30 April 2023 - Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A

Theme

This week’s readings speak about the kind of life that following Jesus brings about. In Acts, the devoted disciples are performing miracles, eating together and sharing all they have with others in need. In 1 Peter, we are told that God calls people to do good, but that they may suffer in spite of it. In John, Jesus teaches about the kind of life that he offers to all who follow him: a life that is rich and satisfying.

Scripture Readings

  • Acts 2:42-47 - The believers devote themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, sharing meals and prayer. They performed great miracles, shared everything they had and shared what they had with those in need. They worshiped together every day, shared the Lord’s Supper in their homes and ate together with joy and generosity. God added to their fellowship every day.
  • Psalm 23 - A well-known Psalm of trust and finding rest in God, especially common for use at funerals.
  • 1 Peter 2:19-25 - God is pleased when we patiently endure unjust treatment for doing good. God called us to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered.
  • John 10:1-10 - Anyone who sneaks into the sheep pen other than through the gate must be a thief. The shepherd enters through the gate and the sheep know his voice and come to him. Jesus is the gate for the sheep and those who come in through him will be saved and find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus’ purpose is to give rich and satisfying life.

Personal Application

Would you say that your life is rich and satisfying? If not, why? Jesus says that he has come to offer abundant life to his followers. If we are truly following Jesus, this is the type of life that we should have access to.

This does not mean that we won’t face struggles. 1 Peter speaks about how disciples of Jesus will face trials and suffering of many kind. But if we are suffering because of following Jesus, we are able to patiently endure and God will be pleased. It should be noted that God is not pleased BECAUSE we are suffering, but because we are doing good - the suffering is an unfortunate by-product of doing good.

Perhaps Psalm 23 can be a comforting guide for us as we persevere through hardships, resting in God’s provision and care for us as we walk through the darkest valleys of life.

If we are finding life to be more of a drag than a joy, then perhaps we are focusing more on negative things that aren’t of Jesus; things of the thief that come to steal, kill and destroy our abundant life. I truly believe that if we are following Jesus earnestly and focusing on that which Jesus taught was important, we will experience rich, satisfying and abundant life.

Are our actions and beliefs leading us towards an abundant life or away from one?

Communal Application

This week’s reading from Acts is a wonderful account of the early church and what made them such an enticing, counter-cultural group in their world. They clearly experienced the abundant life that Jesus said would be available to his followers.

They also understood that the abundant life offered to them was to be shared with all in need. Not only did they immerse themselves in a joyful life, worshiping and feasting together daily, they shared what they had with those less fortunate than themselves.

How do our churches today compare or differ from the early chuch mentioned in this Acts passage? How are we experiencing God’s abundant life together with other Christ followers today? Are we inviting others to also experience this abundant life and are we sharing all that we have generously with others?

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