Still Waters, Troubled Waters

As we begin to move to “Ordinary Time,” that long season (about six months) from Pentecost to Advent, I’d like to offer a word about the Sunday lectionary readings. During the seasons of Advent, Epiphany and Lent the Old Testament readings and the New Testament readings share common themes. They are intentionally paired like this so we are able to see how Jesus is rooted in and fulfills Israel’s Scriptures. But after Easter a change begins to take place in how the Sunday readings are ordered. There is no longer a connection between the Old Testament texts and the New Testament texts. The reason behind this shift is to remind us that the Old Testament is not important only because it helps us understand the New Testament. The Old Testament is the Word of God in its own right and can be read and preach on apart from the New.

The readings for Sunday, May 10 begin to move in these different directions. During Easter the Old Testament readings are replaced by readings from Acts, which tell the story of Christian community lived powerfully in the light of Christ’s resurrection. But there is no direct connection between the Gospel readings and the readings from Acts. In the reading from John’s Gospel Jesus declares that he is the vine and his disciples are the branches, who draw strength and life from him. The readings from Amos convey provocative images of Israel as the vine and God as the keeper of the vineyard. While God expresses his anger toward Israel for failing to treat the poor with dignity and respect, we also hear that God cannot forsake his people and that God’s compassion will overcome God’s anger. How do these discomforting passages from Amos help us see the more familiar and comfortable reading from John 15 in a new light?

The readings from Acts below provide background to the reading from Acts for Sunday. While Jesus commanded his disciples to set out from Jerusalem and go to Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth with the Gospel message, the church remained in Jerusalem. But as persecution against Jesus’ followers broke out the church was forced to scatter, including a follower of Jesus named Philip. This persecution, perhaps a move by God, forced people like Philip to travel to Judea, Samaria and eventually the ends of the earth. God did not want to allow God’s people to become too comfortable in Jerusalem and so the pressure and stress of persecution became an impetus for Jesus’ followers to obey Jesus’ command. How can some of the pressure and stress we experience help us to fulfill God’s call to us? How does it change our understandings and expectations of God that God both leads us beside still waters and troubles the waters? What was Philip able to see and do because God upset the apple cart?


Thursday, 5/7
Amos 8:1-7
Acts 8:1-8

Friday 5/8
Amos 8:11-13
Acts 8:9-25

Saturday 5/9
Amos 9:7-15
Mark 4:30-32

Read Psalm 22:25-31 each of these three days.