Today in the Spirit: Easter 5A
By Easter 5A, we have noticed in our Sunday worship that this year the church is leading us through a series of the “I am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John. In fact, five of the seven “I am” statements in John are contained in the assigned Gospel readings over nine weeks from Lent 4A to Easter 6A.
This week’s Gospel reading from John 14:1-14 contains Jesus’ claim. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (6). Also in this reading, responding to a query from the Apostle Philip about knowing the Father God apart from Jesus, our Lord issues a challenge to all his disciples: “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (11).
The preferred first reading out of Acts 17:1-15 gives an account of Paul’s activity in Thessalonica and Berea, preaching the resurrection and stirring up both belief and unbelief among the people in those cities. In Thessalonica, Luke reports Paul went into the synagogue, “explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ’” (3).
The alternative first reading from Deuteronomy 6:20-25 contains one of the clearest statements in the Hebrew Scriptures on “righteousness” that comes by obeying the law. In a sermon, Moses says: “And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us” (25). Christians will understand Jesus as the fulfillment of the law and view the Old Testament promise of YHWH as extended to us through him.
The appointed Psalm 66:1-12 is another psalm of praise for the Easter season, celebrating God’s “awesome deeds” performed in the world: “O come and see the works of God, how wonderful he is in his doing toward all people” (4).
For Easter 5A, the church goes back to 1 Peter 2:1-12 to continue the series in that epistle this year. Here, the apostle discourages moral laxity among Jewish Christians in the diaspora, exhorting them to “put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander” (3) and to grow as Christians as “living stones…being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (5)
The appointed collect, originally attached to the feast of the apostles St. Philip and St. James in earlier prayer books but moved to Easter 5 with the development of three-year Sunday lectionaries, picks up on the language of Jesus’ “I am” statement in the Gospel reading. We note in the petition the desire to know Jesus to be “the way, the truth, and the life” in contrast to Philip’s query in John. As in many collects, we find the end of such knowledge is never idle speculation but the stirring up of the will to follow Jesus as he leads his people through mortal life and “to eternal glory.”
The Collect
Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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They Came There Too (Acts 17:1-15)
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
Acts 17:1-15
The Acts reading in Easter 5A has us jumping ahead this Sunday to the activities of Paul and his team when he enters Europe during his second missionary journey. The reading this week describes his turbulent ministry in the cities of Thessalonica and Berea. Hearing this reading alongside Psalm 66 in our worship, we might imagine Paul to be the one singing, “You brought us into the snare and laid trouble upon our backs. You allowed men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and water; but you brought us out into a place of plenty” (10-11, BCP New Coverdale).
The narrative of Paul’s ministry reminds us that gospel gains are always hard won. Anytime we give testimony to success in ministry it is with the disclaimer, our enemies “came there too” (13). Jesus’ teaching to the disciples as they first set out in ministry comes to mind: “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household” (Matthew 10:24-25).
Today, Holy Spirit, in the manner of Paul and Silas, make me bold to carry on from one service opportunity to another despite the inevitable opposition.
When Your Son Asks (Deuteronomy 6:20-25)
20 “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. 23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. 24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. 25 And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us.’
Deuteronomy 6:20-25
“When your son asks you in time to come…then you shall say…” (20-21). How should we classify this question and answer? Is Moses dictating a catechism for formal instruction in the home? Is it a liturgical formula for family worship (like Ex. 12:24f)? Or is it just a rhetorical device used by Moses in his preaching to drive home an important point? Whatever the case, Moses is looking for precision in his answer to the question: how should the Israelites moving into Canaan understand the giving of the law? The precision is sought in at least three areas: the answer as to the “meaning of the testimonies and statutes given by YHWH. Precision in three areas: 1) the desperation of the people of Israel as “Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt” (21); 2) the compassion of the LORD toward his people in bondage and the power he displayed in rescuing them; and 3) the intention of the LORD that his people should live prosperously in the land.
Devotionally, we find that the same areas of precision must be evident in our answers to the question, “What is the gospel of Jesus Christ?” Thanks be to God, we have as Anglicans a rich store of answers to questions about our faith. We not only have Holy Scripture, but we also make reading it an essential part of our daily and weekly worship. We have the Prayer Book, which provides for repeated liturgy much as Moses calls for in the passage. “Liturgy” at its most basic level means “the work of the people,” and it is our work to repeat the facts of the gospel so as to keep it precise in our mind and precious to our hearts.
Another wonderful resource we have within ACNA is our catechism entitled To Be a Christian (2014). Here we have, again, just as Moses calls for, the rehearsal of facts concerning the salvation of God in a question-and-answer format: “What is the Gospel? The Gospel is the good news of God loving and saving lost mankind through the ministry in word and deed of his Son Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Romans 5:15; John 1:12; 1 John 5:11-12).” Here again: precision about the world held in bondage to sin and the compassion and power of God to save his people.
Today, in the Spirit, we thank God for the tools given to the church to rehearse with precision the good news of Jesus Christ as “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6, from the Gospel reading).
Give to Him Glorious Praise (Psalm 66:1-12)
1 Be joyful in God, all you lands; *
Psalm 66:1-12, New Coverdale Psalter (BCP 2019)
sing praises to the honor of his Name; make his praise to be glorious.
2 Say to God, “How wonderful are your works; *
through the greatness of your power shall your enemies cower before you.
3 For all the world shall worship you, *
sing to you, and praise your Name.”
4O come and see the works of God, *
how wonderful he is in his doing toward all people.
5He turned the sea into dry land, so that they went through the water on foot; *
therefore in him let us rejoice.
6He rules with his power for ever; his eyes keep watch over the nations; *
let not the rebellious exalt themselves.
7 Bless our God, you peoples, *
and make the voice of his praise to be heard,
8Who holds our soul in life, *
and does not allow our feet to slip.
9For you, O God, have proved us; *
you have tried us, as silver is tried.
10You brought us into the snare *
and laid trouble upon our backs.
11You allowed men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and water; *
but you brought us out into a place of plenty.
The section of this psalm of praise assigned for our worship moves from a universal address, “Be joyful in God, all you lands” (1), to a national one, “For you, O God, have proved us [Israel]; you have tried us, as silver is tried,” (9). Abruptly, through the remainder of the psalm not assigned, the singer transitions to personal testimony, “But God has heard me and considered the voice of my prayer” (18). If we view these transitions as linear, from universal to individual, the presentation appears disjointed and unnatural–almost like separate songs grouped under one title. But what if we were to look at the presentation as a circular, universal perspective leading to local, and local leading to individual, and then back to universal?
The psalm experienced this way speaks to a cycle of devotion that the Holy Spirit seeks to work in all of us as believers. Our God is Lord of the individual heart and the universe. He is at work in the cosmos and in our own communities. There is neither a realm too big for his authority to have dominion, nor a creature too small for him to take up in his arms and embrace with compassion. Devotionally, this is the circle of worship–individual, local, and universal–and around it goes in our hearts, individually and in community, just as we see it does for the psalmist.
The key for us is to avoid getting stuck in one dimension or another: in the local at the expense of the global, or in the We can be caught up in global mission and fail to see the opportunities for spreading the gospel in our own communities. Or, we can be so preoccupied with spiritual introspection that we become uninterested in service among peoples around us who do not know Christ.
I find the famous comments from John Wesley’s journal (1739) fascinating for its passion for the outward movement of the gospel arising from his awareness of God’s working in him interiorly: “I look upon all the world as my parish; thus far I mean, that, in whatever part of it I am, I judge it meet, right, and my bounden duty to declare unto all that are willing to hear, the glad tidings of salvation. This is the work which I know God has called me to, and sure I am that His blessing attends it. Great encouragement have I, therefore, to be faithful in fulfilling the work He hath given me to do.”
Today, Holy Spirit, encouraged by the psalmist in our worship, build us up in a faith that is attentive to the workings of the Father and the Son in the world and in our hearts.
Pure Spiritual Milk (1 Peter 2:1-12)
1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:
1 Peter 2:1-12
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
8 and
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
There is in Peter’s first letter, in general, and in this passage especially, a fighting against the grain the apostle would have his second-generation Christian audience enter into: “Newborn infants” (2) crave pure milk naturally–they don’t have to be told. To those who have grown up in the faith but lost their spiritual zeal, Peter must urge to “long for the pure spiritual milk” which is not natural.
Devotionally, we find our instinctual inclination is to desire what our sinful nature dictates tastes good. The good news of Jesus Christ comes to us like a strange, new food from a foreign land. It tastes “good,” but we have to keep consuming it. The desire is there for anyone who has “tasted that the Lord is good” (3, a Hebrew way of saying been personally converted to Jesus) to consume the spiritual, but the sinful nature battles within us to leave off godly nourishment for something we believe to be, when it is going down, more spicy and alluring. So, beloved,be diligent in feeding yourself spiritually. Make sure what you are receiving is biblical teaching correctly divided, the sacraments rightly administered, and fellowship free from gossip and waywardness.
Today, in the Spirit, make some honest evaluation of your response to the apostolic command to “long for the pure spiritual milk,” ready to make changes as necessary.
I Am in the Father and the Father Is in Me (John 14:1-14)
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. 12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
John 14:1-14
Philip’s confusion in this passage is understandable. Throughout his relationship with the Twelve, especially as it unfolds in John, Jesus has been heavily invested in demonstrating to them his own attitude of submission to the Father (see 4:34, 5:19, 6:37). As much as Jesus has taught equality with the Father, he has also suggested deference and differentiation. Such is the back-and-forth, seemingly contradictory, language around the mystery of the Trinity. So, yes, the disciples can be excused for not fully grasping it. And yet at this stage, in order to reassure them at the moment of his departure, Jesus will emphasize his oneness with the heavenly Father, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (9), and then this extraordinary statement made in the form of a question, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” The Father God, the limitless One and Maker of all things, is in this Man standing before us? Can you imagine looking into the eyes of any fellow human being and receiving that word?
Urgently, Jesus presses the twelve (and by extension all of us) to–not solve–but live into the mystery. On trusting in the equality of the Father and the Son, the right ordering of our prayer life (“whatever you ask in my name,” 13), and even the success of our mission from God in the world (As the Father has sent me, I am sending you, 20:21) will depend. Thankfully, what comes next in John is our Lord’s teaching on “the Helper,” the Holy Spirit. “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you (14:20).
Today, in the Spirit who “takes from what is [Jesus] and makes it known to [us], we pray and labor under the banner of truth that the Father and the Son are one.
Today in the Spirit
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