savior (I changed this line from Found Jesus. Jesus was not lost Tass was). This violent radical was one day radically transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. This killer became a man of peace and compassion.

What made the change in the life of this Radical? Someone cared enough to share with Him the love of Jesus. Someone challenged him to read the Bible! Someone called him lovingly and caringly to review the difference between the god of the Muslims who destroys life, and the God of the Bible who wants to save all lives. Perhaps I should let Tass tell you his story: (Read out of the book: Some of the above information and below are paraphrased from the book Inside the Revolution by Joel C. Rosenberg pp. 363-366) “I was a Palestinian sniper,” Saada would later tell me. “But then I fell in love with a Savior who loves Arabs as well as Jews.” In his remarkable book, Once An Arafat Man, Saada explained his realization that the God of the Bible loves us all with an unfathom­able, everlasting, unquenchable love. He explained that God’s love is so amazing, so divine, that He actually offers all of us—Jew and Gentile alike—the free gift of salvation through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. And he explained that God wants to adopt each one of us into His own family. He wants to bless us. He wants to take care of us. He wants to heal us and change us and make us more like Him. And He wants to empower us to be a blessing to others.

This change happened because someone witnessed to Tass Saada. There are many in our community, county and country that have not been challenged or heard of the love of the Savior. Dr. Walter Maier’s words on the Lutheran Hour 75 years ago still ring true today. We are partners with the Apostles who said, “We are witnesses of these things.” This pulpit, this congregation, and every Bible Study and event that took place here has been to equip people to be faithful witnesses so that others like Tass Saada, you and me, come to bow before the Throne of Grace and meet the God of love and mercy—Jesus.

Like the Apostles, like the different speakers of the Lutheran hour, we, too, remain committed to telling this sin-saddened world that Jesus has not almost succeeded in saving us; He is not an almost Savior, an almost Redeemer an almost Conqueror. He is the One to whom we must go, for He is the One Who has eternal life. This is the Christ Whom we have seen and heard. His is the story that we share. May God grant His Spirit’s blessing upon us as He breaks Satan’s silence as we share what we have seen and heard. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Now the peace of God…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

---

[i] John 8: 44

[ii] http://www.examiner.com/church-state-in-los-angeles/judge-rules-favor-of-lacc-student-defending-traditional-marriage

[iii] http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/27/georgia-university-tells-student-lose-religion-lawsuit-claims/

[iv] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11463544

v Rosenberg C. Joel. Inside the Revolution, Tyndall House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois pp. 363-368

“Nothing but Fire kindles Fire” (Acts 2:1-4).

S-1122 5/31/09 Pentecost 3B Hymns: (O) #224; (S)#236; L.S. #225; #226; #229; (C) #234

Texts Ezekiel 37:1-14; Acts 2:1-21; John 15:26-27; 16:4-15

Theme: “Nothing but Fire kindles Fire” (Acts 2:1-4).

Question: “How would you describe your life?”

SOLI DEO GLORIA, Armour, SD

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen! Indeed! Alleluia! The text for our Pentecost Day is from the book of Acts: “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).

Saints in Christ, sometimes ago I read three quotations that describe the heart of Pentecost. The first quotation is this: “Nothing but fire kindles fire.” The second: “If you want to set someone on fire, you have to burn a little bit yourself.” The third: “A burning heart will soon find for itself a flaming tongue.”

I will need your help to complete this message today. You need to be my chorus. I will teach you a key part of each of those quotations. During the sermon, I will point to you to speak your part of the line. So would you be willing to help me? I will say to you, “Nothing but fire...” and you say “kindles fire.” (Repeat as needed so they can learn it.) The second quotation is this: “If you want to set someone on fire, you have to…” You say the second part: “burn a little bit yourself.” (Repeat it.) The third quotation is this: “A burning heart will soon find for itself a ... flaming tongue.” Ready? (Repeat it). So now let’s do all three quotations: “Nothing but fire ...” “If you want to set someone on fire, you have to ... A burning heart will soon find a ... You have to get into the mood of this sermon: Let’s do it again. “Nothing but fire... If you want to set someone on fire, you have to ... A burning heart will soon find a ... Good. Be prepared during the sermon.

While growing up in Israel, my family would often head to Mount Carmel for a retreat from the city. While there, mother would send us little kids to gather small twigs to start a fire for our grill. Mother would take these small twigs, and put few pine needles on them and light them up. And before long the grill was ready for our shish kabob.

Today, our sermon is about fire. Not a fire that mother started to cook shish kabob, but a movement that spread across the Jerusalem Mountains, the Judean hills, and the Samaritan valleys and across the globe.

This is the fire of the Holy Spirit that inflamed the hearts of the disciples that first Pentecost Sunday. It is the fire that burned with zeal that moved across the wilderness with the fire of the Gospel.

Luke, the author of the text describes the events of the first Pentecost: The disciples were in the temple sharing God’s Good News. These first Christians were waiting for the promise of the Savior to be fulfilled, but they weren’t quite sure what they were waiting for. They were waiting for the Holy Spirit to come on them and in them, but they didn’t know what that would mean. With vivid colors Luke said, “It was like a rush of wind” into the room. The Holy Spirit came into their lives. Like tongues of fire above them. Like tongues of fire inside of them. They knew the power of God inside of them, and they couldn’t help but rush out of that building into the streets to preach. They went from street to street, home to home, neighbor to neighbor, family to family and nation to nation. It was a movement like none other. A movement that swept across the prairies, the villages and towns and countries. That’s the way it was in that first century of Christian expansion. The Flames of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was spreading across the whole world.

Why did that happen? I know why it happened. “Nothing but fire ... If YOU want to set someone on fire, YOU have to ... A burning heart will soon find for itself a ...”

What happened is that those Apostles first went to a village or town. Those first Apostles planted a church, and then went to a second village or town, and planted a church. They went to a third village or town and planted another church. But before they left the villages and towns they left committed people to Jesus Christ. They set up leaders to carry on the cause of Jesus, declaring His death and resurrection to all who would listen.

These people in Greek are called “laos.” This Greek word means, “the laity,” “the people,” “the people of God.” The Apostles always left common and ordinary towns’ people and villagers whose hearts were on fire, whose tongues were on fire, who hadn’t gone to the seminary, who hadn’t seen Jesus face to face, who hadn’t talked with Him in the flesh. These were not the Apostles. These were not the twelve disciples. These were the people of God in each village who spread the Gospel from house to house, neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend and family to family. That’s the way it is: God’s people—preachers and people who believe in the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus become inspired by the Power of the Holy Spirit. It’s God’s people who are on fire that fire up other people about ministry, mission and the message of the crucified and risen Jesus. And it is the Holy Spirit that feeds this fire through the means of Grace so that God’s people will become mature Christians and actively involved in the ministry of the Gospel.

How do the people of God do this? Do they do this by their own power? By their own intelligence? By their own seminary training? Do you want to know why? I’ll tell you why. “Nothing but fire ... If YOU want to set someone on fire, YOU have to ... A burning heart will soon find for itself ...”

Well, that’s what happened in that first century. The first century was a great century of Christian expansion. The Church went to Ephesus, Rome, and even to Spain within thirty years. From farm to farm, village to village, town to town. It was absolutely incredible, spreading across the whole known world. It was like a spreading flame.

Today, we stand in the year of our Lord 2009, and the flame of Jesus Christ is still spreading. It is still spreading like wildfire. The spreading flame of Pentecost is a movement that can’t be drenched or quenched by water, or the devil or man’s will. It is a movement that has changed hearts, and people and countries. From few followers in Jerusalem to over 1.2 Billion believers in Jesus Christ throughout the whole world. You will find Christians in every country persecuted or not. You will find Christians in every continent. You will find Christians everywhere. Why? YOU know why: “Nothing but fire ... If YOU want to set someone on fire, YOU have to ... A burning heart will soon find for itself a ...” Because God’s people are on fire for the Lord carrying out His mission and message and ministry.

Well, that’s the good news. Sadly there is also bad news. Many churches have grown cold—the fire has gone out of their hearts and messages. Many countries that were once Christians are now luke-warm; standing on the verge of being heathen nations. We don’t have to go far to see how people, godly people who no longer live for God but for themselves. Consider our own congregation. On any given Sunday we have about 40 people who live in town, that don’t darken the doors of God’s house. Even in our own small community almost 40% are un-churched.

Why is this? Because many have grown cold. Many churches only look to themselves and not to Christ for power or strength. Many look only to the inside rather than the mission fields. Tragically many have forsaken the faith and live selfish lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ remember the statements I told you in the beginning of the sermon: “Nothing but fire ... If YOU want to set somebody on fire, YOU have ... A burning heart will soon find for itself a ...”

“If you want to set someone on fire, you have to burn a little bit yourself.” Remember that Jesus is our whole burnt offering! “A burning heart will soon find for itself a flaming tongue.” On my heart imprint your image, blessed Jesus, king of grace, that life’s riches, cares, and pleasures never may your work erase; let the clear inscription be: Jesus, crucified for me, is my life, my hope’s foundation, and my glory and salvation! (# TLH179).

By the grace of God we have come to God’s house to be kindled again with the fire of the Gospel. Today, you and I remember the gift of Baptism by which we were made part of the flames of the Savior. Today, we gather around the table to be fed by His body and blood so that we might glow with the fire of the Gospel. Today, the fire of the Savior, who once was dead but is alive and ascended to heaven, is put on our tongues and in our hearts so that we continue to be on fire for the Lord.

Today, the Holy Spirit continues to come upon us by the hearing of the Word, by the eating of the Word and by the blessed assurance that our sins are forgiven. Having been in the Upper Room with Jesus; having received again the gift of the Holy Spirit; having been fed at His table, we leave here as God’s redeemed people on fire. Why? You know the answer to that question. “Nothing but fire ... If YOU want to set someone on fire, YOU have ... A burning heart will soon find for yourself a ... It is always God’s people empowered by the Holy Spirit that make the difference. Amen.

Now the peace…

“Book II: The Story Continues” (Acts 1:1-3)

S-1121 5/21/09 Asc. 3B Hymns: (O) #341; LSB 633; (S)#212 vv 1-4; L.S.#219; #221; (C) #212 vv 5-8

Texts Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:15-23; Luke 24:44-53

Theme: “Book II: The Story Continues” (Acts 1:1-3)

Question: “I have you ever read a sequel?”

SOLI DEO GLORIA, Armour, SD

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen! Indeed! Alleluia! The text for our meditation is from the book of Acts: “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. After His suffering, He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:1-3).

Saints in Christ, the British author C.S. Lewis wrote a children’s fairy tale called the Chronicles of Narnia. These seven fantasy books deal with the lives of 4 children living in England who are transported to the land of Narnia—an imaginary place. His series begins with the story of “The Lion, The Witch and the Word Robe.” And with each consecutive book, he follows their adventures. Like any good author, C. S. Lewis leaves his plot open for a sequel.

In the 1950s when C.S. Lewis wrote these books it was a rare occasion to have a sequel. But since that time, the movie industry has jumped on the wagon of sequels. We have some of the great movies with sequels. In the 1970s the Rocky Balboa series and Jaws movies hit the big screen. So far we had five Rocky movies. Then came Jaws I and two; and then in the 1980s the Trilogy of “Back to the future.”

A sequel connects people to what took place before and what will take place after. But C.S. Lewis was not the first one to write a sequel. In the Bible, we have the first sequel authored by Luke. In his first book that made it to the Best-seller list – The Gospel of Luke He told us all that Jesus had done. In this book (Acts) he continues to tell of the sequel to the first book.

This is how Luke continues book II: “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up” (v 1). You liked my first book, O Theophilus? Here is the sequel. The readers of Luke are longing to follow up with the sequel of what he has written before about the Nazarene who was dead and now raised to life.

This evening we look at the words of the text in Acts 1:1-11. They are the second book written by Luke the physician to someone named Theophilus (which means lover of God). You need to remember that Luke’s first book is the Gospel of Luke. In this book, Luke describes in details the life of the Nazarene Jesus Christ. This book of Luke (Book I) ended with our Gospel reading, shortly after Jesus’ resurrection from the grave. And yet, as Luke himself writes, his first book records only what Jesus BEGAN to do and teach. Like a master craftsman and a wonderful best-selling authors Luke was leaving his plot open for a sequel.

Luke’s Book II is the Book of Acts, but in a sense, his story continues far beyond his writing. If Book I is the story of what Jesus BEGAN, Book II is the story of how He continued to act through us. If Book I is the story of the Gospel, Book II is the story of how God continues to work through the people to spread the Gospel to every corner of the globe. We can’t read Book II, without first reading Book I. Luke wants us to see them as one unit. Even the original bishops, who met to put the orders of the books of the Bible, got it right. First the Gospel of Luke, then the “Book of Acts” the sequel followed.

Without the Gospel of Luke, Book II would have no meaning for us. Without the Gospel of Luke we wouldn’t know what Jesus did in His earthly life. Without the Gospel of Luke we wouldn’t know the players in the first century—Jesus, Peter, John and the rest. To be sincerely truthful, without the Gospel, the Book of Acts couldn’t have been written.

In the Gospel Luke tells us of the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Christ our Savior. In the Gospel we see Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. In the Gospel Book I, we learn the great love Jesus has for us and the salvation He has won for us through His death and resurrection. With this message of the Gospel we have the sure and certain guarantee that Jesus has assured us of eternal life and deliverance from the grave and the devil.

But in this sequel Book II: the story continues Luke assumes we know and believe the truth about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. “He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God (v. 3).

This Gospel of Jesus, reported in Luke’s Gospel, is required reading in order to move on to Book II—the sequel. Without Jesus’ teachings, there would be no Word to proclaim. Without Jesus’ suffering and death, there would be no reason to speak and share what took place so long ago outside the city walls of Jerusalem. Without Jesus’ resurrection, there would be no hope, no heaven; and the story would come to an end.

And yet, without Book II, the meaning of Book I would have been forgotten centuries ago. The Gospel is not a volume of ancient history that can just sit on a shelf. It’s not simply a good book with which we can curl up in the living room. We can’t just sit back and let someone read it to us. We haven’t finished when we have read and believed Book I. In Book II, the story of Jesus’ works and teachings continues—and it continues through us! The ascension ends Jesus’ earthly ministry, but the ministry is far from over.

The story of the resurrection of the Savior continues in Book II: “He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God (v. 3). For forty days, the Savior appeared and confirmed to the disciples that His resurrection is real. His resurrection was not only an event in the past, a chapter in the life of the Man from Nazareth, but a living reality.

Soon He would leave them, but the ministry wouldn’t come a halt. He would equip them with power from on high to be His witnesses beginning in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the end of the earth. By the power of the Holy Spirit which the Savior sent after His Ascension, God used the disciples to change the world. Think of it 12 men went in every direction to proclaim that salvation is found in no one else except in Jesus Christ alone (Acts 4:12).

The same story continues with us. We’ve been baptized with the Holy Spirit too—in the same act of Baptism with water and the Word, many of us as infants and some as adults continue to live in this grace and the story continues to be written in our baptismal lives; and spoken by our tongues in multitudes of ways and in many different countries.

This evening as we gather in God’s holy house, we have considered Book II, in relation to Book I, the continuing sequel to the events that took place in the life of Jesus. And tonight we were privileged that the Ascension marks the crowning glory of Christ seated at the right hand of God the Father interceding for us. And this intercession will continue long past Book II of Luke.

But that is not the end of the story. As Paul Harvey would communicate to us saying, “This is the Ressssssst of the Story” (in Harvey’s voice). If you look closely at the text you see that it appears that Luke has a third Book in Mind. Even though there is not a third Book, we can glean easily that there might be one yet to be written. As the disciples gazed heaven-ward and Jesus was lifted up, two men dressed in white robes said to them, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Here is the third Book, but that is for another story and for another time. And that story will never end. Amen.

Now the peace…

Theme: "Devoted Sheep” Acts 2:42, 47

S-1047 4/13/08 FSIE/3A Hymns: (O)#394; (S)#199; L.S. 457; 648; 442; 314; (C)45
Texts: Acts 2:42-47; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-10
Theme: Devoted Sheep” Acts 2:42, 47
Armour, SD SOLIE DEO GLORIA.

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleuia. The text for our meditation is from the book of Acts. “They devoted themselves to the Apostle’s Teaching, and Fellowship, to the Breaking of Bread, and the Prayers…And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42, 47).

Question: What are you devoted to/for?

INTRODUCTION:

Saints in Christ, last week I was privileged to travel to Detroit, MI for “The Friendship of Jesus Muslims Conference”. This conference was sponsored by our LCMS Mission board, to reach out to Muslims in the name of the ONLY Savior, Jesus Christ.

While there, I met a man by the name Abed Al Karim Baidoui, (he goes by the name Karim today) a Moroccan citizen who came to Oklahoma in 1985 to study at the University. He is the son of a Muslim father and Jewish mother. While in the States he met a young lady Suzy (a Lutheran) and wanted to marry her. When Suzy took Karim to meet her parents, her mom Edna Kloeber a (German Lutheran) had a question. “How are you going to resolve the question of religion if you marry my daughter? That was a very important question that demanded Karim to evaluate and study it more thoroughly.

At the conference Karim said, “That question made me search for the truth. What is the difference between Muslims and Christians?” He went on to say, “I Have a Friend in Jesus. Suzy was the bait and Edna was the hook.” Edna invited Karim to church and attended with him Catechism instructions and introduced him to the friend of all people, Jesus Christ.

One week after Karim was baptized Edna said, “Now you may marry my daughter.” Karim is no longer a slave of Allah, no longer bound by the chains of legalism, no longer burdened to earn God’s favor through his good works; but now He is a child of God through Jesus Christ. “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ” (Galatians 3:27-29).

Edna was a devoted sheep. She had committed herself to prayer, to the Apostle’s teaching, to fellowship and to the breaking of bread. She knew what the Scriptures taught. She knew what the Apostles gave, and what the fellowship of believers accomplished in the life of those who followed the Way.

By the grace of God alone Edna was used as one of God’s devoted sheep to share the hope with Karim. Today, Karim is an LCMS Pastor and one of those devoted sheep, who ministers in Texas and goes around reaching out to others especially Muslims in the name of the Friend, Jesus Christ.

In our readings today, Dr. Luke informs us of the birth of the Christian Church and what they did together as believers: “They devoted themselves to the teachings of the Apostles’, and to the fellowship, and to the Breaking of Bread, and the prayers.”

But what would make these followers of Jesus DEVOTED? Why in the midst of persecution of the Jewish religion they got together? What would cause them to be kept in the faith to persevere in this one true teaching?

In order for us to know the answers, we need to know who these men and women were. First, you have the disciples who had spent three years with a Devoted Shepherd who laid down His life for them all. They had seen this Devoted Shepherd care for the weak, and wicked, the evil and enemy, the hateful and hopeless. The Devoted Shepherd in His teaching while walking the dusty roads of Palestine showed them the true meaning of “devoted”. The Devoted Shepherd in His life and death was DEVOTED to seeking and saving the lost.

Second, these men and women had seen His death, but also had seen the Resurrected Shepherd Jesus Christ. They had been comforted by His presence as He gave them His peace and gave them the command to go in His name and by His authority to seek and save the lost.

Third, because these disciples had seen and witnessed the life, death and resurrection of the Devoted Shepherd, they could not help but be devoted to the same cause of seeking and saving the lost. That devotion, was evident in these 4 pillars in the Church—Apostles’ teaching, Fellowship, Breaking of Bread and Prayers.

We who hold in our hands the Treasure of the Church—The Word of the Devoted Shepherd, Jesus Christ; can do no less. That Word will help us continue to be Devoted in the same manner as those who have gone before us. We remain devoted to the same cause and mission of the Devoted Shepherd. And the best way we can walk the walk and talk the talk is when we follow the formula that the early Christians left for us—to follow the Apostles’ teaching, Fellowship, Breaking of Bread and Prayers.

This is why we come week in and week out to this house of faith. For here in this place we listen to the Apostles’ teaching. Here we have fellowship with one another and learn the needs of others. Here we kneel at the Altar of the Devoted Shepherd and feed at His table by breaking bread and drinking His blood. Here we lift our voices to the throne of Grace in prayers—mine, yours and ours.

Here in this place we meet the Devoted Shepherd, the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ who reminds us and shows us how He was Devoted to searching for us, saving us, and securing our future. And the more time we spend in this setting the more we will be Devoted saints as those who have gone before us. The more time we spend living our lives immersed in the Apostles’ teaching, Fellowship, Breaking of Bread and Prayers; the more we get active in the lives of others because we care for them and don’t want to see them end up in hell.

Remember Edna the lady who asked the question of Karim? The Holy Spirit calls us to be like her. We are the Edna’s of the world seeking the lost to save them from eternal destruction of hell and sharing with them the love of Jesus. This we do because the LOVE of the Devoted Shepherd, Jesus Chris has proven Himself to us and want what is best for us. And because we care, we want to be a friend to someone else, not assuming that they know about Jesus, but getting involved in their lives and sharing with them that same love so that they may be faithfully devoted to the work and witness and will of the Devoted Shepherd Jesus Christ.

How important is it for us to be awash in the Apostles’ teaching? How important is the fellowship of fellow saints? How important is it for us to be fed by the broken bread and sip of wine that grants us the very body and blood of our Devoted Savior Jesus Christ? How important it is for us to be in His house, praying back to Him the very words of the Liturgy that comes from Holy Scripture itself? When Christians fail to allow their faith to be maintained by the Holy Spirit through God’s word and the Sacraments, faith begins to wear down. Love fades, and satan starts to have his way with us. But we have a Devoted Shepherd. He blazes the trail before us. From Cradle to Cross, Tomb and beyond, He is leading. He leads us to the fellowship of the Redeemed called the Church. He shows us the way that Devoted Sheep walk. They walk in the footsteps of their Shepherd now and always.

CONCLUSION:

Devoted followers of Jesus Christ, the final verse of the text says it well: “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). Did you catch that? Who is it that is adding and saving? It is the Devoted Shepherd. This is His church. These are His people. He calls them by the Good News of His Word. These are the people that He bought with His very own blood. Because He is DEVOTED to them, they, by grace through faith are devoted to Him. For today and forever. AMEN

Now the peace of God…