Bible Text: John 20:19-31, Peter 1:3-9 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes |
Devotional:
Despite how strange it was, I think we are still enjoying the afterglow of the Easter story. I was so moved by the various ways Christians around the world celebrated Easter this year, from the yellow ribbon campaign in England to the beautiful sunrise service led by The Rev. Ingrid Brown of St. George’s/ Cumberland Church. We have become rather creative in our ways of staying connected even when we are physically a part. It is for this reason that I have been reflecting a lot on the Epistles lately. A big reason is because the letters ,written by various Apostles, are rather timely these days. Sure the letters were written to budding churches- where people gathered together, in person, and so it might not seem like they are relevant but it is the letter writing and style itself that has made me appreciate them. Almost all the letters, whether written by Paul, Paul’s disciples, Peter, John or unknown authors, all the letters, were written by people who were physically distant from the letters’ recipients. That is what makes them timely. For example, a variation on a comment I read on twitter is this, “Pastors, if you are upset that you can not gather in person with your congregation, just remember the Apostle Paul couldn’t meet with his churches either so he just sent them 20 page rambling letters filled with his every emo thought”. Easter may not have happened the way it usually does but we are pretty lucky that we can gather in this way, over a YouTube video, or that we can phone, email and message one another. Even those of you who receive these devotionals in paper form, can appreciate that we are all still “worshipping” together. This is what drew me to focus predominantly on 1 Peter this morning.
It is up for debate whether Peter wrote the letter or not. If he did then the letter would have been written prior to Peter’s death in 64 CE. If not, then it would have been written a little later by one of his students. But the authorship is not what matters most to me, it is the content. We didn’t hear the introduction but Peter addresses this first letter to the “exiles of dispersion” in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, meaning not only that these people have been forced to leave their homeland and live abroad due to their faith but that geographically this letter speaks to people across about a 300,000 square miles radius. They are definitely physically distant from one another as well as their own homeland. These people have suffered greatly for their faith. Most of them, likely still considered themselves Jewish and practised Judeo rituals but they have been banished from their synagogues or region because they also believed in the Gospel. We might think that we are experiencing tough times- admittedly we are concerned about our finances and we are concerned that being apart for so long means people are falling through the cracks but in comparison to who Peter writes to we have very little to complain about. Also, Peter’s audience are mostly new Christians- they are young in their faith and they face incredible consequences for their belief. They face hostility from their friends, family and culture. Peter encourages them to hold fast to their faith and rejoice in the Gospel but he doesn’t sugar coat it. He knows they are suffering.
As someone who appreciates the Gold Rush history of BC the metaphor that Peter uses to explain how this suffering is transformed appeals to me. I’ve been to Barkerville and Zeballos I know that when panning for gold one often finds those tiny rough flecks of gold amongst plain looking rocks. Gold is nothing special until it is refined. Peter says the genuineness of their faith is like gold. Yes it is precious regardless but it must be tested by fire or refined to know how valuable it is. You know, this refining metaphor is a throw back to the various prophets in the Old Testament who often compared the people’s relationship with God to requiring refining. Peter uses familiar language for his predominantly Jewish audience and assures them that the metaphor still works for their new faith.
Then Peter balances this rejoicing and suffering by pointing to a dichotomy between the now and the then, the present and the future. He says, “even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials” we must have faith in God’s power and that outcome of such faith will mean the salvation of our souls. Faith is so important to Peter that he mentions it three times just within this short passage. Having faith means that we look toward a future- a future that has been revealed through the resurrection. Even if we are suffering now- just as Christ suffered greatly on the cross- the hope we have is that in the future things will be different because the story of the Gospel didn’t end with suffering on the cross. The story begins with the resurrection.
I have had numerous conversations with a lot of you about how this situation could go on for a long time- it has already gone on longer than we initially thought. And I really struggle with thinking about how long this could go. My head has trouble thinking that this could go on for months more, or a year, or 18 months. I experience fear for the future- so instead I try to take it day by day or week by week. Yet, ultimately I not only hope but know that we will be together again at some point and just think of how exciting that will be. These new Christians that Peter writes to, must have felt hopeless and afraid at times, as exiles they must have been taking things day by day but Peter assures them of hope.
I also want you to notice that in the Gospel lesson, the disciples are stuck in a home too- behind locked doors and they too are afraid. They have heard all kinds of rumours and don’t know what to believe. They are scared about their future. But into that fear, Jesus comes- Jesus literally breaks in- and offers them words of peace and then breathes upon them the gift of the Holy Spirit. I bet, even if Jesus has to stay 2 meters away, that the gift of the Holy Spirit is being breathed upon us today. Even if now we are suffering a little, we have the Spirit, we have the peace of Christ, we have the indescribable and glorious joy of the Gospel. With the light of the resurrection as our backdrop we look to the future with hope. Amen