Sermon -- 3rd Sunday of Easter (April 23, 2023)

ACTS 2:14a,32-41

VICTORY IS FOUND WITH THE ONE WHO REIGNS.

In the name + of Jesus.

M:       Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C:       He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

     If there is one thing we all want, it is to be on the right side or the winning side.  If you are having an argument, you fight hard to prove that you are on the right side.  The stakes are much higher among kings, powers, and authorities.  In the days of David, there was a battle between the house of David and the house of Saul for the kingdom.  David waited patiently for the Lord to give him the kingdom while Saul tried to hunt David down and destroy him.  After King Saul was killed in battle, his general, Abner, tried to establish a son of Saul on his throne.  But it became apparent quickly that he would not have the strength to maintain the kingdom.  Abner saw the change coming, so he went to David to pledge his allegiance to him.  Abner wanted to be on the right side.  He did not want to be the enemy of the one who reigned over the kingdom.  By fleeing to David, Abner saved his life for that day.  Victory was found with the one who reigned.

      Centuries later, the Son of David came to establish a kingdom that would endure forever.  King David had prophesied about it: “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool” (Acts 2:34).  The promise was not about David.  David died, and his reign came to an end.  The throne of David endured for a while, but even that came to an end after about 400 years.  King David wrote about his descendant.  The Son of David would establish an endless reign.

     Jesus’ disciples had hoped in that promise, but it appeared that it had failed when Jesus died.  Two of Jesus’ disciples, walking on their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus, were discussing that when Jesus joined them.  They did not recognize him as the risen one.  Instead, they lamented over their dashed hopes.  They confessed, “Jesus of Nazareth [was] a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and … our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.  But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:19-21).  They had concluded that victory resided with the grave since it had claimed Jesus.  Jesus, however, proved otherwise.  He revealed himself to those disciples and proved his resurrection.   He made his victory over the grave clear to all the apostles over a period of forty days.  Death did not win; Jesus did.  Victory is found with the one who reigns.

     Therefore, Peter declared to the Pentecost crowd and to all the world: “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.  … Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:32,36).  Those two titles are packed with significance.  Jesus’ resurrection proves that he is the Christ.  He is the Lord’s Anointed.  Jesus was anointed to fill three offices.  He is our Prophet, which means he proclaims God’s word to us.  Everything Jesus says is true.  He is our High Priest.  The High Priest makes sacrifices on behalf of people.  Jesus is not only the one who makes the sacrifice; he IS the sacrifice.  His innocent death atones for your guilt.  And Jesus is anointed as King.  He lives and reigns over all things.  He holds power over heaven and earth, death and the grave, and the life of every person on earth.  Victory is found in the one who reigns.

     Jesus’ resurrection also proves that he is the Lord.  Jesus of Nazareth was always God, but he did not make use of his divine attributes, other than the miracles he performed.  But now Jesus is risen.  Now he no longer veils his glory.  The man, Jesus, makes full use of divine power, authority, and majesty.  He is the Lord.  Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God.  His kingdom has been firmly established.  He is sovereign over everything.  His enemies will be crushed underfoot.  Victory is found in the one who reigns.

     We always want to be on the right side.  We always want to be on the winning side.  Being on the losing side of an argument might be embarrassing, but probably doesn’t get much worse than that.  Being on the wrong side of a political struggle gets worse.  There are factions fighting for control of Sudan right now.  I don’t think it will end well for the losing side.  Maybe imprisonment, probably execution.  But being on the wrong side of the one who judges the living and the dead carries an eternal stake. 

     That explains the terror of the crowds to whom Peter preached.  When they realized their accountability in the crucifixion of Jesus, and when they discovered that Jesus was confirmed as the Christ, the Lord, and the King of heaven and earth, “they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do’” (Acts 2:37)?  They couldn’t take back anything they had done.  They could not fix what they had ruined.  What could they do?

     And what can we do?  We all want to be on the right side.  We want Jesus to be pleased with us rather than punish us.  We want to prove to God and to the world that we are good people and worthy of praise.  We certainly do not want to be crushed under Jesus’ feet as one of his enemies.  We like to think that God is on our side.  But if you want to be convinced that God is on your side, then you have to prove that you are righteous.  On God’s side, there is only purity, righteousness, and holiness.  But who can boast that?  The Bible teaches us the opposite.  It declares, “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). 

     When Joshua was about to lead the attack against the city of Jericho, the angel of the Lord appeared to him.  “Joshua went to him and said to him, ‘Are you for us or for our adversaries?’  And he said, ‘No, but I am the commander of the army of the LORD’” (Joshua 5:13-14).  The Lord does not choose sides.  Rather, the point was this: Are you on God’s side?  God is the one who sets the standard.  God judges according to that standard.  So, are you measuring up to that standard?  We all must confess: We have not.  We do not.  We cannot.  We have been in it for ourselves, for our happiness, and for our glory.  That is the wrong side.  God can not, does not, and will not reward that.  This is what cuts us to the heart and has us plead, “What can we do?”

     The gods of all other religions come looking for righteousness in you.  Jesus Christ comes to give righteousness to you.  Therefore, St. Peter gives hope to those with broken and contrite hearts: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).  By your baptism into his name, Jesus brings you into his kingdom and draws you to his side.  He washes away your sins and purifies you from all unrighteousness.  He cloaks you in his innocence.  The very righteousness God demands of you Jesus supplies to you.  After all, this is what Jesus ordained baptism for.  As St. Peter said, it is “for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38).  And if your sins are forgiven, you cannot be condemned for your sins.  You will not be crushed under Jesus’ feet.  If you are in Christ, you are delivered from death to life; for victory is found in the one who reigns.

     “Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38).  Jesus has given you his Holy Spirit so that you are not only in the kingdom, you are also for the kingdom.  The Holy Spirit keeps you on the Lord’s side.  The Holy Spirit enlightens you to see that God’s word is good.  The Holy Spirit guides you with that word to live differently from the spirit of the world.  The spirit of the world is to gratify oneself.  The kingdom of the world strives to be free from God and his Commandments.  It boasts of its power, its pride, and even its perversity.  We are fed these ideas in movies, media, and music.  In fact, the world thinks it is strange that you don’t join in with them.  The temptation to make peace with the kingdom of the world is intense and constant.  This is why St. Peter “continued to exhort them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation’” (Acts 2:40).  All worldly kingdoms and all worldly glory will be ground to dust under Jesus’ feet.  Outside of Christ, there is only deadly defeat.

     But you are ruled by a different Spirit.  Jesus has given you the Holy Spirit to set you apart.  You have been brought to God’s side.  You have found your refuge in Jesus Christ.  In Christ, there is victory over sin, death, and hell.  Victory is found in the one who reigns.  And the Spirit of Christ reigns in your heart so that you strive against the spirit of the world.  Let us flee from this crooked generation.  For, if you love Jesus, you will want to be like Jesus.  If you love the word which saves you, then you will also love the word which guides you in godly living.

     Here is God’s promise to the Son of David: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool” (Acts 2:34-35).  Victory is found in the one who reigns, and Jesus lives and reigns for you.  Jesus rules over all things for the good of his Church.  This may not always be obvious.  It is not obvious when Christians suffer harm and loss.  It is not obvious when Christians are the objects of mockery and persecution.  It is not obvious when we stand by the graveside of a loved one.  There especially, it seems that death is the victor; for, the graves in the cemetery are either full or waiting to be filled.

     Do not let this deceive you.  Jesus lives, and victory is found in the one who reigns.  This is what the Bible says: “He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:25-26).  Death will be destroyed once and for all on the Last Day.  When Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead, all people will be called out of their graves.  No one will be omitted.  In the end, the grave gets nothing.  But you do not need to fear that judgment.  You have been baptized, marked as Jesus’ own, and have been cleansed of every impurity.  Jesus gives you the very righteousness you need to live.

     Jesus Christ has brought you into his kingdom and taken you to his side.  When Jesus comes again, he will put you on the right side.  For Jesus is risen.  He lives and reigns forever.  Victory is found in the one who reigns, and you and I will be raised up to reign with him.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.