Easter 5
Devotional
Water From the Well
Lectionary Devotional For Cycle A
Object:
Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house....
-- 1 Peter 2:4
Each of the lectionary passages for this Sunday seeks to prepare the church for conflict. Conflict is a normal part of church life, and, far too often, it is an internal conflict among Christians rather than a conflict with the world's values. These passages assume that if the church is faithful, it will experience conflict with the larger community in which it exists. As was made clear in the life and death of Jesus, the faith that he proclaimed was an offense to many who prospered in the world: "A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall." While this does not preclude Christians being successful in life, scripture does suggest that we need to be careful that we have not become too accommodating to the values of the world in our pursuit of that success. Since the book of Peter was written to the early church, this should be of particular concern as a church seeks to plan its mission. "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
Using this variety of Old Testament images, the author reminded the church that they were called for a purpose. They were meant to be different from other organizations in the world. Priests were called to interface between God and the world. To be holy was to be different from those around you. The mission of the church is not to "fit in" but to respond to a call from God who speaks from outside of the values in which our world exists. God seeks to reveal to the world a better way and calls the church to expose the world to that alternative to the darkness in which they have found themselves. This is not because the church consists of people who are superior to others who live in the world. The church has no claim to being better than others. "Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." The quality of life that the church is called upon to proclaim to the world is the life of forgiven sinners that offer hope to others who recognize their need for forgiveness.
-- 1 Peter 2:4
Each of the lectionary passages for this Sunday seeks to prepare the church for conflict. Conflict is a normal part of church life, and, far too often, it is an internal conflict among Christians rather than a conflict with the world's values. These passages assume that if the church is faithful, it will experience conflict with the larger community in which it exists. As was made clear in the life and death of Jesus, the faith that he proclaimed was an offense to many who prospered in the world: "A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall." While this does not preclude Christians being successful in life, scripture does suggest that we need to be careful that we have not become too accommodating to the values of the world in our pursuit of that success. Since the book of Peter was written to the early church, this should be of particular concern as a church seeks to plan its mission. "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
Using this variety of Old Testament images, the author reminded the church that they were called for a purpose. They were meant to be different from other organizations in the world. Priests were called to interface between God and the world. To be holy was to be different from those around you. The mission of the church is not to "fit in" but to respond to a call from God who speaks from outside of the values in which our world exists. God seeks to reveal to the world a better way and calls the church to expose the world to that alternative to the darkness in which they have found themselves. This is not because the church consists of people who are superior to others who live in the world. The church has no claim to being better than others. "Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." The quality of life that the church is called upon to proclaim to the world is the life of forgiven sinners that offer hope to others who recognize their need for forgiveness.
