Another sermon that I had preached the text previously. Because of that, when I read the text "uneducated and ordinary" jumped out at me because it had been the focus of a previous sermon (and apparently a sermon I enjoyed since I remembered the focus of it years later). It led to me focusing on the same phrase, although I expanded the sermon quite a bit. I enjoyed preaching the sermon, which sometimes equates to it being well-received.
As I heard the I John passage read by the liturgist, I realized that the common theme between it and the Acts passage was probably intended to be boldness. I think that could be a really good sermon as well. Maybe next time.
“Ordinary and Uneducated” Acts 4: 13-22; I John 3: 16-24; April 22, 2018, SAPC, Denton
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. 14 When they saw the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 So they ordered them to leave the council while they discussed the matter with one another. 16 They said, “What will we do with them? For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them; we cannot deny it. 17 But to keep it from spreading further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; 20 for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 After threatening them again, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people, for all of them praised God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.
Introduction: The authorities are annoyed with Peter and John.
annoyed with their message about Jesus and resurrection.
annoyed that crowds are gathering and giving them attention.
annoyed that they are performing notable sign.
and perhaps what annoys them the most is that when they look at Peter and John, they see uneducated and ordinary men doing these things.
how annoying, if Peter and John are going to speak a message that people want to hear, they should be educated, be great orators, and look the part. They could not even come up with a realistic argument. Resurrection. Everyone knows that’s not true.
How annoying. if they are going to perform notable signs like healing a the lame man, shouldn’t they have some aura of greatness about them?
how annoying. if the crowds are going to be attracted to people, they should be attracted to powerful people of authority. shouldn’t Peter and John have some identifiable characteristics of great leadership.
How annoying - they are just uneducated and ordinary men causing this ruckus.
Move 1: Careful how we view others.
a. In the fascinating book Blink, the author describes that intuitive knowledge we have that allows us to make first impressions.
Sometimes our intuitive knowledge is accurate –
But, sometimes we make what the author calls “The Warren Harding Error” Warren G. Harding “Many people who looked at Warren Harding saw how extraordinarily handsome and distinguished-looking he was and jumped to the immediate --- and entirely unwarranted – conclusion that he was a man of courage and intelligence and integrity.”
a. The leaders, priests, authorities who examined Peter and John had something like a Warren G. Harding experience, although in the opposite direction.
1. They meet Peter and John and all they see are two men who are uneducated and ordinary.
2. Hardly a compliment. Not much of a calling card.
3. But with that description Peter and John join a long list of people of God who did not give off the best first impressions.
4. Abraham and Sarah - laughed at the wrong times; doubted God; lied to others when they did not trust God; Abraham and Sarah - duplicitous and unfaithful
5. Moses - tried to refuse leadership role; had anger issues; not a very good public speaker. We might say Moses was unwilling and lacking.
6. Prophet Amos -- Country bumpkin; liked to talk; stranger from out-of-town; in summary, preachy and backward.
7. Or Jonah – makes up fish stories; runs away from responsibility; sits around and pouts – we might call Jonah irresponsible and pouty.
8. Or Mary – awfully young; hears voices in the night; rumor has it she is a bit promiscuous; we might describe her as young and impressionable
9. Or Peter – not just ordinary and uneducated, but rash, quick-tempered, cannot be counted on in a crisis; ordinary and uneducated – yes; but also rash and undependable -- yes
c. Think about the first impressions we might make as disciples of Christ
1. the Sunday school teacher is always late to class and talks and talks and talks – tardy and boring
9. That man who volunteers with Hearts for Home is out-of-shape and keeps hitting his own fingers with the hammer – fat and clumsy.
9. The ODB volunteer hardly smiles and is always running around and clean up spills – grumpy and overbearing.
10. That young kid who brings his friends to church always shows up late and keeps getting text messages – immature and unfocused.
11. The people of God too often are, well, people God has chosen who have all the human failings and shortcomings that are easily spotted.
Move 2: Are Peter and John uneducated and ordinary and uneducated - maybe; but more than that, are they serving God - definitely.
a. If we go back a few verses from the passage we read in Acts this morning, we are told that Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit.
1. First time we are told that about Peter.
2. Gives us a different perspective.
3. I’m not even sure what exactly it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit; we can save that conversation until Pentecost
b. But, when we read what Peter and John are doing, it occurs to me that being filled with the Holy Spirit might be a way of describing their focus.
1. their focus on serving Christ and their insistence on sharing the good news.
2. they understand that what they do is not about them.
3. it is not about who they are or their talents and abilities as perceived by others; it is about the Risen Christ and what God can do in people’s lives.
4. the point is not whether Peter and John are educated or uneducated or ordinary or great;;
3. the point is their willingness to give themselves over to following Christ in the world.
c. And, by the way, they are doing a pretty good job of serving Christ.
1. Look at who is standing next to them — the lame man who now walks.
2. The religious authorities may label Peter and John as uneducated and ordinary, but their actions reveal the Risen Christ and invite others to new life.
4. notice that when the religious authorities threaten Peter and John and then ordered them not to speak or teach about Jesus, Peter and John sort fo shrug their shoulders and say, “we don’t know whether what we are doing it right; you’re the ones who are the religious authorities; all we know is that we cannot keep from telling people what we have seen and offering people new life.”
3. Peter and John are defined not by the first impressions, not by their human weaknesses the religious authorities see in them; no, they are defined solely by their desire to serve the Risen Christ.
d. consider what that means for each of us.
1. Beyond the warning of labeling others, it means that God invites each of us to participate in the revealing of Christ and the transforming of lives.
2. more than an invitation; God sends us into the world, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to serve Christ and tell people what we have seen and heard about the Risen Christ.
Move 3: I met one of the heroes of my faith journey when I was getting out of seminary.
Leslie and I had several opportunities to visit with Pastor Nominating committees and visit the communities the churches served.
Two of the visits happened back-to-back over a short period of time.
a. First visit was to AR – they put us up in a really nice hotel with a view of downtown Little Rock; they wined and dined us, culminating with lunch at a big country club in Little Rock where former President Clinton had been a member while governor of AR;
The final piece was when the chair of the Nominating Committee took me aside and told me that he always had tickets to the SEC basketball tournament and a seat on his jet if the minister liked basketball – powerful and impressive.
b. Then, I arrived at the airport in Lexington, KY; I was met by two members of the Nominating Committee, who it became clear were sent because they were the retired members of the committee who had time on their hands; they wined and dined me for lunch at the buffet at Shoney’s;
1. After a visit at the presbytery office, we were ready for the 40 minute drive to Mt. Sterling.
2. Jack, the older man dressed in khaki work pants and a khaki work shirt that I would later learn was his daily wardrobe as a farmer, mentioned that it was time to drive to Mt. Sterling, but he had a problem.
3. This was his nap time and he was going to fall asleep whether he was driving or not. Then, the older woman says, with shaking hands, she is not comfortable driving someone else’s car.
4. After a long pause, realizing there was only one option left, I volunteer to drive. I climb into the driver’s seat of the old, somewhat rusted Nissan Sentra and begin the drive to Mt. Sterling.
5. I stare in the rearview mirror and see jack snoring away. Was I in a dream, or was this really my introduction to the Nominating Committee. First impression – old and unremarkable.
Six years later when I left Mt. Sterling, Jack had stood beside me as the elder for my three daughters’ baptisms; he had filled by sermon illustration folder with example after example of what it meant to be a humble, faithful disciple of Christ was; h
when Leslie and I returned years later to attend his funeral service, at this death for his memorial service, the minister used the text when Jesus tells Peter that he would be the rock on which the church was built and described how Jack had been the rock on which everyone in the church had depended.
Old and unremarkable – yes; but when I think of him, I see a witness to the resurrected Christ.
What will people see in you?
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