R&B (Repentance & Baptism)

Title: R&B (Repentance & Baptism)

Purpose: To look at repentance, baptism and the Holy Spirit

Reading: Acts 2v14a&36-41

Prayer

Father, may these spoken words be true to the written word and lead us to the living word – Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Scary Movie

Anyone a fan of the Scary Movie Franchise?

Picture the scene. There’s a young woman running through dark streets (it always a young woman). Every so often she sees a bright sign, it says something like:

Go back
Turn around,
Don’t go on
Return
run the other way

She couldn’t possibly miss them, but she ignores them and runs straight on into the even darker night. Maybe it starts to rain, or becomes a little foggy, but she runs on. Eventually, she is in front of a creepy house. She pauses, looks back, and you think just for a minute she won’t approach the house. Of course, she does, and goes up the steps to the heavy blackened wooden door. On the door, there is a flashing neon sign that says “Certain death to all who enter”. The door is ajar. Ignoring the sign, she pushes the door, that creaks, long and low and moves just enough for her to squeeze through. Making absolutely no attempt to switch on the lights, she starts to look around, although it’s way too dark to really see anything. Suddenly there is a bang, now she turns around to see the large wooden door is firmly closed, and try as she might, it will not budge. Her only hope, if there is any, is to be rescued.

Well, what do you think? Has it been done, or would it make a good opening for "Scary Movie 6"?

Fantasy

That’s a little piece of fantasy, but it illustrates where the Israelites have got to in our reading today. In the Gospel of Luke, and in the preceding Old Testament, there has been warning after warning (sign after sign) that the Israelites are headed in the wrong direction. They do not look after the poor, they do not look after those with other needs, they do not readily admit foreigners, and they are not proclaiming the word of God to the surrounding nations. Worse, they regularly mistreat God’s messengers, the prophets. They have kept God for themselves, and refuse to let others near.

All hope is gone

Now, in their misguided zeal – accusing Jesus of blasphemy – they have killed the son of God – the longed for Messiah, who was going to save the nation. The door is firmly closed, but they are locked out of God’s presence. Their hope is gone, and they have just realised it. They have been listening to Peter’s sermon (Which I suspect was a lot longer than the record we have of it.), and suddenly it is all clear to them. They were “cut to the heart”. Now comes the question – “Brothers, what should we do?”

The answer is quite straight forward – “repent and be baptized”. It’s not simple, though. The Hebrew word for repent originally meant “an afterthought, a change of mind”. We change our minds all the time – about what we will do and when we will do it. That’s not quite what repent is getting at. In Jewish thought the person is considered as a single entity, whereas in Greek thought, our inner life is separated from how we behave in front of others. The Greek word for repent means to turn around, just as our young lady needed to do before she entered the house.

Change of Actions

Perhaps we should say that repent means a change of actions. That we regret our former actions and are intent on not repeating what we now see as a mistake. That would certainly include turning back in many situations.

Here, Peter is asking them to accept the one who they have so recently decided was a blasphemer, and deserved the death penalty. He asks each one of them to:

“Repent and be baptized, ... in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

That means joining the Apostles – Peter and his crew. It’s a real turn around.

Baptism

Baptism was usually reserved for proselytes (converts to Judaism), and would have been seen as unnecessary because those born into a Jewish family were by nature Jewish and therefore loved and protected by God. But now, having killed His son, they can see that they are completely separated from God.

Christ’s Baptism

Some of them will have heard the message “repent and be baptized” before, that is what John’s baptism was all about. Baptism is a sign of repentance. This baptism though is different, this baptism is in the name of Jesus, who forgives our sin, once and for all, and puts us right with God – it is also a sign of our repentance.

Promise of the Holy Spirit

The other difference about this baptism is that it comes with a promise of the Holy Spirit. It’s the Holy Spirit which connects us to God and lives in us. This is what Paul says when he writes to Timothy:

2Tim 1:13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Normal Order of conversion

Peter has described the normal order of events when someone accepts Jesus as their saviour.

1. Repent
2. Be baptized
3. Receive the Holy Spirit

Of course, God can and does do it in other orders, but all three elements are always present.

3000

What an amazing offer the 3000 accepted. A way back to God, not only that but a permanent connection with God, and, of course, an escape from certain death.

Whose Offer?

It is not Peter’s offer. It’s a promise that comes from God via the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the whole story can be viewed as a work of the Holy Spirit, but that’s another sermon. Peter is just the messenger.

Offer to all

The offer (the promise) isn’t just to those Israelites either, it is made to their children, so their descendants and those who are far away, geographically or spiritually.

Christians

The offer has been accepted by many here. We now rely on that promise, it becomes an important part of our lives, perhaps the most important part. Even so, we are still capable of running away, ignoring all the signs, and entering the creepy house, but now the door can never lock us inside.

So, I thought I would end with a prayer of repentance. Yes, I know we’ve already said the confession, but sometimes our liturgy just becomes one of those signs that gets ignored.

I’d like you to join with me in saying this prayer, I’ll read it through first.

[The prayer]

Heavenly Father, thank you for everything you do for me. I come before You to repent of my sins. Please help me turn away from my sins and turn toward you, Through your Holy Spirit, give me the power and strength to follow you faithfully. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen

If you think that this is something you’d like to join in with, please say it together with me now.

[Say prayer together]

Amen. 

 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/6JkFGRc1bW0

 

References

https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/now-what-responding-to-the-holy-spirit-rev-matthew-parker-sermon-on-repentance-193729

 

https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/third-sunday-of-easter/commentary-on-acts-214a-36-41-2

 

https://prayforeverything.com/repentance-prayers/ 

 

 

Failures in the Crucifixion

Preached on Good Friday, 2023

Reading Psalm 22v1-11; John 18v1-19v37

Introduction

At the lent course this year we looked at the Archbishops Lent book – Failure by Emma Ineson, bishop of Penrith (and now Kensington). Failure, we said, is when things don’t go to plan – and that happens to all of us all the time (well, nearly all the time).

God uses our failures

God uses our failures as well as our occasional successes to make things happen in the world. So I thought this morning I would look through this very long reading and examine a few of the failures that occurred.

Jesus, by John

John’s report of the crucifixion, presents Jesus as totally in control. He knows what needs to happen, and he knows how to get to the next step. The other gospels do not present Jesus quite like this. So Jesus, in John, provides a great contrast to the failing human beings around Him. John shows God doing His work with our failures or despite our failures.

Limited Highlights

Obviously, this is just a small selection, as we don’t have sufficient time to cover things in great depth.

Peter [18:1-18:11]

Let’s start with Simon Peter’s first failure at the betrayal, that’s in 18:1-18:11. At the betrayal, Judas comes with about 50 people to arrest Jesus. Knowing what to expect, Jesus takes them by surprise and acts to protect His disciples. Despite all of Jesus’ teaching about what must happen, and the fact that they are outnumbered by at least 4 to 1, Peter decides to start a fight. He’s a fisherman, not a soldier, so he misses, and only manages to cut off an ear – that must have been a relief for him looking back on it later. His intent – to prevent the arrest, is wrong. His assessment of the situation is clearly completely bonkers, and his execution (poor choice of word?) is way off. Peter has failed miserably, maybe he was panicked by events, or maybe he just misunderstood the situation. But look what it does. Apart from requiring Jesus to heal Malchus, it also provides Him with the opportunity to tell all those present, most importantly the disciples, that His way is different, and that He will go through the painful death that He is facing.

Peter [John 18:16-18]

Let’s skip ahead now to Peter’s second failure. That’s in 18:16-18. When we come across phrases like ‘another disciple’ in John, it often means he is talking about himself, so I’ll make that assumption here. So Peter and John arrive at the high priest's courtyard. John is known to the high priest, perhaps because he’s sold them fish in the past, so he is let in and Peter has to wait. The bouncer, sorry, the girl on duty, asks Peter “You are not one of his disciples, are you?”.

With John

It’s a strange way to pose the question. Surely she can see that they’re together, so why not ask “are you with those two?” or something like that. Perhaps this is Satans ploy to trick Peter, but somehow, I don’t think he needed any help. So he replies, “I am not”. There’s that little lie, not much at all really, can’t be any serious consequences of that.

Why lie?

What was he thinking? Was he afraid she was making a list and that he would be next? If she was, she would already have John on the list, so Peter would easily be found. It doesn’t make any sense – if you think it through. But that is the problem, Peter doesn’t do his thinking BEFORE his talking. We are all put in that situation sometimes, and it’s very easy to give a stupid answer. Peter has failed, already Jesus’ prediction has come true. Once you’re there, you kind of have to stick with it.

Peter’s 2^nd & 3^rd denials [18:25-27]

The lie is the lie, and it must be defended, or he will look stupid (in his own mind, at least). So let’s move on to verses 25-27. It’s cold and those standing outside, where Peter is, are warming themselves by a fire. One of them asks that question again, phrased in exactly the same way, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” to which he provides the same answer. As I said, the lie has to be defended, some of them may have heard what he said before, so even if he’s had a chance to think about it, he’s never going to say “err, well, yes, actually I am” – even if that’s exactly what he should have said. So there it is, the second denial, the second failure.

Another challenge

You can never tell who has seen what and who knows who amongst a group of people. There is a relative of Malchus there amongst the crowd around the fire. He hears what Peter says, and perhaps recognises an out of town accent, and thinks “Yes, this is the man I saw attack Malchus”, so he asks “Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?” If we read Luke’s report of the incident, Peter’s response is, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”. That sounds like he is starting to get angry because his lies are being tested, and he can’t defend himself.

Cock crow

Then the cock crows, and Peter is instantly transported back to his conversation with Jesus, and the prediction Jesus made has come true. It is too much for Peter. All his promises that he will never leave Jesus, no matter what, have come to nothing. His failure is final, or so it seems to him. There will not be an opportunity for an apology, because Jesus will be crucified before he has the chance to speak to him again.

Because we know the end of the story, we know that there is a way. That is always the case with God – there is always a way back, even if we don’t have the opportunity to reconcile with those we have offended.

Pilate [18:29-40]

I think I just about have time to look at Pilate’s failure. Whereas Peter doesn’t think, you might say that Pilate overthinks. His failure is political, and as carefully constructed as he can get it, but it is still a failure, because his plan was clearly to release Jesus.

He is in a no-win situation. The high priest wants Jesus dead, because he claimed to be the Son of God. That’s not a charge that will stick with Pilate, so after a conversation with Jesus, he tries to set Jesus free.

He starts out trying to do the right thing (for himself, for his governorship, and for Rome). He does not want to be involved in the Jewish law, that is not his concern, and it will not benefit him in any way to become involved in debate about their laws. But there is one punishment that is banned by Roman law, the death penalty. If that is to be imposed, only Pilate can do it.

Jesus is a King

Pilate is willing to believe that Jesus is a king, but like so many today, he is not prepared to acknowledge an objective truth. He wants to release Jesus, maybe so that he is not seen as giving in to the high priest, so he appeals to the crowd.

“But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

They shout for crucifixion, so Jesus is flogged and mocked, and one last attempt is made to free him. But the chief priest has out manoeuvred the politician that is Pilate, and he gives up.

Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

That’s a rather simplified account, but it shows up Pilates failures – he denied the existence of Truth, and he failed to stand up for what he knew was right in the face of political pressure, a man died as a result.

Jesus

What about Jesus, did he experience any failures. Certainly not the way John reports it. But he did experience the result of failure and sin.

Jesus, the lamb of God, is completing the sacrifice that saves us from separation from God. His blood, like that of the blood of the passover lamb, saves us from death. God looks at him, for our sin, instead of us. At that moment Jesus feels the separation from God and cries out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Amen.