Title: Resurrection Faith (Acts 3:11)
Resurrection Faith
Acts 3:11-16
It is said that a lie contest was held in England. But do you know what the lie of the champion who won the top prize that day was, "I've never lied before."
In a study of how many times people in the United States lie for a living, it was found that they lie almost 200 times, once every 8 minutes. The most common lie was the lie that “the car was blocked” when they were late for an appointment, and the most lying occupations were clerk, politician, journalist, lawyer, salesman, and psychologist in that order.
There are three most obvious lies for us. The lies of a merchant who says there is nothing left, an old man who wants to die soon, and an old virgin who says he will not marry are said to be the surest lies.
But guys, why do people lie? Psychology divides the human figure into three categories. ,, but I think the healthiest human image is formed when these three things match. However, since it is difficult to match it, it is possible that he is lying in order to show himself well and to decorate it plausibly.
I wrote a book called Dr. Jerry White. Here, he analyzes the honesty of a person in four ways. The first is general honesty, i.e. not lying. The second says there is legal honesty. No matter who sees it or not, it is to be honest with one's own rules, and the third is inner honesty. Inner honesty is keeping your conscience clean according to the conscience God has given you. The fourth speaks of biblical honesty. This is not in front of people, nor is it a standard for oneself. It refers to maintaining honesty in the Word of God and the influence of the Holy Spirit.
But, folks, there is more to people than honesty. In order for my honesty to be recognized and my honesty to be honest, it takes fact and faith in facts. Although it is an absolute fact, if I do not believe the facts as facts, even if historical facts are hidden, they are not true to me. There is truth only when there is truth. No, anyone has no choice but to be honest in the face of historical facts. Therefore, facts and beliefs about them are important.
And one more thing, no matter how much you tell the truth, if you don't accept it as fact, it won't be history. Distrust is the problem, sick reason is the problem. Doesn't the truth change just because you can't understand it with your own thoughts and your ability to understand rationally? Whether I understand it or not, an event is an event. Whether I like it or not, the truth is the truth. It is wrong to think that only what I admit is true and what I cannot admit cannot be true. Can't it be true that something I've never heard of and never seen before? If you are living in denial of the true event by clinging to your own experiences and knowledge, you are really foolish.
Guys, it only happens when you believe the facts to be true. You must think deeply that once you begin to become a slave to unbelief, you will lead a life of drifting away from truth and righteousness.
The resurrection of Jesus is an undeniable fact. However, from the time of Jesus to the present, there are those who believe and those who do not. If you have faith in this great event, the resurrection life and your life will unite to produce a wonderful miracle of resurrecting yourself. But when you don't believe, this stark fact has nothing to do with it. There is a very important relationship between the fact of the resurrection and the faith in the resurrection that accepts that fact.
As you know, Peter was a man who did the humanly unbearable thing to deny Jesus three times. However, the scene where the resurrected Jesus meets Peter is found in John 21. Even though the resurrected Lord Himself visited and met with him, the Bible does not say that Peter lived as a new person. Rather, when Peter sees Jesus in front of him, he says, “I am going fishing.” And he goes out to sea. The idea is to go back to the time when I first met Jesus. How could this be? This is the part where I can't quite understand why Peter is doing this. Now, what's the problem?
Peter may have believed the objective fact of Jesus' resurrection when he saw Jesus right before his eyes. But, crucially, there was no faith in the resurrection that had anything to do with me now. Here's the problem.
Jesus went to Himself and said, “Do you love me? Feed my sheep!” He said it three times with kindness. For a moment, Peter was moved by the Lord, who did not rebuke him and accepted him with love, but there was no reason to have that emotion alone.
It is also our problem today. Every year on Easter, the way of confirming and acknowledging the objective fact that Jesus was resurrected and turning around and living means that we are living as if “What does the resurrection of Jesus have to do with me!” I hope that you will discover in Peter today the image of us who know the risen Lord but live without faith in the resurrection.
Then, when will Peter have faith in the resurrection and live a new life as a witness of the resurrection? It is time to be filled with the Holy Spirit. When is that? It was the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came like tongues of fire. This is the case in Acts 2, which is just before today's text. So Easter and Pentecost have a very important relationship. Theologically, it is also very important. Easter is a historical event, and Pentecost is a subjective event that takes place in the heart and soul. So, Pentecost without Easter becomes a very subjective event that is nothing more than a simple mystic movement. And Easter without Pentecost is just rationalism. It is mere knowledge that recognizes only one historical event. This is objective. When these two events are put together, this is what we call it.
Now, in today's text, we confidently say that Peter is a witness of the resurrection. The word witness here means martyr. To believe in the resurrection and to testify of the resurrection, I must be able to die well. That is the witness of the resurrection.
Peter in today's text lived as a witness of the resurrection faith by accepting the resurrection event and practicing love with resurrection faith. From now on, I will lay down my life and live courageously, without hesitation, but as a completely free man. As Peter lived his life witnessed in the spirit of martyrdom, the Lord was with him and a great miracle followed.
In fact, if you look at the top of the text you haven't read today, you can see the background of today's sermon. There is a miracle that happened at the famous beautiful gate of the temple, and Peter performs the miracle of raising a person who has been crippled since birth. Many people were startled by this amazing miracle and gathered to see Peter and John. Then, taking advantage of that opportunity, the scene where Peter preached is today's text. But if you listen to his sermons, it's like this: “What a surprise! And do not regard us as having any power. Jesus, whom you killed, has been resurrected and is with me, and he has performed this miracle here.” This is the image of Peter who was born again by faith in the resurrection.
Dear saints!
Do you see Peter today? He believed only in the objective fact of the resurrection, but after being born again by faith in the resurrection, he claimed to be a witness of the resurrection. Now, the logic of the resurrection event and the scientific evidence are no longer important to us. The problem is the resurrection faith. When your faith in the resurrection becomes clear, you can see what kind of existence you are now. And I see the future. You will see God working through me.