Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes
In October 1989 a song by a German Pop group debuted on the US Billboard charts at number 65. Seven weeks later it reached number one. The song became this group’s most well known song and was ranked at number 21 for best singles of 1989. The premise of the song is that the singer realizes that they have made a mistake in rejecting their love interest. As the opening verse states, “You said you didn’t need her, You told her good-bye….You let her walk away, Now it just don’t feel the same” but instead of blaming himself for this heartache or mistake the singer says that he has to blame it on something other than himself and he declares, “Blame in on the rain, yeah, yeah!” Unfortunately this German pop group had more to blame on their demise then the rain because it was discovered in 1990 that the two voices heard on the recording were not actually the two guys who performed as the singers but rather that they lip-synched their entire act. Millli Vanilli went from being extremely famous to completely infamous within a year. They were even forced to return their 1990 Grammy for best new artist. These two performers were blamed for being frauds when in reality it was the dirty dealings of the record company that got them into such trouble. Blame is a funny thing because we often don’t want to blame ourselves for mistakes. It is why terms like scapegoats or throwing someone under the bus are so common. Blame is a big part of our passage today- but we have to be careful about where this blame is placed.
The Acts of the Apostles or The Book of Acts as it is often referred, was written at a time when the relationship between the early Jewish-Christians and the traditional Jews was tense. It is clearly evident in most of the book that the author tends to place the blame for Jesus’ death squarely on the Jewish authorities. In fact, if we think about the passion story from Luke, three times Pilate pronounces Jesus is innocent while the Jewish crowd exclaims “Crucify him!” In that version of the story Luke gives opportunity for the Roman governor to appear innocent of any decision to place Jesus on the cross, despite the fact that crucifixion was a very Roman form of punishment. Peter’s speech which we heard today continues this sentiment and unfortunately, throughout history, this passage has been used to support anti-Semitic behaviour within the church. So, we do indeed need to be careful about where we place blame or rather who gets used as a scapegoat.
This book, as well as Luke’s Gospel, was written at the end of the first century and it reflects a great amount of the socio-cultural context of that time. Following the destruction of the temple, Christianity began to spread within Gentile communities. Christians began to shift blame for the death of Jesus from Rome to Jewish authorities- because the bulk of new Christians were in fact, Roman. If one were to read the Gospels in chronological order, that is starting with Mark, then Matthew, then Luke, then John, we would see this shift more clearly. We must learn to proclaim the gospel without blaming any particular community because really the only community we can blame for mixing up meanings or misunderstanding in the gospel is ourselves. While Peter’s speech clearly places blame on the ignorance of the Jewish observers Peter’s speech also reminds us of the healing that can take place under the guidance of the gospel. It is time that we focus on that healing rather than blame.
This is where the rest of Peter’s speech helps us to understand who it is we are to be as an Easter church, a church witnessing to the resurrection. This sermon follows a dramatic healing. Peter and John are going to pray at the temple- so you see, they are still maintaining many of their Jewish practices. A man who has been lame since birth was begging at the gate and he begs as Peter and John walk by. Peter asks the man to fix his attention upon Peter and John and then says that he has no silver, no gold, but what he has he gives and then he tells the man in the name of Jesus of Nazareth to stand up and walk. Which, to the amazement of the crowd, the man does. All those who witness this event are filled with wonder and amazement at what has happened. But Peter is quick to adjust their perspective and that is where our passage begins.
Peter points out that this is not a solo operation. Not only do Peter AND John fix their eyes on this man but Peter also tells them that this power does not come from them alone. John is often underestimated in this story because he is referred to but does not speak. However, the point is that Peter and John work together to provide healing. I know that there are a few jobs or expectations around this church that feel like solo endeavours. I know there are some of you who think, if I don’t agree to do this then no one else will. But as we venture on this new beginnings visioning process together I realize how important it is to feel like this is not a solo endeavour- we need all of us to have healing happen.
We also need the power and piety to come from God, not ourselves. Here Peter is very clear about the authority from which this power comes. Peter proclaims Jesus as “The Holy and Righteous One” and “The Author of life” both these titles mean that Jesus is the true source of healing. The curious thing about these titles is that holy and righteous are descriptors from the Old Testament, they would have been familiar to the crowd to which Peter speaks, but “author of life” is not found anywhere prior to Acts. Peter is giving Jesus a new title in this speech. This tells me two important things. First, that it is difficult to classify Jesus and second that titles of all kinds hint at what God has accomplished in Jesus- but that doesn’t mean they adequately describe it. This also means that we can get confused by all these titles and forget what they really mean- and who can blame us!
Later on in Acts Peter’s insistence in using Jesus’ name as the source of healing, his emphatic persistence that it is by faith in his name that gives health to this man, is also what will get Peter and John in trouble. They will be arrested and interrogated the very next day because of this miracle. And those authorities will ask, “by what power or by what name did you do this?” In this confrontation Peter continues to respond that it is through faith in Christ. We they are free to go, instead of blame, Peter and John meet up with the council and rejoice that they have been considered worthy to suffer dishonour for the sake of Jesus.
You see, here is where I think it’s time we can only blame ourselves- in the early church in Acts it grows because there is healing, proclamation, and rejoicing. While we may or may not participate in physical healing ministries I think we forget how to use our faith to heal situations. We certainly do not share in the same kind of witness or proclamation as the early church and we often lament rather than rejoice when the church is called into question regarding it’s value to the community. We have no one but ourselves to blame when we do not heal, proclaim or rejoice in church. New Testament Professor, Greg Carey reminds me that, “At a minimum, we should remind ourselves of the countless ways in which we still reject Jesus, even, or especially, in the church. With respect to this passage, whenever we resist God’s healing work, whenever we seek to conform the spirit of healing to our own structures and expectations, we play the part of authorities who imprisoned Peter and John.” As an Easter Church- a congregation that resides in the space following the resurrection- instead of blaming society or changing culture we need to take responsibility and heal, proclaim, and rejoice in the power of faith in Jesus’ name. Amen