Sunday: The Mastery of the Human Dilemma
WEEK 39
SUNDAY
THE MASTERY OF THE HUMAN DILEMMA
Acts 2:37-39
We come now to look at one of the central masteries of the Acts—the mastery of the human dilemma. That human dilemma is expressed in these words: “When the crowd heard this, they were deeply troubled. They said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?’” (2:37).
This question gathers up in itself all the cries that have been wrung from the heart of humanity since the dawn of creation as we find ourselves caught between the moral imperative and our own wrong actions. The crowd saw, as in a flash, that in being a part of the crucifixion of Jesus, they had sinned grievously, were off on the wrong track, and had run straight into God.
That dilemma is universal. We feel guilty. We have run up against a strange imponderable, the moral law; and we can’t get by it or around it or under it or over it; we are right up against it. It is inexorable. We can’t bribe our way past it, nor can we earn our way past it by our worthiness, for we haven’t any worthiness, nor do we know where to get it.
The different religious systems are varied attempts to answer that one question, “What should we do?” The answer of the Hebrews was to be found in this question and the answer: “How can young people keep their paths pure? / By guarding them according to what you’ve said” (Ps 119:9). The answer was keep the Law. The rich young ruler ran to Jesus, fell at his feet, and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus pointed him to his own answer, “Keep the commandments.” He wanted the young man to see the inadequacy of his own answer. He saw it and said, “I’ve kept all these. What am I still missing?” (Matt 19:16-20). He knew instinctively that even keeping the Law left him with a sense of bondage. “What am I still missing?” If keeping the Law left one with that sense of inadequacy, what would the breaking of the Law mean? Both in the keeping and in the breaking of the Law the conscience was restless, for it was guilty. The Law gave the knowledge of sin but could not and did not show the way to release. It had no answer.
O Lord, you have put this strange thing called conscience within our bosoms. Help me to find the answer to its demands. For you have an answer. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: The Law makes me guilty, but Love makes me guiltless through redemption.