5th Sunday of Easter

Our readings for the fifth Sunday of Easter are:

1. Acts 6: 1-7
2. Psalms 33: 1-2, 4-5, 18-19
3. 1 Peter 2: 4-9
4. John 14: 1-12

• Delegation
• Renewal movements come along from time to time, and often they look to the genesis stories to find the unvarnished meaning of their community, to once again lay claim to their ultimate identity.
• How would you describe the Church to someone who had never heard anything about us?
• How would you explain our local church to that same person?
• What truly sets us apart from the rest?

• Kindness personified
• How would you define kindness?
• Have you ever found it hard to be kind to someone in your life?
• When has God been kind to you in the past?
• What do you think that kindness cost God?

• Claiming your inner priesthood
• Do you feel chosen?
• And what have you been chosen to?
• How does that affect your daily life?
• Does anyone else know that you're chosen?

• Without seeing You, we love You
• When you think of someone in your life who illustrates Jesus, who might that be?
• How does their life show you Jesus?
• What have you learned from them?
• How might you pass that along to someone else?
• How might that relate to apostolic succession?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. How is my life serving Christ by serving others?
2. Would anyone describe me as kind?
3. How am I living out God's call in my life this week?
4. What am I passing along to others in my life?

Not in my job description

Somehow, Jesus was never frustrated that things kept popping up in life

That were not on the agenda for the day.

You never see Him tapping His watch and telling His disciples

Telling them it was time to go, time to be to the next appointment

Instead, Jesus always seemed able to surf the chaos, ride the wave

Of events as they came His way, regardless whether they were planned in advance.

Of course, that must have been tough for His advance team.

But they seemed to have learned, eventually, to roll with the punches.

And they learned humility when things didn't turn out the way that they had hoped.

And best of all, they learned what's genuinely important.

Maybe Jesus knew it would all get done eventually,

Maybe He felt that attitude was more crucial than checking boxes on a list.

I only wish I could see His Day Planner.

Shalom!