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Hey everyone! Welcome to another episode of "Digging into God's Word". This week we're
looking at the readings for the 4th Sunday of Easter. Let's get ready to dig in!
So before we start today, I want to add something to this little video series. Now realizing
that many of you might not make it all the way to the end, I thought I'd throw this out
at the beginning. I've always wanted this video series to be helpful for those who watch
it. In an attempt to be more helpful, I want to give you next week's readings a week ahead
of time and invite you to send in your questions about the texts. Take a few minutes to look
at them and then send me your questions about them. You can send me your question in 4 ways:
1) Comment on this video on our YouTube page -- right here below the video.
2) Comment on our Facebook page: facebook.com/FaithKnobNoster
3) Comment on my blog -- blog.tomschlund.com
or if you want to send a private message, please email me: schlundt@csl.edu
If you send me your question, I promise to do some research and answer it in the next
video. The same goes if you have any questions about a current video. If you watch the video
today and have a question about something that was said, please send me a comment and
I'll do my best to answer your questions! I look forward to hearing from you! Next week's
readings are on the screen right now and are in the description below.
Now, onto this week's lessons.
As you know, we're exploring the book of Acts in the place of our Old Testament readings
this week so our first lesson is from Acts 2:42-47.
There are only 5 verses here so it isn't very long, but we hear quite a bit about the early
church. Luke, the author of the book of Acts, gives us a glimpse of what the early church
looked like and what they were doing.
This reading comes immediately after our reading from last week where we heard Peter stand
up and preach a big sermon to those who were assembled in Jerusalem for Pentecost. If you
remember from last week, Luke says that those who heard Peter were "cut to the heart" and
around 3,000 were baptized that day.
This week we hear that the believers gathered together regularly and devoted themselves
to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Sound familiar? When we gather together in church every week what do we do?
We read and hear the apostles' teaching in Scripture, we receive the gift of the Lord's
Supper, and we pray some prayers regularly in addition to special prayers. It is important
to note that there is a definite article there before prayers -- "the prayers" indicating
that there were some prayers that they used regularly.
They didn't just stop there though -- keeping to themselves in worship and thanksgiving.
No, they were caring for those in need. It says that they sold their possessions, had
all things in common and distributed what they had to those in need.
What we hear in this reading is a description of a family -- a family untied by their Father
in heaven and their brother, Jesus Christ. They worshipped together, broke bread together
in their homes and praised God. Verse 47 says they had favor with the people and the Lord
added to their number day by day those who were being saved. I think it is interesting
that it doesn't say that they were adding to their number, but that God adds to the
number.
Our Epistle reading is 1 Peter 2:19-25. So the first reading was 5 verses and this one
is 6. So we have heard Peter talk about our inheritance, about how God paid a ransom for
us, and now this week we hear about suffering. That's kind of a downer compared to those
other two, more positive things.
Peter tells us that we should expect suffering because Christ suffered for us. It's interesting
that he doesn't promise us a perfect or an easy life as a Christian, but rather that
one can expect to suffer. This isn't always what we hear from Christians these days.
He says that it is a gracious thing when we endure suffering for an unjust reason. I mean
there's nothing good about being punished for your sin, because you deserve your punishment,
but if you are punished for your faith then that's an entirely different thing.
Why? Because Jesus suffered unjustly for sins he didn't commit. Peter tells us that he committed
no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. He himself bore our sins in his body on the
tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
Because we have been forgiven and saved in this way, we now follow Christ's example.
The last line of this verse connects to the theme of the day which is Jesus the Good Shepherd.
Peter says that we have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseeer of our souls.
This transitions nicely to our gospel reading for today which comes from John 10.
Here at St. Paul's and Faith we explored Jesus' "I AM" statements during our Lenten midweek
services. If you were here with us for these services then this reading will be familiar
to you.
Jesus had just healed a man who had been blind from birth and restored his sight. He did
this on the Sabbath which really upset the religious leaders of the time because on the
one hand, restoring a man's sight seemed like something that only God could do, but on the
other hand, working on the Sabbath was prohibited and God couldn't sin, so who was this Jesus
guy anyway?
Jesus uses some examples that are familiar to the people who are listening to them. Sheep
were an important commodity at that time. They could be used to produce a variety of
useful products besides just wool and meat. Milk, cheese, soap, tools from the bones,
and parchment were other things that you could get from a sheep.
Jesus speaks of himself as a shepherd with sheep knowing his voice and following him.
John tells us that the people didn't really understand what he was talking about. He then
goes on to compare himself to the door for the sheep pen. People can only enter through
Jesus. Thieves who come to steal and destroy try to climb over the wall, only God's sheep
enter through the door.
These words about sheep and shepherds can be great comfort for us as we know that we
have a great shepherd caring for us and leading us to the pasture where we can eat and protecting
us from thieves and prowling animals.
Next time you see a sheep, think about Jesus and his care for all of his sheep. You and
me!
Don't forget to send me your questions either on this week's video or next week's lessons.
I want to hear from you!
God's Blessings on you as you study his word this week!