Sermon Summary (4/2/17) “Can We Rely on the New Testament?” Luke 1:1-4
A story… about a boy growing up in Jerusalem in 30 ad. His mother’s name is Mary, she may have been “the other Mary” at the tom She may have been related to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. In the book of Acts, we find that she had a house with an upper room. This is where the family observed the Passover. And could it have been that if this family was related to Jesus’ family, that when Jesus' family came to Jerusalem for Passover each year that they observed it together here?
This year is different. This year there is a stir in Jerusalem. Jesus has entered Jerusalem and declared himself to be the Messiah!
It’s Thursday night. Dusk will begin the Passover. But tonight is different. Instead of the families, Jesus is in the Upper Room with the disciples. Mother has allowed me to help serve the meal. And I sit in the corner of the room while the Jesus and the disciples talk.
There’s something new here. Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, gives it to his disciples and says, “This is my body broken for you.” What can he mean? After supper he takes the cup and says, “This is my cup of the New Covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.” What does he mean?
They sing hymns. They leave the Upper Room and go out into the darkness. I need to follow them. Even though it’s past my bedtime and I’m dressed in my linen bed clothes, I need to follow them.
I follow them to Gethsemane. I see Jesus praying. But then I’m not sure what happens. There’s calamity, there’s chaos, there are soldiers. I run away. This is what I say later: 51 A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked.
“Young man.” I was a boy. I was a boy enthralled with Jesus.
“Young man.” I was a boy. I was a boy enthralled with Jesus.
What happened following that was a blur. A trial, crucifixion, resurrection—yes! Ascension, Pentecost.
Pentecost. They were meeting again in the Upper Room. O, I wish you could have heard Peter’s sermon. Powerful. I want to learn everything I can from Peter. Peter had been with Jesus since the beginning.
For ten years I’ve hung around the Jerusalem church. One day my cousin Barnabas comes and we go to Antioch together. We spend some time with Paul. Paul, now there is a driven man. He had encountered the Risen Lord on the way to Damascus. I’m still a young man and I have difficulty following Paul’s instructions so I stay on the islands with Barnabas while Paul goes off on his journeys.
It’s my chance to learn Greek and I learn it well.
Years later I arrive in Rome. There is a church there, followers of Jesus. And Peter, Peter arrives. He doesn’t speak Greek very well and he doesn’t write it at all. He needs a secretary and an interpreter. It seems as if I have been preparing my entire life for this. I spend nearly ten years listening, writing, recording all that Peter has to say. They are the most exciting years of my life.
Then, Peter is dead. Crucified by Nero. Paul, too. Beheaded by Nero. Who is going to tell the story? Who is going to preach? Who will tell of the miracles? Of the healings? Who will tell the parables? Who will tell of the Kingdom of God?
Who is equipped to write the words that will become the template for the greatest story ever told? The story that points to Jesus, a story that I rely on because I wanted to become his follower. Suddenly, I realize it is me. God had equipped me to write down Peter’s story about the Good News, the story that points to Jesus, “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” God has equipped me!
My name is Mark, and this is my story. And you can rely on the story, “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” Amen.
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