3 May – The Fifth Sunday of Easter, John 14.1-14
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4And you know the way to the place where I am going.’5Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ 6Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will know 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 we will be satisfied.’ 9Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? 10Do 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; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.’
Easter to Pentecost lectionary reflections from David Sherwin
Over the next few weeks, beginning with Easter Sunday, we are looking at the stories within the narrative of the lectionary Bible readings leading up to Pentecost. As we do this, may it help us consider where we fit into the story, how our encounter of faith, our meeting Jesus in our lives, has affected us and changed us? What would we write down as our story? Perhaps over the next few weeks, we might write down our journey of faith, our encounter with Jesus, and how our Lord impacts our lives day by day. We can also consider how we might share the Gospel story, the story of Jesus, with those around us and how it might impact their lives. Each week, we consider the principal readings for the day and what they might be saying to us. Allow the reading to speak to you throughout the week and let the story open up before you.
There are two readings for each day. If you only want to concentrate on one reading, that’s fine; maybe one reading speaks to you more than the other, that’s okay, let it do so.
Easter 5, 3rd May Acts 7:55-60
Read the account and think about what stands out to you before reading on.
The stoning of Stephen, the opposition stepped up. Stephen had declared the story to those who were listening, and for him, it cost him his life. As the church grew and developed, the opposition grew more intense. The infant Christian Church was being sought out, and some were trying to destroy it, even Saul, who would become Paul. However, the faith of the believers would not be daunted; they stood firm and declared in word and deed that Jesus is Lord. For us, opposition may be a little less severe, but it is there. Let us stand firm and be true and faithful to the one who has called us.
Have we experienced opposition in our walk with Jesus? Has telling the story been costly? Do our family and friends share our beliefs? What do we do when the ‘stones’ start to fly? Being a Christian in this country may not lead to physical persecution, but do we realise that some Christians in other parts of the world suffer greatly, even to the point of death, as Stephen did? Let us pray for them and for boldness to declare our faith as the disciples did when they faced opposition. (Acts 4:23-31)
John 14:1-14
Read the account and think about what stands out to you before reading on.
Jesus comforts the disciples, telling them that he is “The Way, The Truth, and The Life.” This reading is one of preparation. Jesus knows the disciples will need guidance soon, and he wants them to know where that guidance can be found. The story of their lives will contain moments when their hearts will be troubled, when they need hope and direction. Jesus points them to himself as the one who will show and is the way, the one who gives and is the truth, and the one who gives life.
Does the story help us when faced with guidance in our lives? What do we do? Where do we go? How should I live? Can we recall experiences of knowing God guiding us and showing us the way? Have we faced difficult decisions when guidance is being given from all directions? What do we do? Do we ask for the guidance and direction from our Jesus?
Having done so, have we experienced that supernatural guidance of God revealing the way, the truth, and the life to us personally, and experienced the joy of seeing the way open up before us, leading into life?
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