This blog is an extension of ShortStop a site committed to providing ideas and resources for interim/transition ministry professionals (http://shortstopblog.blogspot.com/) Lectionary Preaching in Times of Change and Transition is dedicated to exploring the lectionary preaching texts as a "lens" on life's transitions experienced in congregations, personal life, and families. Transitions and what churches call "interim ministry" are "short stops" on the journey to new beginnings. The ShortStop Lectionary Blog is one way to help preachers in the transition times to find ideas from the Revised Common Lectionary. Each text will be considered but the focus each week will be on the text(s) that will be most helpful for preaching during an interim transition time. The preacher will be able to "connect the dots" creatively with themes of the lections.
SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER, Year A
Sunday, April 27, 2014
The Easter resurrection
event was a huge “sea change” for the Christ followers. Change is ordinarily an
external event (as with Jesus’ death and resurrection) that impacts our lives
in some way, personal, family, community or national. Transition is the process
of our coming to terms with that impact in our lives. The entire book of Acts
is about the transition journey of the early believers following the
resurrection of Jesus. The comments to follow are sermon “seeds” that may
create some sermon moves.
Acts 2:14a, 22-32
Peter’s sermon calls on
the history of faith as a place to begin to understand the changes
confronting them. He begins with a reflection on Psalm 16 (the Psalm for Easter
2) as a Messianic prophetic scripture. These tie together well as a reminder
that our “past” story is always a sub plot of our future story. Peter’s
starting point is their faith story.
The faith experience of
these first witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus was one of cognitive
dissonance – everything that they knew of their faith history was thrown into disarray
with the death of Jesus and his resurrection. Peter reaches back into the
Hebrew Psalms as a foundation for seeing the life of Jesus as God’s Annointed One
who came with signs and wonders and broke the power of evil in his resurrection.
Coming to terms with history (“what
happened”) is a key dynamic of transition during times of change. For a
congregation, following Peter’s lead of building on faith foundations is one
sermon move worthy of consideration.
John 20:19-31
The
Sunday after Easter is for many preachers a “low” Sunday – both in worship
attendance (when compared to Easter) and spiritual energy. The Thomas narrative reflects that same “low”
experience on both counts – Thomas didn’t show up when he was “supposed to” and
when he did, his spiritual lethargy was obvious, “I wont’ believe unless….”
There is
a transitional shift in the Gospel text, however. The doubt that is attributed to Thomas is a
very normal part of our faith formation.
As I look at the Gospel text for this week, I’m seeing that faith
formation has become, with this new event of Christ’s resurrection, a task of the faith community. The larger
group witnessed the resurrected Jesus and spoke with him. An interesting move toward
the sermon is to consider this new dynamic of the community learning and faith
formation. Thomas became the “doubter”
but no longer was Jesus the “Teacher.” The Holy Spirit is beginning to fill
that role. Rather, the community becomes the locus of faith formation. The
larger group of disciples became the “extra-dependent” or outside support for Thomas
as believe formed in his heart.
The faith community’s support, patience,
teaching, prayers and combine insight into the Spirit’s guidance with Thomas is
an expression of this new tapestry of faith formation for this new future.
Bob Anderson
Bob Anderson
Interim Ministry Specialist
Life Coach for Ministry Professionals
Toledo, OH
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