Happy Mothers’ Day!
Our readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter follow. For a combined link to read them online, go here.
John 14:15-21
Acts 17:22-31
Psalm 66:8-20
1 Peter 3:13-22
- John relates how Jesus told us if we love him, we will keep his commandments, and the Father will send the Holy Spirit to be with us forever. The world will shortly no longer see Jesus, but we will, because the Holy Spirit will be with us and in us. We will know that Jesus is in the Father, that we are in Jesus, and, most wonderfully, Jesus is in us!
- The Book of Acts tells us about Paul addressing the men in the Areopagus about Jesus. Paul mentions an altar he saw there in Athens addressed to an “unknown god.” He proclaims this god to be the true God who created heaven and earth, who now calls on people everywhere to repent. This God, in whom “we live and move and have our being,” has appointed the man (Jesus) to judge all the world in righteousness. He assures every one of this by raising Jesus from the dead.
- Our Psalm praises God for rescuing us and attending to our prayers, caring for our souls with His steadfast love.
- 1 Peter advises that if we suffer, we should suffer for doing good and not for doing evil, but always honoring Christ in our hearts as holy. We should be ready to defend the hope we have in him at all times, but doing so with gentleness and respect. Christ the righteous suffered for all of us, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. Through his resurrection, we now have in him a living hope.
Our living hope in Jesus may not keep us from temporary suffering from evil, but will preserve us as God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit come and make their home with us (John 14:17, 23). Through them we can share them with those around us in peace and gentleness.
Next Thursday commemorates the Ascension of Jesus. Readings for that day can be found here (Luke 24:44–53, Acts 1:1–11, Psalm 47 or Psalm 93, and Ephesians 1:15–23).
Blessings,
Rod