Return to the Homepage Home
 Worship Schedules, Education, Fellowship, Outreach Worship & Service
 Sermon Archive Sermons
 A copy of the Sunday Prayers of Intercession Prayers
 Pastor Lynne's monthly newsletter Pastor's Page
 Articles and tidbits from the monthly newsletter Newsletter
 This month's events as well as the monthly calendar Current Events
 Read the Sunday School News Letter! Sunday School News
 Events for grades 7 to 12 Youth
 Other websites of interest Links
  
 Login to Administer this site Admin Login

St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church
2903 McPhillips Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
CANADA R2P 0H3
http://www.stlukeszion.ca

Phone: (204) 339-0412
Fax: (204) 339-0412
E-mail: stlukeszionchurch@gmail.com
site design by clayton rumley

 

Third Sunday of Easter
Sunday, April 22nd, 2012

click here for past entries

Loving God, your people continue to be witnesses of all that you have done and continue to do through Jesus Christ.  Teach us to trust in the power of your Holy Spirit, even as you continue to provide us with all that is needed for ministry; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

    “You are witnesses of these things” (Lk. 24:48).  If I were to say to you today, “you are witnesses for Jesus Christ,” what would be the first thing that comes into your mind? [fear?  annoying people at your door?  Asking others, “are you saved”?  I could never do that?  a courtroom scene?] My suspicion is that most of us aren’t very comfortable with the idea.  We’re afraid of what people might think.  We’re afraid that we wouldn’t know what to say.  We’re afraid that we won’t know enough or have enough answers.

    However, once again, look at the disciples!  They are afraid.  Even though several people among them have already told them that Jesus has risen from the dead, they are afraid.  Even when Jesus is right there in front of them, showing them the scars on his hands and on his feet and inviting them to touch him, they are afraid.  They are full of joy and disbelief and wonder, and they have already forgotten all that Jesus told them about how he must suffer and die and then rise from the dead on the third day.

    And in the midst of their fear and disbelief and wonder, Jesus opens their minds to understand the Scriptures, and announces that they are witnesses of these things, and promises that they will be clothed with power from on high (Lk. 24:49).  This power from on high, of course, is the Holy Spirit, who does come to live within them and to give them the words to speak and the gifts that are needed in order to share God’s Word.  In fact, that’s exactly what is going on in today’s first reading that we heard from Acts (3:12-19), where Peter has just healed a crippled beggar and is speaking to the people about Jesus.  The Holy Spirit has come upon him, and now he is serving as a witness to all that he has heard and seen in Jesus.

    It is possible that this still sounds like a bit of a scary proposition to many of you.  Yet, did you know that you bear witness all the time to the things that are important to you?  For example, do you have any trouble talking to people about your favourite TV show or movie?  Those of you who are grandparents, do you have any trouble telling others about your grandchildren?  Do you have any trouble talking to others about your favourite hockey team (or football, or baseball, or curling)?  Do you have any trouble telling others about a great concert that you were just at?

    We bear witness all the time to things that are important to us.  So why wouldn’t we bear witness to all that God has done for us through Jesus Christ? [responses?]

    Think for just a moment about the most common use for the term “witness.”  Usually when we hear about a witness, it involves a courtroom scene and somebody who is being asked to testify about what they have heard and seen.  Witnesses are not asked to testify about what they don’t know, but about what they do know!  And so, imagine that you have been called to the stand to testify about where you have seen God at work.

    Have any of you ever seen God at work? [responses] Can any of you think of a particular time when you saw God at work - either in our world, or in your life, or in the life of another?  Would you be brave enough to share? [responses]

    For some of us, the challenge is probably to recognize God at work when we see it, and to be open to signs of God’s presence and power in our daily lives.  As I think of those times when I have seen God at work, there are probably too many to mention.  I have seen God provide the exact amount of cash that is needed in answer to prayer.  I have heard others’ experiences with angels and with miracles of healing and with signs of God’s presence.  I have seen God at work through caring people who minister to those who are lonely or sick or grieving.

    This week I saw God speaking to me and blessing me through the residents of Fred Douglas Lodge.  I told them that I wouldn’t see them for a few months, but I would be back with them again in September.  After the service, one after another they announced God’s blessing to me.  Nobody prompted them to do so.  They just did it.  And so, I experienced God’s presence through them, speaking words of blessing and of peace.

    Some of you may have seen the story in yesterday’s paper about Pastor Miller & his wife, Terry, and how he’s able to care for her at home through a pilot project in their part of the city.  It would be entirely possible to look at this story and not see God in it at all.  However, isn’t it likely that this has been an answer to prayer for both of them?  And so, this story could also be a sign of God at work.

    We are not asked to bear witness to things that we do not know and have not seen.  However, we are asked to be witnesses of what we have seen and experienced in Jesus Christ, and how we continue to see God at work in our world and in our lives.  The thing is, too, that just like the disciples, we are not asked to do this on our own.  God continues to pour out the Holy Spirit, who helps us to recognize God at work and to find the words to share this experience with others.  Thanks be to God - for Christ is still risen!  He is risen indeed!  Amen.

Easter 3(B)                                    Luke 24:36b-48
April 22, 2012                                Acts 3:12-19
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

© 2012 Lynne Hutchison  All Rights Reserved


Previous Sermons
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
January 2003
March 0201