Easter 4B Acts 4:5-12; Psalm 23; I John 3:16-24; John 10:11-18 Sheep and Shepherds

Today we will look at the lectionary passages for Easter 4B in a sequence. It's not a chronological sequence, but a theological one.

This Jesus is “the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.” Acts 4:11

Peter and John stand before the Sanhedrin, the very court that wanted to sentence Jesus to death but could not due to Roman law.  With boldness that Peter did not have before the day of Pentecost, he preaches straight into the faces of those who hated Jesus and hated him.  "IT WAS YOU WHO KILLED HIM."  The stone rejected has become the cornerstone. The 'piece of trash' you threw out is now the feast. The man you thought you killed is alive, and nothing you can do can ever change that.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
John 10:11

The cornerstone is the good shepherd. He has laid down his life for the sheep. Sheep need led, and sheep have no natural defense. 

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

Because he died he walks with his through this Holy Spirit. Peter could stand in boldness because the shepherd had laid down his life and now walked with him through the evil of the hypocritical religious leaders.

"How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?" I John 3:17

All of this leads to one place: How do we live out the resurrection message of Christ? Do we take the chance to stand and preach? Do we help the one in need? Do we offer water to the thirsty, a sandwich to the man on the side of the road? Will we get out of our pews and pray with someone? Will we allow the 'outcast' into our nice clean sanctuaries? 

Easter 2B Acts 4:32-35, Psalm 133, I John 1:1-2:2, John 20:19-31 Doubt

Doubt is a part of faith but many evangelical denominations do not want to admit this. Yes, Jesus says blessed are those who do not see and yet believe, but how does he treat Thomas's doubt? He simply asks him to put his hand in the wounds.  There is no shaming, no asking if he remembered the prophecies, only love. 
When someone comes to be doubting their faith, or even doubting God I assure them that God can handle it. 
I find it interested that the Psalm and the Acts passage are about unity. How does this connect to Doubting Thomas? The disciples were gathered together when Jesus first appeared and Thomas was absent. We have never heard where he was. Was he hiding or did he have a legitimate excuse like a stomach virus? We will never know. Did his doubt bring more unity or less or did it affect it at all? 

'We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us.' Thomas can say this now, but what about those of us who have not seen and heard and still doubt? Can we proclaim? Isn't that what the essence of faith is?  This song expresses Doubting Thomas better than I ever could: Doubting Thomas Nickle Creek Live/

A Voice! Magnificat Advent 4 C Luke 1:39-56 Micah 5:2-6 Hebrews 10:5-10 Psalm 80

Voice is the word that keeps surfacing as I study these passages.
Micah has a voice that cries out:
²But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. ³Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. (NRSV)
The writer of Hebrews has a voice that cries out:
He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.(NRSV)
In a post-exilic voice, the Psalmist cries out
Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Elizabeth cries out
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? ⁴⁴For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 

⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

A baby leaping in the womb? How does that feel? Well, like nothing else. One of my children was extremely sensitive to loud noises in utero. She jumped. And that is a strange feeling to feel a person jump that has no where to go. Baby John jumped. He felt the vibes coming from Baby Jesus; the tremor only just beginning; the agitation before the quake; the distant thunder before the downpour. Baby John felt all of that. And Elizabeth in the wisdom of her years knew...in that moment.
And she spoke to Mary; her beloved cousin...

Blessed is she who believed
It is one thing to be chosen.
It is another thing to believe.
Thee would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord. Were there times before the morning sickness hit that she wondered if the angel's visit had only been an apparition? A fleeting dream....?

It is still another to be willing to do the task to which God has called.

as she awoke one early morning running for the door did it hit her? The promise was fulfilled IN HER.

Did her mother watch, judging? Listening to Mary in those wee hours, did she question her?

And Mary has done both. She has believed. And she has done. 

Could she have refused? 

It seems that God allows free choice. 

I read once that perhaps God had visited many young women before Mary and none had been willing. Who knows?
But Mary was willing. "May it be to me as you have said."

But the loudest most joyous cry of all comes from the mouth of Mary:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, 

⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 

⁴⁸for he has looked with favor 

on the lowliness of his servant.

How could it be favor when she faced persecution? 

The flowing-like-honey song we call the Magnificat 
(Latin for "My soul magnifies") 
proclaims 

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 

⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me, 

and holy is his name.

 ⁵⁰His mercy is for those who fear him 

from generation to generation.

 ⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm; 

he has scattered the proud 

in the thoughts of their hearts. 

⁵²He has brought down the powerful

 from their thrones, 

and lifted up the lowly; 

⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things, 

and sent the rich away empty. 

⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,

 in remembrance of his mercy, 

⁵⁵according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

 to Abraham and 

to his descendants forever.” 

I keep reading of those who want to emphasize the past tenses (aorist for those who studied Greek) 
of this song.

We cannot get around the grammar. 

He has shown strength

He has scattered

He has brought down

He has filled

He has helped

We know that God has done these things. 

But we know that he is doing these things and that he will continue to do these things. Because we know the Baby was born and brought much to pass.
Mary does not know this yet. 

but she does know. 
Or she would not sing.

But the voices around us cry out the opposite
The world is ending. 
Mary lived in a world controlled by the violence of the Roman empire. Pax Romana, meaning peace of Rome came at the price of soldiers enforcing at any cost. 

How could she believe this? Wasn't her nation under occupation?
What powerful thrones had God brought down? 

Weren't there still hungry people in the world? 
Aren't there today?

But this song proclaims that God has already brought down the powerful.

He has lifted up the lowly. 


He shows that by having the greatest song of all sung by a poor young woman from a tiny town, pregnant with the greatest gift the world has ever received.