2nd Sunday of Easter

Readings: Acts 5v27-32; Psalm 150; Revelation 1v4-8; John 20v19-end.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word: In John we hear about two of Jesus’ resurrection appearances. In the first the disciples were meeting in a locked room when Jesus appeared amongst them and showed them signs of his crucifixion. After this Jesus breathed his Holy Spirit on them and commissioned them to go into the world with the power to forgive sins. Now, Thomas was not at this meeting, so when he was told about it, he was dubious and said he would not believe unless he saw and felt the marks of the crucifixion for himself. So when the second resurrection appearance happened a week later, when Thomas was present, it is surprising to hear that after Jesus’ invitation to see and feel the marks of crucifixion and Jesus’ instruction to stop doubting and believe, that Thomas simply declared that the one before him was his Lord and his God. I believe that this appearance to Thomas shows us that our ability to believe is not about finding proof but about setting aside the doubts that cloud our ability to dare to believe. For as Jesus told Thomas, people who have not seen him but believe in him are more blessed than those he has met with.

In Acts we hear that Peter was a changed man. For the man who denied that he knew Jesus was now standing up for Jesus against the very same people he had been so afraid of before, This was even though Peter knew that what he was saying could get him killed. For Peter was so changed that he spoke up, even though he had been ordered to not speak about Jesus. Peter was so changed that he dared to obey God by standing up as a witness for Jesus and sharing his witness testimony about Jesus’ resurrection. For Peter believed beyond doubt: that Jesus had died to give God’s people the ability to change and be forgiven of all of their sins; and that God had raised Jesus back to life as the Leader and Saviour of God’s people; and that God had exalted Jesus and placed him at his right hand. I believe from all of this is that what Peter had witnessed was so compelling that he was no longer able to refuse what God required of him.

In Revelation we hear a message about Jesus, a message given by the Alpha and Omega, the Lord God, the eternal one who always exists. This is a message for the 7 churches in Asia. A message telling us that Jesus is: God’s faithful witness; the firstborn of the dead; and the ruler of earth. A message telling us that: Jesus freed us from our sins because he loved us so much that he died for us. A message telling us that those who belong to the Church are Jesus’ people, a kingdom of priests serving his Father. A message telling us that one day Jesus will return and when he does that every human being - past, present and yet to come - will see him and be judged by God. I believe that what we hear in this message is that each and every one of us who join the Church is a priest serving the Father; and that the message we are called to share with the world is that one day we shall face judgement and that Jesus died to save us from our sins.

These readings share with us the good news we are called to share with the world for the God that the psalm calls us to praise with songs and music and dancing. For as the psalmist tells us, God is worthy of praise because God is holy, powerful, mighty and great. The one true God who knew that the only way to save us was by allowing his son to come and show us the way to heaven.

Let us Pray: Almighty Father and everlasting Lord, we thank you for Jesus who you permitted to come and save us from our sins by dying in our place for us. We thank you that Jesus rose again and ask you to help us to leave behind our wicked ways, to serve you because of all that Jesus has done for us and to assure the world that you are calling us to eternal life through Jesus. Amen

Thanks for joining us today.