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3rd Sunday of Easter

Each of these lessons that our congregations will hear this Sunday could easily stand alone as fodder for the homily, for each of the lessons provide bountiful inspiration, vision, instruction, and reflection. We also have a great variety of genre-poetry, testimonial/experiential, luminous vision, and two calling stories.

PSALM 30-PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Have you ever been in such dire straits that some form of death seemed the only way out? You were . . . a dead duck . . . as good as dead . . . dead in the water? And yet when you cried out to God you received a powerful deliverance and restoration? Then this is your psalm, for the one offering this poem seems to be well on the slippery slide "down to the Pit" (v. 3). Yet this psalmist also speaks powerfully to a deliverance that God brings-you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life . . .(vv.1-3; 11). The psalmist expresses the theme of gratitude and invites others to rejoice in this great testimony of God’s deliverance.

ACTS 9:1-6 (7-20)-HOW SAUL GOT RELIGION

This lesson contains the story of the conversion and call of Saul, later called "Paul." In the previous chapter we read about how God spoke to a prominent courtesan of Ethiopia through Philip the Evangelist. Now God moves beyond human instrumentality and hammers Saul. This is the opposite approach of the view that Jesus stands at the door and knocks, then politely awaits a response (Rev. 3:20). No knocking here-God blows the door off the hinges and confronts Saul the persecutor with such grace that some would claim it was virtually irresistible. At any rate, the story speaks powerfully to God’s interest in achieving the divine purposes however God chooses. Saul gets religion and Christians sigh relief.

REVELATION 5:11-14-OTHERWORLDLY VISION

This lesson brings us to a vision that describes heavenly worship. If you’re a fan of Stephen King, you might catch something of the strange/wonderful flavor of such otherworldliness (I’m thinking of From a Buick 8, for example). The language is numinous and dreamlike; it creates a world filled with angels, living creatures and elders and untold numbers of beings singing a doxology to Christ-the Lamb-who became the sacrifice for humanity’s brokenness and sin. The actual words of the song that heaven sings has been re-texted and put to music down here as well-worthy is the lamb . . . to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!

JOHN 21:1-19-BACK TO FISHING?

In this post-resurrection story, seven disciples have hung the gone fishin’ sign out and may be considering a return to their former career. However you interpret their actions, Jesus tenderly calls them back to the mission of fishing for people. With Peter Jesus enters a more intimate conversation-"Do you love me?" Taken together, this is a remarkable narrative that continues to speak to post-modern disciples who may also be wavering in their discipleship.