Sermon: Easter 5 A (Acts)
Preached on Sunday 22 May AD 2011
Sermon Theme: Bold Witness
Summary: No matter our vocations, the Lord calls us to make a bold, clear witness of our hope in Christ Jesus. He leads some through lives of peace and quiet while others are placed in harm’s way. Whichever is our lot, we know that He is always with us and the our Lord Jesus will receive the spirits of all who trust Him through life unto death.
Text: Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.
And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me.... You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60
Ecclesiastical art by Ed Riojas. Graphics for the Church Year (1-Year and 3-Year Lectionaries) are available for for purchase on CD or by ZIP download from the Higher Things Store.
Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Audio: Click to hear MP3 of Bold Witness, preached at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Ernestville, Missouri.
Other Readings: Psalm 146; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14
Technorati Tags: Easter | Easter 5 | 5th Sunday of Easter | Fifth Sunday of Easter | Three Year Lectionary | 3 Year Lectionary | Series A | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | God | Law | Law and Gospel | Gospel | Stephen | stoning of Stephen | New Testament | 22 May 2011 | May 22, 2011 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Acts 6-7 | sermon | text | theme | topic | Bold Witness | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings
Sermon Theme: Bold Witness
Summary: No matter our vocations, the Lord calls us to make a bold, clear witness of our hope in Christ Jesus. He leads some through lives of peace and quiet while others are placed in harm’s way. Whichever is our lot, we know that He is always with us and the our Lord Jesus will receive the spirits of all who trust Him through life unto death.
Text: Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.
And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me.... You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60
Ecclesiastical art by Ed Riojas. Graphics for the Church Year (1-Year and 3-Year Lectionaries) are available for for purchase on CD or by ZIP download from the Higher Things Store.
Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Audio: Click to hear MP3 of Bold Witness, preached at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Ernestville, Missouri.
Other Readings: Psalm 146; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14
Technorati Tags: Easter | Easter 5 | 5th Sunday of Easter | Fifth Sunday of Easter | Three Year Lectionary | 3 Year Lectionary | Series A | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | God | Law | Law and Gospel | Gospel | Stephen | stoning of Stephen | New Testament | 22 May 2011 | May 22, 2011 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Acts 6-7 | sermon | text | theme | topic | Bold Witness | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings
posted by Xrysostom | 19:03
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