Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

If I meet someone – either face-to-face in person or over the telephone – and introduce myself, my name, honestly, means very little. After all, my name is not Donald Trump. It’s not John D. Rockefeller. It’s not Sir Richard Branson. Christopher Schaar, while not a common name, is not a name that most people in this world would instantly recognize. It’s not a name that in and of itself carries any power or respect. It’s not a name that in and of itself gets anything done. But when I add to my given name a couple of titles that have been bestowed upon me – namely “The Reverend” or “Pastor” preceding my name and “Senior Administrative Pastor of Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena, California” following my name – I usually experience a little different reception when meeting and introducing myself to someone. I have found that those two titles conferred upon me can often more easily get some things done.

Power in a name. Power in titles. Power within one person. That’s what we see in our Scripture readings today.

Our First Reading [Genesis 1:1-2:4] today – which many people in our world admittedly choose not to believe, preferring instead to believe the supposedly much more believable tenet that everything came out of nothing for no reason – is the wonderful account of the creation of the world. By Whom? By the Almighty God Whose power enabled him to simply look into void nothingness and speak the words “Let there be” and there was. Now that’s power! Wouldn’t it be nice to have that kind of power?

Our Second Reading [Acts 2:22-36] today is another portion of St. Peter’s speech the day of the first Pentecost, that day when the Holy Spirit was poured out on Jesus’ disciples and, as they spoke in tongues, were almost laughed into oblivion by the taunts of others that they had simply had too much to drink. Today’s portion of Peter’s speech that day points away from the disciples and points to that same creative Almighty God Who not only had the power to bring everything into existence from nothing but Who also has the power to do things no one else can do. Even today, with all our advanced 21st Century knowledge and technology, no one has brought someone back to life three days after death. We can revive a body with certain conditions within minutes after death, but a body that has been severely mutilated as in the ravages of war or a major accident, that body often gets just the shake of a head from medical personnel: “nothing we can do.” But not only was the power of God able to bring back to life after three days the physical body of Jesus Christ – and that was proven over and over again over a period of 40 days – He also went one step further in making Jesus both Lord and Christ. Now that’s power! Wouldn’t it be nice to have that kind of power?

Then our Gospel [Matthew 28:16-20] today. The last words spoken by Jesus to His disciples at the moment He ascended into Heaven. He must have had so much to say, but what did He choose to say? “All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me!” There is not one thing in all creation that was not and is not under the authority of Jesus Christ. Now that’s power! Wouldn’t it be nice to have that kind of power?

You do! I do! We do!

My friends, listen to what else Jesus said: “Go! Make disciples! Baptize! But don’t just sprinkle water. Don’t just continue to immerse in the Jordan River. No, baptize IN THE NAME of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Why? Because that baptism links that person to Almighty God and to His power. That baptism links that person to Almighty God Who created all things! That baptism links that person to Almighty God Who can do things no one else can do! That baptism links that person to Almighty God Who holds all authority in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, the Almighty God to Whom every knee will bow and every tongue will confess [Philippians 2:10].

The early disciples learned that early on. There was no power within Peter and Paul. There was no power within James or John. They were nobodies, but starting in those early days the power of Almighty God transformed the world. Repentance was preached and people were baptized in the Name of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins [Acts 2:38]. Beggars crippled from birth, capitalizing on the generosity of people coming to the temple for prayer, were completely healed and made to walk again [Acts 3:6, 16]. Possessed slaves – forced into public fortune telling carnival acts, superabundantly padding the pockets of their masters – were freed of that evil spirit [Acts 16:18]. All because of the power of God!

Many of us have had a tough week, a tough month, a tough year, a tough life. No wonder we yearn for power, for recognition, for position!

But, my friends, don’t allow the devil to continue to fool you this morning. Don’t allow the devil to continue to make you believe that you are a “nobody,” that your name and your titles mean nothing in this world because in your baptism you were given something no one ever saw. In your baptism in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit you were given the power of Almighty God, a power so mighty that this world exists, a power so mighty that life follows death, a power so mighty that every knee must bow, a power so mighty that every tongue must confess, a power so mighty that every supposed power must submit.

That’s your power! That’s my power! That’s God’s power!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Pastor Christopher Schaar
Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena