Acts 12;1 19 easter 3

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Acts 12:1-19 [Easter 3—CWS B]

Pastor Ron Koehler

Grace—Tucson, AZ

April 15, 2018

Dear friends in Christ and witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection, Have you ever had something happen in your life that changed you? Changed your outlook on life…changed your behavior…changed you for the better? That may be the way you view having your spouse come into your life. Having a baby for the first time tends to do that for some. But it’s not always good things that bring about a good change. Perhaps you are one of those who had to hit rock-bottom to wake you up and bring about necessary life changes. Someone told me this week that a terrible accident changed them, made them a better person, even though it left them with some difficulties they’ll deal with for the rest of their earthly lives. The Apostle Peter is a great example of a changed man. The Bible allows us enough of a look into Peter’s life, his words and actions, to see the kind of change the resurrection of Jesus made in him. When he witnessed the risen Savior, his life changed in such a good way! As we hear about a dramatic instance in his life, we’ll appreciate the changed man he became and consider how Jesus’ resurrection has changed—or can change—us as well. THE RESURRECTION CHANGES A PERSON 1. IT REMOVES FEARS 2. IT CREATES BOLD MESSENGERS You may remember some dramatic moments involving Peter. As one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, he was around the table with Jesus in the Upper Room, celebrating the Passover just prior to Jesus’ death. There he promised Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus broke the news to him that he would, in fact, deny his Savior three times. Most of you here today know how that happened. Peter had gained access to the courtyard of the high priest as they held Jesus for questioning. Peter was trying to go unnoticed there, but he was recognized as a disciple of Jesus. He denied it. He denied it again. Then, cursing and swearing, he denied it again. He was paralyzed with fear and that fear, coupled with the realization that he had done what Jesus warned him about, caused him to break down, sobbing. And though he ran to look into the empty tomb of Jesus on that following Easter morning, he didn’t understand what he was looking at and what it meant. Then that evening, he and the other disciples were huddling in fear behind locked doors. The very real possibility that those Jewish leaders who put Jesus to death would now come after them, had them gripped with fear and in hiding. The life-altering thing that changed their lives was Jesus appearing in that locked room and showing them that he had risen from death and the grave. He was no ghost as they supposed and he certainly was no longer dead! This meant that Jesus truly was who he said he was and who they hoped he would be and he really did what he said he was going to do! The proof stood there in front of their very eyes as the resurrected Lord brought peace and joy to their hearts!


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