Message: The Author of Life / Acts 3:12-19

Hellenism, the ancient Greek culture, was the most influential culture in the ancient Near East during the early church times. For example, all the books in the New Testament were written in Greek. One famous aspect of Hellenism was Greek tragedy. In this theatrical genre, noble characters face miserable situations due to fate, leading to tragic ends. Many great writers in the history, such as Shakespeare, Goethe, and Hemingway were inspired by Greek tragedies which portrayed deep human issues in dramatic ways.

Ancient Greeks enjoyed tragedies because they helped people feel better by letting out their negative emotions. In the theatre, people would grieve and cry together while watching the tragic stories. This helped them release their painful feelings, which they called "catharsis." In his Poetics, the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BCE) says, "Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament; in the form of action, not of narrative; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the catharsis of such emotions."

During the peak of the Greek Empire, political leaders strongly encouraged the performance of tragedies. Instead of inspiring people to change the world, tragedies made them accept an unfair social system as their fate. For the ancient Greeks, gods were not always fair or just. They had desires and sometimes acted unfairly and unreasonably. Tragedies showed that people had to accept their tragic fates because it was hard to expect to be saved by their gods. While there were stories of heroes in Greek myths who overcame hardships and found hope, tragedies focused only on miserable characters who could not escape their terrible fate.

Early Christians were influenced by Hellenism, but their faith story differed from Greek tragedy. The cross of Jesus was not for catharsis; it was for transformation. The Christian faith was not about finding emotional comfort by watching an innocent person sacrificed by fate; it was about the ultimate hope that led people to repent and turn to God through the promise of resurrection. The church was not like a theatre telling people to accept unfairness; it was a basecamp for a revolution of love, where God's children shook the foundations of an unjust world.

The best proof of the resurrection of Jesus is how his followers changed: they were not afraid of death and did not hide anymore, but they shared the gospel of Christ everywhere. Even when they were arrested, put in jail, or killed, they did not stop their mission and ministry. They were not people of fate; they were people of faith. They believed Jesus Christ was the Author of life, so they followed the way of Christ. They trusted in the promise of God’s Kingdom and turned their world upside down. Without their transformation, Christianity would not have existed.

In today's first reading, Acts 3:12-19, Peter is preaching in Solomon's Portico. Peter and John were entering the temple when they met a man who had been lame from birth, sitting at the Beautiful Gate. To reach the Holy Place in the temple, where sacrifices were made, people had to pass through several courtyards: the Gentile's Court, the Women's Court, and then the Court of the Men and the Priests. A high wall separated the Gentile's Court from the Women's Court, and the Beautiful Gate was the door in this wall. In short, Peter and John met the man at the edge of the temple.

When they saw the lame man, Peter healed him by saying, "I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk" (3:6). Peter, who had denied knowing Jesus three times, had completely changed. After meeting the risen Christ, he was not afraid to share the gospel. Even though he knew healing the man would attract a lot of attention, he did it in the name of Jesus Christ.

When people saw the miracle, they gathered around Peter and John. And then Peter shared the gospel of Christ with them in Solomon's Portico, just outside the Beautiful Gate. He preached that the God who did this miracle was the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Mentioning God this way reminded the people of the story in Exodus.

In Exodus 3, God called Moses on Mount Horeb to save the Hebrews who were marginalized in Egypt. At the burning bush, God first identified Himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. This was the same God who protected their ancestors when they were shepherds in a foreign land. After delivering the Hebrews from Egypt, God allowed them to build the Tabernacle as a sign that God would never abandon those who were suffering on the margins.

Over time, the Holy Place changed from a simple tent into a large, luxurious temple. As it grew bigger, it became more divided, with people separated by gender, disability, and race. The sanctuary became a place where some were left out or mistreated. Inside the temple was the place for the Sanhedrin, the highest council of the Jews, where Jesus was judged and condemned. The Holy and Righteous One and the Author of life was rejected at the centre of the temple, which shows that the temple no longer represented God's love and grace; it became an idol, reflecting sinful desires.

Nevertheless, God did not give up on them. Jesus Christ, the Incarnate One came to the religious, political, economic, and geographical margins of Israel to share the Good News with the marginalized. After meeting the risen Christ, his disciples also reached out to those on the margins of the world to proclaim the gospel to them. They encouraged them not to give in to their tough situations but to turn to God, the ultimate hope.

Today, the resurrection of Christ empowers us to look at those sitting at the Beautiful Gate. Who are the people on the margins of our society? Are we boldly sharing with them the gospel of Christ, the Author of life? For us, is our church a theatre for catharsis or a sanctuary for transformation? 

We are people of faith, not fate. This Easter season, may we all find the courage and strength to transform ourselves and our world in the name of Jesus Christ, the Author of life. 

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Rev. Min Hwang

South Stormont Pastoral Charge

Third Sunday of Easter