LutheranLectionary.org

Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:00	[Music]
0:10	hello today let’s talk about having
0:14	gifts to
0:17	share the scripture before us is from
0:19	the gospel of St John the 20th chapter
0:23	vers 19 through
0:25	31
0:27	introduction gifts to share
0:31	this is a true story about a foolish man
0:34	on his first trip into the African
0:37	bush I am the foolish
0:41	man I traveled with another North
0:44	American we went deep into the
0:46	rainforest it was hot with lots of
0:49	spiders and
0:51	snakes finally we arrived at a small
0:54	jungle Village our destination for our
0:56	first week we were introduced to several
1:00	men who were preparing for Holy Ministry
1:03	we were to spend about a week together
1:05	we taught each morning for about 4 hours
1:08	then after lunch we worked another 4
1:10	hours and each night there was a worship
1:12	service for the entire Village these
1:15	brothers in Christ spoke t a language of
1:20	the Ashanti people I did not speak T so
1:25	I had an interpreter who was absolutely
1:28	wonderful after our first or second day
1:32	I was asked what I liked to drink now
1:35	please understand this was over 30 years
1:37	ago and I was even more foolish then
1:40	than I am now I should have answered
1:44	water they had water though it was not
1:49	pure and it would make you sick but I
1:53	answered Pepsi Cola oh they said and
1:57	looked at one
1:58	another two 2 days
2:00	later at lunchtime one of the young men
2:04	brought out a single small bottle of
2:06	pepsic
2:07	colola now the nearest store must have
2:10	been at least a 4-Hour ride each way I
2:15	have no idea what he had to pay or
2:18	barter to get that ride and to get that
2:21	Pepsi but here’s the point he was so
2:25	excited to give me that Pepsi Cola there
2:28	was no ice cuz there was no refrigerator
2:31	and there was no electricity but he was
2:33	happy he smiled and had such Delight
2:36	when he put that pepsicola on the table
2:38	in front of
2:39	me what a
2:41	wonderful generous faithful
2:45	man I do not know if any of them had
2:48	ever tasted a soft drink
2:51	before but that day they wanted to share
2:55	that gift with
2:56	me and I wanted to share that gift with
2:59	them
3:00	for lunch that day we all shared one
3:02	wonderful pepsicola
3:05	together now point one an evening
3:09	visitor back to our Gospel reading it
3:12	was the very first Easter Sunday but a
3:16	lot had happened already Our Savior
3:18	Jesus had risen from the dead Hallelujah
3:22	Christ is risen he has risen
3:24	indeed Jesus had visited some women at
3:27	the tomb Matthew 28 8 Jesus had spoken
3:31	to Mary John 20 Jesus had visited with
3:35	Peter Luke 24 and Jesus had walked with
3:40	some disciples traveling to emus also in
3:42	Luke 24 when all of those disciples got
3:46	back together in Jerusalem that evening
3:49	they locked the
3:50	doors but suddenly Jesus stood in the
3:55	middle of them clearly the Risen and
3:58	glorified body of of Jesus did not
4:00	operate with the same restrictions that
4:02	their bodies did no of course not the
4:06	rock walls and Stone cover of the Tomb
4:08	did not confine him the locked doors of
4:12	the disciples meeting place did not
4:14	limit him Jesus could move anywhere he
4:17	wanted any moment that he
4:20	wanted his travel from Emmas to
4:23	Jerusalem took no time at all and he
4:26	placed himself exactly in the middle of
4:28	his disciples exactly where he wanted to
4:32	be it does no good for us to ask how he
4:36	was able to move from one place to
4:38	another or where he was in between
4:41	times perhaps when we receive glorified
4:45	bodies like his we will have some
4:48	understanding of this miraculous ability
4:50	that he has but I doubt that we’ll
4:53	understand it any time before
4:56	that John tells us in this gospel goel
5:00	passage that Jesus stood among
5:03	them it must have been quite a shock one
5:08	instant they were all talking about him
5:10	the next instant he was there talking to
5:13	them Luke tells us in his gospel that
5:16	initially the disciples were terrified
5:18	well
5:20	yes no human being had ever seen
5:23	anything like this before but Jesus
5:26	spoke peace to them peace
5:30	be with
5:31	you remember Jesus spoke all of creation
5:34	into being when Jesus speaks what he
5:36	says happens he came out of his heart
5:40	and out of his mouth and into each of
5:43	them
5:44	peace the disciples received the Peace
5:48	of Jesus
5:49	Christ point two Jesus shares his
5:54	gifts next the scripture tells us that
5:57	Jesus showed them his hands and his
6:01	side Luke says that the disciples needed
6:04	to touch the nail wounds of the Lord’s
6:06	hands they wanted to put their hands
6:09	into the very place where the Roman
6:11	spear had pierced his side you see they
6:16	had not ever seen a resurrected and
6:19	glorified body before no one
6:22	had they did not really understand it
6:27	evidently Jesus did not walk through the
6:30	wall or through the door to enter the
6:32	room that would have been strange enough
6:34	but instead Jesus had simply appeared
6:38	out of thin air
6:40	oh
6:42	so they had questions did he have skin
6:45	and bones the Lord invited them to touch
6:48	and see but the Lord had more to share
6:52	much more to
6:55	share the disciples had abandoned their
6:58	lord they had denied Jesus they each
7:02	knew that they were Sinners many many
7:04	times over and now they were standing
7:07	before the resurrected Lord the Lamb of
7:11	God what did he really think of them
7:14	Jesus said Peace to them but were they
7:17	really at peace with the Son of God
7:21	that’s why Jesus showed them his hands
7:24	and his
7:25	side these wounds were the testimony of
7:29	what he had done for them the purpose of
7:33	the Cross was in order to give them
7:36	peace peace be with you that was a
7:40	statement of
7:43	absolution a declaration of his complete
7:47	forgiveness for all that they had done
7:49	and for all that they were the Lord was
7:52	saying
7:54	look I know you and I love you I forgive
8:00	you I give you my
8:04	peace I think that Jesus must have been
8:07	very anxious to share his gifts with his
8:10	disciples you know what his gifts were
8:13	first Jesus shared with them the gift of
8:18	his
8:19	victory on the
8:21	cross Jesus had defeated their sin
8:25	destroyed their death triumphed over the
8:28	devil who assaulted them Jesus had
8:30	opened the Kingdom of Heaven to them he
8:33	had restored their relationship with God
8:36	and made them children of the Kingdom of
8:39	Heaven that’s why the Lamb of God showed
8:42	them his hands in his side the atoning
8:44	sacrifice was for
8:46	them but they were having some real
8:49	trouble getting past the shock of what
8:51	had happened the gruesome events of his
8:54	bloody death the grief and loss of his
8:58	burial
8:59	the fear and Terror of living in this
9:01	frightening world so Jesus shared his
9:05	gift a second time peace peace be with
9:11	you peace is a precious
9:14	gift but peace is a fleeting
9:17	gift and for that reason our Lord gives
9:19	it to his disciples again and
9:23	again have you noticed how often in the
9:25	worship service you hear the word of
9:28	God’s PE peace it’s interesting isn’t it
9:32	peace be with you Grace be unto you and
9:35	peace from God our Father and the Lord
9:38	Jesus Christ the peace that passes all
9:41	understanding keep your hearts and Minds
9:44	in Christ Jesus the Peace of the Lord be
9:47	with you always you see it’s spoken many
9:50	times because God knows that we continue
9:54	to need it again and
9:57	again even when we do hear it we still
10:00	don’t quite get hold of it do we we need
10:03	to hear it
10:05	again because our hearts are like
10:07	buckets with holes in them and we can’t
10:09	quite get a hold of the peace that Jesus
10:12	gives to us Jesus shares his gifts with
10:16	his disciples his peace to calm their
10:19	hearts his peace to forgive their sins
10:23	but Jesus has more to
10:26	share the disciples were the first to
10:29	receive the gifts of Jesus but our Lord
10:32	was anxious to share his gifts with more
10:34	disciples Jesus wanted to share his
10:37	gifts with people across all time and
10:40	around all the world so the Lord spoke
10:43	to his
10:45	disciples as the father has sent
10:48	me I also send you and then he breathed
10:53	upon them and he said receive the Holy
10:58	Spirit
11:00	another
11:01	gift Jesus was giving them a Great
11:05	Commission and the spiritual power to do
11:09	it Jesus had gifts to be shared with his
11:14	disciples and now his disciples had
11:17	gifts to be shared with
11:20	others and they were empowered of course
11:22	to share those gifts by the Holy
11:24	Spirit just in case they did not quite
11:27	understand Jesus said it clear
11:29	clearly if you forgive the sins of any
11:33	their sins have been forgiven them if
11:36	you retain the sins of any they have
11:39	been retained in other words if your
11:42	hearers believe in the gospel you share
11:45	their sins have been forgiven because of
11:47	their faith in me if they do not believe
11:51	the gospel you share their sins have
11:53	been retained because of their rejection
11:57	of
11:57	me
11:59	the Lord Jesus shared all of these gifts
12:02	with his disciples and he told his
12:05	disciples that these were gifts to be
12:07	shared with
12:09	others so it’s no surprise that when
12:12	Thomas was absent the disciples
12:14	immediately went to him in order to
12:17	share these
12:18	gifts they explained to Thomas that
12:21	Jesus had been raised from the dead for
12:24	Thomas
12:25	too but this was too much for Thomas to
12:28	take in
12:29	they would have to share the message of
12:31	the Cross and the kingdom some more
12:33	times with
12:36	Thomas point three Jesus sends us to
12:44	share it was the divine plan of Jesus
12:47	that his gifts would be shared
12:49	throughout time and around the
12:52	world how many saints of God have
12:55	received the gifts of Christ and shared
12:57	them with others
13:00	can you imagine how many people that
13:02	would be across Judea and Samaria from
13:07	Antioch to Rome from North Africa to
13:10	North Ireland across the centuries the
13:13	gifts of Jesus have been shared from
13:15	person to person millions of times
13:18	Christ and his cross are gifts to be
13:22	shared now of course that’s how you
13:26	received God’s gifts someone who had
13:29	received the gifts of Jesus shared those
13:31	gifts with you and perhaps it happened
13:34	easily and you believed quickly like
13:36	John at the tomb or perhaps it took
13:40	several messages and several Messengers
13:43	for you to believe like it did for
13:45	Thomas but God was patient and faithful
13:50	to send you Witnesses our Lord is
13:53	willing to take a hard path and a long
13:55	journey in order to bring Salvation to
13:58	everyone who will receive him and now
14:02	beloved you are one who has the gifts of
14:08	Jesus
14:10	congratulations I cannot imagine the joy
14:13	in heaven when you received your gifts
14:16	the smile of the Savior the joy of all
14:20	of the hosts of Heaven Angels
14:23	included and now you have gifts to share
14:29	there have been times in the history of
14:31	the Christian faith when sharing the
14:33	gospel was much more dangerous and much
14:36	more costly than it is today in our
14:39	country although surely it may not be
14:42	quite as comfortable now as it was say
14:44	50 years ago but Christ’s gifts are no
14:49	less precious and no less urgent today
14:52	than they were that first
14:54	Easter the words that Jesus said to his
14:57	first disciples he’s still speaking to
15:00	you and to all who
15:02	believe Jesus says As the father has
15:06	sent me I also send you in other words
15:11	you have gifts to share will you share
15:15	them
15:18	please
15:21	conclusion I once had a strange
15:24	experience and a Shanti man traveled
15:27	eight hours 4 hours each way to share
15:31	with me a Pepsi
15:34	Cola he was so happy so delighted to
15:38	share that gift with me true it was not
15:41	as precious as clean drinkable water and
15:44	it was not as powerful as electricity
15:46	but he was glad to spend that effort and
15:49	to have that gift to
15:54	share once the Risen Savior Jesus Christ
15:58	Christ shared some
16:01	gifts they had cost him a great deal
16:04	more than an eight-hour Journey the
16:06	price that he paid was a scourging and a
16:09	beating a
16:11	crucifixion and his death but he was
16:15	happy so excited to take that journey
16:18	and spend that effort and to have those
16:22	gifts to
16:23	share with
16:26	you beloved now you you have the gifts
16:30	of Jesus to share you have the message
16:33	of Salvation the Cross of Christ
16:36	Jesus better than a pepsicola and you
16:40	have his gift of peace and his complete
16:43	forgiveness of all your sins more
16:46	refreshing than a glass of pure
16:49	water and you have the power of the Holy
16:53	Spirit and the promise of heavenly
16:56	eternal life more powerful than
17:01	electricity beloved you have gifts to
17:05	share and so many around you who need
17:09	what you
17:10	have
17:21	[Music]
17:27	amen
17:30	[Music]