Scripture Readings
The church at Antioch sent Barnabas and Paul on mission. After visiting Cyprus, Barnabas’ birthplace, they arrived at Perga on the south coast of what is now Turkey, and travelled north to Antioch in Pisidia. Everywhere they went they spoke first to the Jews about Jesus as the climax of the whole Jewish history. Jesus who was killed by the Jewish leaders, but raised from the dead by God. At first many Jews listened attentively.
In the Book of Revelation John sees events in heaven which mirror events on earth. Witnesses persecuted for their beliefs do not suffer in vain: eventually they will be vindicated by evildoers being punished. Not vengeance, but God’s justice. And a message of hope: the faithful of every nation will be rewarded with perfect life in God’s renewed creation.
In John’s Gospel, after Jesus had healed the man born blind, the Jewish leaders argued about Jesus, and asked him to say plainly if he was the Messiah. Jesus tells them the healing he does in the Father’s name testifies to him. He ends with a clear statement implying that the words and deeds of Jesus are the words and deeds of the Father. By their subsequent actions the Jews showed they clearly believed Jesus was claiming to be God.
Psalm Response: We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
(Acts 13: 14, 43-52; Psalm 99(100); Rev 7: 9, 14-17; John 10: 27-30)
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.