Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C 15th May 2022
Lectionary Readings: Acts 11 v1-18; Psalm 148; Revelation 21 v1-6; John 13 v31-35.
A challenge within a challenge.
Jesus said, “I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you.
If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples”. (John 13 v34,35).
The first part of the new command is difficult enough for ordinary mortals, and the second part is a daunting challenge. How can we love as he loved us?
As the apostle Paul points out in his letter to the Corinthians, ‘Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud or rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful and trusting. Love never fails!’ (1 Corinthians 13 v 4-8).
I doubt whether any of us measure up to that standard of love. But Jesus managed to do so, and he suggested that we should follow his example. Fortunately, Jesus is well aware of our human nature and he promised his followers a helping hand in the form of his indwelling Spirit.
In the passage from the book of Acts, Peter is explaining how God had opened his eyes to the fact that God was doing a new thing. God was granting people outside of the Jewish faith the same gift as Jewish followers of Jesus. Peter said, “the Holy Spirit was given to them, just as the Spirit had been given to us at the beginning. I remembered that the Lord had said, “John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit”. God gave those Gentiles the same gift that he gave us when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So how could I have gone against God?”
When they (the leaders of the Jerusalem church) heard this, they stopped arguing and starting praising God. (Acts 11 v 15-18).
We, as followers of Jesus in the present age, need the help of the Holy Spirit every bit as much as the first generation of followers if we are to do as he commands and love each other as he loved us.
Hymn writer Gary Hopkins gives us an insight as to how we might show God’s love to others.
(Sing the Faith No 619 v 1,3, 4).
Thanks for friends who keep on loving, finding ways to help us grow,
celebrating our achievements, sharing in our pain and woe.
God is glimpsed where love is faithful: mirrored here in time and space.
Thanks to God for friends who love us: Christ revealed in every face.
When we find our friendships challenged through mistakes and different views,
we discover deeper living as the love of God renews.
For in Christ we see forgiveness; know a strength still to embrace.
Thanks to God for friends who keep us: making real the gift of grace.
Praise to God for this great gifting of relationship and friend:
imaging divine relating; found in heaven with no end.
Bless us Maker, Word and Spirit as companions on the way.
Thanks to God for friends who help us to fulfil our lives each day.
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.