Readings for April 28 2013

It might be Lydia, from the reading in Acts, or it could be New Jerusalem, adorned as a bride in Revelation, or perhaps any of the UCW whom we are celebrating on Volunteer Appreciation Sunday at Rideau Park.  Take a moment to think about the women you would celebrate, by draping them in your finest purples, lavenders, violets, indigo.  then centre yourself in prayer:

You spoke light into the darkness:

light to dispel the gloom,
light to form the day,
light to reveal creation’s palette,
vivid, extraordinary colours
that glanced and danced upon the face of the earth.

You came as light of the world:

light to shine in the shadows,
light to point out the path,
light to pierce hearts caught in division, disharmony
that failed to see uniqueness and unity.

You call us to be light in a dark world:

light to lead people home,
light to challenge injustice,
light to weave a pattern,
that blends and shapes humanity together. Amen.
 

Easter 5C, but we switched the first reading with next week …

The new community of Jesus’ followers is trying to figure out who it is, what the boundaries should be, what this resurrection experience MEANS. 

In Easter, the OT passages become selections from Acts (except Psalms)

READ Acts 16:9-15

Background:  Acts 16:1-8

Paul has just left Jerusalem, where a “council” was convened to shape the various initiatives of early church.  Along the way he picked up Timothy – had him circumcised “because of the Jews who were in those places”! – and carried on to Macedonia (forbidden to go further East by the Spirit).  They regularly began their contact with communities they travelled to through the synagogue, so Timothy needed to be fully Jewish.

 Paul’s intention was to go north (by land) to Bithniya(Turkey, Armenia) and continue the mission in that direction – but he was blocked from Mysia “by the Spirit”, so went to Troas, where…

In verses 9-12:  Paul’s dream/call to Macedonia leads him to Europe, unexpected opportunities.

Question for Reflection:  Have you ever felt you were being “blocked” by the Spirit?  Where did that take you?

Verse 11:  Philippi “a leading city” and “a Roman colony” – clues that tell us Philippi was strong in trade, so it had many multicultural influences, residents with deep foundations in their original faiths, with a layer of Roman rule over top!  It acted like a Roman retirement home for pensioned Roman officers!

3% elite
25% landowning farmers and pensioned officers
45% skilled workers, merchants
27% the poor (20% slaves)

Paul’s Sabbath observance took him to the river – was he no longer welcome at the synagogue? 

The river was a gathering place for people with Jewish roots or interest, but not comfortable or welcomed at the synagogue.  Disabilities, poverty, family conflict, lifestyle, heritage… “we supposed there was a place of prayer.” 

Verse 14 suggests that Lydia was interested in Judaism “a worshipper of God(Yahweh)”, but who was not comfortable in the synagogue – she had wealth, power, but perhaps not the blood lines to be welcome there.  She heard Paul’s message and was “converted”.  She brought her household with her, and offered Paul and Timothy a base in Philippi. 

Question for Reflection:  Do you feel comfortable in a church with a very different cultural background?  Do you think people without WASP background feel comfortable at RPUC?

READ Revelation 21:1-6

The book ends with “The New Jerusalem” (obviously not a follower of Paul, who always got in trouble there!)  Opposition to “the Lamb” is removed, dragon, beast, false prophet dispatched.  Like a happy ending, Jerusalem is a bride ready to marry the hero (God?)

Contrast with “Roma” the Roman goddess who characterized Rome’s glory and power, identified with the whore of Babylon, chapter 17.  Rome/Babylon signified exploitation, wasteful luxury by the rich and powerful.  New Jerusalem, the bride, embodies healing, restoration. 

Coded message to reject Roman imperialism, and have courage in the hope of true justice promised by God in the true faith (still within Judaism, but with Jesus/Lamb the clear messiah.)  There will be suffering in order to ultimately succeed.

“Behold, I am making all things new!” – prioritize your values, Jesus turns old view upside down.

Question for Reflection:  How can the message of hope in Revelation be twisted to suit the purpose of those who champion war or injustice?  How can it be redeemed?

READ John 13:31-35

THE love command in Christianity, base of Christian ethics, identity, community.
It’s a short passage with a lot of impact!
Set in the context of Jesus’ farewell passage:  a time of fear, betrayal, anxiety, despair. 

In verse 31, it is not exactly clear who is glorified, and how, or by whom.  The jist, however, is that Jesus’ life, for all its obscurity, suffering, misunderstanding is somehow “Glory” when turned over to God. 

John’s gospel uses the word glory/glorified 11+17 times – it is clearly more verb than a state of being (for Luke the glory is more than glorified)

-          Heavenly status/recognition of heavenly status by the world
-          And yet in John, it is always linked with the cross, and the irony
-          ie the process of getting the world to see/recognize the glory of the underdog

Divine presence – Jesus manifests the “Father” in a way beyond our grasp

Suffering=glory
Departure=arrival
Death =life
Obedience=freedom
Witness=mystery

Question for Reflection:  Can love be commanded? 

Closing:  Psalm 148, by James Taylor Everyday Psalms