Sharing some thoughts

  I want to think this morning of two of the readings we’ve heard today, and both of them offer us guidance, encouragement, and a picture of what Christian life can look like when it is lived with purpose and joy. And I particularly want to think of 3 things - two from our reading from Acts (2:42–47), and one from the Gospel according to John (10:1–10). The reading from Acts gives us a great insight into the life of the early church. We’re told that the followers of Jesus devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. We’re told how they lived together, sharing what they had. And we’re told that they enjoyed “the goodwill of all the people,” and that “day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” When I was thinking about the reading, two things stood out for me. The first is the fellowship they shared. Now, I’m sure they had their disagreements, because whenever people spend time together, that’s ...

Easter 3  It was Palm Sunday, and a family’s six‑year‑old son had to stay home from church because of a bad throat. When the rest of the family returned carrying palm branches, he asked what they were for. His mother explained, “People held them over Jesus’ head as he walked by.” “Wouldn’t you know it,” the boy fumed. “The one Sunday I don’t go to church, and Jesus turns up!”   It’s a fun story but today we meet a very different moment when Jesus does turn up, but for a long time he isn’t recognised at all. The account we heard of Jesus meeting two of his followers on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35) is full of questions:    Why didn’t they see him? Why didn’t they know it was him? Why were their eyes “kept from recognising him”?    But if we focus only on those questions, we risk missing the deeper invitation of the passage, that is the invitation to examine our own ability to see, recognise, and walk with the Risen Lord Jesus.   Why these two follo...

Our gospel reading (John 20:19-31) this morning begins on the first evening of Easter. It’s still the same day the women found the tomb empty. It’s still the same day Mary Magdalene came running back breathless, saying she had seen the Lord. It’s still the same day the two disciples on the road to Emmaus had their hearts set on fire as Jesus walked beside them. And yet, despite all of that, the disciples are gathered in a room with the doors bolted shut. They are naturally frightened and confused, probably unsure what to believe. They’ve heard rumours of resurrection, but they haven’t yet met the risen Jesus. We remember that these are the same disciples who had walked with Jesus for three years. They had seen miracles. They had heard his teaching. They had promised loyalty. But now, on this first Easter evening, they are hiding. They are powerless. They are unsure what comes next. All except Thomas. Thomas isn’t there. The others are locked away, but Thomas is out somewhere. We ...

Readings : Acts 10:34–43 and John 20:1–18   A professor once asked his class, “How many Easter eggs can you fit into an empty basket?” The students looked puzzled. One eventually raised a hand and said, “Well, it depends on the size of the eggs and the size of the basket.” The professor smiled and replied, “No matter the size of the basket or the eggs, you can only ever fit one egg into an empty basket, because after that, it isn’t empty anymore.”   Today, with millions of Christians across the world, we celebrate something else that was empty: the empty tomb. Jesus, who had died on the cross, had risen again. And because of that, we can say with joy, with confidence, with hope: Alleluia! Christ is risen!   The depth of God’s love was revealed on Good Friday as Jesus faced torture and accepted death for us. The power of God’s love was revealed on Easter morning as he conquered death for evermore. God’s love can be discussed for hours, its breadth, its constancy, its sheer...