Daily Readings - Mon May 29 2017
Acts
1And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.2And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."3And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism."4And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus."5On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.6And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.7There were about twelve men in all.8And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
John
29His disciples said, "Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech!30Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God."31Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?32Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.33I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
Sermon
Dear friends, in today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments in the early Christian community and the life of Jesus. In the first reading from Acts, Paul meets some disciples in Ephesus who had only received John’s baptism and hadn’t heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul explains that John’s baptism was a call to repentance, preparing the way for Jesus. These disciples then receive baptism in Jesus’ name, and through Paul’s laying on of hands, they experience the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues and prophesying. This event highlights the transition from the preparatory baptism of John to the fullness of Christian baptism in the Holy Spirit.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to His disciples about their growing faith. They acknowledge that He speaks plainly and that they believe He comes from God. Jesus affirms their faith but also warns them about the challenges ahead. He tells them that they will be scattered, but He won’t be alone because the Father is with Him. Jesus offers these words so that they, and we, may have peace in Him and confidence that He has overcome the world.
These readings remind us of the essential role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Just as those disciples in Ephesus needed to move beyond John’s baptism to receive the fullness of the Spirit, we too are called to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. In a world filled with challenges, Jesus assures us of His peace and victory. Let us trust in His power, knowing that through the Spirit, we can overcome any difficulty. May we, like those early disciples, be bold in our faith and open to the gifts of the Spirit, living each day with the confidence that Jesus has indeed overcome the world.