Home » Ministers' resources » Worship Resources » Preaching Kits » Year B Mark » Kit 4 » Easter 3

A Lectionary Resource for April 27 to June 1 2003

May 4 2003

CHOSEN WITNESSES

Jesus is central to the New Testament readings.

Luke 24:36b-48 records his appearances to disciples, and his challenge to them that as they have witnessed the resurrection they must preach repentance to others.

Acts 3:12-19 shows Peter proclaiming the resurrection and calling to repentance.

I John 3:1-7 promises another appearance, when we will SEE and be like Jesus the Christ.

Psalm 4 has several elements:

Confidence in being one of the CHOSEN
Exhortation to stop sinning and turn to God
Affirmation of faith and trust that gives peace, sleep and gladness
A wonderful comment on the religion of affluence (verses 6,7) The rich pray for more blessings, but the Psalmist has more gladness than "when their grain and wine abound".
This last has an interesting connection with the Christian practices of Holy Communion. In verse 5 readers are encouraged to "offer the right sacrifices".
Are these lambs, doves and flour? Psalm 51:17 claims that the sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit.

The rituals of religion are vitally important to human society. Maori karakia giving thanks to a beached whale for offering itself as food, or to a totara tree for supplying wood for a waka, are more grace-filled and grateful than the arrogant plundering by whalers and logging companies.

The simple prayer of thanks for a drink of water and a bowl of rice by a hungry person is a greater sacrament than the most elaborate eucharist in an architectural gem where token tastes are given to "those whose grain and wine abound".

Themes of :

Chosen people with a special relationship to God
Sinning and repentance
Witnessing to real experience
are also found in the New Testament readings.

Another task, post-Easter, when rebuilding community, is to recognise our "chosen" relationship AND our need to repent. The strong community is one where people confess their sins to each other, as in Alcoholics Anonymous and other recovery groups. When people "get real" trust deepens rapidly.

The Luke post-Emmaus story shows how a group of ordinary, timid people, scared of ghosts, can see beyond themselves and understand the call to witness.
Peter, in Acts, is doing this witnessing, and challenging individuals and society to repent.

I John 3:1-7 is problematic in claiming that true followers of Jesus, that is the new Chosen Ones, do not sin! So why should they repent?
Then he defines sin as lawlessness, presumable disagreeing with those gnostics who claimed that because they had seen the light it didn't matter how immoral their lives were. But as I John does not usually refer to Jewish law, what does he mean by lawlessness? This could be seen as urging cooperation with the values of the New Community of Jesus-followers.

One of these values is to keep growing individually and collectively into the pattern of the Christ. Another is to be open with each other. Then it is easier to witness to society of the need for change.

A PRAYER

Redeeming Christ, in your name we confess our sins and seek new life.

Some of our sins are the natural problems of addictions, whether to chemicals, gambling, work, sex, or religion. Please heal our souls of their immaturity and stunted personality development, and give us courage to seek therapeutic help.

Some of our sins are the result of fear, deprivation and abuse. Please help us to understand when we have been victims, and give us courage to accept our vulnerability but refuse to stay as victims.
Some of our sins are the result of our own pride, greed and ignorance. Please give us a clear analysis of our own actions, and a true desire to be accountable to you and the values we have learnt from you. Help us to change.

Some of our sins come from the depth of our soul, from the shadow part which we ignore or deny, from the centre of our darkness. Please shine the light of your Spirit into our depths, and give us the courage to look within, to repent, to accept your changes and new control.
In true repentance we pray. AMEN.