Sixth Sunday of Easter • Year C

Historical Collect

O God, all good things can come from you alone; generously consider then our humble prayers. Inspire us to consider what is true and direct us to accomplish what is right; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. He lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Gelasian Sacramentary, 7th Century)

Thematic Collect

Heavenly Father, we give you thanks that you love us with an everlasting love for the sake of Christ. Grant us your peace so that in times of this world’s tribulations we may always remember that your Son has overcome the world; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.

The Common Thread

That Christ has overcome the world does not mean that he has conquered the world, as one nation conquers another. After all, the Father so loved this world. It means that he has overcome the things of the world that drag his creation into bondage, sin, despair, and death. The result is that he leaves the world with his peace (John 14:27). And so, we are to preach this good news of peace to that very world. How else will they know that peace has come? We must make God’s way of peace known throughout the earth. Only then will the nations’ kings have any glory worth bringing into the holy city.

First Reading • Acts 16:9–15

Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia calling out for him to come and help them. He (rather, Luke and the others with Paul as well) concluded that the vision meant to go to Macedonia and preach the Gospel. What better help could a people get? Note the word “concluded” in verse 10 (Acts 16:10). The NRSV translates the word as “being convinced.” The literal meaning of the biblical word is “to stride together.” One might understand that Paul and his company began to keep step with God by making the three-legged journey (think how you always want to catch a non-stop flight) to Macedonia. Walking with God is not always a linear journey. Yet by getting in stride with God no matter how many dog-legs he took, the company brought the Gospel to Lydia, who believed and whose whole household were baptized.

Psalm • Psalm 67:1–7

God will abundantly bless us (Psa 67:7). This is an on-going act of blessing for all God’s people—indeed, for all people (v3) of all nations. The Hebrew verb implies that he is in the middle of performing his blessings; it is as yet an incomplete action. For this ongoing and abundant blessing, God deserves the praises of the nations.

Second Reading • Revelation 21:9–14, 21–27

The blessed people of the Lamb are depicted as his Bride and as a new and holy and heavenly city. The Wife of the Lamb shares his glory (Rev 21:11). Who is this Bride? She is all God’s people as depicted in the Old Testament and seen here as the twelve gates of the holy city, the twelve tribes of Israel—and in the New Testament as the twelve foundations of the holy city, the twelve apostles. One would expect this to be reversed; the law would be seen as the foundation and the the apostolic teaching the gateway to heaven. But John has it right; the Gospel is the foundation of heaven but it is the law that drives us through the gates to earthly peace and heavenly grace.

Gospel • John 16:23–33

Undoubtedly the disciples had asked many things of Jesus. Certainly John’s own mother did so (Matt 20:20-21) when she asked that John and his older brother James to share the highest seats in the kingdom with the Lord. Yet she had not asked in the name of Jesus. To ask in Jesus’ name means that you are a courier of the one in whose name you carry his request to God. In other words, you are not so much asking of God what you want but instead, what the Lord desires. When the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith (Luke 17:5), they were in stride with what the Lord willed. Still, the increase of faith requires testing of one’s faith. For this they would require the peace of Christ. As the disciples became apostles they would have his peace. Even when Jesus had ascended to the Father, he would still be with them, lending them his courage and peace.

or John 5:1–9

The Church does not need gimmicks, tricksters, or stirred pools of water to be made well. The Church needs to get in stride with the command of the Lord. Get out of your sickbed and walk!