Seventh Sunday of Easter Year B 16th May 2021
Lectionary Readings: Acts 1 v15-17,21-26. Psalm 1. 1 John 5 v9-13. John 17 v6-19.
Knowing me, knowing you.
Jesus said, “Father, I don’t ask you to take my followers out of the world, but to keep them safe. I am sending them into the world, just as you sent me”. (John 17 v15,18).
Our Father knows us through and through, he knows our strengths and our weaknesses. He equips us with his Spirit and trusts us to show his love to others.
Jesus said, “(Father) You have given me some followers from this world, and I have shown them what you are like”. (John 17 v6).
We know God, as revealed by Jesus, we trust in his Word and in His Spirit within us.
John describes Jesus as praying for us, our well being, our safety and our salvation.
Jesus says “I have given myself completely for their sake so that they may belong completely to the truth”. (John 17 v19). I think ‘the truth’ here is a reference to God’s kingdom and God’s plan for us.
In his letter John says “If we have faith in God’s Son, we have believed what God has said”. (1 John 5 v10a). For John, God’s ‘Word’ is Jesus the Messiah. At the start of his letter John says “The Word that gives life was from the beginning and this is the one our message is about”. (1 John 1 v1).
John wants us to understand that God has revealed himself in the person of Jesus, whose teaching and healing are just a portion of God’s grace, his loving kindness towards us, that is intended for all people, everywhere. In order for that to happen, God is trusting us, as followers of his son Jesus, to pass on His love to others as we live out our life of discipleship.
The Psalmist says “Those who study God’s word are like trees growing besides a stream, trees that bear fruit in season and always have leaves”. (Psalm 1 v2,3).
God has gifted us his Holy Spirit to help us understand scripture and to encourage us to translate scripture into loving actions in our own family, community and nation. In the reading from Acts, the Holy Spirit helps the disciples to decide who should replace Judas as one of the twelve.
The following prayers are taken from the liturgy for a Pentecost service. (Methodist Worship Book)
Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit, and we shall be created.
And you shall renew the face of the earth.
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us
and may the gifts of your Spirit equip us
to serve and worship you
now and always. Amen
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.