Reflections for Sunday 7th May 2023 from Jacquie Brown
THE FIFTH SUNDAY of EASTER - 7 May 2023
Collect:
Contemporary
Almighty God,
who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ have overcome death and opened to us
the gate of everlasting life:
grant that, as by your grace going before us
you put into our minds good desires,
so by your continual help
we may bring them to good effect;
through Jesus Christ our risen Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for
Readings:
Instead of Old Testament: Acts 7. 55-60;
Psalm 31. 1-5, [15, 16]; New Testament: 1 Peter 2. 2-10; Gospel: John 14. 1-14
Reflection
How good are you at following signs or arrows?Now as I share today’s Gospel lesson, see if you can follow instructions and look the right way when I tell you the sign.Stop and imagine how Jesus' disciples must have felt in our Bible lesson today. Jesus knew that the day of his crucifixion was coming and that He would soon return to His Father in heaven. He was trying to prepare His disciples for the time when He would no longer be with them.
"Don't worry," Jesus said, "I am going to prepare a place for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will be with Me. You know the way to where I am going."
(A straight on arrow)
"No, we don’t," Thomas said. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
(A right arrow sign.)
Jesus answered him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."
Philip, another of the disciples spoke up, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."(Right arrow sign and look right.)
Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me." Jesus wanted his disciples to know He and the Father were one, and that if they put their trust in God and in Him, they would one day join Him in Heaven.
(The up arrow sign and look up.)
Sometimes life can be very confusing and we don't know where to turn or what path to take. It seems that every path we take leads to a dead end.
(The down arrow sign and look down.)
When that happens, we just need to remember that Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." If we will keep our eyes on Jesus and follow his teaching, we will find the path to our goal -- eternal life in Heaven with him. We can only come to God through Jesus.
(The up arrow sign and look up.)
Dear God, help us keep our eyes on Jesus because we know that He is the way -- the only way to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Collect:
Contemporary
Almighty God,
who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ have overcome death and opened to us
the gate of everlasting life:
grant that, as by your grace going before us
you put into our minds good desires,
so by your continual help
we may bring them to good effect;
through Jesus Christ our risen Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for
Readings:
Instead of Old Testament: Acts 7. 55-60;
Psalm 31. 1-5, [15, 16]; New Testament: 1 Peter 2. 2-10; Gospel: John 14. 1-14
Reflection
How good are you at following signs or arrows?Now as I share today’s Gospel lesson, see if you can follow instructions and look the right way when I tell you the sign.Stop and imagine how Jesus' disciples must have felt in our Bible lesson today. Jesus knew that the day of his crucifixion was coming and that He would soon return to His Father in heaven. He was trying to prepare His disciples for the time when He would no longer be with them.
"Don't worry," Jesus said, "I am going to prepare a place for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will be with Me. You know the way to where I am going."
(A straight on arrow)
"No, we don’t," Thomas said. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
(A right arrow sign.)
Jesus answered him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."
Philip, another of the disciples spoke up, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."(Right arrow sign and look right.)
Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me." Jesus wanted his disciples to know He and the Father were one, and that if they put their trust in God and in Him, they would one day join Him in Heaven.
(The up arrow sign and look up.)
Sometimes life can be very confusing and we don't know where to turn or what path to take. It seems that every path we take leads to a dead end.
(The down arrow sign and look down.)
When that happens, we just need to remember that Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." If we will keep our eyes on Jesus and follow his teaching, we will find the path to our goal -- eternal life in Heaven with him. We can only come to God through Jesus.
(The up arrow sign and look up.)
Dear God, help us keep our eyes on Jesus because we know that He is the way -- the only way to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.