The Third Sunday of Easter - April 19, 2026
The M3 (Monday Morning Mail)
Get out (IN) of the Way!
(The Red, Black, and White Sermon)
(Slides)
Get out of the way? Peter’s bold confession before the Jewish leadership tells us that that plan of Jesus has been executed perfectly by God and that more is still coming—redeeming all of his creation. The whole Old Testament has led to this point and it has happened and more is on its way. Get out of the way, because you nor anyone can stop it! Get in the Way, as in Get in Jesus, who is the Way the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). To be in the Way is to be in Christ, to live our lives in self-giving and loving our neighbors. Life is about others not ourselves—this is to be in the Way, to be in Christ.
Verse 38 delivers the core of the message: repent and be batpized for 1) the forgiveness of sins and 2) you will receive the Holy Spirit. Here we are reminded that each of us is the temple of God, God deploying himself through each of us—words and actions done in His name for the benefit of those around us. I noted specifically in this verse that the preposition that often gets translated as “in” really is “upon”—“…repent and be baptized upon the name of Jesus.” This makes Jesus the foundation of our lives. He supports us. Our lives depend on Jesus.
In verse 39 Luke makes clear the comprehensiveness of God’s promise working itself out in creation: it’s for you, your children, everyone far off, and as many as the Lord our God calls to himself. We are not in the saving business. God is. We are messengers of his promise in word and deed. Through both the Holy Spirit finds new places to dwell, God calling people to join him forever.