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5th SUNDAY OF EASTER
Worship on this Sunday includes visions, martyrdom, instructions for new Christians,
carpentry in heaven, and confusion over Jesus’ apparent abandonment of his disciples.
While merging the lessons together in a homily may only result in a cut-and-paste
artificiality, any of the lessons by themselves contain excellent material from which to
build a useful, encouraging, healing word for Christians.
Acts 7:55-60-Now why would anyone go and kill the messenger?
Whenever new movements and messiahs spring up, resistance is inevitable. Such newness
challenges the stability and familiarity of the established structures. So we’re not
surprised when these early Christians end up with someone dead. In this lesson we read of
the first martyrdom of the Church. Stephen incites hostility by his candor and revisionist
history and ends up bearing witness by death. What Luke the theologian seems interested in
is to hold Stephen’s noble end as a model to inspire others who may face the same.
This early deacon is “full of the Holy Spirit” / “gazed steadily upward
into heaven” / “saw the glory of God” / “saw Jesus” / and tells
them what he sees. He exits life with a marvelous expression of
Christ-likeness-“Lord, don’t charge them with this sin” (7:60).
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 --The LORD preserves the faithful
The Psalmist invites us to rely on God in all circumstances; his
words can become a treasure trove of encouragement in times of
suffering and loneliness; they are powerful words of hope and
consolation. This psalm works well with the lesson of John
when talking about our ultimate hope and healing.
1 Peter 2:2-10-onceyouwerebutnowyouare . . .
This lesson continues to instruct the reader from what may have been an early baptismal
sermon. This passage is instructive both by the language used to describe Christian
salvation and by what the writer-and the Christian community-values. As in other places in
this epistle, the term “new born” and its derivatives appear. “Like newborn
infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk . . .” Scripture, presumably the Hebrew
corpus, is esteemed and valued by this community as apparently the most effective way to
nourish the new life. We also become aware of the identity image of before/after.
“Once you were . . .” but “now you are . . . ” This passage and the
entire book has a powerful shaping quality to it which might serve the proclaimer in the
same way on this Sunday.
John 14:1-14-Lord, show us . . . and we will be satisfied
This familiar passage has inspired gospel songs and ballads from longing-to-go-home
pilgrims throughout the generations. For us on this Sunday, however, the passage points
not to the mansions and swimming pools reserved for us at heaven, but rather sets our
sights on the giving / sending of the Spirit that looms only three weeks away. The passage
introduces the pneuma material that is so prevalent in John. In fact, even in this lesson,
the idea of a functional replacement of Jesus is suggested, a point that Jesus will
specify as the Spirit or Comforter later in the discourse. At the beginning of the lesson
the issue of leaving/coming occurs, then comes the discussion of how the Son and Father
relate to one another, based on Philip’s lead-in line, “Lord, show us the
Father, and we will be satisfied.”
