“Of Mice and Men"
Text: Acts 5:29-42 & John 20:19-31
4-16-2023
In the name of our Risen Lord and Savior, dear friends in Christ. Have you ever had the experience where you knew someone in their younger days and then lost track of them for several years? And when you reconnect, you discover that this person grew up into somebody that no one ever expected? To be sure, that happens at a lot of High School class reunions. The frumpy girl who couldn't get a date matures into a beautiful woman who became a state senator and has a happy marriage with lots of kids. Or that skinny kid who always got picked on grows up to be a decorated Navy Seal. Or the teenage boy who was an introvert and really didn't like speaking in front of people ends up becoming a Pastor. Ahem! {That’s me.}
Sometimes this transformation happens later in life, long after those awkward teenage years. Regardless, though, there’s always a person or a set of circumstances that inspires this change. We see this amazing transition in the disciples between the time when Christ was arrested and the incident recorded in Acts 5. In observing that change I couldn't help but think of the phrase, "Of mice and men." It has nothing to do with the book by that title written by John Steinbeck. Rather, in the Gospel lesson we find the 11 remaining disciples scurrying to their hiding place, behind locked doors, like a bunch of scared mice. But in a little over 2 months, they're standing as bold men in front of the menacing religious authorities, fearlessly proclaiming that intend to continue telling people about Jesus. You have to admit, it was an amazing turn around.
So, who or what caused it? Obviously, the pivotal event was the appearance of the resurrected Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit that He breathed out on them. By doing so, He established the ministry of the Christian Church, which is to tell the good news of forgiveness through Jesus. And He gave them the authority to do so in His stead and by His name. Yes, it took time for it to really sink into their heads, because a week later they were still hiding like scared mice. But they were emboldened more and more by their risen Lord who appeared to them and numerous followers of Christ over the next 40 days. 10 days after Jesus ascended into heaven came the day of Pentecost when the promised Holy Spirit descended on the believers with His power. Crowds of people were attracted by it. By that point, the disciples were no longer hiding behind locked doors, nor were they scared. Peter stood up boldly and preached the truth about the crucifixion of Jesus and His resurrection. He then called them to repent and be Baptized.
Speaking of Peter, consider the changes that he went through in the previous months. He was bold and impetuous. Christ gave him the name Peter, which means "rock." Speaking on behalf of the others, he boldly confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. He fearlessly declared that he would fight to the death for Jesus and go to prison if necessary. We'd all agree that he was a manly man… until Christ was arrested. He, along with the other disciples deserted their Master and ran away like scared field mice. Then, the former rock of a man, went to the courtyard where Jesus was on trial and out of fear denied even knowing Christ. He tucked his tail and slinked away into the night to hide.
But after the Resurrection, Ascension, and Pentecost we suddenly see Peter emerge again as a bold, confessing man. What caused this change? Simply put, he received forgiveness from Jesus; the very same forgiveness that Christ had authorized the Church to dispense. All the remaining disciples had received it too. Empowered by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, they were emboldened to proclaim the Gospel. 3,000 souls heard the call and were Baptized, receiving forgiveness through Jesus Christ. The church then met regularly with the doors unlocked and wide open to all who wanted to join them. Peter and the other disciples weren't hiding like scared mice anymore. Now, they were acting like bold men of God as they went out publicly, even to the Temple of all places. Why do I say that? Because they were walking right into the enemy's camp. The religious leaders who had orchestrated the death of Christ were still in power and they hadn't changed their minds towards this Jesus movement. They were convinced that the followers of Jesus would remain in hiding and fade away into obscurity. Boy, were they wrong!
In Acts 3, Peter and John go to the Temple to pray. They see a lame beggar lying there and heal him in the name of Jesus. It caused quite a commotion. Addressing the crowd that had gathered, Peter boldly explains that it was by Christ's power that this miracle occurred. He also didn’t shy away from convicting them of their sin and calling them to repent and believe in Jesus as their Savior. When the religious rulers heard of it, they were annoyed because the disciples were teaching the very thing that they had hoped to squelch. So they arrested Peter and John, fully expecting them to shrink back in fear. But when they questioned the 2 disciples, they were shocked by their boldness. They decided to threaten Peter and John while commanding them to not speak of Jesus again. Then, the religious rulers let them go without laying a hand on them. Why? Because they were afraid of the crowds who had witnessed the healing. Now the tables were turned. Look who the frightened little mice are.
But these two men of God didn't cower in fear. The disciples, as bold men of God, went out and continued to preach about Jesus and heal people. This wasn't taking place in some hidden location but right on the Temple grounds! More and more Jews were converting to Christianity as they believed and received God's forgiveness through Jesus. Needless to say, the religious leaders couldn't stand for this going on right under their noses. So, here we go again, in an effort to intimidate them, the apostles were arrested. And this is where God's sense of humor comes in. During the night, He sends an angel for a jailbreak. But rather than scurrying off like scared little mice, hiding from prosecution, the angel tells them to go right back to the Temple grounds and start preaching again! The next day when the high priest and his minions gather for the inquisition of the disciples, they send for the prisoners. Lo and behold, the jail is empty. That put a knot of fear in their stomachs. Just then someone comes in and reports that the apostles are in the Temple courts teaching again. What audacity! What boldness! This time the captain of the guard gingerly asks them to go with him because he was afraid of the crowds attacking if he used force.
Standing them before the Sanhedrin, the high priest reads them the riot act for disobeying his orders. That's where our text for today picks it up. Peter speaks with boldness that the apostles felt obliged to obey God rather than the commands of men. But I would have you notice that he also includes repentance and forgiveness in his response. It's what Christ gave these ministers of the Gospel to dispense to everyone, even to these obstinate unbelievers. They reject the offer of grace and were about to resort to their old tactic of violence. Let me assure you, it was a reaction of anger but they were also scurrying in fear for a simple solution. That's when a respected Jewish teacher named Gamaliel speaks up. In essence, he says, "Leave these guys alone and let God sort it out like He did with other previous imposters." At first glance his statement sounds like wise advice. But actually, it was a cowardly response. He was proposing to let the Romans handle this religious problem rather than act on their convictions. The high priest and the Sanhedrin took his advice… sort of. They had the apostles beaten and ordered them again to stop teaching about Jesus. Then, they were released. The apostles gladly took the beating and turned right around and went back to preaching and teaching the Gospel of forgiveness in Jesus.
Now you tell me. Who was acting like scared little mice and who was acting like bold men of God here? That, my friends, is what happens to a person when by faith you receive God's forgiveness in the sacrifice of Jesus. With it comes the power of the Holy Spirit that emboldens us to confess our faith without fear. That's because once you are assured of God's forgiveness, then there's nothing to fear from what the devil or this world can throw at you. That bold confession shouldn't just be the one you made on your Confirmation Day. It is to be boldly proclaimed each and every day as you live a life of repentance and faith. It's boldly proclaimed as you fearlessly speak of salvation in Jesus Christ alone. It's boldly proclaimed as you come here for worship week after week, declining to participate in other activities that might lure you away from receiving God's divine gifts of Word and Sacrament. Oh, the world will scoff and make it uncomfortable to obey God's will rather than mankind's rules. But trusting in God's grace and mercy, empowered by His Holy Spirit, we can be bold men and women of God, speaking the Gospel of repentance and forgiveness through our crucified and risen Lord Jesus. May God use us as His witnesses for this purpose as we rejoice in our salvation. To Him be the glory now and forever. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!