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I
have a friend, let’s call him Steve, after all that is what his mother
called him and I feel no real need to protect his identity from this
embarrassing story. Steve and I went to college together and I was
pretty sure that he was the coolest guy I knew. He could play the
guitar like nobody I had ever met. He was quiet and a friend to only
a few – and I was in the inner circle. Steve had a certain je ne
sais quoi. So when Steve asked Danny and me if we wanted to go to
Magnolia Gardens and swim, of course we said, “Yes.” Magnolia Gardens
is between Lake Houston and the Ship Channel along the San Jacinto
River. It is not as picturesque as it sounds. It is a muddy river
and home to lots of snakes. But we didn’t care. We were in college,
invincible, and we were with the coolest guy we knew. Steve suggested
we swim to the other side, a feat we had accomplished many times
before. We jumped in the water on the hot summer’s day and felt
immediately refreshed. Danny and I, being normal guys, started to
race to the other side. Steve, being so cool, took his time. I am
not sure whether Danny or I made it across first, because we both came
to the same sobering awareness as we reached the other side. Steve
was not taking his time because he was cool. He was taking his time,
because he was not a very good swimmer. He was only half way across
the river when we climbed onto the bank of the other side, breathless
from the competition. Our hearts stopped when we saw his hand go into
the air. We knew that he was not waving, but we also knew that
neither one of us had enough energy in our beings to get to him, let
alone help him to shore. We did not know what to do except to cheer
him on with our faint voices. “C’mon, you can make it! Don’t give
up!”
I can’t
help but believe that this was Peter’s sensation on the Day of
Pentecost. For ten days he and about 120 others waited for something
to happen. Jesus had ascended into heaven and they were told to wait
in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit empowered them. They did not know
what to expect, but all of a sudden it hit them, like Joseph Martin’s
“The Awakening”. From the silence of nothing - creation, energy, and
praise poured forth. People were attracted to the commotion in the
Upper Room, but some began to poke fun at them, suggesting that they
were drunk. Then Peter stood up, his voice faint from the experience
of Pentecost and praise. He told them that the people were not drunk,
at least not from alcohol - it was only 9 a.m. He went on to say they
were filled with the Spirit of God. Then his voice got stronger and
he preached a powerful sermon about Jesus Christ. He told those
gathered that Jesus was sent from God, was sent to them, and instead
of welcoming him they abused him, instead of listening to him they
silenced him, instead of believing in him they put him to death. But
God had raised him to life and made him both Lord and Messiah, Christ,
the Anointed One. The people started to piece it all together in
their hearts and minds and realized that they were in bad shape.
Listen to their exchange toward the end of the second chapter of
Acts. It is found in Acts 2:37-41. Hear now the Word of the Lord:
37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart
and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers,
what should we do?”
38Peter 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. 39For the
promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away,
everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” 40And he
testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save
yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41So those who
welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand
persons were added.
The
word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.
In this
passage, Peter pleaded with his hearers to surrender to the saving
power of God.
This is a
scary story. The people in Jerusalem realized about fifty days too
late who Jesus was and then to discover that they were being held
responsible not only for the death of an innocent man, but the long
awaited Messiah, the Anointed One of God. Like my friend Steve, they
desperately needed help. They needed to be saved.
Last week I confessed to you that I am not comfortable
with the question, “Are you born again?” Though I realize that one
must be born again, I also know that spiritual birth stories are as
varied as physical birth stories. Another question that makes me
squirm a little is, “Are you saved?” Again, I don’t doubt the
relevance of that question, it just feels so loaded, so subjective. I
need the ABCs of salvation outlined. I find that in this story. Here
they are - salvation requires:
A – Awareness of the Problem
B – Belief in the Solution
C – Commitment to the Cure
Let’s
look at these briefly as I assure you help is on the way!
Awareness of the Problem
The crowd at Pentecost
became acutely aware of the problem. Luke wrote to his friend,
Theophilus, 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?” They knew there was a problem. They had missed the chance
of a lifetime for the entire human race. God was right there in the
flesh and some of them neglected him, others rejected him, still
others ridiculed him participating in the abuse. But when they heard
Peter’s words, they realized what they had done and were pierced to
the heart. I am sure that there was just as much futility as
desperation in their question, “Brothers, what should we do?” There
was an awareness of the problem. But don’t despair help is on
the way!
Belief in the Solution
Peter was quick to prescribe the remedy. Don’t read
over it too quickly and miss the full instruction. 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.” ‘Repent’ means to turn around; it means
to reset the GPS of your soul. You are going the wrong way. The
second aspect of the solution is to be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ, that is, to enter into allegiance with Jesus Christ. Notice
that Peter uses both the human name of Jesus of Nazareth, and the
divine name of Christ or Messiah. This internal about-face of
repenting and this external identification with Christ through baptism
hold the power of forgiveness and the promise of the Holy Spirit.
There is a solution to one who is floundering in
awareness of the problem. The solution is Jesus the Christ. The
people were at the threshold of salvation, but there was still one
more important step to be taken. Let me remind you as you ponder upon
these ABCs of salvation, help is on the way!
Commitment to the Cure
There is a story of Paul preaching to the people of
Athens on Mars Hill, a place where philosophers would often wax
eloquently to the lovers of learning. He too spoke of God’s gift of
Jesus Christ, the rejection of the people, the death of Jesus, and
Jesus’ resurrection. People once again were on the edge of their
feet, but instead of committing to the cure, they said, “We will hear
you again on this matter.” They were intrigued, but they were not
transformed. They were curious, but they were not changed. It was a
different story in Jerusalem on that day of Pentecost. Luke was
careful to remind his readers that Peter spoke even more at length and
with urgency, And he testified with many other arguments and
exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
It is as if Peter is pleading, “C’mon, you can make it!”
Bishop Will Willimon wrote that a better translation of Peter’s plea
is, “Let yourselves be saved from this corrupt generation.”
They could not save themselves, but the cure was available if they
would only commit to it. They did. About 3,000 people did an
internal about-face, repented, and an external identification with
Christ, they were baptized. And they were saved.
Saved from what? They were saved from a corrupt
generation that would rather kill Christ than hear him. They were
saved from the eternal consequences of their own brokenness,
sinfulness (“so that your sins may be forgiven”), a sinfulness
that found it nearly impossible to do the right thing. They were
saved from themselves and their propensity to self-absorption by being
connected to the body of Christ through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Some of us are uncomfortable when we hear the question, “Are you
saved?” But if we remember the picture of the people on the Day of
Pentecost, it makes more sense.
If that doesn’t help, think of my friend Steve. There
he was bobbing in the muddy waters of the San Jacinto River, his
friends unable to rescue him, when out of nowhere a boat began
motoring toward him. By now he was keenly aware of the
problem and the sight of the boat caused him to believe
in the solution. All it took was for him to commit to
the cure, get in the boat. When he did we were relieved and he
was saved. I wonder if Peter felt, when the people got into the
waters of baptism, what we felt that day when our friend got out of
the water of the San Jacinto. What a wonderful thing to see that
help is on the way!
What a shame
it would be for you to hear these stories and only see some people in
Jerusalem and some foolish boys at the San Jacinto River. Verse 39
reads, “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.”
This is your story as much as it is Steve’s or the people in
Jerusalem. To all who are far away, help is on the way!
We see evidence of that once again today at this Table. Help is
on the way! Amen. |
