Light on the Lessons
Acts 3:12-19; 1 John 3:1-7; Luke 24:36b-48
Third Sunday of Easter; Cycle B; April 19, 2015
Leader Guidance
Materials Needed
+ Bibles for everyone (variety of translations often useful)
+ Lectionary sheets (very convenient if you use them in worship)
+ Chalkboard, newsprint, overhead, or another means for displaying information and recording thoughts
+ Basic reference books for use as needed: Bible dictionary, Bible atlas, concordance, a one-volume Bible commentary
+ Consider renting the video version of the film “Babette’s Feast” (4 stars, G rating, 1987). You can find it through
Netflix.com, or a local source. A deeply religious film, it illuminates the joys of eating, with Eucharistic overtones. It offers
insight into the Gospel and the question in I, 3, below.
I Getting Started
Pray for peace in the world, and for the Spirit’s presence in the group. Read the lessons now, or as you study each one. Briefly
discuss “Getting Started” questions.
1. Responses will vary. The original went, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.” In most cases, we cut some slack for people
who don’t know they are doing wrong.
2. Responses will vary. Many psychologists point out that people who were not loved have serious difficulty loving either
themselves or others. 1 John 4:7-21 has some profound insights on the creative role of God’s love in our lives.
3. Responses will vary. In connection with this, you might show “Babette’s Feast,” perhaps at another time.
II Check the Texts
1. Acts 3:12-19
A. Peter and John healed a man lame from birth in the Temple precincts. Peter takes the lead; John is simply mentioned. The
lame man is the central character. The “special power” in this healing is “the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” (In biblical times,
a name was considered to carry power. To know someone’s name was to have a certain power over them. You can get a sense of
this from Jacob’s wrestling at Peniel, Genesis 32:22-32. The “man,” a supernatural figure, refuses to give his name, verse 29, so
Jacob will not “control” him.) For more on “name,” see Peter’s defense for this action before the high priest, Acts 4:5-20; verse 4:7
seems to equate “name” and “power.”
B. Peter speaks. Both this speech and Pentecost sermon open with the device of explaining a misunderstanding on the part of
the crowd. The parallels are: 2:23=13b-18; 2:32=3:15; 2:38=3:19. Note the joy he expressed in his healing, verse 8. Note the dual
emphasis Luke makes in both his Gospel and Acts: Jesus’ death was part of God’s plan, yet those involved still bear personal
responsibility.
C. The names for God, verse 15, connect Jesus with the faith-history of Israel. Calling Jesus “Holy” and “Righteous”
heightens his rejection; the “Author of life” heightens the reference to a judicial murder and to those who killed Jesus. The titles,
then, accent the contrasts Peter makes in his speech. Verse 2:24 declares that Jesus has conquered death, an aspect of being Author
of life, in this case the new life. I could also refer to the presence of the Word (Jesus, in the flesh) at the Creation of life, John 1:1.
D. Verses 3:6 and 3:16 are connected through the “name.” In all the variants, the main point should be that the lame man had
the faith and Jesus’ power did the healing, through his name.
E. Paul speaks in Acts 13:27 and 17:30. Like 3:17, these verses explore the ignorance theme. Verses 3:17, spoken by Peter,
and 13:27 are addressed to Jewish audiences. Verse 17:30 was spoken in Athens to a sophisticated Gentile group. In 3:17 and
13:27 the issue is specific, the condemnation of Jesus by the rulers and people, who did not understand the prophets and thus were
ignorant of who Jesus truly was. Verse 3:18 makes clear that Jesus’ execution was part of God’s plan and not an injustice wrought
by an ignorant crowd. Verse 17:30 addresses a more general concern: Why did God wait until now to send his Son? The answer:
God chose to overlook the years of ignorance that led to idol worship, but no longer.
2. 1 John 3:1-7
A. John expresses amazement that God would call us his children. This is a gift of love, not something that comes with birth.
Our baptism affirms this notion. For at the font we are adopted or taken as a child of God. The language at the end of this verse
suggests that the people, undergoing rejection and persecution, needed affirmation of their status with God. In a very general sense,
all humans are children of God because God is Creator; however, John speaks here of the specific sense of our adoption as children
and heir, made possible by Christ’s work.
B. John seems to suggest that we are God’s children now (the down payment; we move into a new house) but we need to grow
in the direction of “being like him” (the monthly payments, as it were). However, we fulfillment comes at the end when Jesus is
revealed and we will share his eternal life (burning the mortgage). We have something very wonderful now, but we are still “in
process” and we await the final glories when Jesus returns.
C. Verse 2b assures the community of their spiritual status, to be fulfilled later. Verses 3-6 attack the Gnostic idea that
behavior has no relationship to spirituality.
D. These verses do seem contradictory. John was countering Gnostics [NOS-ticks] who taught that we all have God within us
and we will all return to God in the end. Thus, we are spiritually safe (sinless in their view) and our behavior is irrelevant to our
spiritual status. John says they are wrong: All have sinned (thus we have a need for a divine Savior outside of ourselves); and those
saved take righteous behavior seriously (love is the measure here; see verses 4:7-12).
3. Luke 24:36b-48
A. Jesus was revealed in the breaking of the bread, a Eucharistic motif. There are three appearances mentioned: the one at
Emmaus, one to the women (verses 22-23) and one to Simon (verse 34).
B. In both Gospel lessons Jesus invited disciples to touch him to ease their doubts about his resurrection. In Luke 24, the
eating seems to prove Jesus’ bodily existence; he can be touched, he eats, he is truly risen. In the previous Emmaus story, the eating
has Eucharistic overtones, suggesting that Jesus is revealed to us as well at the Lord’s Table.
C. Responses will vary. This could be called Luke’s Great Commission; cf. Matthew 28:18-20. Note the sequence: (1)
Understand the Scriptures, which is to say, know who Jesus is and how he fits into God’s plan; (2) focus on the key points:
resurrection, repentance, and forgiveness of sins; and (3) go out and tell everyone you know about the wonderful gifts Jesus brings.
D. “Understand” seems to mean “take to heart and incorporate into your life the true significance of Jesus.”
E. Verse 24:47 commands the apostles (the witnesses!) to proclaim Jesus to all nations beginning with Jerusalem. Acts 1:8,
the second volume after Luke, picks this up in the sequence by which Acts will further develop the story: Jerusalem, then Judea and
Samaria, then to the ends of the earth.
F. The apostles are “witnesses,” that is, to Jesus resurrection. We who have experienced the Risen Christ in our lives are
called to witness to that experience.
III What Does It All Mean?
1. Responses will vary.
2. Responses will vary. Two thoughts: (1) witness to those with whom you already have a good relationship; and (2) when an
appropriate moment comes, begin by sharing your faith story, what knowing Jesus means to you and your life.
3. “Sin” means our condition of alienation from God. Jesus’ coming – his incarnation, life, death, and resurrection – defeated
the power of sin, death, and the devil that separated us from God. God’s grace bridged that gap, so we can now enjoy an intimate
relationship with God. Within that relationship, God urges us to do to his will for justice and harmony. When we pursue our own
desires instead, we commit “a sin.” Things left undone are also sins, as we confess in some Lutheran liturgies. However, too many
Christians focus on inter-personal life, striving to love friends and family more and to control their negative feelings, while ignoring
larger issues of justice and peace. (Love is our norm in interpersonal relationships; justice is the public form of love.)
4. Responses will vary. Give participants time to complete their sentences, and then share them.
5. Responses will vary. Did anyone mention baptism?
6. Responses will vary. Generally, people have most trouble appreciating Jesus’ full humanity.
7. Responses will vary. Encourage sharing, but don’t force anyone who is not yet ready with a story.
8. Responses will vary. Ask those who are willing to tell a bit about their friend and what they want to share with him or her.
After this, talk about ways to effectively make this witness. The group may offer some useful ideas.
IV Into the Week
Share experiences with “Into the Week” from last session. Encourage participants to try the exercise in items #2 and #3. Invite
suggestions for other ideas that will put the learning of this session into practice in the coming week.
Copyright © 2015, Lutheran Bible Ministries. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to make photocopies for use in church-related study groups.