Fifth Sunday of Easter
READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
- First reading
- Acts 7:55-60
- Psalm
- Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
- Second reading
- 1 Peter 2:2-10
- Gospel
- John 14:1-14
The gospel from John:
Jesus said “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.”
1819 Allston, Washington
Museum of Fine Arts
Painting
Boston, MA
https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.
Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
Sermon
This week our gospel reading is the well-known John 14. The verse 14:6: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” is famous. John 14 has power. It sticks with you. But why is it different? Mark and Matthew answer some questions, but new questions come to mind. It helps to study these questions. One is fundamental: Who is Jesus? To explain verse 14:6, one needs to refer to verses 1 to 5. In his sermon this week, Pastor Stevenson helped us to answer these questions.