Second Sunday of Easter April 11-12, 2026
“Will It Last?” Acts 5:29-42
Rev. John R. Larson Ascension Lutheran Church Littleton, Colorado
In the little farming community of Primghar, Iowa, a young lady named Judy Schultz, fell in love with her high school sweetheart, a young man named Richard Bress. He was two years older than her and when he graduated, he joined the United States Marine Corps.
They were in love and they wanted to get married. But she was still in high school, and getting married when you were still in high school didn’t set well with everybody. But on May 5, 1956, about a month after her 18th birthday, Judy Schultz became Judy Bress. 11 days later she became a high school graduate.
And you know what some people said to them? “Congratulations?” “We’re so happy for you?” No. Some said, “This will not last.” Well, it only lasted 64 years. When Rich died in September of 2020, they had already celebrated 64 years together.
“Will it last?” That is a big question. That question is not just for folks getting married, it was the question about these newly formed teachings of a man named Jesus Christ and those who became His followers.
Luke, a physician, who writes the Book of Acts, where our text comes from, first writes the biography of Jesus in his Gospel. In the opening words in the Gospel he says:
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also for me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things that you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4)
Then Luke gives us a true account of the life of Jesus Christ. He speaks to eyewitnesses who were there at the cross and at the tomb where Jesus was buried. He interviewed people. He spoke to Peter and to John. He spoke to the women and asked, “What happened on that Easter morning?” And he wrote it down and gave it to us.
But Luke didn’t give us just one volume. No, his second volume is what we read from today. The Book at Acts. This is how he starts that book:
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day when he was taken up to heaven, and giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.” (Acts 1:1-2)
We then have record of the Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven 40 days after His resurrection. And then 10 days after the Ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured out in abundance on Pentecost. 3,000 people came to a confession of faith in Jesus Christ that day, were baptized and were saved. 3,000!! That is more people than came to this church last Sunday – and we had a bunch of people.
Miracles followed. In a prominent place in the temple a crippled beggar was healed. And people started talking. And believing. We read, “People brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.” (Acts 5:15-16)
But such good was not appreciated by all. The apostles were told they could no longer do any of these miracles. They were told not to speak about Jesus. And they were thrown in jail. Not everyone was thrilled that a man who was crucified was seen, in public, alive. Because the apostles and other disciples of Jesus wouldn’t stop bearing witness to the greatness of Jesus, the authorities wanted to put them to death.
But then a Jewish man, Gamaliel, a highly respected Pharisee, stood up and gave them some wisdom. He mentions that there were two guys, one called Theudas, the other Judas from Galilee, who had hundreds of people following them during their lives. But they died, and as he said, “It all came to nothing.” (Acts 5:36) And then Gamaliel says, “Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:38-39)
They listened to Gamaliel. They let them go. But, of course, not without giving them a good lesson. They flogged the disciples. Flogging is being beaten with rods or sticks or a whip. It was more severe than just a whipping. And, of course, the disciples were commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus. But I guess they didn’t hear the last word about being silent about Jesus. Just a few minutes before this they said to this command of not speaking about Jesus, “We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29)
“Will it last?” Would this message of new life in Jesus Christ last? Gamaliel could give you a record of folks who were good starters but poor finishers. But then, in a prophetic word, he would say, “If their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
So, what do you see? Is this church, originally given the name “Followers of the Way” (Acts 9:2), and later called Christians (which means little Christ’s), of human origin or of divine origin? There are billions of Christians in the world. Some gather in Mega-churches and some in groups of five to ten. In every country, even those where it is illegal to confess the saving name of Jesus, what was begun at the cross and celebrated at an empty grave, is confessed.
Will it last? I know that there are many people who oppose Jesus and the teachings of the Bible. There are many people who are indifferent to Him and to us, His followers, but Jesus said that His truth will last. In Matthew 16, Jesus asks Peter, “Who do you say I am?” Peter says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus responds, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:15-18)
There is nothing like Easter. When we sang, “I know that my Redeemer lives” during communion last Sunday it was moving. It was loud. It was confident. It had some emotion and conviction to it. And here’s the best thing – it will last. What we sang in confidence last Sunday we still sing and say today. Jesus lives every day. Just think of this, those apostles who ran away the night that Jesus was arrested were given backbone. Now we read, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” (Acts 5:41-42)
All of this was coming from God. No one could stop what God was doing in them. Your faith? My faith? It comes from God. Our witness to others? A work of God. The ability to exercise courage and determination and faithfulness, even when we have nothing left, is from God. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
Will it last? Our faith. Our confession. Our witness. Yes. How about this word from God to hold onto, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:3-6)
Will it last? When 20-year-old, Richard Bress and his high-school bride, Judy, married, there must have been something in them that said, “We’re going to prove them wrong.” Rich Bress was stubborn, after all he was a Marine – and they are known for being leather necks – stubborn as a mule. And Judy? A mom. And you’d better look out for mom’s!! “It won’t last”, some said. It lasted.
“It won’t last.” Some have said that of the church. All over the world, hands are raised to Jesus. “They won’t last.” Some have said that about you and your faith and your life. You’ve lasted. God did that in you.
Some would say that Jesus couldn’t rise from death. They said He wouldn’t last. But He did. He lasts; He lives forever. Hooray. Amen.
