7th Sunday of Easter 05-12-2024
Acts 1:15-17, 21-26; Psalm 1:1-6; 1st John 5:9-13; John 17:6-19
In our lesson from Acts, Jesus’ disciples had seen Him taken up into a cloud in the sky and two men dressed in white asked them, “Why do you look up into the sky, you have seen Jesus taken up and He will return in the same manner.” They traveled from the Mount of Olives back to Jerusalem and to where they were staying. Peter stood up in front of the believers (About 120) and said: “According to Scripture, we must select a replacement for Judas, who served as a guide for those who arrested Jesus—-He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.” Acts reports that Judas had purchased a field with the 30 pieces of silver for turning Jesus over to the Romans. He had purchased a field and them fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. The field was named the “Field of Blood. Meantime, Peter said they should select between two men (Joseph called Barsabbas, aka Justus and Matthias. These two had been with them since Jesus was baptized in the river. The disciples prayed for God to reveal to them who would take Judas’ place among them. The Holy Spirit gave them the name Matthias, and he joined the disciples. The church must ask God’s guidance when choosing a person to serve God through a particular ministry. Both the church and the Holy Spirit choose those set apart for ministry.
From out Psalm this morning, is concerned with those who have a moral compass, is ethical in all things and is considered blessed (“Blessed” – Hebrew – ‘ashre, meaning happy.) The blessed person lives within the boundary God sets out for life with Him and received observable blessings, sometimes material and always spiritual, which bring happiness. Such blessings are not so much a reward for good acts as the natural produce of life with God. God’s ways are a source of guidance, encouragement, and moral strength for us all. His people portray patterns of integrity to their society and are known for their moral uprighteness based on obedience to God’s Word.
In our Epistle from 1st John, we come to understand that the Church is a community of people who believe in Jesus Christ as God’s promised Messiah and our Savior. Two major points point in Jesus’ life reveal Him as Son of God: His baptism by water (Mark1:11; and His death, where He sacrificed His blood (Mark 15:39). Jesus remained the same person—Son of God come in human flesh. Jesus did not become God’s Son at any point in His earthly life. He was God’s Son from eternity past and remains God’s Son to eternity future. At no point did He surrender His divine nature and become only human. God provided three witnesses to identify Jesus: His baptism, His death, and the Holy Spirit (Numbers 35:30; Deut 17:6; 19:15).
From our Gospel of John we find that Jesus prayed for His people to the Father and that He would protect His believers in the world. This does not mean we have immunity from problems, but we will have joy and a sense of God’s presence in our trials. Certainly part of our protection in our unity with the body of Christ, but God’s protection is not some kind of a monastic escape from the world; rather, it is a secure participation with God in the world.
At the close of Jesus’ ministry, He prayed for His people. As the Father had sent Him to the world, He was not sending His followers into the world and they needed the Father’s watchcare and guidance so they could become effective witnesses for Him. Jesus committed Himself to the mission and He wants us to have the same level of commitment in our own lives, in order to continue the mission He began. Abba Father sent Jesus to provide salvation and to spread the gospel message, while providing and equipping us with the truth, which is the Word of God. It means we are to take the Word and study it for understanding, so that we can go out into the world to share the Word with the world around us. Are you willing to do this? Have you accepted Christ as your Savior? Then it is time to begin the work necessary!