Reflection by Jeff Koch
Acts 8:5-8,14-17; Psalm 66; 1 Peter 3:15-18; John 14:15-21
“Proclaim a joyful sound and let it be heard; proclaim to the ends of the earth: The Lord has freed his people Alleluia”
As I listen and prepare my thoughts for these reflections, I pray and meditate on the Collect for the Sunday, then I read and pray over the Scriptures. My understanding of the Collect is ‘to gather together.’ It is given to us to gather together the thoughts and prayers, in the case of the liturgy, the passages for this Sunday and give it a central theme or to summarize the passages; to, as one, pray into our lives the reality that the Scriptures are trying to impress upon us. So, in praying the Collect beforehand, it helps me look for statements in the passages to reflect on as each passage mingles with the other Scriptures. At times the Lord can use these passages to take us on a journey. Walk with me as I share my journey today.
In Acts, we read of Phillip as he comes to the city of Samaria, he shares the gospel and proclaims Jesus as the Christ. He demonstrates the miraculous wonders of Jesus as he lives and moves among them. “And there was great joy in that city.” This takes me back to another time when Jesus also visited a city in Samaria, Sychar to be specific. I am reminded of the Samaritan woman, whom Jesus spent some time with, talking to her about life; her life and His life, specially of His identity. Jesus told her everything she had done, and yet, she felt no condemnation from her past or being cast out as a Samaritan. While she may have been a bit puzzled, there was a seed of joy that had to fill her. She went back into town and shared what had happened to her. She invited the city to come and see if this might be the Messiah. After the people in this city came out heard Jesus they said, “Now we believe no longer because of what you (the woman) told us, we have head him ourselves and we know that he is indeed the savior of the world.” (John 4:39-42) They then asked him to stay and teach them, which he did for two days. There must have been great joy there also.
But the Samaritans that Phillip preached to were about to experience something amazing. This Jesus that they had heard about and believed and were baptized in, now, as the Apostles come to them, this Jesus would reside in them by the Spirit that they would receive. The Apostles laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. As John tells us in the gospel today, that this is the presence of the Father and the Son. Jesus said he would not leave them as orphans, but He would come to them (and us) and as he lives, we would live. “On that day, you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. WOW!
Phillip had set apart, Christ as Lord, so that Samaritans could also set apart Christ as Lord in their lives. Peter asks us to set apart Christ as Lord in our hearts. When we do that in our lives, our actions change. We demonstrate, as the Collect says, “that we may celebrate with heartfelt devotion these days of joy, which we keep in honor of the risen Lord, and that what we relive in remembrance we may always hold to in what we do.” As we live our lives for Jesus, those around us will be able to see, because of the things we do, the way we live; they will ask, what is so different about you? At that point, we can give them an answer with gentleness and reverence, the reason for the hope that we have in us.
This world needs to see some hope in these days. How do they see it? They see it in us! Because of the woman, the Samaritans come and hear Jesus for themselves and believe in him. Phillip shares the gospel and they saw in him the reality of the risen Lord and come to believe. Jesus tells his disciples that he will abide in them, by His Spirit, and the world will be able to see the light in their darkness, hope in the midst of despair, joy in the midst of sorrow.
In Psalm 66, this verse stands out to me. “Shout joyfully to God, proclaim His praise . . . Say to God, how tremendous are your deeds . . . Come and see the works of the Lord, his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam. (That’s us) Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me.”
In the context of these passages, I have come to conclusion. Are you ready? The work of the Lord, that he did in the Samaritans lives, was because of work he had done in Phillip. The work of the Lord that he did in Sychar was because of the work he had done in the woman at the well. The work that God wants to do in this world will be, through us as we live in remembrance of the good things that God has done in our lives as HIS joy is transferred into actions. You see when you sanctify or set ap, YOU, are the work of God that others need to see, so they can see the works of the Lord. Remember the words of Jesus, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) As you are going, let your light shine!
Grant, Almighty God, that we may celebrate with heartfelt devotion these days of joy, which we keep in honor of the risen Lord, and that what we relive in remembrance we may always hold to in what we do. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Son, who lies and reigns with you n the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen!