Sermon Acts 2: 14-42

Text: Acts 2:14-42                  Title: Where R U Standing?

Date: April 6, 2008                 Collaboration:  Jimmy Skeen & Nancy Cantrell

 

          Hear the word of the Lord from Acts 2:14. “Then Peter stood up …” That’s a familiar statement. Peter always stood up. He stood up for something or someone and sometimes stood up against something or someone. Peter was a man’s man. He was independent and intense. He was fierce and fiery. He would be your best ally at a hockey game. He was a good guy, a hard worker, and full of passion. Peter could be your best friend and worst enemy all at the same time. He was never afraid, rarely backed down, and always stood up for what he believed in.

          Then Peter stood up …” Peter always stood up. With their bellies full of multiplied bread and fish the disciples headed across the lake. Jesus stayed behind to pray. Out on the water the darkness of night swept in upon them and a storm raged around them. They paddeled for all they were worth but fast failing. They gave everything they had, but the waves left them with aching arms, hurting backs, and discouraged hearts.

          That’s always the result when we fight life’s storms without Jesus. In our own strength we are quickly overcome and so were they. But Jesus did what Jesus always does, he saw his people headed toward destruction and he ran to them, down the mountain, onto the shore, and out on the water. No boat and no jet ski just skipping across the lake!

          When the disciples caught a glimpse of someone approaching on the waves they did what all brave, brazen blue collar workers do … They screamed like little girls! “It’s a ghost.” They were scared spit less (That’s the literal translation by the way J). Jesus spoke up and said, “Don’t be afraid. Take courage I am here.” Then Peter stood up. Leaving the eleven in their holy huddle he stepped to the front of the storm battered craft and said, “Lord if its you, tell me to come to you on the water” and Jesus says, “Well come on.” In a sheer act of faith Peter takes Jesus at his word and all alone stood up on the water! His success was short lived. A couple of steps on the sea and he sinks. A lecture from the Lord and you would think Peter would learn.

          “Then Peter stood up …” Peter always stood up. Jesus was in Gethsemane, filled with anguish, crying out to the Father. The disciples were piled up around the camp fire, filled with supper, comfortable and sawing logs. The darkness of night swept in upon them. Judas sauntered into the garden flanked by an evil entourage and with a simple kiss the storm began. Judas stepped back and the soldiers pounced. The disciples scattered and Peter all alone grabbed a sword. He whirled the weapon into the air and sent it downward bent on destruction. Peter’s blow missed its intended target but he managed to cut off Malchus’ right ear. In the middle of the garden Peter risked his life all alone and stood up for Jesus. But his success was short lived. Jesus picked up the ear and healed the man. A sharp rebuke and you think Peter would learn.

          “Then Peter stood up …” Peter always stood up. After the storm in the garden it picked up in the city. People were screaming, cussing, jeering, and laughing as the Son of God passed in chains. The city was no place for friends, family, or followers of Jesus. The blood thirsty crowd grew with each passing moment. They were not there for a trial they were for an execution. Sympathizers stood silent & defenders departed.

          When Jesus was drug into the high priest’s home Peter got as close as he could. He warmed himself by a fire out in the courtyard. This was the front porch of the enemy. He was surrounded by a hateful mob and supported by no one. Yep, even here, all alone Peter stood up.  But his success was short lived. And he crumpled into a whimpering heap under the question of one little girl. Three times he denied knowing Jesus and as the rooster crowed for the second time tears streamed down his cheeks. A load of guilt and embarrassment … you think Peter would learn.

          “Then Peter stood up …” It’s almost a summary of Peter’s life. He stood up on a lake, in a garden and in the courtyard. Peter always stood up. When others slunk back and sank down, Peter pushed forward and stood up. He was a manly man. He was well meaning, good hearted and had sheer grit and determination. Yet the glory of the moment faded quickly. His life was full of ups and downs, standing and falling, standing and failing, standing and alone. He found himself the same place we have all been, sitting smack dab on the roller coaster of life. Try real hard, fall real fast.

“Then Peter stood up with the other eleven…” Wait a second. Here is something different. Peter stood up with the other eleven? That’s not like Peter. He was independent, self reliant, capable of handling this world alone. He could fit right in with good ole’ Americans that cry, “Be your own man!” “Have it your own way!” “Keep your business to your self!” When he stood up on the lake he did it alone. When he stood in the garden he did it alone. When he stood in the courtyard he did it alone…and each time he bottomed out.

But here he stood up with the other eleven. Hand in hand, arm in arm, and side by side they stood. This time when Peter stood up, there was no failure or falling. The same man who cowered in front of a little girl we see here in Acts chapter two boldly proclaiming the gospel.

          As I look in the mirror and around this sanctuary I see Peter. Good hearted well meaning people who are willing to stand up. Just the fact that you are here testifies to your tenacity. You could have stayed in bed, watched the Royals, mowed your lawn but you didn’t. You stood up! Many of us have been standing up for years. But in our independence we see our intentions are good but often the results are not. We find ourselves riding the rollercoaster up and down, up and down. Peter’s life screams one simple message … “You can’t stand up on your own!”

          Oh, we are so like Peter. We come here often very alone even among the crowd and we go back home in the same condition. We want to be in the Word. We fully intend to have a real prayer life. This week we are going to kick that habit. I’m going to be nicer to my family. I’m going to do better with my money. I’m going to take better care of my body. Off we go with some new book or program and promise to “Be all we can be”. A few months, weeks, days, or sometimes hours finds us right back where we started, falling, sinking, failing. We always stand up but the resolve is short lived.

Maybe you see the fallout of living the Christian life alone. You try with everything in you to overcome, to stand firm but your energy is quickly sapped, your resistance runs out and sin comes flooding back in. Your intentions are good but the results are not.

We are a lot like Peter. We have heard the lectures, the rebukes, felt the guilt, the embarrassment and we try, and try, and try. This standing up for Jesus is just too hard.

It is if you try to do it alone…

But something happened to Peter at Pentecost. He obeyed Jesus, prayed fervently, was filled with the Holy Spirit and became community. Not just part of a community but with the others who had been filled became one. For the first time Peter didn’t rely on Peter. Oh, they had lived together, eaten together, laughed together but now every move they made for God was done in, by and for community. No longer would they try to stand up on their own, no more Lone Ranger. And the roller coaster days were over. 

Now Peter stood up… stood up with the other eleven! He never backed down, they had his back. He never let up, they surrounded him with courage. On that day the Word went forth and went to work. It convicted those living in sin and drew them to the Savior and Redeemer. Over 3000 people were baptized and added to the community that day! What a day, the birthday of the church!

Are we there, do we find ourselves up and down, up and down? “I try to do devotions, I try to be nice, I try to quit,” what ever … only to fail. Could it be that we aren’t obeying Jesus, praying, filled with the Holy Sprit or living in community? Sure we know each other, we help each other, we even love each other but do we really stand up together? Do we even know when one of us is struggling. How many of us get sick and just tough it out on our own? How may of us have something that we need to break but won’t tell anyone? How many of our children won’t share their problems because they’ve learned from Mom and Dad to keep it quiet?

We do not have to live there, we do not have to go there and we certainly don’t have to stay there. The Holy Spirit has been poured out, it’s been given, He is here. We simply ask him to fill us and then we stand up together. We live out this Holy Spirit filled life in community, real and authentic with one another. Hand in hand, arm in arm and side by side!

What will happen if we embrace this? I don’t know, you never know what might happen when the Holy Spirit is poured out. But when it happened for Peter and the others – the gospel was proclaimed and three thousand were added in one day.

This morning I want us to respond different than normal. If you’ve been up and down, up and down in any area of life. If you’ve been trying to do devotions and just can’t keep it up. You’ve been trying to pray but just can’t be consistent. If you’ve been trying to kick some habit or add a discipline to your life and just can’t seem to make it happen. If you have some sin that has you bound. If you are so busy you can’t even find time for your family much less the Lord. If you are carrying a burden: illness, lost loved one, anything. And are trying to do it alone then I’m asking you to stand. I am asking you to be real and authentic this morning to stand up right where you are.  And folks I’ve just got to come down there and stand with you because I try to carry burdens myself just like you do. But no more, we either are one body or we aren’t.

Then I want any everyone who is standing to come together and support one another. The eleven and Peter stood up together under the power of the Holy Spirit and the world has never been the same! This is the day here in this church we stand up under that same power and are the community.

Benediction

Church go forth to live out this Holy Spirit filled life in community, real and authentic with one another. Hand in hand, arm in arm and side by side!