[Each week, I present at least one overview of the Bible lessons for the following Sunday's worship. These passes are designed to help the people of Saint Matthew Lutheran Church in Logan, Ohio, where I'm privileged to be pastor, to prepare for worship. But since we use the common lectionary, or Bible lesson plan, for the Church Year, I hope that others find them helpful as well.]
The Bible Lessons:
Acts 7:55-60
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
1 Peter 2:2-10
John 14:1-14
The Prayer of the Day:
Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Give us grace to love one another, to follow in the way of his commandments, and to share his risen life with all the world, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Comments:
1. Each of the texts appointed for this coming Sunday are so rich and so deserving of explanation that I'm tempted to preach on all of them. But we don't have that much time together in worship!
2. The texts, as usual, are interrelated. Psalm 31 is quoted by Stephen in the Acts text. (He emulates Jesus in doing so. More on that momentarily.) Peter speaks of believers in Christ being built into the household of God and in the Gospel lesson, Jesus talks about preparing a place for us with the Father and Him, Who are one.
3. Please take a look at the comments of Chris Haslam for a good overview of all the texts. See here.
4. In Acts, in the chapter preceding our lesson, Stephen has made the argument that Jesus is the fulfillment of Israel's history, law, and prophets. Judgment is upon all, Jew and Gentile, who reject Jesus. Salvation belongs to those who trust in Him. Jesus makes the same point, but at an even deeper level, in the Gospel lesson. He and the Father are one, Jesus asserts. If you have seen Jesus, He tells the disciples, you have seen the Father. This is why Jesus is the one and only way to relationship, to eternal homing, with God the Father.
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