Named, Claimed, and Framed
Sermon
Show-and-Tell
First Lesson Cycle A Sermons for Lent and Easter
Object:
So, here we are just over one week after Easter Sunday. Vigils are finished. Sunrise services are over. Dishes from the youth breakfast have been washed and put away. Brass and tympani fanfares have concluded. Flowers on the cross have begun to wilt and blow away. Fewer pews are filled.
In most communities, spring break is over. Easter vacations have ended. The return of familiar routines begin. The joy of Easter is still there, but it has diminished somewhat with a return to "the real world." Nevertheless the antiphonal Easter proclamation continues. "Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!" Did you notice just a tad bit less enthusiasm?
Christ's resurrection is a reality. Yet it's impossible to maintain the emotional and spiritual highs of Easter morning. The excitement has disappeared. Now what?
It's tough being a follower of Jesus without uplifting music in the midst of a supportive community filled with optimistic hope. Life goes on. It was even more difficult to be a follower of Jesus in those first days after the resurrection. In our text for today and for the next two Sundays we will see how the Holy Spirit used Peter to help folks remain faithful as they returned to their daily routines and challenges.
Today, our text describes what it means to be an after-Easter people. Next Sunday's first lesson presents what God wants after-Easter people to do. Two weeks from today, Pe-ter's address concludes with a description of how after-Eas-ter people are to live.
Here's a familiar story.
A weary mother returned from the store with her arms filled with groceries. She was greeted at the door by her eight-year-old daughter Sally who couldn't wait to tell what her little brother, Timmy, had done. "Daddy was on the phone and I was out playing," she began. "Timmy took his new crayons and wrote on the new wallpaper you just put up in the living room. I told him you'd be real mad."
"Oh my," said her mother with a long sigh, "Where's Timmy now?"
"He's inside the closet over there," answered Sally, pointing directly at the hiding place of her little brother.
"Timmy, come out here this instant," said his mother sternly. For the next five minutes she proceeded to scold Timmy for his lack of concern for others. She ranted about how he always seemed to act before he thought. Then she stomped into the living room, expecting to see the damage and confirm her worst fears. Instead, her eyes filled with tears. When Timmy's mom looked at the wall, in crayon, Timmy had printed, "I love my mommy." He had carefully surrounded his message with a large, red heart.
Rather than re-papering the wall, Timmy's parents decided to re-frame the message. Today, many years later, that living room wall remains just the same. However, Timmy's message is now surrounded by a beautiful picture frame. Whenever family members or guests see it they remember what it looks like to be surrounded by a powerful, welcoming, and forgiving love.
So, what does this mean for us as the routines of our daily lives begin to absorb us once again? Here is Peter's message to those first after-Easter people in our text and to those after-Easter people gathered here. How can we make sense now out of all those things that happened then?
Named. Peter's address here sets a foundation for a new and exciting chapter for followers of Jesus. They were becoming a brand new community. Soon they would also have a brand new name, "Christian" (Acts 11:26). Wherever and whenever they gathered, these after-Easter people of God would be named "Church" (Colossians 1:24) or "Body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Claimed. God's action in Jesus claims us as God's own people. As Peter declares in our text, those first after-Easter people had seen the "powers, wonders, and signs that God had done through Jesus" (Acts 2:22) in their midst. These miracles of Jesus were signs that the kingdom of God was near and that God had claimed them as part of it. And then everything ended in disaster. The Messiah they expected would certainly not be tortured and killed by the same Roman enemy he was supposed to defeat. The Messiah they expected certainly would not be betrayed and put on trial by their fellow Israelites for, of all things, blatantly defaming God and disobeying the sacred laws of God's people.
It is tough being an after-Easter people. It was in those days. Is still is today. If God had indeed sent Jesus to usher in the messianic kingdom and claimed them as its charter members, this was a strange way of showing it. Sure, some folks, including Peter, said that Jesus'crucifixion "happened according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). Somehow, this just doesn't seem to give enough courage or substance to get through the doubts and struggles of each day. More signs and wonders for the after-Easter people in the real world ASAP. Please!
Well, okay, there is Jesus' resurrection. Peter states, "God raised him up having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power" (Acts 2:24). However, that was many days ago. That really was a big celebration and emotional high; a real spiritual explosion. But now what? How do we really know God claims us for God's own people? Where's Jesus when you really need him?
Look around folks. Look at the baptismal font where God names you and claims you as God's beloved child forever. Here, with a splash, the Lord declares, "I have called you by name, you are mine" (Isaiah 43:1). Look at the altar, the table of the Lord. Here is precisely where Jesus is when you need him the most. Here is where Jesus gives himself to strengthen you in your daily after-Easter struggle. Here Jesus himself feeds you and tells you "This is my body, given for you. This is my blood, shed for you." Framed. We are forever named and claimed as God's own children, God's own af-ter-Easter people. That's easy to say but even easier to forget in the real world. Anyone who enters Timmy's living room can see the framed reality of a love that continues to live in that family. God's after-Easter people also need a frame for remembering Jesus' love in the living spaces of their lives.
Matthew is almost three years old, and soon he will be the official big brother to Myra, who is still living comfortably in Mommy's tummy for a few more weeks. Matthew talks to Myra every night before bedtime. Matthew hugs Mommy's tummy and uses his deep, big brother voice to say, "Night, night Myra. I'm your big brother. I love you!"
Named, claimed, and framed. What a blessing for any baby sister about ready to begin a new chapter in life. Although not yet fully visible, Myra is already being named, claimed, framed, and loved into a new family.
On Loren and Ryan's computer monitor is a screen saver picture of their laughing eighteen-month-old son, Orin. His arms are wide open and ready to frame them with a loving embrace. Although not yet fully visible, God was embracing these first after-Easter people in today's text. As part of God's definite plan, God was truly loving them and framing them to a new family and a new community. Here God was framing a forever message of love that would connect God's past loving deeds with God's future promise of joyful presence... Quoting Psalm 16:8, Peter proclaims, "You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence" (Acts 2:28).
So, what does this frame look like and where is it anyway? Look around you. See God's claimed people gathered around God's own living word. Notice the table there. Gaze at the font over there. Now focus your attention on the cross. Imagine the outstretched arms of Jesus embracing it all; surrounding us all; framing and filling this new family with the joy of his presence.
After-Easter people remember that the crucified, dead, and buried Jesus is no longer trapped and framed by any time and space tomb. After-Easter people remember, as Peter declares, "This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses." God has included us, named and claimed af-ter-Easter people, as witnesses to this new reality, members of this new community, part of the new frame that centers God's loving message for us and for the world forever.
God's framed future has begun -- a new and living reality is becoming visible. The old is passing away. Death has lost its sting. Grief has lost its power. Sin has lost its control. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.
In most communities, spring break is over. Easter vacations have ended. The return of familiar routines begin. The joy of Easter is still there, but it has diminished somewhat with a return to "the real world." Nevertheless the antiphonal Easter proclamation continues. "Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!" Did you notice just a tad bit less enthusiasm?
Christ's resurrection is a reality. Yet it's impossible to maintain the emotional and spiritual highs of Easter morning. The excitement has disappeared. Now what?
It's tough being a follower of Jesus without uplifting music in the midst of a supportive community filled with optimistic hope. Life goes on. It was even more difficult to be a follower of Jesus in those first days after the resurrection. In our text for today and for the next two Sundays we will see how the Holy Spirit used Peter to help folks remain faithful as they returned to their daily routines and challenges.
Today, our text describes what it means to be an after-Easter people. Next Sunday's first lesson presents what God wants after-Easter people to do. Two weeks from today, Pe-ter's address concludes with a description of how after-Eas-ter people are to live.
Here's a familiar story.
A weary mother returned from the store with her arms filled with groceries. She was greeted at the door by her eight-year-old daughter Sally who couldn't wait to tell what her little brother, Timmy, had done. "Daddy was on the phone and I was out playing," she began. "Timmy took his new crayons and wrote on the new wallpaper you just put up in the living room. I told him you'd be real mad."
"Oh my," said her mother with a long sigh, "Where's Timmy now?"
"He's inside the closet over there," answered Sally, pointing directly at the hiding place of her little brother.
"Timmy, come out here this instant," said his mother sternly. For the next five minutes she proceeded to scold Timmy for his lack of concern for others. She ranted about how he always seemed to act before he thought. Then she stomped into the living room, expecting to see the damage and confirm her worst fears. Instead, her eyes filled with tears. When Timmy's mom looked at the wall, in crayon, Timmy had printed, "I love my mommy." He had carefully surrounded his message with a large, red heart.
Rather than re-papering the wall, Timmy's parents decided to re-frame the message. Today, many years later, that living room wall remains just the same. However, Timmy's message is now surrounded by a beautiful picture frame. Whenever family members or guests see it they remember what it looks like to be surrounded by a powerful, welcoming, and forgiving love.
So, what does this mean for us as the routines of our daily lives begin to absorb us once again? Here is Peter's message to those first after-Easter people in our text and to those after-Easter people gathered here. How can we make sense now out of all those things that happened then?
Named. Peter's address here sets a foundation for a new and exciting chapter for followers of Jesus. They were becoming a brand new community. Soon they would also have a brand new name, "Christian" (Acts 11:26). Wherever and whenever they gathered, these after-Easter people of God would be named "Church" (Colossians 1:24) or "Body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Claimed. God's action in Jesus claims us as God's own people. As Peter declares in our text, those first after-Easter people had seen the "powers, wonders, and signs that God had done through Jesus" (Acts 2:22) in their midst. These miracles of Jesus were signs that the kingdom of God was near and that God had claimed them as part of it. And then everything ended in disaster. The Messiah they expected would certainly not be tortured and killed by the same Roman enemy he was supposed to defeat. The Messiah they expected certainly would not be betrayed and put on trial by their fellow Israelites for, of all things, blatantly defaming God and disobeying the sacred laws of God's people.
It is tough being an after-Easter people. It was in those days. Is still is today. If God had indeed sent Jesus to usher in the messianic kingdom and claimed them as its charter members, this was a strange way of showing it. Sure, some folks, including Peter, said that Jesus'crucifixion "happened according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). Somehow, this just doesn't seem to give enough courage or substance to get through the doubts and struggles of each day. More signs and wonders for the after-Easter people in the real world ASAP. Please!
Well, okay, there is Jesus' resurrection. Peter states, "God raised him up having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power" (Acts 2:24). However, that was many days ago. That really was a big celebration and emotional high; a real spiritual explosion. But now what? How do we really know God claims us for God's own people? Where's Jesus when you really need him?
Look around folks. Look at the baptismal font where God names you and claims you as God's beloved child forever. Here, with a splash, the Lord declares, "I have called you by name, you are mine" (Isaiah 43:1). Look at the altar, the table of the Lord. Here is precisely where Jesus is when you need him the most. Here is where Jesus gives himself to strengthen you in your daily after-Easter struggle. Here Jesus himself feeds you and tells you "This is my body, given for you. This is my blood, shed for you." Framed. We are forever named and claimed as God's own children, God's own af-ter-Easter people. That's easy to say but even easier to forget in the real world. Anyone who enters Timmy's living room can see the framed reality of a love that continues to live in that family. God's after-Easter people also need a frame for remembering Jesus' love in the living spaces of their lives.
Matthew is almost three years old, and soon he will be the official big brother to Myra, who is still living comfortably in Mommy's tummy for a few more weeks. Matthew talks to Myra every night before bedtime. Matthew hugs Mommy's tummy and uses his deep, big brother voice to say, "Night, night Myra. I'm your big brother. I love you!"
Named, claimed, and framed. What a blessing for any baby sister about ready to begin a new chapter in life. Although not yet fully visible, Myra is already being named, claimed, framed, and loved into a new family.
On Loren and Ryan's computer monitor is a screen saver picture of their laughing eighteen-month-old son, Orin. His arms are wide open and ready to frame them with a loving embrace. Although not yet fully visible, God was embracing these first after-Easter people in today's text. As part of God's definite plan, God was truly loving them and framing them to a new family and a new community. Here God was framing a forever message of love that would connect God's past loving deeds with God's future promise of joyful presence... Quoting Psalm 16:8, Peter proclaims, "You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence" (Acts 2:28).
So, what does this frame look like and where is it anyway? Look around you. See God's claimed people gathered around God's own living word. Notice the table there. Gaze at the font over there. Now focus your attention on the cross. Imagine the outstretched arms of Jesus embracing it all; surrounding us all; framing and filling this new family with the joy of his presence.
After-Easter people remember that the crucified, dead, and buried Jesus is no longer trapped and framed by any time and space tomb. After-Easter people remember, as Peter declares, "This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses." God has included us, named and claimed af-ter-Easter people, as witnesses to this new reality, members of this new community, part of the new frame that centers God's loving message for us and for the world forever.
God's framed future has begun -- a new and living reality is becoming visible. The old is passing away. Death has lost its sting. Grief has lost its power. Sin has lost its control. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.
