28 April 2002 - Year A - 5th Sunday of Easter

Wesley White --

Lectionary for April 28, 2002
Acts 7:55-60
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
1 Peter 2:2-10
John 14:1-14

Wesley White --

John 14:1-14: A word that jumps out at me is that of "trust." Eugene Peterson translates it, "The person who trusts me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I've been doing."

Some would worry that paying too much attention to this issue of trust could lead to paying more attention to Good Works than to the purity of Scripture. But that is the risk Paul is willing to take as he talks about working out our salvation in "fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12). It takes trust to work through the big "F and T."

Wesley White --

Acts 7:55-60: "I see heaven open wide," says Stephen. This is the best motivator I know of. The positive draw seems so much more graceful than the shove from behind, even from such supposedly good things as commandments. One of the visions of a wide open heaven are those six little words from UMComm - open hearts, open minds, open doors.

Heaven always needs to be specific or it is simply another failed utopian dream. We are called upon to measure our vision of heaven by the openness of heart, mind, and door. It would be interesting to have a Wesleyan Class Meeting not only ask "How is it with your soul?" but "Where did your find your heart opened or closed this day? What experience today led you to open or close your mind one more notch? How did people fare today in the presence of your hospitality?"

May we all see heaven open wide and follow that where it leads - even if it leads to being stoned by the religous powers that be.

Wesley White --

1 Peter 2:2-10: You may remember from reading our reports that this was the text for Bishop Judy Craig's remarks. It would be good to go back and read them again.

For now consider that as Eugene Peterson translates it, "... you are the ones chosen by God...to do [God's] work and speak out for [God], to tell others of the night-and-day difference [God] made for you -- from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted."

As you tell about your witness of transformation you encourage others to find their transformation. For too long Progressive Christians, who have a particular sensitivity to the variety of transformations available to somethingness and acceptability, have failed to give their affirmation. Let us claim our holiness and value the holiness in others.

Wesley White --

Psalm 31: The issue of trust arises again. In this prayer for protection is a sense of dependent trust.
Paul's insight is when we were children we acted it, but not after we were grown. How might we trust as adults? How might we trust as partners? How would this psalm/prayer be different if trust were described in adult terms?

How would it be if God's faithfulness triggered our trust because we were in a situation together rather than because we were rescued? In a world where death is so close, how do we take the responsibility to be present even where resolution is not yet visible, much less achievable? How might Jew and Muslim and Christian find new life, not in dependence but interdependence? Pray on this.