The Holy Sprit Story | A Pentecost Sermon on Acts 2:1-8

Introduction
Today is Pentecost Sunday. Last Sunday was Ascension Sunday. Today is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost literally means “fiftieth” in Greek. That’s where the name comes from. It is the 50th day after Passover. If you're Jewish, you would reckon it from the Passover. For Christians, it is the 50th day after Easter. So we reckon it from Easter. Easter and Passover fall in the same time, but it is the 50th day.

Timeline:
Easter Sunday—you know Jesus rose from the grave—and He appeared to His disciples. Then, over the course of 40 days, Jesus appeared many different times in many different ways to many different people. We have looked at several of the stories of the resurrection over the last several weeks since Easter. For 40 days, Jesus appeared in resurrected form to people. Then He ascended into Heaven, and 10 days after He ascended into Heaven was Pentecost Sunday—the Pentecost Sunday that we are remembering today.

What is Pentecost?
What is Pentecost? It was originally the Jewish holiday that celebrated the giving of the Law of Moses to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai. Remember that? Way back in Exodus, as the Israelites—slaves—left from Egypt, they were wandering through the desert and went up to the mountain, Mount Sinai. Moses went up on top of the mountain, and like it shows in the movie with Charlton Heston, God gave them the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, right? He brought the Law down—it was the Ten Commandments, but it was also all the Law that is in the book of Moses, or the books of Moses—so that the people of Israel would know how to live as God’s people.

Every year, the Israelites wanted to remember that special moment, and they celebrated Pentecost with a feast 50 days after the Passover. Now it’s important to keep that purpose of Pentecost in your mind. What was the purpose? To remember that God gave the Israelites—what? The Law. Okay, good.

It is also known as the Feast of Weeks, because they saw it as a week of weeks. A week of weeks—how many days are in a week? Seven. So they thought, well, let’s say seven weeks of seven days. Here’s a little math—you didn’t know you were going to do math when you came to church today! Seven times seven is what? Forty-nine. Very good. You know your times tables still, even after all these years. Seven times seven is 49. Then, after the 49 days—the week of weeks has been observed—on the 50th day you have the Pentecost feast. And what does Pentecost mean? Fiftieth, right! So on the 50th day, they celebrate it.

So we’re going to read the story of what happened to the disciples on the celebration of Pentecost—50 days after the Passover, 50 days after Jesus rose from the grave. It comes from

Acts 2:1-8
¹ On the day of Pentecost^[a] all the believers were meeting together in one place. ² Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. ³ Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. ⁴ And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,^[b] as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

⁵ At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. ⁶ When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

⁷ They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, ⁸ and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages!

A Moment Rich with Symbolism – God Wrote His Law on Christian’s Hearts
Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks or the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, celebrated the day that God gave Moses the Law in order for them to live as God's people. To represent God to the whole world, they had to know how to live. So God gave them all of these different rules and regulations and ceremonial laws so that they would stand out among the nations as holy and different from everyone else, so that they could show the world who God was. They celebrated that every year.

But of course, if we’ve ever read much of the Bible or known many Bible stories, we know the problem was that the Israelites were constantly not following God’s Law, right? And it could be because they forgot the Law. There were many times that they forgot the Law. There are a couple different times I read in the Scriptures where it says they discovered the book of the Law—it was hidden. It was kind of like the Bibles that we sometimes stick on a shelf and don’t ever read and forget about.

They forgot about it, and then they found it, and they would read it and say, “Oh my goodness, we’ve not been doing these things.” Sometimes it was because they forgot. Sometimes it was because they were rebellious people and they didn’t want to do what God told them to do. They wanted to do things their own way. Anybody ever felt like that? We all do from time to time.

So, in the Scriptures it was often looked forward to—it was a vision and prophesied—that one day there was going to be a change. For instance, in Jeremiah 31:33, the prophet Jeremiah prophesied:

“This is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.”

This is talking about a future time that’s coming when the Law is not going to be written on stone tablets like we see in the movie The Ten Commandments, and it's not even necessarily going to be written in a book like we have in our Bibles. It’s going to be written on our hearts and put in our minds.

Jeremiah says this is the way it’s going to be in the new covenant: “I’m going to put my law in their hearts and in their minds.” So, on the day of Pentecost, as they are celebrating the giving of the Law, something amazing happens. God sends the Holy Spirit—His own Holy Spirit—to come and dwell in believers’ hearts. So the Law of God is now inside those who believe in Jesus Christ and seek to follow Him.

That can mean a lot of different things, but one thing it means is this: now it’s not just that we have to go to a book to see what God has said. God Himself is living inside us. We have Him right there with us all the time—everywhere you go, everything you do, no matter what time of day it is—God is inside you.

And the Holy Spirit is telling you, “Look, you know you ought not be doing that.” You feel it. There’s a conscience inside you that’s saying, “Oh, I shouldn’t do that.” If you’re listening, it will guide you.

Another thing that it’s saying is that the Law of God is not just something written externally that you follow because you’re supposed to be obedient. Now, it’s something that’s in your heart. It’s something that you actually want to do. As you recognize how much God has loved you and what Jesus Christ has done for you on the cross, when you begin to really feel that in your heart—know that in your heart—it’s not just that you are obeying the rules because you’re supposed to. Now you are obeying the rules because you want to honor God. You want to show Him that you love Him. You want to do what makes Him happy. So you actually now begin to have your heart transformed into something that’s not rebellious but wants to be obedient. As the Holy Spirit writes the Word on your heart, it begins to change.

This all happened at Pentecost in the second chapter of Acts, as they were remembering the first time God gave them the Law. It’s a moment that is rich with symbolism.

A Moment Rich with Symbolism – Christian’s Became God’s Temple
First of all, we see how Christians became the new temple—the new tabernacle. Think about this. In the story, it tells us that there was the sound of what? A mighty rushing wind. The word that it uses—the Greek word—is pneuma. The Hebrew word is ruach. It means—it’s hard to translate it into English directly—but it basically means the Spirit/Breath of God.

We see this throughout the Scriptures. Go all the way back to the beginning of your Bible, Genesis 1:2. In Greek, it says pneuma. In Hebrew, it says ruach. It is the Spirit/Breath of God that is hovering over the waters at creation. And then what happens? God speaks. And when you speak, what happens? Your breath comes through your vocal cords and makes sound. The Spirit/Breath of God speaks and says, “Let there be light. Let there be stars in the sky and a moon and a sun. Let there be land and let there be water.” So the Spirit speaks, and these things come into existence.

Then, in the second chapter of Genesis, God forms Adam from the dust of the ground, and then it says that He breathed into his nostrils and brought him to life. The Spirit/Breath of God comes into Adam and brings him to life.

Another example is the story in Ezekiel 37—a wonderful story. Ezekiel the prophet is walking along—maybe he's on a hike—and he comes across a valley that is filled with dry bones. Imagine that. Have you ever been walking in the woods and seen some old bones on the ground? Like an old deer that died or a squirrel or something, and the bones have been there and rotted away. But he sees a whole valley full of bones, and these are not animal bones. These are the bones of an army that was slaughtered and left in the field, and now it’s just dried, bleached bones.

And God says to Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live again?” Ezekiel’s smart—he’s not going to say. He just simply says, “Well, You’re God. You’re the one that knows.” And God tells Ezekiel, “Speak the Spirit/Breath into the bones and they will come alive.” And he speaks, and the bones stand up, and flesh comes back on the bones, and they become living people once again.

And God says to Ezekiel, “This is what I’m telling you. This is a vision. You spoke the message as He commanded you, and breath came into the bodies, and they all came to life as a great army.” Then God said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel.”

So as the Spirit of God comes along to these dead, dry bones, He says, “This is what My people are like. They’re like dead, dry bones with no life in them.” At that time, the tribes of Israel had been scattered and dispersed. There was no hope to bring them back together. And God says, “But I am going to bring My people Israel back together with the Spirit/Breath of God.”

Now, at Pentecost, the Spirit/Breath of God dwells inside every follower of Jesus Christ. And this is represented in the Scripture we read today by tongues of fire that come to rest upon the heads of every Christian that’s gathered there in the room with the disciples.

This also is rich with meaning, looking back through the Old Testament. You go back to the time when the Israelites were going through the desert and they had a tabernacle tent where they would worship God. It says that by day, a pillar of cloud would rest on the tabernacle. And at night, the pillar of cloud would glow red with fire, representing the presence of God that was dwelling in the tabernacle.

It says whenever the cloud or the pillar of fire would move off of the tabernacle, that was the sign to the Israelites: it’s time to move. God is moving. So they would pack up the tabernacle tent and they would hit the road, and they would follow God wherever He was leading them.

That was what happened in the Old Testament. But here, in Pentecost in the New Testament, the pillar of fire is now resting over—what? Is it resting over a tent? No. It’s resting over the people who believe in Jesus Christ and are following Him.

The tabernacle was a portable temple where God dwelt among His people. But in the New Testament, we are the tent. We’re the tabernacle. Those of us who believe in Jesus Christ—because of Pentecost, Christians have become the new temple of God. We are the people of God. We are those dry bones that were out in the field, dead and lifeless, but we have been brought back to life to fulfill the purposes that God gave His people.

The Believers Spoke
Acts 2:4 says, “Everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”

Now, a lot has been said about speaking in tongues. Of course, we often look to our Pentecostal brothers and sisters because they like to speak in tongues in their services. And if you’ve ever heard it, it can be either an amazing, awesome thing—or a really freaky thing if you’re not used to it.

But I want to point out that in this instance in Acts 2, they are not speaking gibberish. They’re not speaking some unknown language or even an angelic language. These were real languages that people spoke on earth—the languages of all the different ethnic groups that were gathered in Jerusalem at that time from around the world.

If you read farther down in the chapter, it tells you about the different nations represented—Parthians, Medes, Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, and more. These Galileans, who didn’t know how to speak those languages, were suddenly, supernaturally enabled to talk in them—languages they had never learned before.

Why? It was to fulfill God’s original intent for Israel. The original purpose for God’s people was to be a light to the Gentiles—to represent God to the whole world—to help the whole world come to know God and follow Him.

We can see that purpose spelled out throughout the Old Testament. God always intended for Israel to be a witness to the nations—a beacon of light pointing the world to the one true God. This calling is fulfilled and expanded in Jesus and in the Church’s mission to make disciples of all nations.

They Spoke First
And I want you to notice something else important, too. The believers started speaking in tongues before there was anybody there to hear them. They were all Galileans in the room, and all of a sudden, they started talking in other languages—each one speaking a different language.

They started speaking in tongues in verse 4, but the outsiders didn’t come to hear them until verse 6. There was nobody else there—it was all believers, all disciples. Everyone else was outside doing their own thing.

Why did they come running? It says, “When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.”

So imagine all the people milling around. It’s like if we’re here gathered in the church building, and there are people out there going to Ace Hardware, trying to beat the Baptists to lunch. All of a sudden, they hear something happening inside our church—a mighty rushing wind—and a bunch of people start talking. They can't quite make it out, but they know something amazing is happening. And they come running to see, “What are those disciples doing? What’s going on in there?”

When they get there, that’s when they hear the believers speaking in their own languages.

The Spirit gave them the gift to speak in other languages. The believers responded to the Spirit. They obeyed. And the noise drew the crowd.

There’s a quote I love, attributed to John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement. He said something like this: “If you will light the church on fire with the Holy Spirit, the whole world will come to watch it burn.”

Have you ever seen a house catch on fire? If you see something like that—a car on fire, a house on fire—everybody comes to see it. It’s usually a bad thing, a destructive thing. But fire can be a good thing too.

When the church is filled with Holy Spirit fire—when we catch fire with the Spirit and we start doing the amazing things God calls us to do—people want to see it. They start coming to see why.

Why is that important for us today?

We don’t need to wait for the crowds to show up. We don’t need to wait for more children to come. We don’t need to wait for something else to happen.

The Holy Spirit of God—who created the stars in heaven, the mountains around us, and filled the oceans with water—lives inside us and enables us to worship and witness boldly.

So let the Spirit speak through you. Don’t wait for something else. Go ahead and be obedient. Be filled with the Spirit’s power. Use the gifts that He gives you. Worship boldly. Witness boldly. Live for Jesus boldly.

Live out loud. Speak the truth. And it will draw the crowd that needs to come and hear it.

We often want to wait for the “right time,” but Pentecost calls us to be the spark—the spark that gets things started. The Holy Spirit works through bold obedience before the results are visible.

Conclusion: Be the Spark
The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost changed everything. God no longer dwells in a temple made by human hands. He dwells in His people.

His people—the Church—now includes all nations, not just Israel. And His law is no longer just carved in stone but is written on our hearts.

But don’t miss what happened first: the believers didn’t wait for the crowds to gather before they spoke. They simply obeyed. They opened their mouths. They spoke as the Spirit gave them the ability.

And then the crowds came running.

So I ask you: what would happen if you did the same?

What if we worshiped boldly—even if we looked around and noticed some people were missing?

What if we served generously—even before we knew exactly what was needed or how it would all work out?

What if we shared the gospel—even if we weren’t sure anyone was listening?

But we decided we would live the way Christ called us to live. And we would speak out and be bold.

The fire falls before people respond.

So don’t wait.

Don’t hold back.

Be the spark that ignites those around you.

Live out loud.

Speak the truth.

And watch how the Spirit draws people—people who need to hear the good news, who need to be part of the love that God has for us, who need to find the reconciliation with God and with one another that comes through Jesus Christ.

The Ascension Story | A Sermon on Acts 1:6-11

Introduction
For six Sundays since Easter, we’ve been exploring powerful stories of the risen Jesus—appearing to His followers, proving He was alive, and changing lives forever.

We serve a risen Savior. Death could not defeat Him!  Today, we turn to the final moment Jesus appeared to His disciples before ascending into heaven.  It’s a pivotal scene—a farewell, a promise, and a mission—all in one.  Our Scripture comes from Acts 1:6–11.

Acts 1:6-11
⁶ So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

⁷ He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

⁹ After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. ¹⁰ As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

The Disciples Question
The question the disciples asked amounts to this: “Lord, when are You going to fix everything?”

It’s such a revealing question. After all they’d seen—Jesus’ teachings, His death, and His resurrection—the disciples were still holding onto their old expectations.  They were still hoping Jesus would throw off Roman rule and restore Israel’s independence.  In other words, “Is now the time You’re going to fix everything for us?”

We can relate to that, can’t we? We often want God to step in and take care of everything—
to fix our problems, change our circumstances, and do it now.

The disciples weren’t wrong to hope, but their vision was far too small.
They wanted national restoration. Jesus was about to launch a global mission.
They were focused on their country. Jesus was thinking of every tribe, tongue, and nation.
They wanted comfort and control. Jesus offered power and purpose.

How often do our prayers sound like their question?  “Lord, when will You finally fix this situation?”
“When will You restore my idea of how things should be?”

Jesus doesn’t rebuke our questions, but He gently lifts our eyes to something far greater than we can imagine.

Jesus’ Response
Jesus doesn’t answer the disciples the way they expect.  He doesn’t give them a timeline.  He doesn’t lay out a political plan. He tells them two key things:

First, “It’s not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set.” In other words—“You don’t need to know the schedule. That’s the Father’s business.”  How often do we want God to give us the when and how?  But Jesus shifts their focus from timing to trusting.

Second, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…”  This is the true gift—not power to take control, but power to share the Good News.

And here comes the surprising part.  Jesus said:  
“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  This is bigger than national renewal. It’s a worldwide revolution of grace and truth.

And let me ask you—have you ever thought about this?
If the disciples had clung to their small vision—if they had kept the Gospel only for Israel—you wouldn’t be sitting here today.  There would be no Pleasant Grove Methodist Church.  No Christian faith in America.  No Bible on your nightstand.  And more importantly—no forgiveness of your sins, no hope beyond the grave, no peace that passes understanding.  Every blessing you know in Christ is possible because those first followers let go of their narrow view and embraced God’s global mission.

In His response, Jesus is also saying:  “Don’t wait around for Me to do the work you’ve been called to do.  I’m sending you.  But I’m also equipping you—with Holy Spirit power—to fulfill your purpose.”

It’s not a small story about Israel anymore.  It’s God’s mission for the world.  And the Disciples—and everyone who calls Jesus Lord—is part of the mission. 
And that means you.

The Ascension
On the Christian calendar, today is known as Ascension Sunday—the day we remember that Jesus ascended back into heaven.  But that raises a question: Why did He leave? Why not just stay on earth?

First, because He belongs on Heaven’s throne.  After conquering sin and death, Jesus takes His rightful place as King—not just of Israel, but of all creation.

Second, Jesus left for our good. In John 16:7, Jesus said, “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go, the Advocate [the Holy Spirit] will not come to you.”  You see, Jesus’ resurrected body is still a physical body.  Glorious and perfect, yes—but still bound by time and space like ours like all physical bodies.  That means Jesus, in bodily form, could only be in one place at one time.

But the Holy Spirit is not limited that way. The Spirit can be with me in the hospital room, with you in the middle of a stressful workday, with a mother protecting her children in Gaza, with a world leader making a critical decision, and with a high school student taking their final exams—all at the same time.

The Holy Spirit makes the presence of Jesus available everywhere, to everyone who trusts Him.
So yes—it was good that Jesus ascended to Heaven to sit on His throne so we could receive the Holy Spirit.

Finally, by ascending, Jesus passed the baton to us.  If He had stayed on earth, we might still be sitting around waiting for Him to do the work.  But instead, He gave that work to us.  We are now His hands and feet in the world.

The Promised Return
I wonder how long the disciples stood there, mouths open, eyes on the sky.  After seeing such an incredible thing, I probably would have stood there a long time.  I think that’s why two angels appeared—to snap the disciples out of their wonder.  They asked, “Why are you staring into heaven?”

In other words—don’t just stand there!  Jesus has gone, but now you’ve got a mission.  There’s work to be done, lives to be changed, Good News to share. Get going!

But the angels also offered reassurance:  “This same Jesus who saw going up to heaven will come back in the same way you saw Him go.”  So don’t lose heart.  Jesus reigns.  The Spirit empowers.  And one day, our King will return.  But until then—let’s get to work.

Holy Communion
But before we go out to serve, let us pause to remember and be empowered.  At the table of Holy Communion, we remember His sacrifice, we receive His grace, and we are nourished by His presence.  The Risen, Ascended Christ is still with us through the Holy Spirit. Come to the table, not because you have it all together, but because Jesus invites you—to be forgiven, to be filled, and to be sent.

The "Feed My Sheep" Story | A Sermon on John 21:1-17

Introduction
Jesus is alive—and that’s something worth celebrating! On Easter Sunday, we rejoiced with full hearts and lifted voices. But the resurrection isn't just a one-day event. In the Church calendar, there are seven Sundays in the Easter season, giving us time to truly soak in the joy and meaning of the risen Christ.

So far, we've heard four powerful resurrection stories—stories filled with hope, amazement, confusion, and even doubt. They remind us that encountering the Risen Jesus looks different for everyone.

Today, we hear a story of failure and of restoration. A story that might hit close to home. Because if we’re honest, we all stumble from time to time. Most of us have regrets.  And yet, today’s story shows us what Jesus does with people who’ve failed… and the kind of future He still has in mind for us.

John 21:1-17
¹ Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.^[a] This is how it happened. ² Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),^[b] Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.

³ Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”

“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.

⁴ At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. ⁵ He called out, “Fellows,^[c] have you caught any fish?”

“No,” they replied.

⁶ Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

⁷ Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. ⁸ The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards^[d] from shore. ⁹ When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

¹⁰ “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. ¹¹ So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.

¹² “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. ¹⁴ This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.

¹⁵ After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?^[e]”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

¹⁶ Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

¹⁷ A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

Failure Is Not The End
The fact that Jesus rose from the grave is a startling and glorious realization. Mourning becomes dancing, loss gives way to victory, and despair is replaced by living, lasting hope. 

However, this story is important because it speaks to something real in the lives of the disciples—and in our lives too: failure. Peter failed Jesus. Before Jesus was arrested and crucified, Peter boldly bragged:  “I am ready to die for you!”  But when it came down to it, Peter ran away with all the other disciples.  And Peter even denied knowing Jesus when questioned.  It was a failure that must have weighed heavy on Peter’s heart, even as seeing Jesus alive again filled his heart with relief and joy.

All 12 disciples failed Jesus in one way or another. And if we’re honest, so do we. We all have regrets we wish we could undo.  Is there hope for people like us? Can failures be forgiven? Can broken people be restored?  This story gives us a resounding “yes.”

Jesus Gently Restores
Jesus knew Peter denied Him.  He also knew how much the failure weighed on Peter’s heart.  And so Jesus went through a simple ceremony to restore Peter’s heart.  He asked:  “Peter, do you love me.” 
And Jesus asked the question three times—one for each time Peter denied Jesus.  Each time Peter affirmed:  “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”
The third time Jesus asked the question, it stung Peter’s heart.  By the third question, the parallel with Peter’s failure would’ve been unmistakable.

Peter felt deep sorrow and shame as the memory of his failure was brought into the light.  Yet this wasn’t Jesus rubbing salt in Peter’s wounded heart.  This gentle confrontation led Peter through a process of restoration by bringing his failure into the light and reaffirming Jesus’ call for Peter to lead the church by feeding Jesus’ sheep.

Feed My Lambs…
Some may notice that each time Peter affirms he loves Jesus, Jesus responds in a slightly different way.  He says, “Feed my lambs.”  Then, “Take care of my sheep.”  And finally “Feed my sheep.”
This may just be three different ways of saying the same thing.  Others have speculated a deeper meaning:  to show that caring for Jesus' people means nurturing the young, guiding the growing, and feeding the faithful.  That’s an interesting idea to ponder, but not the focus God is leading me to today.

Run to Jesus, Not Away
Instead, the Spirit is leading me to ask: When you fail, do you run to Jesus or run from Jesus?  Peter failed Jesus.  There was no doubt.  He denied knowing Jesus three times.  And Peter carried that guilt in his heart every time he saw the resurrected Christ. Yet, Peter didn’t abandon his faith.  He didn’t run away from Jesus. In this story, we see very dramatically how Peter ran to Jesus despite his past failures.

Verse 7: “When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.”  Peter didn’t just run to Jesus, he splashed into the water and swam toward Him!  It reminds me of the time Jesus was walking on the water and Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water toward Jesus.  That first time Peter's faith floundered and he started to sink.  But in our story today, Peter's faith was firm and he ran toward Jesus.

What about you?  When you're burdened by your failures, do you run to Jesus or run away?  I want to encourage you to be like Peter—run to Jesus. Jump in the water and swim if you must.  In Jesus, we find forgiveness and restoration.  Our burdens are lifted and our purpose renewed.  Jesus isn’t holding a grudge.  He isn’t angrily wanting to make you pay.  He loves you and wants to heal you and restore you to the safety of the flock because Jesus feeds His lambs, takes care of His sheep, and feeds His sheep.

So don’t run from Him.  There’s no need to hide.  Run to Jesus and be restored.  Jesus invites you to be forgiven, healed, and restored.  Lay down your failures and let them go.  So let us join together in a a ritual of restoration as Jesus helps us let go of our burdens.

Our Ritual of Restoration
Pastor:  Followers of Christ, Jesus asks you today:  “Do you love me?”
People:  Lord, You know that we love You.
Pastor:  Jesus says, “Feed my lambs.”
People:  We will care for the young, the new, the searching, and the struggling.
Pastor:  Again, Jesus asked, “Do you love me?”
People:  Lord, You know that we love You.
Pastor:  Jesus says, “Tend my sheep.”
People:  We will walk with one another, offering compassion, correction, and care.
Pastor:  A third time, Jesus asks, “Do you love me?”
People:  Lord, You know all things. You know that we love You.
Pastor:  Jesus says, “Feed my sheep.”
People:  We accept Your calling, Lord. In grace and humility, we will love and serve in Your name.
All:  Though we have failed, You restore us. Though we are broken, You use us. We love You, Lord—send us to love others as You have loved us.

Two Very Different Stories | A Sermon from Matthew 28:11-20

Introduction
Today is Mother’s Day — and I think we all know, when it comes to parenting, moms just do it better. They’ve got that mix of patience, wisdom, and unconditional love that’s hard to match.
They’re the ones who bandage scraped knees, remember every permission slip, and somehow manage to find your lost shoe when you're already late.

Now, dads—we try. But let’s be honest, our parenting instincts don’t always hit the mark like a mother’s does.  In fact, that reminds me of a story… 

Little Billy was always getting into trouble — at home and at school.
His mom was at her wit’s end.  One day, the school called.
The voice on the line said, “Mrs. Johnson, your son’s been telling lies.”
She hung her head in frustration, not knowing what to say.
Her husband calmly took the phone and said, “Who is this?”
The school repeated, “Your son’s been telling lies.”
The dad paused and said, “Well, tell him he’s doing a great job—because we don’t even have kids!”

Now that’s one way to tell a story—but it’s not exactly the truth, is it?
And in today’s Scripture, we’re going to look at two very different stories that came out of the same event—the resurrection of Jesus.
One story is rooted in lies and fear.  The other is grounded in truth and faith.
And the question for all of us this morning is:  Which story are we living?

Matthew 28:11-20
¹¹ As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. ¹² A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. ¹³ They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ ¹⁴ If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” ¹⁵ So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!

¹⁸ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,^[b] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Two Very Different Stories
I’m struck right off the bat in this passage by the clear contrast between these two stories.

The Soldiers:	The Disciples:
Lived to spread a lie	Died to tell with truth
Were paid to cover up	Were commissioned to go proclaim
Acted out of fear and greed	Responded with worship and obedience
Story was bought and empty	Story was costly and full of hope

How do we know the soldiers’ story was a lie?  One reason is: In the Roman military, falling asleep on duty or failing a guard assignment was often punishable by death. This was a well-known and strict rule to ensure discipline and accountability. If the soldiers had actually allowed the body to be stolen, they would have faced execution — yet they remained alive.  Why?  Because someone had to live to tell the lie.  If they were executed, there would have been no supposed "eyewitnesses" to tell the lie that the body was stolen.

Now contrast that to the Disciples experience.  They died to tell the Truth.  While the soldiers were paid money to tell the lie, the disciples gave their lives to tell the truth.

Peter was crucified upside down in Rome.
James (son of Zebedee) was beheaded by sword in Jerusalem.
Andrew was on an X-shaped cross in Greece.
Philip was crucified or possibly stoned in Phrygia.
Bartholomew was flayed alive and beheaded in Armenia.
Matthew was stabbed with a spear in Ethiopia.
Thomas was speared to death in India.
James was stoned to death in Jerusalem.
Thaddaeus was clubbed to death in Persia.
Simon the Zealot was sawed in half in Persia.
John was the only disciple to die a natural death. He was exiled to Patmos, then later died in Ephesus.

Each one paid for telling the truth with their lives. People don’t give their lives willingly for a lie.
They are much more likely to lie in order to save their lives—like the soldiers at the tomb.

Cover Up or Boldly Proclaim
The story of Jesus’ resurrection was a threat to the religious leaders and the Roman authorities.
Christ’s ultimate miracle showed His Heavenly Kingdom was more powerful than any kingdom or authority on earth.  If this news got out, people would turn against the Romans and the religion of Jerusalem.

So they had to cover it up.  It must’ve really burned them up—having to hand over hush money to soldiers they would’ve rather executed them on the spot.

In contrast, Jesus commissioned the disciples to go and boldly proclaim the truth to the world. It wasn’t easy—and it cost them dearly. But there’s peace in telling the truth. Truth carries its own reward: a clear conscience, a steady heart, and the joy of walking in step with God. 
And there’s the reward of belonging to the eternal, unshakable Kingdom of God—knowing that nothing this world offers can compare, and nothing it throws at you can truly harm you, because your life is secure in Jesus Christ.

Fear or Faith
The soldiers acted out of fear.   Their lives were at stake and Roman executions were brutal (just look what they did to Jesus).  When faced with the choice to tell the truth and be tortured and killed or to take a bribe to spread a lie, they took the easy road. I wonder what happened to them?  The Bible doesn’t say (and there are no strong, widely accepted church traditions about their fate either).
Matthew makes sure to say their lie was still circulating at the time he wrote his Gospel (several decades after the fact), showing how persistent and powerful misinformation can be.

But their lies could not overcome the power of God’s truth, because the disciples acted in faith.
They believed that Jesus had truly risen from the grave, and they courageously devoted their lives to obeying His commission to spread the Good News.  And history reveals this simple yet powerful reality: faith conquers fear, truth outlasts deception, and the light of the resurrection continues to shine—generation after generation—through those who dare to believe and obey.

Which is Your Story?
At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, we see two very different stories.  One was bought—a lie crafted to hide the truth. It was cheap in value, but costly in consequence.  It was a story rooted in fear, told to preserve power, and it ultimately led nowhere.

The other story was costly—not just in gold, but in obedience, sacrifice, and faith.  The disciples didn’t gain wealth or and easy life from their story.  What they gained was purpose, peace, and the promise of eternal life.  Their story is still being told, because it’s filled with hope—the kind that changes lives and lights up a dark world.

So what do we do with that?  Because every one of us will face the same kind of choice:
Will we cling to what’s easy, safe, and self-serving,
or will we step into the truth, even when it costs us something?

We live in a world full of false stories—stories that tell us to compromise, to cut corners, to live for ourselves.  But Jesus calls us to something better.  He calls us to live in the light, to walk in the truth, to be people of integrity, courage, and hope.

So here’s the challenge:  Which story are you living? 
Is your life being shaped by what’s bought and empty,
or by what’s costly and full of eternal hope?

Choose the story that lasts.  Choose the story that’s true.
Choose to follow Jesus—the Risen One—wherever He leads.

The Walk to Emaus Story | A Sermon on Luke 24:13-34

Introduction
Roughly seven miles west, northwest of Jerusalem lies a quiet little town with a funny name—Emmaus. The town itself no longer exists, but its name has lived on for over 2,000 years because of one unforgettable walk.

Two disciples, still reeling from the trauma of Jesus' death and the confusion of reports about an empty tomb, were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus—a journey that would have taken about two to three hours on foot. As they walked, a stranger joined them. They didn’t recognize Him. They poured out their hearts—their sadness, their doubts, their shattered hopes—and the stranger listened. Then, He began to speak, and their hearts burned within them as He explained the Scriptures.

Their story about the resurrection comes to us from Luke 24:13-34.  And it’s important to us, because many of us walk through life just like those two disciples: burdened, confused, heartbroken... and unaware that Jesus is right there beside us. Today’s message is an invitation to open our eyes, to recognize the Risen Christ is walking with us.

Luke 24:13-34
¹³ That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. ¹⁶ But God kept them from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. ¹⁸ Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

¹⁹ “What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. ²⁰ But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. ²¹ We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

²² “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. ²³ They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! ²⁴ Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. ²⁶ Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” ²⁷ Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸ By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, ²⁹ but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. ³⁰ As they sat down to eat,^[b] he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. ³¹ Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

³² They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” ³³ And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, ³⁴ who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.^[c]”

When Things Seem Out of Control
The first thing I notice about this conversation is how to the disciples it seemed things were out of control.  They said, “our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him…” as if God had no control over it, as if these evil people thwarted God’s plan.  “We had hoped he was the messiah, but…”

No one can ever thwart God’s plan.  God is always in control.  And in fact, the resurrected Jesus chides the disciples.  “You foolish people!” He said. “You find it so hard to believe…”  And He goes on to show how the crucifixion was all part of God’s plan, how He knew it would happen beforehand. 

When things seem out of control in your life, have a little faith.  Trust God.  God is in control.  If you are trying to walk with Him, He will use even the awful things in your life for His glory and your good.  So have faith and hang in there.  When things seem out of control, God may be up to something BIG!

The Writings of Moses and the Prophets
The disciples still didn’t know it was Jesus walking with them as He taught them from the Bible how the death and resurrection of Jesus clearly predicted the Messiah.  What the disciples saw as proof that Jesus wasn’t the Messiah, the Scriptures showed were proof that Jesus absolutely was the Messiah, the Son of God!

I should point out that the Bible Jesus taught from was the Old Testament.  The New Testament didn’t yet exist.  The Gospels and all the letters of the New Testament hadn’t been written yet.  But the Bible Jesus used, and the disciples read at the time, was the Old Testament:  "the writings of Moses and all the prophets…”

Why am I telling you this?  Well, because there are a lot of Christians today who shy away from the Old Testament.  We often prefer the New Testament because it’s a bit easier to understand and we like it’s tone of forgiveness and reconciliation (whereas the Old Testament sometimes seems more wrathful and hard to understand).  Some church leaders today even goes so far as to try to write off the Old Testament as outdated or unnecessary or obsolete.  But for Jesus, our Lord, this was clearly not the case.  For Jesus, the Old Testament was the Word of God and it clearly pointed to Jesus and explained what the Christians of His day needed to know about Christ.

So, I would encourage you to give equal value to the Old Testament.  We need to read it, know it, and understand it.  We believe all Scripture—Old and New Testament—is relevant and points us to Jesus and the way of salvation.

They Begged Him to Stay
The last thing I want to point out is how the disciples begged Jesus to stay.  I love that the Scriptures say they begged Him to stay.  It shows how much they longed to know more about God’s Kingdom.

Now, most of us are not begging for more teaching from the Bible.  In fact, right now many of you are begging me in your mind, “Alright, wrap it up preacher!  It’s time for lunch!”  But these disciples longed for the truth.  And this mysterious person with them (that they still didn’t know was Jesus) was clearly teaching the Scripture’s truth about Jesus.  And they longed for more.  “Don’t leave!  Don’t go on your way!  Stay with us and teach us more!”  And so Jesus stayed with them.

Oh that we would have the same longing for Jesus’ truth in our lives today!  Would you beg Jesus to stay with you today?

The Truth is, Jesus is here.  Jesus is not in the dead.  He’s alive.  And He’s been walking with you all along the way.  And He’s here in the sanctuary with us now.  And He’s waiting for you at the altar this morning as we break the bread and drink the wine.  He wants to kneel with you and pray with you.  May you long to meet with Him here as we celebrate the sacrament of communion.  And may your hearts burn within you as he talks to you and may your eyes be opened so you can see Him walking with you all along the way every day.