Daily Readings - Fri May 08 2020
Acts
26Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.27For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.28And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.29And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.30But God raised him from the dead:31And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.32And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,33God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
John
1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the heart of our faith: the promise of salvation and the assurance of eternal life through Jesus Christ. In the first reading from Acts, Paul preaches to the people, recounting how the rulers of Jerusalem failed to recognize Jesus as the Savior and instead condemned Him to death. Yet, as Paul emphasizes, God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day, fulfilling the promises made to the fathers and offering salvation to all. This passage reminds us that the story of Jesus is not just a historical event but a living truth that continues to shape our lives today.
In the Gospel, Jesus offers words of comfort to His disciples, who are troubled by the thought of His departure. He reassures them, saying, "Do not let your heart be troubled," and promises to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house. When Thomas expresses uncertainty about the way forward, Jesus responds with one of the most profound statements in Scripture: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me." These words are not just a reassurance to the disciples but a timeless invitation to all of us to place our trust in Him.
The connection between the two readings lies in their focus on the hope and assurance that come from faith in Jesus. Paul’s message in Acts emphasizes that the resurrection of Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises, while John’s Gospel highlights Jesus as the ultimate source of truth and life. Together, they remind us that our faith is rooted in the conviction that Jesus is our way to the Father and that His promises are trustworthy. As we navigate the uncertainties of life, we are called to live with hope, knowing that our ultimate home is with God. Let us strive to trust in Jesus, to follow Him as the Way, and to live as witnesses to the truth and love He has revealed to us.