THE BIBLE – LEARNING FROM MARK
COMMENT FOR EASTER 4 – 3.05.09
1 John 3: 16-24
The writer is explaining that the Christian life is the way of active compassionate love in the strength of the love of God for us all, so each person is a living part of the Church, the Body of Christ. We need to hold that “Way of Love” in a world damaged by hate, suffering and death. The early Christians amazed the ancient world: “Look how those Christians love each other”, they said. Their love came from the love of God in Christ. It was the kind of love which proved their faith.
Psalm 23 – The Shepherd’s Psalm
This is a great Psalm to commit to memory, for we can then get a better feel for the testimony of the writer about his/her faith in God. “He restores my soul”. However, the shepherd image includes care for the many as well as for the individual, where Yahweh is the Shepherd of Israel. He is also Guide to the wanderer, Host and Protector against the troubles of life and reliable Companion in the darkest of life’s experiences. For all of these reasons the writer will make the “House of the Lord” that place of peace and serenity for as long as his/her life shall last.
Acts 4: 5-12
This is part of an important story which extends from ch 3: 1 to ch 4: 31, with a Pentecost type conclusion. Peter is becoming more confident in his preaching as he claims that Jesus fulfilled the central expectations of the Old Testament faith, and stronger in his appeal to people to join the Disciples in accepting faith in Christ. The power seen in action in the resurrection type experience of healing leads him to a new claim that the name and power of Jesus is unique in human experience. We should not let questions about such a claim turn us away from our resurrection faith.
John 10: 11-18
Jesus really takes hold of the shepherding tradition and immediately makes it a personal commitment. He models it also on the understanding between himself and “The Father”. Then his thinking gets deeper, because the shepherd guards the sheep with his own life which he can lay down and take up again. If these were the actual words of Jesus then, you can imagine how they resonated with John after the resurrection! For clearly the Shepherd laid down his life in the crucifixion and took it up again in the resurrection.
THE BIBLE – LEARNING FROM MARK
COMMENT FOR EASTER 5 – 10.05.09
1 John 4: 7-21
John wants his readers to understand that the way of Christ is a life of love. We begin by realizing that God loves us as we are and in the strength of that conviction we are able to love others. But it all begins with God. John describes our faith – “God is love.” Twice he says this in our short reading. Think about that in our world where hate and hostility breed acts of cruelty and violence or where self interest makes us indifferent to the plight of others. In the real world followers of Christ live the way of love as Jesus did.
Psalm 22: 25-31
Think of the dramatic power of this Psalm. It begins with the cry of dereliction of Jesus on the cross as he experiences the total absence of God. The questions follow, but the scenes of the Cross persist in verses 17 and 18. Faith emerges with the discovery that God is still there and the impact of this spreads out over space and time as with the life and resurrection of Jesus. Quietly the poor are fed, and that is just the beginning.
Acts 8: 26-40
The Martyrdom of Stephen was followed by a determined move against the Apostle and the Christian leadership. But as the disciples scattered they took the message. Philip had brought the Gospel to the despised Samaritans, but now we meet him on the
Gaza road as he helps an Ethiopian eunuch understand the scroll of Isaiah. This state official had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem where he could worship with the Jewish faithful ones but never join because of his mutilation. But the Gospel of Christ comes without strings, and he joyfully accepted the good news.
John 15: 1-8
Psalm 80: 8 gives the basis for the vine being the emblem of Israel. But Jesus claims to be the TRUE vine, for Israel had failed to be the example to the world that God had intended. Now Jesus is instructing the disciples in keeping close to the deepest intention of God for each human life. The Prophets had not been listened to, and the pruning did not happen. But the resurrection faith is dependence upon the loving energies of God. Imagine how the faith of the disciples would light up as they remembered these words of Jesus.
THE BIBLE – LEARNING FROM MARK
COMMENT FOR EASTER 6 – 17.05.09
1 John 5: 1-6
John has been explaining that the Creator-God is love, and that Jesus come announcing the Kingdom of God and living the way of love. He suffered death on a cross but lives his resurrection life. Therefore John is saying to us that if we trust Jesus completely, and take the risk of living his way of love we will find that this is the faith that conquers the world. This, says John, is the resurrection faith.
Psalm 98
This is an enthronement Psalm used in coronations in the early years of Israel’s history. The first three verses are about the victory and power of Yahweh, while in the next three verses this beneficent power is extended to the ends of the earth. But the last three verses have this magnificent vision of all creation, the very fabric of the earth, joyously awaiting the Judge of the earth. This yearning for God and the certitude of his gracious will for his creation is the Old Testament preparation for the fulfilment of Salvation through Christ.
(Artur Weiser O.T. Library, The Psalms p 639)
Acts 10: 44-48
The wonderful story of Chapter 10 records how Peter discovered that what he believed were God-given directions to avoid close contact with anyone but Jews was nothing more than racial and cultural prejudice. He discovered that the Holy Spirit given to Jewish believers at Pentecost was also given to Gentiles when they became believers. He could see that God had no favourites. We need to be very clear on that point as global warming upsets habitats and increases the number of the human race looking for living space.
John 15: 9-17
Jesus is talking with great seriousness here. He wants to take the relationship between himself and the disciples to a deeper level – like the spiritual communion that exists between him and “The Father.” This is the model for the sharing between him and the disciples, and likewise between each one in the name of Jesus. This he calls friendship whether it costs or not. So his word to us is that this relationship between Christians is of a different quality. His command to us is that we love another.
THE BIBLE – LEARNING FROM MARK
COMMENT FOR EASTER 7 – 24.05.09
1 John 5: 9-13
Remember John’s assertion that “God is Love” so that every word and action of God expresses love. Now he wants people to understand that lies, and all the other nasty little actions which are a form of hate, have no part in Christian fellowship. Instead, every word and action can help to reflect the love of God.
Psalm 1
The Psalm begins with a beatitude for all who would obey God’s will and trust his providential care. Choices and contrasts are presented so that the wise can learn and grow to the whole community’s benefit. But in the background there is this beautiful picture of the prosperity that is God’s intent for all. Therefore the wise will learn that a God-fearing life will bring evidence that God really cares for his people. With such a theme this Psalm was the obvious choice to begin the book of Psalms.
Acts 1: 15-17, 21-26
The forty days since the resurrection have ended and Jesus brings his disciples to Mount Olivet for a final leave taking. They have a last question: will you restore Israel as a sovereign nation? But Jesus says they will just have to wait for the day of Pentecost. This they do, but decide on appointing Matthias to replace Judas in the twelve apostles who are witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection. The final decision came by casting lots, and that is the last time such a method will be used in the Bible. From that time the Holy Spirit will leave the decision-makers in no doubt as to what should happen.
John 17: 6-19
Again we leave Mark’s gospel to hear from three great chapters where John records some quiet and intense conversations with Jesus. For in these conversations Jesus is one with the God of Hebrew history. The disciples are to understand that, and will be able to make a new commitment in the name of Jesus. We can also see how the details of the earthly ministry of Jesus become a rich source for us to draw upon in our lives today.
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