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“That times of refreshing may come”
Message preached on
April 15, 2018
Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Glen Arm, Maryland USA
based upon
Acts 3:1-26
It always seems to happen so
quickly. For what has seemed like ages, the branches of the trees have
been bare. The grass has been flattened to the ground and lacks a sense of
being alive. Like that man “lame from birth” in this morning’s Easter
story, it’s as is the land around us has been pushed down and cries out
“alms for the poor, give us what we need to live.”
And then, suddenly, the sun
brings its light and warmth and transformation begins. You saw it this
week, didn’t you? The buds on certain trees and bushes open up and color
returns. Shoots reach up through the earth from their bulbs, and the first
flowers appear. Even the grass begins to green up the ground, as all these
plants take the sun’s light and start the growing season. In the northern
hemisphere of this globe we call “earth,” Spring and Easter are
synonymous. “Rise to new life,” the heavens declare, and nature turns to
the sun.
The swiftness of this happening
always takes our breath away, doesn’t it. It refreshes us. Oh, I know it
also has its downside, especially for those whose bodies have allergic
reactions to the spreading of life through pollination. Not so refreshing,
indeed, but still … light and warmth and color are welcome.
Of course, for the southern
hemisphere of this earth we call home refreshment comes in the form of
harvest. The land gives forth its rich bounty for all creation to share.
For our friends “down under,” Autumn and Easter sing the same tune – the
music of which flows from the same sun above. And it is good, as well…
We could have read yet another
gospel story of Easter this morning. Luke’s version would have been on the
docket this week, with Jesus appearing to his terrified disciples who had
previously disregarded news the women had brought from the empty tomb as
an “idle tale,” and had puzzled later over a further message brought by
Cleopas and his friend who said Jesus had met them on the road to Emmaus.
We could have paid attention to this resurrection account. But we didn’t.
Instead, we have jumped ahead in
the ancient story we have received. The author is still Luke, but this
time the disciples are apostles – still learning, but now sent, empowered
by the Holy Spirit. Pentecost has happened (an event we will celebrate
later in the church year), but is a launching time for what follows. In
the book of Acts, this morning’s story happens soon after that day when
the church of Jesus Christ was born.
You heard it, but let me repeat
it. The focal point is still Jerusalem. That will soon change - all too
quickly, in fact. Like the transformation brought by a new season, the
whole land will be involved. But today, we see Peter and John heading into
the Temple to pray. Please note: they are observant Jews going to the holy
of holies to pray. Remember that. Don’t forget it!
Is there some meaning behind the
gate they choose to enter through? “Beautiful.” That’s what it was called,
according to Luke, the “Beautiful Gate.” Perhaps it’s merely a detail on
which to hang this story, to help it be remembered. I imagine for some who
heard this story later on in the first century, it was good to remember
there once was a “Beautiful Gate” in that city. After 70AD the place was a
ruin, destroyed by Rome – burnt to the ground, every stone overturned,
except one wall against which Jews today still wail and pray. There once
was a “Beautiful Gate,” and there beside it sat a man.
We have no name to call him,
which is pretty lame, if you ask me. He ought to have a name. I’m sure God
knew it. That joke was pretty lame, as well, told at the expense of this
man who was born unable to walk. But he had friends. Friends for over 40
years, something we would have learned has we read to the 22nd
verse of the next chapter. He’d made it that long with this handicap. His
friends brought him to the “Beautiful Gate” every day so that he could
beg. That’s how he survived.
I know. We live today with a
different view of handicaps. We emphasize that persons are differently
abled rather than disabled, and that no one deserves to bear a stigma as
this man probably did back when Peter and John encountered him beside the
gate. Of course, we still push stigmas on folks. When was the last time
you judged someone for parking in a handicap spot who didn’t look
appropriately handicapped? I found myself doing that more often once I got
my temporary handicap sticker following surgery. Persons have to prove
they are worthy. They have to bear the stigmata before we say, “Oh, you’re
disabled, or poor, or widowed, or…” Then, we’ll do an about face and say,
“you are differently abled,” or “you are working poor,” or…
We’re not that far removed from
this ancient story. Beggars still surround us… Peter and John could have
walked right on by. Would anyone have complained? Just look in the other
direction. Don’t focus upon this man. He’s used to it. Forty years is a
long time, after all. But then those two disciples, now apostles (still
learning, but now sent), would have had to square their actions with what
Jesus taught – especially that story of a man handicapped by thieves on
the road to Jericho, you know, the one where various religious types look
away and walk on by, but a hated Samaritan did what was right in the eyes
of God. Peter and John could not have done less.
And so, there beside the
“Beautiful Gate,” an interesting thing happens. No coins are exchanged, no
alms given, no act of charity that just maintains the status quo. Peter
addressed this man’s need. “Look at me,” he said (cause I see you, I’m not
looking away. You are a man like me). “I don’t have money,” Peter said,
“but I’ll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ from
Nazareth (it isn’t about me, it’s about him – I just follow him), rise and
walk.”
You heard the story. It’s much
simpler than faith healers portray on stage, some with “whack-a-mole”
theatrics. The nameless man gets up and joins them in going into the
Temple to pray. Okay, so he does a little jig. And he praises God as he
dances, maybe embarrassing himself (but he doesn’t care). Okay, so maybe
it isn’t as downplayed as this simple Dunker preacher preaches. It
actually causes a scene. Right there at the “Beautiful Gate.”
People got all googly-eyed over
this miracle. “They were filled with
wonder and amazement,” it says. “All
the people ran together to them,” it says. They were “utterly astonished.” It was a “read all about it” moment in the book
of Acts. Of course, having just read all about what happened on Pentecost,
we might think that Luke is a bit prone to tell the story as large as he
could. Just as on Pentecost, this healing the lame man event launches
Peter into his second sermon. Right there near the “Beautiful Gate.” It
was a real beaut’ of a message! Gone is the disciple lost in his denials,
who misunderstood the cost of the cross and who bumbled his way to the
resurrection. Here now is Peter who steps into his failure and claims it
for glory.
“Don’t stare at me as if it was
by my own power or piety this man walks, Peter reminds those folks who
witnessed him rising. He goes on to connect them to the cross. They had a
hand in killing Jesus – maybe not directly by advocating for his
crucifixion, but indirectly by keeping silent. As Peter preaches some
rough words to these Jews, remember two things: 1) that Peter was a Jew
himself, and 2) that his sin of denying Jesus was worse – his own stigma.
But as God rose Jesus from the grave, so God lifted up Peter. So also, God
will lift up these people. That’s the main point of his message, why he is
speaking up. It’s not just about raising a lame man. It’s about raising
everyone, for we are all – then and now – handicapped in some way.
Those folks may not have known
they were handicapped by sin, but after Peter opened his mouth, the words
of this simple fisherman left no doubt. His words to them weren’t the same
as what he said to the lame man, but the effect was the same. “Look us in
the eyes. We see you. God sees you, and that’s good news. Now see God.” …
Well, those weren’t his exact words. What he said was “Repent
and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of
refreshing may come from the Lord…” That is “turn toward that One who
heals you, so that – like this lame man – you might rise to new life – as
fresh as Spring.”
This message is for all, for we
all bear responsibility for sin. Our inner land can be as dead as Winter,
but God brings forth new life. Like that man lame from birth, we can rise
and walk. By the way, I heard this story through different ears this time
around. As one who less than 2˝ months ago was not able to put any weight
on my left leg, this tale of rising beside the “Beautiful Gate” adds new
color to my year. I feel it in my bones. You?
Of course, there is more to this
story from the book of Acts, just like there is more to our story. Peter’s
second sermon was interrupted by the Temple guards who came and arrested “them”
(I presume “them” to mean Peter and John and maybe that no-longer-lame-man).
This arrest, however, didn’t squelch the Spirit. It says that around 5,000
folks who heard what Peter had said believed. If I do the math, this was
more than the 3,000 Luke claimed were baptized on Pentecost. I told you
this author was a bit prone to tell the story as large as he could. But
the point is, as hard as you try, you can’t silence the truth. Not in the
long run.
Just like you can’t stop the
coming of Spring. The earth erupts with goodness no matter what we might
do to prevent it. Maybe a better course of action is (instead) to open
ourselves to it, to be surprised yet again by our Creator, to turn toward
the Son - not just that glowing orb in the sky, but turn to the One who
died on the cross, who was buried in the good earth, and who rose from
death to life – “that times of
refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
Like Peter, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth,” rise in body or spirit and sing of your
Redeemer, that he lives, and that you are alive in him. If your feet lead
you, dance out your praise. Amen?
©2018
Peter
L. Haynes
(you are welcome to borrow and, where / as appropriate, note
the source - myself or those from whom I have knowingly borrowed.)