Daily Liturgy and Scripture

In the second section of the sermon from Peter, it's an interesting exercise to remember that this is the same man who denied Jesus three times. When he talks about the importance of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the need for repentance, this isn't just a story. This is what brought him to this sermon.

Pentecost Sunday is just behind us, but we find ourselves back here in the regular flow of the reading plan! Perhaps this quick reminder is a good one: the Gospel has been brought to all people, not to just a select few. God is the God of all, and the Son died for all.

Interesting that even the actions of Judas are tied to the work of God. This moment in the history of Jesus's kingdom could have been devastating, he has left the work to a group of men who almost universally deserted him. Luckily, God allows comebacks.

It's interesting that, even at Jesus's ascension, the apostles still don't understand what power really is. They are looking for a restoration of their nation, but Jesus is offering them a new Kingdom. Perhaps discipleship is a journey that never ends until we live in that newly established Kingdom.

Theology, humility, and hospitality are all hallmarks of the body of Christ, and especially for us to show to one another. In this little pastoral letter, a selfish person who denies fellow believers, choosing instead to promote himself. This should not be our way.

The spreading of the Gospel is the work of God, and Pentecost is one of the events that sound the great work of God. The message is God's, and we are carriers. The future we have in Jesus is indeed good news, and it was very much worth getting to everyone.

This is a pretty important foundation, though in current times it is less disputed: Jesus is God, and our life is grounded in him. In the first century, when the reality of Jesus coming, dying, and rising from the dead was a little more debated, this would have been critical for the young church to know. It remains as important to our reality today.

Love and fear cannot coexist. Loving others means we do not fear them, and we have no reason to. God has sealed us eternally as his own, so we are free to love as only Jesus could.

The trademarks of love and of the Spirit are shared with our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. This is both because we should share that love with our spiritual family, but also because that shared loves gives our family the kind of attraction that makes others want to be part of it.

The children of God, living in the Kingdom of Jesus, look different than those around them. The undercurrent of love and the work of the Spirit holds us together, but our lives also show the important of things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. The way we treat one another, and the attention we give to following Jesus ourselves, is important.