07 May 2023 - Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year A

 

Theme

This week’s readings remind us of God's inclusive and expansive salvation that has been offered to us through Christ. In Acts, Stephen understands that death is not to be feared and will only reunite him with Jesus. Peter reminds Jesus’ followers that they are God’s own people who have been chosen and called to holy living. In John, Jesus comforts the disciples, saying that he is going to prepare a place for them in God’s home and if they want to know the way to God, they merely need to follow him.

Scripture Readings

  • Acts 7:55-60 - Stephen claims to see Jesus sitting at the right hand of God. The crowds drag him out of the city, stone him and lay him at the feet of Saul. Just before he dies, Stephen asked God to receive his spirit and forgive those who stoned him.
  • Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 - A cry of appeal to God for help and protection.
  • 1 Peter 2:2-10 - Peter claims that Christians should long for pure, spiritual milk so that they may grow into salvation. Like living stones, believers can let themselves be built into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Peter quotes scripture, claiming that Jesus’ followers are a chosen race, God’s own people who are called to proclaim the mighty acts of him who called them out of darkness and into light.
  • John 14:1-14 - Jesus comforts the disciples, saying that God has plenty of room in His home and Jesus is going there to prepare a place for them. When everything is ready, he will come and get them so that they will always be with him. Thomas complains that they don’t know the way. Jesus responds by saying that he is the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through him. Philip asks to just see the Father and they would be satisfied. Jesus claims that anyone who has seen him has seen the Father. Jesus claims that anyone who believes in him will even greater works than him and anything believers ask in his name will be done.

Personal Application

Some Christians like to claim that Jesus’ words about none coming to the Father except through him mean that the only way someone can experience eternal salvation is by declaring with their mouth that Jesus is Lord. But this is not the picture I get by looking at Jesus’ life, words and ministry.

In this passage, Jesus was addressing a very specific question from Thomas. What is the way to eternal life with Jesus? Jesus responds by saying he is The Way, The Truth and The Life. Perhaps, in order for us to live eternally with Christ in the afterlife is to seek the way, the truth and the life of Jesus now.

I believe that anyone who is fighting injustice and caring for widows, orphans and the poor, regardless of their belief in Jesus as Lord, is following the Way of Jesus. Anyone who is treating others kindly and lovingly, honouring the sacred Image of God within them, is following the Truth of Jesus. Anyone who is experiencing the joyful abundance of life, is following the Life of Jesus.

We have unfortunately limited our response to God’s offer of salvation as merely saying a few well-constructed words and declaring that Jesus is Lord, even if our actions don’t reveal that we truly believe that. But what if Jesus is inviting us into a fuller, more rewarding salvation of experiencing God’s Way, Truth and Life, both now and forevermore?

Communal Application

I love Jesus’ approach to comforting his disciples about his imminent departure from them. He declares that God’s home has many rooms. He then states that he is going ahead of them to ensure that a place is prepared for them. What a beautiful metaphor for God’s expansive love and welcoming embrace.

And yet in many of our churches today, how often do we try to limit God’s offer of salvation? Sometimes we leave Jesus right out of the story, making lists of do’s and don'ts that people need to adhere to in order to receive God’s salvation. Or if Jesus is mentioned at all, it is usually in some kind of sacrificial trade in order to appease “God’s wrath” towards all of humanity.

But Jesus’ story here is encouraging. Jesus is looking forward to returning to God’s home where he is going to prepare an incredible welcome for all of God’s children. In this story, Jesus is doing the work. He is going to ensure that a place is prepared for them. The only thing the disciples have to do is continue to live into the way, truth and life that Jesus has been revealing to them.

What type of story are we sharing about God’s salvation? Is it an open, inviting and expansive story like Jesus told or is it a limiting, exclusive story that spikes fear and anxiety in those who hear it?

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