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Episodes
Weekly sermons and Bible studies led by a retired pastor of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Episodes
Wednesday May 11, 2022
Wednesday May 11, 2022
The Scripture readings this week and next are preparing us for events still to come, with the Ascension of Jesus into heaven and the coming to the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and beyond. The first lesson is from Acts 11:1-18. Peter is called to explain why he and other Jews had gone to the home of non-Jewish (uncircumcised) people and even associated with them and ate with them. Peter explained that God had taught him by visions and the Holy Spirit and by what had happened with Cornelius, a Roman centurion (Acts 10), that the Gospel of Jesus was meant for all people, including Gentiles (non-Jews). Cornelius and those with him heard the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit came to believe and were baptized. As God had done with Jews (see Acts 5:30-31), “to the Gentiles also God has granted (given) repentance that leads to life,” eternal life. This also meant that under the New Covenant in Jesus, old dietary and other such rules and rules about not associating with non-Jews were done away with. (Jesus had already taught all this, in Scriptures like Mark 7:1-30 and John 4:1-42).
There are two choices for the Gospel reading this week. In John 13:31-35, Jesus taught the night before His death, after Judas had left him, that He would soon be “glorified” through His death and resurrection and return to His Father in heaven. The disciples could not join Him right away, though they would join Him in heaven later (see John 14:1-6). In the meantime, his disciples, including us today, were to love others, as Jesus had first loved them and us by His great sacrifice for us all.
The other possible Gospel reading is from John 16:12-22. Jesus told His disciples that they would later be taught by the Holy Spirit, who would guide them “into all the truth” that they needed for their future ministry at the right time (at Pentecost and in the Spirit’s inspiring them in the Word of God they would speak and write in the New Testament Scriptures). The disciples would have sorrow when Jesus died and when He ascended into heaven after His resurrection, but in Him, they would have the fullness of joy, most especially in eternal life.
That eternal life is pictured again in another vision of the Apostle John in the second lesson, Revelation 21:1-7. God will make “all things new,” as He dwells with us and all believers, and we are “His people” forever. There will be no more crying or pain or death or mourning, “for the former things have passed away.” We will hear more of this next week, too.
Because of all that God has done and will do for us in Christ, all of creation is called upon to “praise the Lord!” in the psalm for the day, Psalm 148. Paul writes that “the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). We don’t understand exactly what that means, but the eternal future will be perfect and wonderful with our Lord. We praise Him for all that we have now in Christ and His Word and look forward to.
Tuesday May 10, 2022
Tuesday May 10, 2022
Last week we heard some background on the Book of Ruth, a true story that happened during the time of the Judges in the Old Testament and written down later, probably during the time of King David or a little later. We heard of Naomi, a Jewish woman who moved to the land of Moab with her husband, Elimelech, and their two sons because of famine and other bad conditions in Israel, where they had lived in Bethlehem. Tragically, Elimelech soon died, and Naomi was left with her two sons, who had each married Moabite women. Not too many years later, both sons also died, leaving Naomi alone with her two daughter-in-laws, Orpah and Ruth. Naomi was very bitter about these deaths and could not understand why all this happened to her and why God allowed it all.
We began at Ruth 1:6, then, when Naomi heard that the years of famine were over in Israel and that “the Lord had visited His people and given them food.” She heard this “in the fields of Moab.” This probably means that Naomi and her daughters-in-law had been “gleaning” any food that was left in fields after harvest. It was one of very few things widows could do in those days to try to survive and get a little food for themselves. (We will talk more about “gleaning” in a few minutes.)
Naomi decided that she would return to the land of Judah, since her husband had some relatives there and maybe some kind fellow Jews would help her. Her daughters-in-law wanted to go with her (verse 7), but Naomi urged them to go home to their own families and get help to find someone else to be married to. She hoped that the Lord would be kind to them as they had been kind to her, and that He would help them find rest and peace and new husbands (Ruth 1:8).
Orpah and Ruth wept loudly, and insisted on going along with Naomi to Israel. Again, Naomi urged them to turn back to their Moabite families. There was no feasible way she could provide another son for them, who could marry them and provide them with any inheritance and future (Ruth 1:9-13). And again Naomi expressed her “exceeding bitterness” that “the hand of the Lord had gone against” her, especially when it also so negatively affected her daughter-in-laws, whom she loved (Ruth 1:13).
Orpah and Ruth wept again loudly, but Orpah finally decided to return to her family home in Moab. Ruth, however, clung to Naomi, even though Naomi insisted again that she also go back home. Naomi even mentioned that Orpah had gone back to “her own gods” and seemed to wish the same for Ruth. Naomi was showing at this point her faith struggles and confusion and lack of confidence in the one true God if she would even think of sending her daughter-in-laws back to false gods (Ruth 1:14-15).
Ruth, the Moabite, showed more confidence in the one true God than Naomi at this point. She used the special name for the Lord, Yahweh (indicated by the capital letters LORD), and spoke strongly of her commitment to the Lord and to Naomi. She said that she would go with Naomi always and be a part of her people and let only death separate her and Naomi, or seemingly face judgment from God. Naomi saw her determination and finally agreed to take Ruth with her back to Bethlehem in Judah (Ruth 1:16-18).
The two of them then made the trip of over 100 miles to Bethlehem, and the whole town was “stirred up” at their arrival. Bethlehem was a very small town at this time, and so some still remembered Naomi, even though she had been gone for 10 years or more. It was at this point that Naomi spoke again of her “bitterness” toward God for bringing “calamity” upon her and having such a feeling of “emptiness.” But she still used the special name for God. She knew God, but did not understand why things happened as they did (Ruth 1:19-21).
Verse 22 also reveals that Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem “at the beginning of barley harvest.” This tells what time of year this was and how this fits in with other things going on among God’s people in Judah. We know from other sources that the barley harvest was done in Israel in April and May.
Look at Leviticus 23, in the third book of the Old Testament. We have a listing of Jewish festivals. Note that Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (v.4-6) are connected with each other and come about the same time as our Good Friday and then Easter in the Christian calendar. The offering of firstfruits of the spring harvest comes soon after (v.9ff). Then there is the countdown for 50 days, (v.15ff) bringing people to Pentecost, the major spring harvest festival - a very important day also for Christians.
But notice what was said especially in Leviticus 23:22. The harvesters were not to reap to the very edge of their fields, but were to leave some crops for the poor and the sojourners to harvest, along with crops that were missed or fell to the ground. This was a command from the Lord, to be of help to the poor and needy, who were allowed then to follow the harvesters. This is exactly what is described, as Ruth, Chapter 2 begins.
In Ruth 2:2, Ruth asked if she could do some gleaning in the fields around Bethlehem, in hope that someone would be kind and favorable to her. Ruth 2:1 also tells us that Boaz, a “worthy," kind and respectable relative of Elimelech, had fields in this area. Ruth was working hard at gleaning and then came to a field owned by Boaz (Ruth 2:3).
About this time, Boaz himself came out to this field to see how the harvest was going. He was clearly a faithful man of God, for he greeted the workers with the words, “The Lord be with you,” and the workers responded with the words, “The Lord bless you.” (Doesn’t that sound just like what is said in worship? The Pastor says, “The Lord be with you,” and we respond “And with your spirit” or “And also with you.” Much of our service comes right out of the Bible, as we speak God’s Word to each other. We ask God more than once to bless each of us through what He does in our worship.)
Then Boaz noticed the young woman, Ruth, gleaning in the field and asked who she was. He found out that she was the Moabite woman who had come back with Naomi from Moab and had been working hard at her gleaning all day. (Bethlehem was a small town and news spread quickly about everyone.)
It was no coincidence that Boaz and Ruth met. God was at work in all this, as we will see in future weeks, to bring good out of the tragic things that had happened in the past - good for Naomi and Ruth, good for Boaz, good for future generations of God’s people, and good even for us today. God did and still does care for the poor and needy in their struggles, and calls us to help out where we can. Think of the food banks that have operated for many years, including in some of our churches, and how many people are blessed through gleanings that are provided. May we all assist others where we can.
Tuesday May 10, 2022
Tuesday May 10, 2022
Sermon for the 4th Sunday of Easter, based on:
Sermon originally delivered April 21, 2013
Tuesday May 03, 2022
Tuesday May 03, 2022
This Sunday in Easter is known as Good Shepherd Sunday, as you can probably tell as you read the assigned Scriptures. The Psalm is Psalm 23. Jesus our Good Shepherd provides all that we need and so much more through what He has done for us. We don’t have to be controlled by our wants and desires. He is with us in green pastures and dark valleys and gives us strength at His table even when enemies threaten and He will one day take us to the house of the Lord forever.
John gives us a glimpse of that eternal house of the Lord in the Epistle, Revelation 7:9-17. Jesus, the victorious Lamb of God, who shed His blood for us to cleanse us from all sin, will be our Shepherd, wiping away all our tears and giving us and innumerable believers eternal joy and peace. “Salvation belongs to the Lamb.”
In the Gospel lesson, John 10:22-30, Jesus says that He knows all His sheep and will give them and all of us believers eternal life. He can do this because He and the Father are One, the One True Triune God, along with the Promised Holy Spirit. (See John 14:16-17.)
A reading from Early Christian Church history is also included, from Acts 20:17-35. Paul gives encouragement to elders, earthly shepherds of the church, in caring for the flock, the people for whom Jesus shed His blood. He warns of wolves, teachers coming with false teachings, and entrusts all believers and leaders into the hands of God and the Word of His grace. He prays that they follow the Word and will help the weak and know that “It is more blessed to give" (in service to others) "than to receive.”
Tuesday May 03, 2022
Tuesday May 03, 2022
This study began with a correction from last week’s final study of Habakkuk. I quoted from a number of Lutheran scholars, with short thoughts from them. I discovered since then that one of the Old Testament commentaries I used was not written entirely by Dr. Walter Roehrs. The Habakkuk study notes were actually written by Dr. Martin Franzmann. He should have been credited for the quotes that I listed as from Dr. Roehrs. My apologies for that, as I try to be as accurate as possible with these studies and give credit where it is due.
I chose the Book of Ruth as our next study after reading recently a sermon written by a former professor at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs, on Ruth Chapter 1. We just finished the study of Habakkuk, which focused on the questions that the prophet had for God when he could not understand why God was allowing terrible things to happen to the Southern Kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem. Habakkuk had to learn to “live by faith” in God and His ways, even if he could not understand many things.
Dr. Gibbs’ sermon was a good reminder that terrible things also happen to individuals and families in ways that we and they cannot understand. That is what the Book of Ruth is about and yet how God can be at work for good, even in such very personal situations that we and others have to deal with, at times.
The Book of Ruth is found in our English Bibles fairly early in the Old Testament, right after Joshua and Judges. When Moses died, Joshua was chosen to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land and to help them get settled there. What followed after Joshua died was a very unsettled period for the various tribes of God’s people. They were to get well established in the land and serve the One True God faithfully. Instead, many of the people drifted away from God and began to follow the false gods and evil ways of the non-Jews who lived around them.
God raised up a number of “judges,” leaders who were to call the Jews to repentance and back to true belief in God and His ways and help them in troubled, dangerous times. This would work for a while, and then people would slip away from God again until another “judge” was given to them to help them. In general, this period of a few hundred years could be summarized by the last line of the Book of Judges, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes,” instead of doing what was right in God’s eyes and following Him.
The story we will study begins then, in Ruth 1:1, “in the days when the judges ruled.” It happened near the end of this period when there was a famine in the land, a lack of food and water, usually caused by drought or prolonged warfare and other such trouble, as we still see in our world today.
In Ruth 1:2, a man from the tribe of Judah, who lived in Bethlehem, decided to take his family and travel to the land of Moab to find food and better living conditions. The intent was to “sojourn” there - live there temporarily and then return to Israel. The man’s name was Elimelech, which means “God is my King,” and his wife was Naomi, whose name meant “pleasant.” They had two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. (Some commentators say that their names meant “sickly” and “fragile,” but there is no solid evidence for these meanings. Unfortunately, as we have seen with Jonah and other books, very liberal scholars claim that the Book of Ruth is a parable and not a true story of real people, but the New Testament tells us otherwise.)
Ruth 1:2 also tells us that this family was “Ephrathites.” That term refers to the region in which they lived, where Bethlehem was located. See Micah 5:2-5a, where the term is also used in a very important prophecy about the place where the Savior Jesus would be born. There was nothing wrong with the family going to another country to seek food. We know that Jacob had sent some of his sons to Egypt to get food during a famine, too, when they were finally reunited with Joseph. See Genesis 42ff. Others had certainly traveled to other countries, also.
Bethlehem was located in Southern Israel, about 6 miles south of what would later become Jerusalem. To get to Moab, the family had to travel north and go around the Dead Sea and cross the Jordan River and then travel south again to reach Moab. The trip was 100+ rough miles. You can trace the trip if you have a map of Old Testament Israel in your Bible.
Verse 2 ends with the statement that the family “remained there” in Moab. The reason for staying longer quickly becomes clear. Tragic things begin to happen. In verse 3, we hear that Elimelech dies, and Naomi is left in sorrow to parent her sons by herself. This was a very difficult situation, as widows had few resources or help. In verse 4, the two sons marry Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Jews were forbidden to marry many non-Jews, but Moabites were not included in that list, at least at the time that this story happened. Then the tragedy continues, with the death of both Mahlon and Chilion, over time (Ruth 1:5), That left Naomi alone with her two daughters-in-law and no good way to provide for everyone.
Naomi is very sad with grief and very bitter that God would let all these bad things happen to her and her family. She does not understand. She finally decides that she must go back to Israel and hope that a relative or some kind Jewish person would help her. Read Ruth 1:19-21 to see how Naomi describes her situation. She used to be “pleasant,” but now is only “bitter.” She left Israel “full” and hopeful, but now she returns to Israel “empty.” Why would the Lord bring such “calamity” upon her?
Put yourself in Naomi’s situation. How would you feel? What would you say, especially in weak moments? Have you ever been in circumstances like this? The Scriptures are very honest about Naomi’s struggle. She still calls God her Lord, using the special name for Him as the One True God, but she cannot comprehend how all this could have happened. Her pain and despair are very great.
We will talk more about this and the parts of Ruth, Chapter One, that we have not yet covered. We will see that God had not abandoned Naomi and even gave her some hope for her very gloomy life. He still had plans, even amazing plans, ahead for her and her life. She too was called to “life by faith” in her personal life, even in very dark times, as we also are called to live.
Tuesday May 03, 2022
Tuesday May 03, 2022
Sermon for the 3rd Sunday of Easter, based on:
Sermon originally delivered April 14, 2013
Tuesday Apr 26, 2022
Tuesday Apr 26, 2022
Our Easter celebration continues this Sunday, the Third Sunday of Easter. In the Gospel lesson, from John 20:1-19, the Risen Lord Jesus appeared to some of the disciples for a third time, at the Sea of Tiberius (Galilee). He helps them catch a huge number of big fish and provides a meal for them. Then, as Peter had three times denied Jesus, Jesus three times renews him in his mission to feed and care for his sheep, God’s people, but also predicts his death at the hands of those opposed to Jesus.
In the first reading, from Acts 9:1-22, the Risen Lord Jesus also appeared to Saul, an enemy and persecutor of Christians, and through Jesus and the reluctant witness of Ananias, Saul is brought to faith and is baptized, and soon becomes a strong witness for Jesus as the Christ, the promised Savior and the Son of God.
In the Epistle, the apostle John sees a vision of the Risen Lord Jesus, now ascended into heaven in glory, being praised for being the Lamb who was slain in order to pay the ransom price for people, so that they could have eternal life in heaven. Jesus is also called the “Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David” and the One who was worthy to break the seals and open the scroll that John sees. (This reading is also one that forms the basis for the hymn in the liturgy, “This is the Feast.”)
In the Psalm, Psalm 30, David had done wrong and displeased God and faced death for himself and other Jews. David pleads for mercy and forgiveness, and God gives it to him and many others. David then praises God in this psalm for new life and joy and says he will give thanks to the Lord forever, (as we will, too, in heaven because of God’s mercy also for us, in Jesus).
Tuesday Apr 26, 2022
Tuesday Apr 26, 2022
In this sixth and final portion of our study of Habakkuk, we looked at New Testament passages that talk about living by faith, that are very similar to what we hear in Habakkuk; and we heard from some Lutheran commentators on the message of Habakkuk.
We began with Hebrews 11:1-3 where we have a definition of what “faith” is: “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith has to do with things that are “hoped for” but not “seen.” The author of Hebrews then uses many examples from the Old Testament.
In verse 3, he says that it is “by faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. ”Creation” means making something out of nothing, as God did by His Word. We cannot prove this in a way science would like, but by faith we believe and trust that God did truly create all things. In verse 7, we hear that by faith, Noah built the ark, based upon “events as yet unseen,” simply trusting God’s Word that a great flood would come in the future.
Example after example is then given in Hebrews of others who lived by faith, such Abraham and Sarah, who were far too old to have a child, yet lived by faith that they would have one (verses 8-12). It was a great struggle for them to keep that faith, as the Book of Genesis tells us, and especially when Abraham was told that he was to sacrifice that son who finally was given to them. See verses 17-20.
God had also told of a “land of promise” for them, but Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and many of their descendants never took possession of it. Even Moses only saw it from a distance (Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-16). This was a way of teaching them that they were only “strangers and exiles on earth” and that God would eventually provide them with a “heavenly homeland.” In the meantime, they were to live by faith in God’s unseen promises, for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Read all of Hebrews 11 for more of these examples. Chapter 11 ends with the words (verses 39-40) that all of these people did not see the fullness of what was promised in their own days. That would only happen with the coming of the Savior Jesus, from that long line of people beginning with Abraham.
Hebrews 12 then tells us and all believers to live by faith in Jesus, “the Founder and Perfecter of our faith.” Jesus is the greatest example of one living by faith. He gave up everything and became a human being and trusted His Father’s plan, even in being willing to suffer and die for us, in our place, to forgive all our sins and count us as acceptable to God, simply by faith in Him. Jesus then rose in victory and returned in glory to the Father; yet He had to live 33 years by faith, “enduring from sinners such hostility against himself, despising the shame, and even enduring the cross,” for us.
Keeping our eyes on Jesus will help us, also, to live by faith, as we “run with endurance the race that is set before us in this life.” It will not be easy for us either, as we live as sinners in this sinful world. We will face many challenges and will need our heavenly Father’s discipline when we stray and His strength to keep going, sure-footed like a deer, even when there are many uncertainties and questions in our lives (Hebrews 12:1-13 and Habakkuk 3:17-19).
Living by faith, though, does not mean, as some people have suggested, that we take a leap of faith into total darkness. Our faith is based on real evidence - the truth of God and His love for us revealed in the Scriptures, the promises of God centered in Jesus and all He has done for us and promises us, and the eyewitness testimony of all of the prophets and apostles, who know the reality of Christ’s life and death and resurrection and His teachings.
We do not have all the answers to much of what goes on, though. At times, we may be as confused and questioning as Habakkuk, especially as we see all the evil and troubles in this sinful world and have our own struggles. But God is with us, and we “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). As Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “We are saved by God’s grace, through faith in Christ,” and not by our own faith or efforts, but by the gifts of God. Even when what God does or doesn’t do seems “foolish” in the eyes of the world or in our own eyes, we still live by God’s grace through faith in Him and His wisdom and His ultimately working for good. (Read 1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-25, 29-31.)
Finally, let’s go back to Habakkuk and hear what some Lutheran commentators say. Read Habakkuk 3:16-19 again. A writer in the Concordia Self-Study Bible (NIV version) says, “Habakkuk has learned the lesson of faith (2:4) - to trust in God regardless of the circumstances. He declares that even if God should send suffering and loss, he would still rejoice in his Savior-God - one of the strongest affirmations of faith in the Scriptures.”
Look at Habakkuk 3:1-15. Dr. Roehrs, in the Concordia Self-Study Commentary of the 1960s says, “It is characteristic of Biblical thinking that Habakkuk contrasts the evil Babylonians under the fivefold curse (2:6-20) not with righteous believing people but with the vision of the God of salvation (3:3-15) and what he would do. So Paul does also in Romans, where the dreadful picture of mankind under the wrath of God (Romans 1: 18-32, 3:9-20) is followed by the proclamation of the righteousness of God in action in Christ (3:21-31). See also the terrible news of Ephesians 2:1-3, followed by the Good News of God making us alive in Christ by His grace. All this emphasizes the fact that faith is not a virtue in us but first and foremost a receiving from God, a being-dealt with by the God of salvation and His grace.” Our faith and hope are not in ourselves and our faith and goodness, but in God and His grace, from beginning to end.
Dr. Roehrs also notes in Habakkuk 3:16 that Habakkuk is shaken by the seriousness of sin and the coming judgment and discipline of God, but he can still have faith. “This is a God whom one can trust to keep His Word, a God in whom one can find rest, depending on Him alone, no matter how hard the agonies of life and history press upon us.”
Finally, Dr, Roehrs says, “The word 'faith' occurs only once in Habakkuk (2:4); but his whole prophecy is a Word of faith, faith agonized, questioning, seeking, finding rest in God, and jubilant, finally, in the assurance of God’s love, even with the obstacle of all the chaos going on… For both Paul and Habakkuk, faith is faith without works, for both it is 'quietly waiting’ for God to do His saving work. For faith is not just one aspect of man’s existence before God, but the whole of his relationship to Him.”
Dr. Keil, in his commentary, says, “The prophet prays and speaks throughout the entire prophecy in the name of his fellow believers at that time. His pain is their pain; his joy is their joy.” Habakkuk is honest about his and their struggles in understanding God’s will and ways in these very hard times for them, yet assures them of the hope and even the joy they can still have in the Lord, as he has been given it. There is wrath, but God does answer prayers and remembers His mercy and love and will help His people through (Habakkuk 3:2).
Finally, the Lutheran Study Bible (ESV) reminds us, “Much in our lives brings anguish, fear, and even feelings of helplessness to our hearts (Psalm 25:16-18, Acts 14:22). God does humble us under His mighty hand, but He does so in order to lift us up.” See 1 Peter 5:6-11. So much more could be said about this little book of prophecy, but I pray that this study has been helpful to all of us in living by God’s grace through faith, no matter what is going on around us.
Tuesday Apr 26, 2022
Tuesday Apr 26, 2022
Sermon for the 2nd Sunday of Easter, based on:
Sermon originally delivered April 7, 2013
Wednesday Apr 20, 2022
Wednesday Apr 20, 2022
This is the Second Sunday of the Easter season. For the next six weeks, in place of the usual Old Testament lesson is a reading from the Book of Acts, the history of the early Christian church. The only Old Testament reading for this week is the Psalm, Psalm 148. This psalm calls upon all of creation, from the angels, the hosts in the heavens above and the sun, moon, and stars, to all that exists on the earth, including us human beings, to praise the Lord. He is the Creator and Preserver of all, and especially He is praised for “”raising up ”the “Horn” of salvation for us, our victorious Savior, Jesus Christ. (See Luke 1:68-70, 77-79.)
The Gospel lesson is from John 20:19-31. We hear that the Risen Lord Jesus appeared to the disciples on Easter evening and showed them He had truly risen from the dead. Thomas was not there, though, and would not believe that Jesus had risen until he saw Him about a week later, along with the other disciples. Then he called Jesus, “My Lord and my God.” We also hear that these and all Scriptures were written so that we too could believe that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,” and “have Life in His Name.”
The Epistle lesson is from Revelation 1:4-18. John, one of those apostles, had been exiled later in his ministry to the island of Patmos because of sharing “the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” Jesus, now the Risen Lord in the glory of heaven, appeared again to John and told him to write down what he saw and heard and send it to seven designated churches, representing all of God’s believers and churches. Jesus affirmed that He is “alive forevermore” and has the “keys” for overcoming death and giving eternal life (to all who believe in Him and His saving work and in the Father and the Holy Spirit).
The reading from Acts is Acts 5:12-20 (21-32). The apostles in the early church were preaching and teaching in Jerusalem and were enabled by the Lord to do healings and other miracles. More men and women were coming to believe in Jesus, and the high priest and the Sadducees (who were jealous and did not believe in resurrections and life after death) had the apostles arrested and put in prison. An angel miraculously helped them escape and told them to keep teaching about Jesus. Again, the authorities brought them in, and Peter and the other apostles said that they had to “obey God rather than men” and would keep telling others about the Risen Lord Jesus and “repentance” and “forgiveness of sins” that came through Him.