Pentecost Conversion

Min-drama from Acts 2

Jesus?! Yes, Joshua my son, Jesus was a blasphemous, foul-mouthed sinner who deserved to die. As you know, it is not lawful for us Jews to execute anyone, so we convinced Pilate to do our dirty work for us. It’s true that some of us thought the Romans vented too much of their brutality on Jesus, but I guess he had it coming. They killed him and had his broken body sealed in a tomb of rock. Yes, my son, I am well acquainted with this Jesus fellow, for I am a Pharisee and a member of the mighty Sanhedrin. We had been watching this Jesus for a long time. He was a dangerous, evil man. Every word that spewed from his mouth was filled with deception. That’s why all those poor, dumb crowds of people followed him around. He told them what they wanted to hear. He filled their bellies with food. It’s no wonder they were tricked into following him.

What! Your friend told you he was the Messiah? Who told you that? Oh, I should have guessed it was your friend Malachi. That boy has no sense about him. Remind me to speak with his father when we get home. Of course Jesus was not the Messiah. He was a pretender. He was a fool. And now he’s dead. Remarkably, some of his followers are still hanging around Jerusalem. We are headed to the temple courts right now because word has reached me that some of his followers are babbling like a bunch of drunkards. Worst of all, they are blaming their disgusting behavior on the Holy Spirit. This is something I just have to see for myself. Would you like to hear some of Jesus’ incredible claims as we walk to the Temple?

Oh, where do I start! He said so many ridiculous things. Basically all of his wild statements relate to his claim to divinity. He actually used the ineffable name for God spoken to Moses. Jesus said. “I am.” Isn’t that incredible Joshua? Jesus actually claimed to be God in human form! We tried to stone him that time, but somehow he slipped away. Then there was the time he insulted us in the synagogue in his home town of Nazareth. He claimed to be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and then deeply offended us when he said that the old prophets were rejected by Jews but accepted by the filthy Gentiles. We dragged him to the edge of the cliff and were ready to throw him off, but once again he somehow slipped away. It’s strange how he seemed to cheat death so many times.

Those are some of the worst offenses, but he was also continually accusing us of self-righteousness and pride. One day he was on a roll and spoke seven woes upon us. Imagine his gall! He was just a nobody, yet he tried to tell us how us how to worship God. Sickening, Joshua, just sickening. I even heard a rumor that his mother and father had intimate relations before they were married. He was an illegitimate child from the beginning. How dare he offend us like he did!

Is Jesus alive? Oh right, Malachi again. Don’t you have any sensible friends at that school of yours? Forget about Malachi’s father—I need to speak to the Rabbi about that boy. No, Jesus is not alive—he’s dead. I saw him myself. I didn’t see him take his last breath. I had better things to do than stand around all day watching a foolish man die. But I did see his wounds, I saw him hanging from the cross and I personally spoke with the soldier who pierced his side. Is Jesus alive you ask? No man could survive all of that. Jesus is dead, my son.

Where is he buried? Funny you should ask that because the Romans claim that his followers came and stole his body from the tomb. Apparently those incompetent centurions could not even guard the tomb of a dead man!

Well, here we are. Look over there Joshua. See that man standing near the front of the crowd? That’s Peter, one of Jesus’ followers. Peter—now there’s a real hothead for you. He actually chopped a man’s ear off with a sword.  And they have the nerve to call that love? Such hypocrisy! He also ran away when Jesus was arrested. Peter is just an uneducated fisherman. He will never amount to anything. Yes, it appears Peter is about to say something. We may as well listen for a while. It will give me some interesting stories to tell to the Sanhedrin.

(Narrator)   “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ^15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! ^16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

^17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. ^18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. ^19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. ^20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. ^21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Yes, you’re right Joshua. Peter did accurately quote from the prophet Joel. I’ll give him credit for that much.

^(Narrator)   ^22 “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. ^23 This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. ^24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

What’s that? No Joshua, I’m not crying. I’m just sweating a little in the hot morning sun. Quiet now please, I want to listen. ^

^(Narrator)  ^29 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. ^30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. ^31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. ^32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. ^33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. ^34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand ^35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

^36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Oh God, what have I done? It’s all true! Jesus was the Messiah. And I killed him. I cast my lot for his execution. My God, I killed your Anointed One. What am I going to do? The weight of shame is too great. This burden of sin will destroy me. What can I do?

^(Narrator)    “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ^39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Yes—yes, that is I need to do. I must repent. It’s not too late after all. Jesus is the Messiah—of course he can forgive me. Yes, even me—one who approved of his execution. I will repent. I must be baptized.

Joshua do you feel it too? Yes. Of course you do. Your friend Malachi was right all along. Jesus is alive because Jesus is the Messiah. Joshua, I’m so sorry. You have been asking the right questions all day and I have been such a prideful fool. So you want to be baptized too? Should we go together? Joshua, look at all the people! There must be hundreds—no thousands of people responding to Peter’s message. You know, we might have to wait in line all day for our turn to be baptized .You’re right—I don’t care either. I don’t care how long it takes. You and I are like one of those lost people Jesus spoke of. This morning we were lost, and now we are found. I thought I was alive, but I was dead in my sins and trespasses. Joshua—now we are alive! Jesus is alive and we are alive in him. Joshua, what do you think your mother is going to say? What’s Malachi going to say?

Rich Maurer

April 16, 2004