Abstract
The four Gospel passages selected in the Lectionary all describe meetings between Jesus—on two occasions, Jesus the man, on two occasions the risen Jesus—and His disciples. They are all vividly written and communicate His teaching memorably. St. John Ch. 20 tells how Jesus came to a broken company behind locked doors, broken because they had failed Him, and, not less, because He had apparently failed them. He identified Himself by His hands and side, and spoke peace upon them, and conferred powers of forgiving upon them, all to their great joy. A week later He returned, particularly to confront Thomas, who had not been present on the first occasion, and was deeply sceptical of the story told by the eleven. Thomas was convinced—his confession of faith ‘My Lord and my God’ was probably intended to be the finale of St John’s Gospel—and so, in a sense, the company of Jesus followers was reunited.
The linked Lectionary passages underline this wonderful community as a continuing feature and requirement of the Christian company. Ps. 133 sings of the blessed fellowship that believers may enjoy. Acts 4 underlines the remarkable sharing that grew out of this joyful sense of community. John’s first letter emphasises that if we live in the light, we have fellowship with one another.
Prayer
Loving God, grant us the certainty that we are part of an abiding fellowship.
Make us certain that it is a fellowship of need, our need to hear and hear again and finally take in the wonder of your grace.
Help us to be patient with those who are even slower than we to hear the message and worship the Messenger.
So may we show that we live in the light.
Amen.
The second Gospel passage offers Luke’s version of the same encounter, though without reference to Thomas. Jesus’ teaching to His disciples lays the emphasis on their duty and privilege of teaching, on their sharing the message of repentance and the forgiveness of sins with all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. I think it is fair to detect in Luke’s account a tribute to the patience of Jesus in the face of His uncomprehending friends. ‘These are the very things I told you about while I was still with you’. As He had done so often across the time of His ministry among them ‘He opened their minds’. Peter’s reported excusing of Jesus’ killers (Ac 3:17) exhibits the same kind of creative patience and forgiveness, opening doors to unbelievers—perhaps echoing Ps 24’s exhortation to ‘fling wide the gates’, so that the great king and a countless company of his followers may come in.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
as we salute the inexhaustible patience of our Lord,
we pray for a like patience in ourselves, not only with our slower fellow believers, but with the uncaring multitude outside the church,
whose ears and minds are closed against the good news of salvation.
There are so many claims for attention and loyalty in our society.
Help us to be persistent and imaginative and winsome in our presentation of the Gospel.
Amen.
The third Gospel passage describes Jesus and His companions in a different way—as the Good Shepherd and His flock, dependent on Him for sustenance—and security. We are perhaps inclined, in a land short of predators, to pass over the life-threatening aspects of shepherding in ancient Palestine; but Jesus, addressing His disciples, stresses them quite dramatically. ‘I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep’. The shepherd’s rod and staff in Ps. 23 make the same point of the reality of danger to the guardian of the flock. Such love our Shepherd shows to us; our love should reflect that love—so teaches John in his letter ‘My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.’
Prayer
Dear Lord,
we do not know how sheep regard each other,
but we can feel quite sure that Jesus knew, and chose His words about the church with insight and wisdom.
Help us to rise above our role as sheep, and to regard our fellow believers with care and love, with patience and thoughtfulness.
Help us to take our inspiration and example from the selfless Shepherd,
not the silly sheep.
Amen.
An equally well-loved passage describes the relationship between Jesus and His followers in another vivid picture. ‘I am the vine and you are the branches’ (Jn 10:5). Perhaps the emphasis here is on the enduring importance of the vine as compared with the individual branches. In the interests of the vine, whoever loves God must love his brother also. ‘If we love one another, God lives in union with us, and his love is made perfect in us.’ Ps.22 is in part a song of praise for the abiding God, who is praised for what He has done, and still more, for what He will do. ‘All nations will remember the Lord. From every part of the world, they will turn to him; all races will worship him.’ Philip begins this mission to all nations with the Ethiopian eunuch.
Prayer
Gracious God,
help us as members of the church, to seek and work for church growth.
We want to be living branches of the vine, and to bring forth good fruit;
but we must remember that without the healthy vine, the branches cannot survive.
Help us sometimes to pray and to work for the whole church of Jesus Christ, in all its varied forms and confessions,
that it may support ever more branches,
and bear good fruit beyond measure.
Amen.