Second Sunday Of Easter
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII Cycle C
Seasonal Theme
The resurrected Christ becomes a physical presence in the world again.
Theme For The Day
It's still Easter and we celebrate Jesus with us just like those first disciples did.
First Lesson
Acts 5:27-32
Apostles Before The Council
In this account of Luke, Peter gives a marvelous explanation and defense and witness before the Sanhedrin. The apostles were accused of not following the decree of this body today (Acts 4:18). They were suspected of getting even for the death of their leader. So on behalf of all the disciples Peter claims:
1. Disciples had to obey God rather than any human authority (v. 29).
2. They had killed the very one God had raised up for them, Jesus (v. 30).
3. The one they had killed had come to give forgiveness to them (v. 31).
4. The disciples and God's Holy Spirit were witnesses to the above truths (v. 32). This was probably a reference to Pentecost.
While Peter's defense enraged those who heard it (v. 33), still it was a fine model of a disciple's utterances in a public gathering like the Sanhedrin.
Second Lesson
Revelation 1:4-8
Alpha And Omega
During this Easter season we are using passages from the book of Revelation as our Second Reading. The author, John, is writing in order to encourage Christians to resist the pressure to worship the emperor and to warn them that the showdown between God and Satan will be soon. They were important words to these faithful Christians, who were faced with choosing between the emperor or Jesus as their Lord.
Today's reading is the first of seven letters to seven churches in the province of Asia, which are identified in verse 11. Jesus is presented as a faithful witness in order to encourage the readers to be faithful in their own witness as well. Verse 5b is a reference to Psalm 89:27, firstborn being Christ's status in resurrection.
While the Alpha and Omega of verse 8 are tempting to center on, I like verse 6 and the idea that we are a kingdom of priests of God (see Isaiah 61:6). So in the New Testament we, having been freed from our sins, become a "kingdom of priests." This may have been a concept already familiar to early Christians.
Of course Alpha and Omega are the first and last of the 24 letters in the Greek alphabet. Maybe John is also saying that the end will be as the beginning was. What other metaphors might we come up with? A to Z? Everything but the kitchen sink?
The Gospel
John 20:19-31
Another After-Easter Appearance
The International Bible Commentary makes an interesting homiletical point. "Each of the resurrection appearances of Jesus fulfills a special purpose. For Peter it was the proclamation of victory; for Mary it was the satisfaction of love; now for the rest it is the calming of fear." In verse 22 we have an old friend in the scripture, "the breath of God" (Genesis 2:7; Ezekiel 37:9f). Here Jesus breathed on them and they were changed from timid men and women to bold witnesses. And this new spirit-filled church can pronounce on sin as certain as Jesus said it could (v. 23). The disciple who always demanded factual proof got to then make the first confession of faith which occurred after the day of resurrection. And verse 29 is a great one! It is as if Jesus is affirming all those who believed before such evidence, as Easter resurrection was available to them. So we don't see this as scolding but celebrating those who came to faith with less evidence.
Preaching Possibilities
A. We can put all the readings together under the theme "It's Easter Again."
1. Acts: It's Easter again and we can be brave.
2. Revelation: It's Easter again and we can be faithful witnesses.
3. John: It's Easter again and we too have a spirit of peace.
B. Individually we have power in all three readings.
1. The Acts account bears telling in narration form in your own words about what Easter meant to those first disciples and what it means to you now. Then what it can mean to this, your congregation.
2. The Revelation account could stress the things which we are pressured to worship and then talk about the meaning of Alpha and Omega and the meaning of "kingdom of priests." How does that affect our congregational and individual behavior? Two major questions need to be answered. What does it mean to be a priest? And what does it mean to be part of a kingdom?
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Text: Gospel for today
Title: Could be "Easter Continued" or "Easter, Part II"
A. Begin by telling how your Easter went last Sunday and the relief when Holy Week and Easter were over again this year.
B. Wait a minute! This is Easter 2. It's still Easter. We aren't finished yet! Relate to a movie, second part, like Rocky 2. Now tell in your own words the story of John 20:19-31. Here also is a continuation of the story. In fact, every first day of the week year round is a "little Easter."
C. Consider with your congregation what the second celebration teaches us.
1. For Peter it was a victory, and we have a victory also.
2. For Mary it was love satisfied, and now it pictured her misfit son in a whole new light.
3. For the other disciples, it meant calm for their fears, and it can do that for us, too.
4. For doubting Thomas and us, it meant concrete proof.
D. Like an encore we have it played again to our unrestrained, standing ovation. Jesus is alive, out of the grave, and with us here and now.
E. Frame your sermon by returning to your telling of last week's Easter and relief that it was over. But not really!
Prayer For The Day
We celebrate again today, O God, your coming out of the grave so we might one day also know our own resurrection. We rejoice in our victory, your love, calm for our fears, and proof of your alive presence with us still. In Christ. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
A mother brought her son to a concert to hear a great pianist. At intermission the little boy broke away, went up on stage, and began to play "Chopsticks" on the grand piano. A spotlight was placed on the little lad and the crowd got quiet. The boy became very afraid. The maestro saw it from the wings of the stage, came out and sat on the bench with the boy, and began to play the upper part of "Chopsticks." He leaned over and whispered, "It's all right now, son. I'm with you."
God comes and sits with us and sees us through.
Mercedes Benz has an advertisement on television in which a big, new, black Mercedes crashes into a wall for research safety. When asked why they share the scientific information with other auto manufacturers worldwide, the researcher responds, "Because some things in life are too good not to share." So, too, the gospel -- just "too good not to share."
A ballplayer for the Pittsburgh Pirates said he was not afraid. His parents had taught him: "No matter what, God still loves me. My parents still love me, also." To be assured of being loved is one of the greatest gifts life can give us. It is one of the most profound shaping forces in any person's life.
On the NBC Nightly News, Tom Brokaw told of a man in East Germany who said, when asked why he liked Mikhail Gorbachev, "Because for the first time in my life, I am not afraid." Our Emmanuel promised, "Be not afraid; I am with you always to the end of the age!"
The resurrected Christ becomes a physical presence in the world again.
Theme For The Day
It's still Easter and we celebrate Jesus with us just like those first disciples did.
First Lesson
Acts 5:27-32
Apostles Before The Council
In this account of Luke, Peter gives a marvelous explanation and defense and witness before the Sanhedrin. The apostles were accused of not following the decree of this body today (Acts 4:18). They were suspected of getting even for the death of their leader. So on behalf of all the disciples Peter claims:
1. Disciples had to obey God rather than any human authority (v. 29).
2. They had killed the very one God had raised up for them, Jesus (v. 30).
3. The one they had killed had come to give forgiveness to them (v. 31).
4. The disciples and God's Holy Spirit were witnesses to the above truths (v. 32). This was probably a reference to Pentecost.
While Peter's defense enraged those who heard it (v. 33), still it was a fine model of a disciple's utterances in a public gathering like the Sanhedrin.
Second Lesson
Revelation 1:4-8
Alpha And Omega
During this Easter season we are using passages from the book of Revelation as our Second Reading. The author, John, is writing in order to encourage Christians to resist the pressure to worship the emperor and to warn them that the showdown between God and Satan will be soon. They were important words to these faithful Christians, who were faced with choosing between the emperor or Jesus as their Lord.
Today's reading is the first of seven letters to seven churches in the province of Asia, which are identified in verse 11. Jesus is presented as a faithful witness in order to encourage the readers to be faithful in their own witness as well. Verse 5b is a reference to Psalm 89:27, firstborn being Christ's status in resurrection.
While the Alpha and Omega of verse 8 are tempting to center on, I like verse 6 and the idea that we are a kingdom of priests of God (see Isaiah 61:6). So in the New Testament we, having been freed from our sins, become a "kingdom of priests." This may have been a concept already familiar to early Christians.
Of course Alpha and Omega are the first and last of the 24 letters in the Greek alphabet. Maybe John is also saying that the end will be as the beginning was. What other metaphors might we come up with? A to Z? Everything but the kitchen sink?
The Gospel
John 20:19-31
Another After-Easter Appearance
The International Bible Commentary makes an interesting homiletical point. "Each of the resurrection appearances of Jesus fulfills a special purpose. For Peter it was the proclamation of victory; for Mary it was the satisfaction of love; now for the rest it is the calming of fear." In verse 22 we have an old friend in the scripture, "the breath of God" (Genesis 2:7; Ezekiel 37:9f). Here Jesus breathed on them and they were changed from timid men and women to bold witnesses. And this new spirit-filled church can pronounce on sin as certain as Jesus said it could (v. 23). The disciple who always demanded factual proof got to then make the first confession of faith which occurred after the day of resurrection. And verse 29 is a great one! It is as if Jesus is affirming all those who believed before such evidence, as Easter resurrection was available to them. So we don't see this as scolding but celebrating those who came to faith with less evidence.
Preaching Possibilities
A. We can put all the readings together under the theme "It's Easter Again."
1. Acts: It's Easter again and we can be brave.
2. Revelation: It's Easter again and we can be faithful witnesses.
3. John: It's Easter again and we too have a spirit of peace.
B. Individually we have power in all three readings.
1. The Acts account bears telling in narration form in your own words about what Easter meant to those first disciples and what it means to you now. Then what it can mean to this, your congregation.
2. The Revelation account could stress the things which we are pressured to worship and then talk about the meaning of Alpha and Omega and the meaning of "kingdom of priests." How does that affect our congregational and individual behavior? Two major questions need to be answered. What does it mean to be a priest? And what does it mean to be part of a kingdom?
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Text: Gospel for today
Title: Could be "Easter Continued" or "Easter, Part II"
A. Begin by telling how your Easter went last Sunday and the relief when Holy Week and Easter were over again this year.
B. Wait a minute! This is Easter 2. It's still Easter. We aren't finished yet! Relate to a movie, second part, like Rocky 2. Now tell in your own words the story of John 20:19-31. Here also is a continuation of the story. In fact, every first day of the week year round is a "little Easter."
C. Consider with your congregation what the second celebration teaches us.
1. For Peter it was a victory, and we have a victory also.
2. For Mary it was love satisfied, and now it pictured her misfit son in a whole new light.
3. For the other disciples, it meant calm for their fears, and it can do that for us, too.
4. For doubting Thomas and us, it meant concrete proof.
D. Like an encore we have it played again to our unrestrained, standing ovation. Jesus is alive, out of the grave, and with us here and now.
E. Frame your sermon by returning to your telling of last week's Easter and relief that it was over. But not really!
Prayer For The Day
We celebrate again today, O God, your coming out of the grave so we might one day also know our own resurrection. We rejoice in our victory, your love, calm for our fears, and proof of your alive presence with us still. In Christ. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
A mother brought her son to a concert to hear a great pianist. At intermission the little boy broke away, went up on stage, and began to play "Chopsticks" on the grand piano. A spotlight was placed on the little lad and the crowd got quiet. The boy became very afraid. The maestro saw it from the wings of the stage, came out and sat on the bench with the boy, and began to play the upper part of "Chopsticks." He leaned over and whispered, "It's all right now, son. I'm with you."
God comes and sits with us and sees us through.
Mercedes Benz has an advertisement on television in which a big, new, black Mercedes crashes into a wall for research safety. When asked why they share the scientific information with other auto manufacturers worldwide, the researcher responds, "Because some things in life are too good not to share." So, too, the gospel -- just "too good not to share."
A ballplayer for the Pittsburgh Pirates said he was not afraid. His parents had taught him: "No matter what, God still loves me. My parents still love me, also." To be assured of being loved is one of the greatest gifts life can give us. It is one of the most profound shaping forces in any person's life.
On the NBC Nightly News, Tom Brokaw told of a man in East Germany who said, when asked why he liked Mikhail Gorbachev, "Because for the first time in my life, I am not afraid." Our Emmanuel promised, "Be not afraid; I am with you always to the end of the age!"
