Texas District LCMS m2c Prayer Page Vol. 1; Num. 14

A friend called me the other day. He invited me to speak with him and his radio audience about the Resurrection of Jesus. He said that over the next month he was going to talk with a few people about that one thing that drove their life relative to Jesus' rising from the dead. Even though my calendar didn't allow me the time, the challenge was laid at my feet. What one thing about the Resurrection could I talk about for an hour? What passion did I have as a result of Easter?

I really had to think about that. Many things came to mind.

Then I read the reading for this week: Acts 8:1-25, especially verse 4. "Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word." Saul was scattering the church. He hated people who trusted Jesus. When Stephen died, on that day, a great persecution began against the church, so says Luke. Saul thought he was putting an end to the thing he hated. Saul was breaking up families, putting men and women in prison. Terrible things were happening. Such persecution usually causes people to be quiet, to hide. Not the first century church. Families were broken up. People were put in prison. Indeed, people were scattered. But the twist is the word "therefore." Therefore, they were not quiet.

What was the response of those who knew the reality of Jesus' resurrection and who also knew the hatred others had toward Jesus? The response was to tell others that Jesus was alive. Being confronted by separation from loved ones, being threatened with prison time, even facing the possibility of being put to death because of their faith, people scattered but never stopped talking about the resurrection. In the reality of the power of the Resurrection, "therefore" makes perfect sense. You have been scattered, you have been attacked, you have been rejected, therefore go about preaching the very thing that put those like you in prison in the first place.

This is the power of the resurrection. This is the fear of man removed. This is the burden of uncertainty replaced by a drive to let others know of the forgiveness that we have in Jesus.

Where is the "therefore" in our lives? Where is the because of this thing that has happened, we are driven to this other thing.

What is the "therefore in our lives? How would you answer the question: "About what one thing concerning the Resurrection are you most passionate?" I expect it is the power to remove our fear - fear of death, fear of rejection, fear of misspeaking the truth. Would that God would see fit to scatter us so that we would speak freely the truth of God's Word. --Rev. Steven Misch