This is the one morning I can sort of sleep in. And I managed to get some sleep: the week was brutal. Productive academically, but brutal. Some of which I cannot talk about — Let us say that Wednesday, when one son sat UMAT and the other had Open Day at his school, was one of the lighter days. At least I am not on call this week, and will be able be domestic. Because next weekend I have to do my duty, and go and talk to SBS Insight about OCD.
And all this has nothing to do with the text. Today we have one of those Psalms we say when we are under stress, and the first sermon of Peter. And, though work is important, the gospel is more so. We need to proclaim that Christ is LORD with everything we can: our lives, our words, our actions.
And we all fail to do this. Peter himself was confronted by Paul about not eating with Greeks once: he had returned to his Jewish habit of separation. Most of us who have intellectual talent have but one or two good ideas a year: the University keeps me around not as much for my charming personality (for that I lack) or because I am a team player but because I solve problems and think of new ways of doing things — about every six months or so I have a smart idea.
The rest of the time I plod.
But at times we are able proclaim the gospel, and we must, with all our effort.
A Psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.(Psalm 23 ESV)
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him,
“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”’Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
(Acts 2:22-36 ESV)
The video below is not a rock concert or a nightclub, although quite a few people would have turned up with the same motivations as one would have if going to see your favourite secular muso, for Hillsong have good writers and good musos — for some years United had Brooke Fraser as part of the team, and she is a platinum record artist locally. But the reason I’m adding this (and from youtube — spotify is great for many things, but sharing is not one of them) is because they reinforce this message.
We must proclaim the gospel with everything.
